Current Teachers
Tsyr Han Chow
Awareness Yoga and Slow Flow Yoga
Self-care should be your priority. Listen to your body, nourish it, and be. It has been a long journey for me to be aware of what it takes to live in abundance. Fortunately, years of experience in the health food industry have given me guides from health practitioners to teachers from all walks of life. The message to emerge is to awaken oneself and be conscious.
​
Tai Chi (Taiji) came into my life soon after Hurricane Andrew in 1992. The Tao of movements and philosophy infused within me the understanding that there is a balance to our existence. The form I studied and taught for over 28 years had a basis of yoga principles and it fascinated me. So, to understand even more, I took my yoga teacher’s training 8 years ago and was thrilled to know they complemented each other.
The movements, the meditation, the breath, and the philosophies all lead to mindfulness. Teaching and practicing yoga and Tai Chi have taught me the importance of being aware, which in turn have enriched my life.
​
Reserve your spot in class with Tsyr!
Claire Spear
Vitality Boost: Mobility + Core
Hi! I’m Claire (she/they). I’m a holistic coach, founder and CEO of Integr8. Last December I left a promotion at a gym franchise to start my own business. Now I work to generate a sustainably balanced lifestyle for leaders, entrepreneurs, and caregivers of all types! The modalities I work with in my programs are movement, self-nourishment, and self-study.
I crafted Vitality Boost: Mobility + Core as an in-person offering geared to those wanting more freedom and stability in their daily movement. My area of study for movement is integrative personal training, and my background holds a little bit of everything (from ballet to powerlifting). My intention is to pull from that personal library of knowledge to bring the best of what I have learned and am continuing to study! The class is meant for any activity level, and my intention is to provide modifications/movements for those who may have impaired mobility. I look forward to moving with you in The Studio!
​
Reserve your spot in class with Claire!
Melissa Eggleston
Restorative Yoga
Melissa's teaching draws on her experience of practicing a wide range of yoga styles for more than 25 years. A former collegiate soccer player, the path of yoga has transformed her approach to exercise, physical care, and mental well-being. In 2019, Melissa took yoga teacher training and began teaching at the Durham Yoga Company. She strives to be an inclusive and trauma-informed yoga teacher. Her focus is restorative, yin, and gentle yoga. It’s her goal to ensure yoga is a positive and helpful experience for all.
​
Reserve your spot in class with Melissa!
Pamir Kiciman
Studio Manager
I'm happy to join The Studio team as the new studio manager. My background is in the creative arts and the healing arts. For 30 years I maintained a private healing practice and taught healing and meditation classes. For long stretches of that time, I was practicing and teaching at a hospital as part of its wellness program. I'm a longtime writer and lifelong photographer and actor who's once again pursuing these activities. I look forward to bringing the vital element of wellness to this community.
The Studio Co-Founders
Dr. Jena Friedel: A Step To Health, Integrative Health Care Center, came under my ownership in 2003. I have loved nurturing it and watching it grow as more independent practitioners joined. In 2017, a new chapter evolved for our Center as we moved into a larger building, affording more rooms for additional practitioners, and excitedly, to have a space for a balanced movement studio. Having no idea how to manage such a studio, co-founder Emily Burrows happily joined me in designing our beautiful space. She took our baby through the first six years, building The Studio from scratch, finding and supporting instructors, and ensuring we stayed available through shutdowns. It brings me much joy to reflect on and share this wonderful journey!
Emily Burrows: Before the doors opened at The Studio, Jena invited me to collaborate with her to bring The Studio’s vision into a physical reality and find wonderful teachers in a wide variety of movement styles. It’s been a delight and privilege to work with Jena to support our community of students and teachers!