Bio coming soon!

Bio coming soon!

Bio coming soon!

Current Mantra: There is no reason I must feel hurried right now. 

What's your favorite thing about Hotbox? 

I love how tied to the community I feel. Hotbox was where I made my first new friends when I moved to Philly in 2017 and since then has always felt like another home. 

What's one thing you want to share with the Hotbox community?

One of the aims of practicing yoga is to calm the fluctuations of the mind in favor of peace and stillness, in Sanskrit: chitta vritti nirodha. That's a feeling we all know from the last part of class and something I often leave the studio feeling. 

What are you most passionate about right now?

Finding ease in a yoga practice. I'm leaning into listening to my body and slowing down, pausing, or resting when I need to. The heat of summer in the studio has helped me recognize the importance of this. 

When you aren't at the studio where can we find you?

Being a therapist, cooking at home in East Falls, and taking lots of weekend trips to see friends and family. 

Current Mantra: Breathe and take it all in.

What’s your favorite thing about Hotbox?

To me, the Hotbox studio equals community. When I walk through the doors, I feel like I’m home. It’s a safe space, a place where I can be my silly self, but also practice and focus with intention (and often giggles). My heart is filled with the smiles and hugs of the friends I’ve made and the friends I have yet to make.

What are you most passionate about right now?

One thing I am super passionate about is taking time to notice my surroundings, notice the people, the sounds, the animals and see what is going on around me.

What’s one thing you want to share with the Hotbox community?

I find joy in the simple things, and I smile at just about everyone. If I could encourage more people to do same, I think the world would be a better place. Which ties in with my current mantra to just breathe and take it all in. Breathe and find peace and joy in the moment you’re in, because everything is temporary.

When you aren’t at the studio where can we find you?

Taking daily walks with my dog Murray and my Starbucks coffee. I’m the girl who knows SO MANY people in Roxborough, the neighbor who loves feeding the birds on the front porch and the woman who loves spending time with her husband, Larry.

Bio coming soon!

Chelsea Sproul has been practicing yoga in Philadelphia since 2010. Looking for a way to create space for herself after college when starting a full time job in an office, yoga became a powerful tool to manage anxiety. Seeing the benefits of the practice of yoga, on a whim, Chelsea signed up for teacher training with the belief that the impact of yoga in her life would be magnified and create an even deeper healing. Chelsea completed her YTT with Hotbox in March 2018 and it was a true game changer. She has been teaching yoga in Manayunk ever since. A lifelong passion for both learning and teaching, Chelsea knew that she wanted to teach yoga right away. With a Master’s Degree in Organizational Development, Chelsea is passionate about delivering the best learning experience to others and teaching yoga allows her to share the tools of the practice along with a focus on the breath to create space for her students to experience the same benefits that she has received from the practice. Chelsea’s favorite pose is dancer because not only does she feel strong in the pose, she feels like “a real bad ass.” That’s what this practice gives you, the space and the tools to discover your own lightness and strength and an overall increase in well-being. Chelsea, a self described jokester, loves to simply make people laugh and wants to bring that joy to her classes. If you take a class with Chelsea, you will feel that they are light-hearted, fun, unscripted, and welcoming!

There’s magic that happens on Sunday mornings in Manayunk. Community is created. Connection is made. Since becoming a teacher in 2016, Corinne “Coco” O’Connell shows up every Sunday morning and sacredness, lightness, restoration, and laughter fill the space. It all began for Coco back in 2014 when she was invited by friend and fellow Hotbox teacher, Kristin Gavin to try a yoga class. She clearly remembers thinking to herself that she didn’t know what it was, but it was the first time ever that she felt a sense of “quiet." It was during a challenging time in her life and this practice just made sense and her mat became a place to heal and connect back to herself. Inspired by the teachers in her life, Coco completed Baptiste Level 1 Training in Sedona in early 2015. Later that year she enrolled in YTT with Hotbox and there was no looking back. Coco wanted to give back all that she got from this practice and create the space for others to experience that same kind of “quiet." Through her journey as both a student and a teacher of yoga, she has become more aware of her own practice and it has positively impacted her whole life and “Yoga Corinne,” as others quickly noticed, was empowered off of the mat too. Coco’s favorite pose is half pigeon as it allows for surrender and provides the space to just let it be and be comfortable with the uncomfortable.  Coco’s classes are centered on creating community, being open to what shows up in the space, and often involve spontaneous laughter as Coco genuinely leads from a place of kindness, compassion, and grace.

