Teachers
Photo credit to Carl Kerridge
Nicole - owner, lead teacher, ERYT 200 & RYT500 YACEP
Nicole thought she was going to try a new workout method since the gym was not her favorite place to be, but to her surprise, yoga was so much more. ...Through her years of dance experience and day-to-day living, she realized she had touched on yoga many years prior without knowing it. When she moved and left everything behind including her yoga community, she yearned to go deeper. There wasn't a local studio at the time, so books, videos and being pregnant became her teachers, and her baby helped change the ways she approached nutrition, the mind and breath. After having her son, she hired a trainer to whip her back into shape. The weight was coming off, but she was physically and mentally drained and soon became diagnosed with Grave's disease. Her rigorous workouts had to be stopped, which led her back to yoga. She found a place to heal -- her mind stopped racing and so did her thyroid. After time on the mat, the tests came back negative for Grave's disease to which Nicole credits yoga and God. Yoga quickly became one of her passions and as her practice deepened, she was inspired to bring yoga to Lexington, SC. She continued her education by becoming a 200-hour Yoga Alliance certified teacher and shortly after, she opened the doors to Pink Lotus Yoga Center. She believes wholeheartedly in the theory of teaching to learn and recently completed her 500-hour yoga teacher training under Dawn Yager of Shanti Yoga. She also keeps things fresh through attending various workshops, and by bringing special guests to her studio such as Dawn Yager, Where Is My Guru's Jessica Durivage, Go W/ The Flow and more. Nicole believes in bringing a wide variety of yogic principles to Pink Lotus and sharing all of the spiritual, physical and mental benefits of yoga with Lexington. She thrives in providing a fun, welcoming atmosphere for new and seasoned yogis and yoginis of all levels and from all walks of life.
Denis Ann 200 RYT
Denis Ann has found Swarupa, which means, "loving what you do; sitting in your own essence," in her yoga practice and wanted to bring that love and joy to others. ...Denis Ann sees teaching yoga as an act of love, caring and giving back. She considers it a privilege to share her knowledge of yoga and the many healthy benefits that yoga produces in the body and mind. It is her intention that people journey through their own personal yogic path and find the joy of yoga on and off the mat. Denis Ann received her 200-hour yoga teacher training from Sakhi Yoga in Columbia, SC in 2013. She continues to deepen her study with her personal practice, workshops and reading a vast collection of books on yoga. She has been teaching yoga for 7 years and currently teaches at Pink Lotus Yoga Center since its inception in August 2011. Denis Ann honors the glory of all the yogis and yoginis who have share their love of yoga at Pink Lotus Yoga Center.
Christie RYT200
Christie started practicing yoga at Pink Lotus in the fall of 2015, seeking to improve her flexibility and balance. She found so much more than expected — both a ...holistic method to integrate body, mind, and spirit, as well as a loving, welcoming kula to support her journey. Finding herself in the fortunate position of being able to leave the legal profession at the end of 2019, she enrolled in yoga teacher training (YTT) at Pink Lotus in 2020. In addition to deepening her practice in innumerable ways, YTT provided much needed community and sanctuary during the worst of the COVID pandemic. When she is not on her mat practicing or teaching, Christie enjoys reading, gardening, paddle boarding, listening to music, and antiquing. Her husband of 30+ years is her usual partner in crime, frequently joined by their senior dachshund (the boss, of course) and occasionally by their grown son, daughter, and son-in-law.
Maxine RYT200
Maxine is an active member at Pink Lotus, and completed her yoga teacher training there in 2020. She enjoys yoga because she can feel the benefits in her physical ...and emotional selves, and because it is useful in situations both on and off the mat. When not doing yoga or her day job of proofreading, Maxine often can be found knitting, baking or napping.
Julia - 200 RYT
On a whim back in 2014, Julia dropped into Pink Lotus to take a swing yoga class lead by studio owner Nicole Zimmer. It was great fun, so in short order she tried a mat class. ...That was all it took. From that point forward, Julia was in love with the teachers, the studio and the classes at Pink Lotus. She quickly developed a regular practice that continues to this day. In 2018 Julia decided to take the next step on her yoga journey and completed her 200 hour teacher training through Pink Lotus, and has completed additional training in Yin Yoga. Now Julia enjoys sharing her love of yoga with others, whether in a class as a student or leading a practice for others.
