BIG OM YOGA RETREAT SUMMER LEADERS
We are super excited to have an amazing line-up of talented instructors and teachers to lead the Big Om Yoga Retreat. Read below to learn more about the wonderful humans who will be leading each experience.
Hailey Boswell and Joe Picorale
Hailey first started doing yoga in college for the physical benefits it offered, but it didn’t take long before she felt the change yoga was making in her heart and mind as well as the body. Yoga helped her deal with the stress of working her way through college in a positive way, and continues to do so. She discovered a new sense of love for herself and others, which she had never felt before. Yoga invites her true authentic self to shine through, and allows her to feel more confident in everything she does. Hailey received her 200-hour teacher certification from Everyone Yoga School in May 2016. She teaches a vinyasa flow style class and enjoys teaching all types of classes ranging from soft, medium, to powerful.
Joe began practicing yoga in 2010 and is a RYT 200. He was one of the original founders of the I AM Yoga Festival in the fall of 2010 and opened the first Be Love Yoga Studio in 2013. With the help of the growing #belovecommunity at Be Love Yoga Studio Joe has since expanded with a second studio in Downtown Jenks America and two franchised studios in Bristow, OK and Owasso, OK. Joe's passion is connecting people and creating the framework for a community that will change the world. Joe is the creator of the Big Om Yoga Retreat and teaches regularly at Be Love Yoga Studio Tulsa.
​
Derek J. Smith, Certified Wim Hof Instructor
Derek enjoyed his fiery youth in the California sunshine and eclectic culture of the San Francisco Bay Area. Looking for a connection with his father and seeking a geographical change, he moved to Oklahoma at 18 which began his search into the fields of Martial arts, fitness, personal development, and human behavior for 20 years. In 2017 he received his certification with The Wim Hof Method along with 200 hours of Yoga Teacher Training and other human movement modalities. He currently is focused on serving others and does that through personal training and The Wim Hof Method. Derek’s intention is to be useful and to allow Life to play him like an instrument dropping all expectations. He and his wife, Alyssa, are currently opening a business to bring physical wellbeing and mental resiliency to more people via strength training, Yoga and The Wim Hof Method. You can find Derek at Submerge Tulsa.
TJ Hoopes, Tucker James Music
Born and raised in the desert of Las Vegas, TJ began creating music at the age of 15, found the love and healing through vibration and frequency and began to record and release music stemming from personal experience. Tucker James Music continues to grow, learn, and share all types of music with the intention to spread awareness of everyone's individual birth right for complete liberation and the choice to spread love. His new album “Elemental Freedom” just dropped June 2021! Definitely give it a listen exclusively at www.tuckerjamesmusic.Bandcamp.com Enjoy yourself, enjoy others, and enjoy life! Follow on Instagram and Facebook for tour updates and new music!! @tuckerjamesmusicandyoga Live out loud and check out the music: https://linktr.ee/Tuckerjamesmusicandyoga
Katie Sunshine, Hoop Artist
I was attending Harvest Music Festival 2008 when I was first inspired to pick up the hoop. I was enjoying the music one sunny day at the festival when I saw a beautiful girl dancing with a hula hoop, tossing it, spinning it, swirling within it, and I was totally mesmerized! I completely stopped watching the concert and just watched her dance! At that moment I decided that I wanted to be able to do that too. I figured that it would only take some practice.
After that festival, I purchased my first hoop, and the rest is history, as they say. I am truly grateful for all the blessings hooping has brought into my life.
My mission is to make that same experience possible for anybody. I hope to inspire others to try hooping, be it for health and wellness or purely as a hobby. I strive to do that by offering quality, durable hoops at an affordable price. I also offer free tutorials, hoop dancing videos, and I'm available for hooping advice anytime.
I make all of my hoops to order by hand, from scratch, and with love.
Misty Love, Acrolove Certified
Misty Love is a certified AcroLove Instructor and Event Coordinator in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She first encountered acro shortly after coming out of a 15 year abusive marriage. What she discovered was an activity and community that promoted healing on many different levels. Acro helped her learn how to develop trust with other human beings as they lifted her up and supported her both figuratively and literally. Along with presenting opportunities to improve communication skills, Acro also provided her with fun filled ways to become more athletic while enjoying non sexual human touch that we all need to thrive in our daily lives. She views acro as powerful healing tool and confidence booster. Misty became an instructor and continues to sharpen her skills so that she could help spread the passion, love, and joy of Acro with you.
