Breathe Yoga

Stephanie Anne Sirico- Founder

Professional Yoga Therapist, E-RYT 500 Yoga Instructor, Budokon Yoga & MMA, Pilates Instructor

After 10 years working in corporate finance, Stephanie always had a vision to be a part of the yoga community. In 2003, she had the wonderful opportunity to be a part of the Yoga Mountain organization in Rockland County, NY where she taught classes and co-directed the 200 hr and Yoga Therapy teacher training programs for over 5 years. In 2007, Stephanie decided to pursue the advancement of Yoga and its philosophies full time, and finally left the corporate world.

Stephanie created New Breathe Yoga, a project that she has been working on for over a year, that will aid in taking yoga out of the studio and out into the community. The former managing Partner of Yoga Mountain Wellness Center in New City , NY and Cornwall, NY, Stephanie has been involved with yoga and teaching for over 18 years. During that time, she has earned her Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher 500 certification (E-RYT 500) and Professional Yoga Therapy certification, has maintained an active membership with the Yoga Teachers Alliance (YTA) and the International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT).

Most recently, The Breathe Yoga Project, a resource for workshops and not-for-profit events has been developed out of the strong drive to take yoga out into all communities.  Stephanie has also spearheaded a new division of Breathe Yoga, Breathe Consulting.  A company that will allow Stephanie to share with other organizations the benefits of having a yoga program in their facility or assisting with making existing yoga programs stronger.

Stephanie’s special interests focus on individuals with challenges of all types, demonstrated by programs taught at the Friendship Club in Valley Cottage, NY (Rockland Mental Health Association), teaching yoga in the classroom with BOCES in Rockland County and various other programs for adults and children alike. In addition to these ongoing programs, Stephanie had developed a summer Youth Yoga Program that has been running for 3 years in Yoga Mountain in New City, NY. Stephanie’s classes are rigorous as well as deep and grounded, focusing on breath, alignment detail and overall benefits of each posture.

Jill Monaco

Dance Instructor, 200 Certified Yoga Instructor

Jill started her career in the field of dance.  She has trained in many different styles and received her BA in Psychology and Dance from Montclair State University.  She is a Dance Educators of America certified instructor.  She began teaching in 1998 and since then has taught in a variety of settings.  A highlight of her career came in 2006 when she had the opportunity to develop and implement a dance curriculum for a public elementary school in Fort Meyers, FL.  This allowed her to share her love of dance with students who may not have otherwise been exposed to dance education.

She began practicing yoga in 2003 as a supplement to her dance training.  She immediately felt the benefits of it and began incorporating elements of yoga into her dance classes.  In 2010 she decided to dedicate herself further and entered into the Breathe Yoga 200 hour teacher training program. Jill graduated with her 200 hour Yoga Instructor certification in February 2012.  Since then she has become an active member of the yoga community, volunteering for The Breathe Yoga Project, teaching classes and continuing her education and practice.  Jill believes that yoga, like dance, is for everyone.  She is committed to sharing the joys of yoga and dance to others.

John Koch

CYT 200 Yoga Instructor, Certified Personal Trainer

John became a Certified Personal Trainer through ACE two years ago, incorporating many different aspects of fitness, including TRX suspension training, kickboxing, traditional weight training, Yoga and Karate which he studied from an early age. 

The true passion for John is and was yoga. The physical, mental and spiritual benefits that yoga assists with is something that not only worked for John, but something he is passionate about teaching to others.

At the age of 21, John began a home workout DVD series that included Yoga, and was automatically hooked after realizing the physical and mental challenge of the practice. After discovering how physically and mentally demanding yoga was, he felt how beneficial yoga could be to his life. “Before I tried it, I thought yoga was just some silly thing that people did to improve flexibility. After twenty minutes of trying it, I was amazed and hooked, I knew then, this was something completely different and more challenging than going into a gym and lifting heavy weights. It brought me back to my roots of Karate and the physical & mental discipline.”

 Being able to teach yoga to others and share with them the benefits of the practice  has had a major impact on John’s life. John hopes to bring all aspects to Yoga to all people, not just the physical practice on the mat, but giving others the knowledge of how to live through yoga off the mat. If we all followed the Yoga sutras and the ways of ancient Eastern teachers, the World can someday be a better place.

 John enjoys incorporating many different aspects of yoga into his classes. Studying under the talented Stephanie Sirico has taught him how to teach vigorous classes that work on power and strength, while still focusing on breath and alignment. John likes to incorporate all aspects of yoga and fitness in his practice, as well as karate, and Budokon. Helping people improve their flexibility and balance, strengthen their core, and strengthen their practice at the physical, mental, and spiritual levels. 

Elizabeth Manko

CYT 200 Yoga Instructor, Chakra Yoga, Thai Yoga Bodywork

“Live within; be not shaken by outward happenings.” Sri Aurobindo

Liz has been studying yoga since her freshmen year of college, where it helped her handle the pressure of being a full time student and working full time.  Appreciating the benefits of what yoga can do for the mind and what it can accomplish for the body physically, through centering and breathing (using meditation and our yogic breath, Pranayama) we can connect with our physical practice; mind and body uniting.  This is what made Liz take the next step in her education to be a Yoga Instructor.

 Liz has been a dedicated student of the New Breathe Yoga 200 Hour Teacher Training Program for the past two years and will continue on with her training in Yoga Therapy.  Believing that we are all students, at every level, Liz will continue to grow right along with her students through her practices and training.   

Through her practice of teaching,  Liz has come across different people of all ages and variations.  She loves to teach on the mat with a class of 4 people or a class of 30. Each of her classes and private sessions brings a new dynamic and exciting pose to the table. 

Liz especially loves being able to connect with her students by using extra touch that she has learned through Chakra Yoga and Thai Yoga.  Using the body as an energetic grid, we learn where the strength lies and where our body needs focused attention.  Using Thai Yoga Bodywork focusing on reflexology and acupressure, the body is able to deepen the yoga stretch in a fully relaxed state of mind while someone else does the work for you.

 “Touch was the first language of communication,” Ananda Apfelbaum.