BREATHE. BUILD. BELONG.
Hello! My name is Leigh, and I am so happy you have found your way to alongside.
It is my greatest honor to come alongside you through the practice of yoga for the purpose of reclaiming breath, building strength-physical, emotional, and spiritual- and reminding you that you belong.
Rooted in tradition, classes at alongside are presented creatively, accessibly, and explored with curiosity. All classes are taught Vinyasa style (breath and movement linked together) through a therapeutic lens- allowing you to experience variations in shape and movement- ultimately learning to trust yourself, one breath at a time.
MEET LEIGH
I am a Registered Yoga Teacher (E-RYT 500, Yoga Therapy Level 1) certified through Revival Yoga Wellness Studio and YogaFaith. I hold additional certificates in Yoga to Transform Trauma, Yoga for Special Populations, Yoga with a Stability Ball, Barre and am CPR & AED Certified.
I found and fell in love with the practice of yoga while seeking a space to build community and connection. My passion for this practice and the tools it provides deepens each day, and I cannot wait to share these tools with you!
Having led 200 Hour Teacher Trainings, I am also passionate about bringing the practices, traditions and yogic wisdom to you in accessible and creative ways- through a therapeutic lens.
I live in Geneva, IL with my husband, three daughters, two dogs and a bunny.
All Classes will be held at Soleunique Dance Complex located at
1050 Corporate Boulevard STE-D
Aurora, IL 60505
THE STORY OF ALONGSIDE
Because we are created for community
Alongside was birthed out of a place of self-examination, and an understanding that I deeply value connection, community and a sense of belonging.
Walking through times of transition, while challenging, have been integral in my desire for building community through the practice of yoga. Yoga has been a tool that has helped me work through the stresses, difficulties and anxieties of life in a constructive way, and I want to share the gift that it has been for me, with you. I wholeheartedly believe we are not meant to walk through this life alone- we are created for community- and that our greatest trials can become our strongest assets when taken out of the darkness and brought into the light. (2 Corinthians 1:3-5 MSG)
It is my goal to take the performance out of the practice and turn our focus toward the wisdom the practice offers for the individual, while being supported by the collective.
WHY ELEPHANTS?
Because you belong.
“See, in the wild, when a mama elephant is giving birth, all the other female elephants in the herd back around her in formation. They close ranks so the delivering mama cannot even be seen in the middle. They stomp and kick up dirt and soil to throw attackers off the scent and basically act like a pack of fierce bodyguards.
They surround the mama and incoming baby in protection, sending a clear signal to predators that if they want to attack their friend while she is vulnerable, they’ll have to get through forty tons of female aggression first.
When the baby elephant is delivered, the sister elephants do two things: they kick sand or dirt over the newborn to protect its fragile skin from the sun, and then they all start trumpeting, a female celebration of new life, of sisterhood, of something beautiful being born in a harsh, wild world despite enemies and attackers and predators and odds.” - Jen Hatmaker
