cristina tarantola

Cristina (she/her) sees the practice of yoga as an offering of the heart, where movement and breath are the tools to connect deeper with the truest sense of Self and to attain a higher sense of consciousness. In 2009 she decided to deepen her practice and enrolled in her first 200-hour training. There, at Yoga Union for Back Care & Scoliosis, Alison West taught her how to balance impeccable instruction in alignment and Pranayama. Her rigorous Iyengar inspired program included a certification in teaching on an Iyengar-style Rope Wall, as well as training in teaching yoga for back care, which she often offers during her private sessions. Right after Alison's West 200-hour, Cristina dove in and completed a 75-hour advanced intensive training for experienced teachers with Schuyler Grant on The Art of Teaching Kula Style Yoga: Or Deconstructing Creative Alignment-Based Flow with Intelligence and Precision. She continues to deepen her knowledge of anatomy. 

In 2011, she completed a year long course with Leslie Kaminoff at the Breathing Project and has attended many continuing education workshops with Amy Matthews, among others. After a year and a half as part of the teaching faculty of Katonah Yoga, opened by Nevine Michaan, she decided to further her knowledge and understanding of "Body Reading" and enrolled in a 6 month long course with Zach Dacuk, where the focus is a deeper understanding of the human anatomy and dynamic of body movement to create intelligent sequences in a yoga flow class. 

Interruption of patterns to re-construct rebuilt a conscious way of moving. By seeing posture and patterns, we set the stage toward bringing the body into alignment. 

Cristinas goal is to teach from her practice, share what she has learned and continue learning and to offer what moves her. 

She seeks to create space and strength in the body and in the mind in order to create space in life through a grounding, challenging, expansive and uplifting Vinyasa practice. 

Her dedication to yoga is deeply fueled by the great inspiration and gratitude she has for her teachers, Alison West, Schuyler Grant, the Kula community and many others that have deeply touched her heart. Yoga is her life long journey.