Alison RYT 500, E-RYT 200
Alison teaches many styles of yoga; vinyasa, yin, restorative, gentle and chair yoga. She was introduced to yoga in 1990, Kripalu yoga, a gentle form of yoga described as meditation ...in motion. After a weekend workshop called Life In Transformation at theKripalu Retreat Center, she discovered the impact that yoga practice has on relieving stress.
In 2007, She completed a 100-hour Immersion with Stacey Millner-Collins in Anusarayoga. This style of yoga focuses on the universal principles of alignment. She completed a 200-hour RYT certification in 2016 and 500-hour RYT certification in 2019.
Prior to practicing yoga, Alison suffered from sciatica to the extent that it would wake her in the middle of the night. None of the treatments helped. After a few months of doing anusara yoga, it was gone. Physical effects of her scoliosis were also alleviated. She attributes this to the alignment principles of Anusara yoga and an in depth study of anatomy, biomechanics and the energetic body with many well known teachers: Doug Keller, Jason Crandall, Noah Maze, Kristine Kaoverii-Weber, Amy Ipoliti, Desiree Rumbaugh, Christina Sell, Betsy Downing, Prof. Bill Mahony, Prof. Douglas Brooks and others.
Alison believes "Yoga is really a training ground for life, that outer yoga is preparation for the inner journey to a joyful and peaceful self.
"Yoga is not the image we often see in a magazine. Yoga is about strengthening the body and mind and transcending the constant turnings of thought that causes unnecessary suffering. It is a practice for life. If you have a body and breath then you can do yoga.
Alison has extensive training in "yoga for a healthy spine," best practices for avoiding or practicing with injuries, "yoga for wellness," yoga for "trauma, anxiety, depression, PTSD," "subtle body yoga," and "yoga for cancer and chronic illness." In addition to group, classes in yoga for wellness at the studio, Alison is available by appointment through the studio for private sessions.
Caroline W.
Caroline finds beauty and grounding in the yoga flow, in mindful movement and conscious breath. As a wife, artist and mother, she comes to her mat to be both centered and inspired. ...Her intention is to share that inspiration with you in every class.
Caroline first came to yoga to create ease in pregnancy. It quickly became an important way to care for her mind and body as she has grown her young family. In those early years she enjoyed building her home yoga practice, sneaking away to the mat during nap times, until she mustered the bravery to join community classes. In 2018 Caroline began practicing with and training under the lovely folks at Pink Lotus Yoga Center earning her RYT200 teacher certification in June 2020, and has been teaching since.
Amy - 200 RYT
A firm believer in yoga finding you when you need it most, Amy began her regular yoga practice at a time when she was looking for an avenue of self care. ...A student of everything that she undertakes, Amy began delving into all aspects of yoga and eventually found herself in the YTT program at Pink Lotus completing her YTT-200 in 2018. She is a busy mother of 4 and has noticed improved balance in her life as she strives to implement and continues to study the 8 limbs of yoga.
Amy teaches Back to Basics and can often be found subbing in Slow Flow, Beginners, Restorative and Yin classes. She focuses on helping students realize that yoga is not only a wonderful way to take care of your body physically but also an avenue to bring balance into your life.
Ashlan RYT200
Ashlan holds close the belief that as practitioners of yoga, we are always students. Her energetic teaching style encourages students to breathe into ...their inner power and shine. She hopes to create a safe space in which students feel supported and challenged in both the asana practice and the spiritual journey that is the practice of yoga. As an owner of a yoga studio, Ashlan was challenged to deepen her practice and widen her ability to teach to all levels and many different class types. "No two yogis are alike" guides her teaching to help each student find their truest practice and engage with their personal edge. Ashlan received her 200 RYT at Blue Soul Yoga in Madison WI in 2018 and as of 2022 has over 630 teaching hours. She continues her education through a personal practice, trainings, reading, and attending workshops.
