We are so happy to welcome some new faces to our amazing studios. Come check out these rock stars and join one of their classes (the current group exercise schedule is on the homepage of the Houstonian app and on the homepage of myhoustonian.com).
For all you yogis out there, please welcome this star lineup to the Houstonian family:
Steven Villanueva
Steven received his first teacher training certificate in 2016 through Black Swan Yoga Houston and continued his yoga studies with Mahayogi Gokulacandra Das in Malaysia. He then had the privilege to also study with his teacher’s teacher, Mahayogi Jayananda Das, at the Bhaktivedanta College in Belgium. Steven leads powerful classes with strong cues designed to guide the practitioner to a deeper sense of self-awareness by focusing on specific points on the body known as marma points.
Max Akulin
Max is a licensed architect and yoga instructor with a propensity for play. Even though he is driven to inform and empower others, his passions are born from the jubilation of childlike wonder and often manifested as community, curiosity, and compression. If you see him around outside of class, you’re invited to say hello, invite him to play a sport or game if you need a partner or both!
Kristi Albernaz
Kristi completed her training in India, and she enjoys exploring both the physical and emotional benefits of yoga. Kristi’s classes are vigorous, fluid, and playful. By grounding, expanding, and becoming aware of our breath, posture, and movement through space and life, we can find greater ease in both body and mind. Yoga offers a chance to improve the relationship we have with ourselves, the world, and everyone around us. Her hope is that you leave your mat feeling lighter, stronger, and balanced, and carry that into other aspects of your life.
Stephanie Ann McCarrey
Stephanie has been a registered trainer since 2001. In 2015 she started teaching group fitness including kickboxing and HIIT. In 2017 she received her yoga certification. In her yoga flow classes, you will see an influence from all modalities including barre and Pilates. Stephanie’s goal is to always make fitness a fun experience to help her clients crush their goals.
Lizzy Metriyakool
Lizzy Metriyakool, RYT-500, has taught public and private yoga classes in the Houston area since 2017. Her fun, yet challenging approach focuses on building strength and range of motion while bringing a playful awareness to the body. She strives to continuously learn and has incorporated her training from Robert Boustany, Andrew Dugas, Larry Thraen, and others into her classes. She has a love of health and wellness and is committed to helping her students connect with themselves while creating a strong sense of community.
Zumba fire has been fun! Come check out our new dance instructors:
Tatiana Torrente
For Tatiana, dance is just the physical expression of music. It’s not an activity, it’s a language. Tatiana thinks this affinity for music is a natural phenomenon for people that come from her hometown in Colombia, Barranquilla. After she came to the U.S. in 2007, Tatiana distanced herself from dancing as she didn’t initially find any outlets for it. Then she found out about this new form of dance fitness called Zumba. Tatiana went to her first class and has never looked back. Tatiana quickly decided that she wanted to become a certified instructor and now she’s fortunate to be a part of this wonderful family called "Zumba.”
Kelly Phillips
Kelly lives in Houston with her children, ages 21 and 16, and her English Bulldog, Arnold. She has been a Zumba instructor for six years and is licensed to teach Zumba, Zumba Toning, and Zumba Kids. Kelly has a love for fitness, wellness, and helping her students make a positive impact in their lives through music and movement. She strives to share her passion for dance everywhere she goes! Kelly recently obtained her K-12 Physical Education Teaching Certification, is an Associate Teacher for Houston ISD and is a licensed Social Worker.
Sandy Dial
An island girl from Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, Sandy fell in love with the fusion of world music and dance flavors that Zumba offers and enjoys sharing this joy with others. Sandy is licensed in Zumba, Zumba Gold, and Strong Nation and is AFAA and CPR certified. Outside of Zumba, Sandy owns a full-time media production company, volunteers, and loves to cook, scuba dive, and travel.