Corrie Arnosky discovered Hotbox Yoga in Manayunk about 5 years ago and has never looked back. The power of the breath and the practice became her go to for relief of both physical and mental stress. Seeing the difference this was making in her own life, family and friends often looked to Corrie for answers when it came to questions about health, specifically spinal health. Wanting to provide the most helpful information, she felt compelled to gain more expertise so that she could effectively support and provide solutions to those in her life.  A natural healer and educator, Corrie is a victim advocate and becoming a teacher would expand her reach and ability to serve others in a greater way. Seeing this passion to serve others and her love for yoga, Corrie was gifted Hotbox YTT in 2016 as a surprise Christmas gift from her parents, a gift that she continues to give back to others. Corrie teaches from a place of authenticity and compassion. Her trustworthy and genuine approach allows students to challenge themselves and discover how powerful they truly are both mentally and physically. Corrie's favorite pose, crow, was once jokingly described as the "bane of her existence," until one day, while attempting the pose, the teacher reframed her view of it and suddenly Corrie got it! The impact the teacher had and her ability to see something in a new way completely inspired Corrie, giving her a newfound respect for teachers and their impact in the practice. Corrie’s Saturday morning classes are welcoming, fun, challenging and rewarding.

Courtney Kopeika has been teaching yoga at Hotbox since February 2015. Looking for a new fitness regimen, she started taking 6am donation classes in Manayunk between studying Kinesiology in undergrad and exploring possible career paths before grad school. Yoga became an outlet for her during this time and she also found an inspiring community. She signed up for teacher training as a way to deepen her practice and also to promote growth in other people as she herself was inspired by the tools that she had gained from the practice. Courtney now has a doctorate in Physical Therapy and her expertise in the physicality of the practice and awareness around functional movement allow for her to teach a powerful practice. With a focus on body mechanics and safety, students can take the proper modifications or challenge themselves to the next level. Though she brings her expertise to the practice, she also encourages a lot of play and fun, along with creating strong and powerful breath. Courtney’s favorite poses are constantly changing and right now half moon is a favorite, as it is both grounding and powerful. In addition to motivating her students, Courtney loves the practice because it is simply that, a practice. "Your yoga mat will always be there and you can always come back to it." Becoming a yoga teacher has impacted every area of Courtney’s life and she can’t imagine life without yoga. It has allowed her to become a leader and a follower at the same time and it brings her into the present moment of what is happening in the room when she is teaching a yoga class and what is happening in her body when she is taking a yoga class. It is turning your ears on and your brain off,  so that you can fully experience what is happening now.  

After Kandia Lewis’ first yoga class, she asked herself why she hadn’t been practicing yoga her whole life. A committed student, Kandia was focused solely on her studies and the timeline she had set to complete her PhD. After earning her degree, Kandia took a yoga class to help alleviate some of the stress that came along with years of intense focus on her studies and after her first class, she felt ease, power, and balance in her body, elements she wanted to bring off of her mat and into her life. In 2014, Kandia signed up for the 40/40 at Hotbox in Manayunk and has been energy exchanging ever since. Inspired by her mom developing a consistent yoga practice after just one practice teaching session with Kandia, she competed her YTT in March 2018 to impact more people in her life and community. Kandia wants to continue to share this practice and allow the transformation that comes along with this practice to be made accessible to everyone. Double pigeon, a pose she once despised, is now a favorite as it allows for the release of emotions and leaves her feeling rejuvenated. Since becoming a yoga teacher Kandia has more joy and takes more risks off of the mat and in her life and has found her  intuitive voice. Kandia’s classes are fun and powerful and students will leave with a sense of calm and overall well-being.

Bio coming soon!

Lindsay Love first began her yoga journey in 2013 when she was faced with a health challenge. Although physically tired, she took the first and hardest step by showing up for a class at Hotbox Yoga. Though the poses were difficult, she continued to show up, be present, and listen until her body became strong enough to complete a practice. “Our bodies are capable of so much more than our minds allow” says Lindsay. It wasn’t about the physical practice, but the power she created for herself to heal. 

Since 2005 Lindsay has been teaching students with Autism and other developmental abilities. She has carried her love for yoga into her classroom where she created a successful yoga program with her students. Not only does Lindsay empower and inspire students in the studio and classroom, but she is the head coach for boys and girls middle school tennis where she incorporates the foundations and principals of yoga throughout her coaching. Lindsay’s favorite pose is half pigeon.  She loves the physical sensation in hip openers as it is a place where we all tend to store unconscious tension and old emotions. The release of this unwanted energy creates a free space for possibility. In April 2017 Lindsay completed her YTT with Hotbox and has been teaching at the Manayunk studio. The joy and fulfillment that she has gained from this practice is what she would describe as  “a miracle prescription for mind, body, and soul.” Lindsay wants to continually share this healing practice with her students in the classroom, on the tennis courts, and in the studio. She believes showing up for yourself on your mat allows you to show up better for others in your life. Lindsay’s classes are fun, sweaty, energetic, and creative - you will leave feeling strong, excited, grateful and loved!