Courtney RYT200
Courtney began practicing Yoga in 2002. She felt an instant connection to the practice and immersed herself in several modalities, studying Kundalini, ...Vinyasa, Ashtanga, Restorative, Yin, Acro, and Hoop Yoga. She received her RYT-200 certification in 2017 and has taught at gyms, yoga studios, and festivals throughout Arizona, Virginia, Kentucky, North Carolina & South Carolina. In addition to private and group classes, Courtney leads monthly workshops, clinics, guided meditation circles, and sound baths. Courtney enjoys sharing her passion for meditation and sound healing, weaving mindfulness practices into her yoga classes with singing bowls, Rav Vast drums, Native American flutes, chimes, solfeggio tuning forks, and a gong to encourage awakening into the generous present moment. Courtney is also a Reiki Master, a Sound Healer, a Social Media Manager, and a Life Coach; further, she hosts small, intimate seasonal healing retreats.
Erica RYT 200
Erica came to a regular practice of yoga after 17 years as a group fitness instructor and devoted runner. In 2016, she enrolled in a pre-natal yoga workshop ...at Pink Lotus which led to her participation in a weekly slow flow class for the remainder of her pregnancy. After the birth of her son, she returned to her yoga mat with a strong focus on restorative and yin classes. Erica completed her 200-hour teacher training at Holy Cow Yoga Center in 2022 and is continuing her training in their 500-hour advanced studies program. Her main interest lies in the benefits and practice of yoga for the modern-day mother. She is grateful to have the opportunity to teach classes at Pink Lotus.
Nicole 200 RYT
Nicole completed her 200-Hour RYT here at Pink Lotus in 2018. Her day-job is as a therapist providing mental health and wellness care to individuals, couples and ...families but she believes strongly that the mind-body link has always been important to understanding true wellness. Nicole is passionate about helping people navigate life - the good and the hard stuff and supporting people in the process of living imperfectly. She has received training in trauma informed care and trauma informed yoga and believes that yoga can help individuals heal. Nicole enjoys sweaty, physical Vinyasas, great yoga beats and linking movement to breath. At the same time she knows the power of stillness, intention setting and personal awareness. For Nicole, yoga is a constant practice, one she believes is always helping us to stretch and grow into the best version of ourselves.
Marguerite 230 RYT
Marguerite has been practicing and teaching Yoga for over 20 years. A certified fitness instructor and personal trainer, she came to Yoga through friends and mentors in the field.... Specifically, Kelly Branning led her to PLYC and Nicole in 2014 and Marguerite knew she had found her Yoga home. She completed her RYT 230 through Pink Lotus in 2015 and her life has been enhanced through the practice and the people she's met along the way.
While a fan of power, hot, and Vinyasa Yoga, Marguerite's practice has evolved to include more Yin and "Yinyasa" flows. She enjoys sharing Yoga and meditation practice with people and helping them to recognize the light of the Divine within themselves and others.
Marguerite is grateful to Nicole for bringing her into the PLYC kula and allowing her to continue teaching via Pink Lotus' live online classes.
Amy K.
I first came to yoga after making a New Year's resolution in 2006. I knew little to nothing about yoga. I was looking for a form of exercise that I could tolerate with ...my new diagnosis of hip arthritis. I had no idea how profoundly the practice of yoga would impact me.
A few years into my practice, I became a yoga teacher. I was not a person who would have ever considered a fitness career, but my experience with yoga was so life-changing that I wanted to share it with others. A few years later, I opened a small studio in Irmo. That's how I met Nicole. We bonded over yoga and over owning a small business, but more importantly, we both had our lives changed by yoga.
But being a business owner was not for me, especially while working full-time in law enforcement. I gave up my studio and eventually found it more challenging to attend classes because of my schedule. My practice suffered.
Fast forward to 2020, when we were in COVID lockdown, Nicole had the gumption to close for safety and offer Zoom classes instead. Those classes brought me back to the mat. It was an essential part of my routine because I was now retired, and it connected me to others and gave me something to look forward to. Then, as we returned to in-person classes, I took advantage of a membership. It saved me money and encouraged me to explore my practice again. I felt inspired to teach again. So, here I am, leading yoga classes at one of the most beautiful studios you'll ever see, bringing yoga to a wonderful group of people who bring the best energy to a class. And once again, the impact on my life is profound.
