Headliners
Music City yoga festival talent
emcees
Hanna Bee, On-Air Talent, i106.7
Originally from Phoenix, Arizona, Hanna Bee grew up modeling and riding horses. She modeled in China, South America, New York and other cities for brands like Cover Girl, Kate Spade, and more! Through modeling she found her love of entertainment, finished her bachelors degree at Arizona State University's Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and landed a spot over in Phoenix at a Top 40 station where her journey in radio began. Hanna Bee extended her radio career in Los Angeles and now Nashville! She is a lover of all things having to do with celeb gossip, music, fitness, and fashion! When she's not on the air or hosting red carpets, you can find her eating sushi, drinking lots of coffee, working out, or on the hunt for some new clothing to add to her wardrobe!
Natalie Aulvin Thomas, Outreach Manager, Small World Yoga
With her bright personality and ability to make every person she comes in contact with feel special, it is easy to see that Natalie Aulvin is right at home in the yoga community. She fell in love with yoga while attending college at Middle Tennessee State University. She began practicing Ashtanga and Bikram methods, and she received her teaching certification in the Baptiste Power Vinyasa method in 2015.
Natalie teaches for Small World Yoga, and she manages the organization’s relationships with community partners, as well as the SWY teacher team. After starting in 2015, Natalie continued to serve this organization in every way possible. She even turned her car into a temporary yoga mat storage facility before opening the SWY Community Studio!
instructors
Brooke Widmer, Studio Manager, Small World Yoga
Brooke Widmer is the SWY Community Studio Manager, a SWY teacher, and longtime SWY student. Brooke completed a 100-hr yoga training with Sid McNairy and received her 200-hr RYT with EmPower School of Yoga. She continues to seek growth in her practice and teaching by attending other trainings as they come up, including the Unstoppable Yoga for Youth Training by the Baptiste Foundation. Brooke has volunteered with Small World Yoga for four years.
Cindy Lunsford, Owner, Yogasoul
Cindy is the former owner of four yoga studios in upstate New York. She is a certified Bikram, Yin Yoga, Vinyasa and level II/III Barkan Vinyasa teacher. Cindy has completed her 500 hours with both Jimmy Barkan and Rolf Gates. For five years, Cindy assisted Jimmy Barkan at his level II/III Vinyasa teacher trainings. She also completed Ana Forrest's Advanced Yoga training as well as Baptiste's Art of Assisting and Advanced Art of Assisting training and additional training under Raghunath and Jason Crandall. She currently leads 200-hour yoga alliance certified vinyasa And Hot 26 teacher trainings.
Amanda Bell, Owner, Bend and Zen Hot Yoga
My yoga passions are arm balances & exploring unique flows. These components help me to create new neural pathways, which help my body and brain get stronger and stronger as I age. I have found comfort in being uncomfortable because the payoff is far greater than the alternative. Yoga has 100% improved my quality of life and overall happiness. When you learn to set your ego aside, you discover very quickly that yoga is about honoring your body where it is in any given second and then realizing you have the control to create as much misery or joy based on the choices you make.
Nora Shabayek, Owner, Fahrenheit Yoga
When I first started practicing hot yoga, I felt I had found my niche, something to call my own. A 4x6 ft. rubber mat became my safe haven and I looked forward to the instantaneous relief I received from the series. Each time I returned to my "happy place" I almost felt as if I were taking myself on a date... A HOT date, that is... Cheesy, I know, but I couldn't resist! My practice was all about me and for a whole hour and a half each day, I felt safe for the rest of my life. As the dedication to my practice grew stronger, the inevitable happened... My heart opened, and my sprit caught fire.
Madison Blackwell-Dotson, Owner, Madison Ryan Yoga
Yoga has always been a constant in my life; I even remember my first yoga class with my mom when I was just 8-years-old. My yoga and meditation practices have brought me back down to Earth more times than I can count and, in turn, pushed me to take on every obstacle in my life. Yoga is so much more than a physical practice and I always hope to embolden others to live their yoga off of their mats. Madison Ryan Yoga finally came to fruition at the end of 2018 and after being open for a full year, I was able to ask my students that very same question that started it all for me.
Emily Wilterdink, Yoga Boutique Manager, Life Time Athletic - Franklin
Practicing yoga has been a part of my life for over half of it, it's hard to remember a time that I wasn't on this journey. I received my 200-hour teaching certification in 2016 and continue the journey stepping into my 300 hours currently with wonderment. My teaching style is straight from the heart, a balance of strength and compassion, turning inward being my main focus. I love to weave themes and teachings throughout my classes, getting people to connect back to their higher self while pushing them into places they never thought they would travel to.
Kristin Gore, RYT-200 Instructor, FreeBird
Kristin Gore grew up in Lake of the Ozarks, MO, where she developed a background in dance and music. She moved to Nashville in 2002 to pursue a Music Business degree at Belmont University. After graduating, Kristin started a family with her husband and stayed home raising their two children as he grew their music recording and production business. It was during this time that she discovered yoga and fell in love with its ability to transform the mind, body, and soul. Yoga became her healing path to self- discovery, and self-love, and she very quickly realized that she wanted to be able to share this powerful practice with others.
Derrick T. Billups, Jr., Owner and Founder, City Fit Concierge
Derrick transplanted to Downtown Nashville in 2013 from Virginia and absolutely loves this city! He has been involved in either competing or coaching competitive sports for the last 20 years. Derrick himself was a standout basketball player at Bridgewater College, where he lettered four seasons in basketball and was team captain senior year. He holds his personal training certification from the National Academy of Sports Medicine with specialties in Suspension Training, Corrective Exercise, SAQ, Cardio for Performance, Cardio for Fitness and Core Training.
Makiya Mildebrandt, Personal Trainer + Group Fitness Instructor, Burn Boot Camp - Bellevue
I grew up in Fond du Lac, WI, and just moved to Tennessee in January of 2020. I attended the University of Wisconsin- Oshkosh and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology. After graduating I worked as a personal trainer and group exercise instructor at a corporate wellness center. Soon after I became a Wellness Specialist for the businesses around my home town, helping companies achieve wellness goals for their employees! My wellness philosophy: I believe wellness should be fun, effective, and all-encompassing to achieve the best YOU throughout your whole body!
Debbie Williamson and Kellie Lin Knott, Partners, Wild Kauai Chocolate
Wild Kauai Chocolate is a labor of love, created by three committed partners determined to teach the world about the delights of making single origin bean to bar chocolate. Everything we do is designed to give you (our friends and clients) hands on experience in the wonderful world of chocolate making.
Ashley Brooke James, COO, TRILUNA Wellness
Ashley is a 300-hour certified yoga teacher and also holds certifications in barre and Glidefit CardioWave Aquatics. After leaving a corporate background in Healthcare IT Account Management and Recruiting in 2017, Ashley focused on building her brand, yoga that promotes yoga as a lifestyle through food, relationships, and nature; In addition to providing yoga services to local studios, Metro School Systems and major healthcare and financial companies in Nashville.
Liz Stewart, E-RYT 500, Sanctuary For Yoga, Body & Spirit
Elizabeth Stewart, E-RYT500, is Yoga Alliance certified at the 500 hour level through the Asheville Yoga Center, with an additional 50 hour certification with renowned Yin Yoga teacher Bernie Clark in Vancouver, BC and a certification in Yoga for Healthy Aging with Dr. Baxter Bell. She has taught at Sanctuary for Yoga since 2004. Recently retired from the Nashville Symphony, she maintains a busy career as a freelance double bassist, active in both the classical and recording worlds in Nashville.