Our Teachers
Crystal Cordoba grew up on the coast of Downeast Maine but has called South Carolina home for nearly a decade. Crystal became Vinyasa certified in 2014 while living in the Hamptons on Long Island, New York. Vinyasa's body-breath connection make this flow style of yoga practice not only beautiful and dynamic, but also readily available to practitioners of many different levels. Crystal has been a teacher and manager at a number of studios across New York State and throughout the southeast. She is happy to call Hilton Head Island home, and as the owner of Island Yoga, she will work diligently to impact the wellness community of this special place in a meaningful, authentic way.
Betty Melkon has studied nutrition and practiced yoga for the past 30 years, beginning at Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health and The Kushi Institute, in 1986. She earned her 200-hour Yoga Alliance Certificate in 2010 (RYT200), and has been teaching classes on a regular basis since then. Her approach to yoga emphasizes breathing, duration and transition of poses, and self-care. Her classes are designed to calm the mind, while connecting to the body.
Gayle Caporale, a long time resident of Hilton Head Island, began her yoga journey more than 25 years ago. Fulfilling a long time passion, she completed her 200 hour Certificate of study in the tradition of Hatha Yoga in 2010 at the College of Yoga Studies in Bluffton, SC and is a Registered Yoga Alliance instructor. In June of 2012 she completed her certification as a Lakshmi Voelker Chair Yoga Teacher. Gayle teaches with an emphasis on alignment and breath and enjoys the mindfulness and awareness available through yoga as much as the physical experience of the practice.
Jann Boyer began practicing yoga in 2000, initially to help heal a repetitive strain injury and to better handle the physical and mental stresses of the workplace. Soon thereafter she was introduced to Iyengar yoga, and was immediately drawn to the discipline and depth of the practice. After retiring from her first career as a geologist, she began teaching yoga in 2005. In 2011, Jann achieved certification at the Introductory II level in the Iyengar system. Jann’s goal is to share with others the mental, spiritual and physical benefits of a regular yoga practice. Her classes focus on helping each practitioner experience extension and alignment in the asanas (postures). As is characteristic of Iyengar yoga, students learn how to modify and support poses for their individual situations.
Karen Verechia came to the island more than 23 years ago from New Jersey. Certified through the Asheville Yoga Center, Karen is known for her passionate and inspirational style of teaching, she blends the invigorating hatha flow with concise alignment and provides individualized attention with specific exercise modifications. She teaches with love, laughter and acceptance, emphasizing breath, alignment and body awareness. Karen's teaching style is fun, laid-back and challenging, yet accessible to all.
Marty Crocker, a Michigan native, has been a Hilton Head legend since 1997. Marty is a licensed massage therapist, and although he was first trained in Thai massage, he covers the entire spectrum of bodywork including myofascial release and primal reflex response therapy. His extensive bodywork background makes him not only anatomically knowledgeable, but deeply intuitive.
Marty’s healing touch coupled with his background as a restorative and Ashtanga yoga teacher make him a veritable powerhouse of awesome. Marty's gilded reputation is only exceeded by his actual presence, and his Reset & Restore series will leave you walking on air.
Marty’s healing touch coupled with his background as a restorative and Ashtanga yoga teacher make him a veritable powerhouse of awesome. Marty's gilded reputation is only exceeded by his actual presence, and his Reset & Restore series will leave you walking on air.
Jennifer Brewer combines subtle physical postures, breath awareness and sense of humor to create a deeper understanding of the mind-body connection. Classes provide insight and inspiration aimed to take this understanding to create empowerment off the mat. Jennifer is an RYT-500 in Yoga Therapy from Subtle Yoga in Charlotte, NC and an RYT-200 from Asheville Community Yoga in Asheville, NC. Over the last 15 years she has practiced a variety of yoga styles but believes one should practice what feels good today.
Paul Weinberg is originally from a suburb of DC but has been coming to Hilton Head Island since he was six years old to visit his grandparents and spend time at the beach. Paul attended the Savannah College of Art and Design and then lived in New York and Los Angles until recently. He first tried yoga at 17 years old and became progressively more interested in the physical practice until getting his first 200 hour certification at Yoga to the People in NYC in 2011.
As he taught and continued his own personal practice, Paul’s interest in the more meditative and esoteric aspects of yoga increased, inspiring him to get a second 200 hour certification in 2018 at the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health. Paul’s teaching is marked by attention to accessible alignment and using the practice to increase feelings of ease and comfort both on and off the mat.
As he taught and continued his own personal practice, Paul’s interest in the more meditative and esoteric aspects of yoga increased, inspiring him to get a second 200 hour certification in 2018 at the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health. Paul’s teaching is marked by attention to accessible alignment and using the practice to increase feelings of ease and comfort both on and off the mat.
Mark Gregory's passion for yoga sprouted while living in the San Francisco Bay area in 2014 and then blossomed two years ago when he attended a life-changing 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training in Kauai, Hawaii. Mark brings the spirit of Aloha through a peaceful and calming presence during his classes which combine Vinyasa, Kundalini, and breath-work.
Mark graduated from Hilton Head High in 2003 and believes in the power of community, loves traveling the world, and hopes to inspire others to organically grow their own food.
Mark graduated from Hilton Head High in 2003 and believes in the power of community, loves traveling the world, and hopes to inspire others to organically grow their own food.
Interested in teaching? We are always looking for awesome people to join the Island Yoga studio! Please call or e-mail Crystal with questions!
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ISLAND YOGA
1012 William Hilton Parkway
Hilton Head Island, SC 29928
803-420-2829
hhislandyoga@gmail.com