The limit does not exist. It just keeps getting better and better.” That’s how Maddie Quirk would describe her yoga journey that began over 6 years ago when she started practicing at Hotbox Yoga and found a community that felt like a strong and supportive second home. After practicing for a few years, the idea of signing up for yoga teacher training was presented to Maddie and though she initially resisted, with the support and encouragement from teachers and friends, Brad Young and Amanda White, Maddie signed up in the fall of 2015, a decision that Maddie would say was the best decision that she had ever made. It was through her own transformation that she discovered that yoga was a gift that she had to give back and becoming a teacher not only allows her to be a witness to the transformation of her students, it has impacted how she shows up and leads group sessions as a counselor. Maddie genuinely cares about her students and would describe her classes as challenging, grounding, focused on breath, and full of assists. Currently, her favorite pose is side facing wide-legged forward fold because she is upside down, yet still grounded, but for Maddie, it’s not so much about the physical practice as it is the spiritual. Slowing down and finding patience and presence is what allows for the mental shift to occur and what keeps the joy limitless!

Marty Harrison loved teacher training with Hotbox so much that she completed it twice, gaining over 400 hours of training! Discovering yoga in West Philly over 6 years ago, she was looking for an outlet after giving birth to her son at only 23 weeks. Curious to see what yoga was truly all about, she began taking classes on Lancaster Ave. There was a noticeable difference in the way she felt from the practice and it wasn’t until she became a regular at what later became Hotbox, that she noticed that the more classes that she took, the more that she wanted to share the undeniable feeling that she got from the practice. Marty decided she wanted to spend the rest of her life creating the space for others to experience the same. Inspired by teacher, Lindsay Lusignea, who seemed to always exude lightness and peace, Marty decided this was it and in April of 2015, she signed up for her first 200 hour, leading her to become the powerhouse teacher that she is today. When it comes to teaching, what Marty loves most is helping people smile, allowing people to let their guard down, not be too serious, and simply be comfortable with who they are right where they are so that they leave with confidence knowing that they can do anything. For Marty, Hotbox feels like family and when you take a class with Marty, she humbly makes you feel welcome into the space and brings forth a class that is both challenging and fun. She will help push you to your limits and then gently pull you back. Marty’s favorite pose is lizard lunge as it allows for total surrender when her arms are stretched out in front of her and it provides her with the ability to receive whatever is in the space for her to receive. Marty now exudes her own lightness and peace and as her own self love has grown through the practice, she continues to empower others.

Maryssa Jane describes her inspiration for becoming a yoga teacher as “being given a gift she has to share.” She is passionate about sharing the tools she has gained from her yoga practice because they continue to transform her life both on and off the mat. MJ describes her journey as going from powerless to powerful. Teaching allows her to both facilitate and witness the transformation in her students as they recognize the same power within themselves. A Texas native,  MJ always felt a connection to yoga, like she was meant to be a teacher, though she laughs when talking about how she failed a yoga class in college. The stars aligned years later as she was called back to the practice during a period of soul-searching. This journey led to a deep awakening while completing her yoga teacher training at Hotbox in 2017. MJ focuses on replacing judgment with self love wanting her students to walk away knowing they are SO much stronger than the story their minds tell them. MJ’s classes are challenging, encouraging, and joyful! Students can always count on leaving class with a sense of peace and well-being.

Rebecca Lustig has been teaching yoga with Hotbox for over a year, though she had been an energy exchanger in Manayunk for over 3 years. Discovering power vinyasa yoga in Pittsburgh over 10 years ago, led her to where she is today. During some personal changes, yoga was a positive influence in Rebecca’s life and led her to be the powerful teacher she is today. Rebecca is a runner and can relate this practice to a good run with a focus on breath, intention on the practice, and a mental challenge. She truly wants her students to leave her classes feeling empowered and strong. One thing you may notice about her classes is her consistency. She shows up fully so that her students can do the same. Rebecca’s favorite pose is wheel and when she calls wheel during class she will push you past any limited belief that you may have. She is so motivating when it comes this pose. She wants you to push past your limited beliefs and go right up because you can. Rebecca’s classes are challenging, fun, and motivating, and you will leave being the strongest version of yourself.