Alfie Menesis, RYT 200
Skye is a purposeful, professional yoga teacher with a passion for health, wellness, humanity and nature.
​
Nearly a decade ago she began exploring mindfulness practices, various styles of yoga, meditation, breathwork and sound healing, witnessing their transformative effects firsthand. These practices provided a space for her to navigate the depths of despair, grief, anxiety, and self-doubt, fueling her passion and commitment. She believes greatly in the process of alchemy, in the power of self-healing, repatterning, and creating supportive pathways for both inner & outer wellness.
​
For Skye, yoga transcends physical movement; it is a holistic lifestyle that brings clarity and connection with one's heart, guiding individuals towards paths that foster their well-being.
​
Skye works intimately with her clients to curate an attentive, uniquely tailored, progressive experience to learn, grow, and heal together. Her childlike nature encourages a playful approach for each of her students to become inquisitive, embrace imperfection, dissolve negative thought patterns, and enjoy the journey.
​
She is honored to create and hold a space for people to restore physically and spiritually through the practice of yoga and return to their jobs, families, and lives feeling more connected, grounded, focused, and clear.
Shylah Ray Sunshine
Shylah is known as a wildly authentic performer, entertainer, and, more recently, high-in-demand DJ at live events. An inspiring and uplifting artist, fans and followers are magnetized by her passion, power, and deeply moving performances. Shylah currently tours the US as a solo artist performing her live music and teaching workshops.
​
Shylah’s musical sound and style are a blend of Neo-Soul, R&B, Blues, and Hip-hop, enrapturing audiences with her gospel-like voice, sensual tones, and ultra-moving lyrics. Inspired by her lifelong idols Whitney Houston, Lauryn Hill, Fela Kuti, and Bob Marley, Shylah’s music is most frequently compared to and influenced by the vocal style and spiritual deliverance of Alicia Keys and Erykah Badu.
​
Shaped by these revolutionary artists, Shylah’s mission as a musician is to inspire her audience to live boldly and authentically, and use their voices to create change.
Her hit single “Existence”, often referred to as a power anthem, has achieved placement in dozens of advertisements and was nominated for a Hollywood Music Media Award for Best Song with Message/Social Impact.
Nicole Peltier, Raven Yoga Nation
Nicole has been teaching her eclectic, musically motivated, creative yoga classes for over 23 years to all ages and levels. Nicole draws a lively following of teens and young people who are inspired by her young, fresh attitude and easy to follow instruction. Being "mature" also makes Nicole an ideal teacher who inspires students well over thirty to let down their hair and rock without reservation and with a focus on meditative moments that surround us. The Yoga Room, Tulsa's first yoga studio, was opened in 2001 by Nicole and her partner, so she is considered the OG of Yoga in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She has a wildly passionate heart and her energy is contagious. She is truly inspirational and her classes leave the students with a fresh perspective and usually take the student much further than they expect to go. And, for that reason, her classes are called "an experience". She focuses on the energy yoga arouses when combined with music, that is part of how she connects the students to joy, movement and childlike freedom. Also, since Nicole's discovery into her own recovery she developed her own 'Raven Yoga for Freedom', (Trademarked in 2016) which addresses the issue of addiction, fear and emotional blocks. Nicole also leads a nondenominational Sunday Yoga Service with gospel and worship that she calls "All Rise Yoga Service". Nicole studied at Mount Madonna Center in Santa Cruz in 2000, and has studied extensively to hone her craft. She spent 2022 studying Shamanism with a local shaman and incorporates shamanic practices into her classes. Nicole has taught at Fayetteville Yoga Fest (4 years), Telluride Yoga Fest (2 years), Farm Fest (Shreveport)(2 years), OKC Yoga Fest, IAM Yoga Fest (4 years), Big Om Yoga Fest (2 years) and she has lead at the Big Om Retreat 12 seasons. She also has several modules she offers for yoga teacher trainings. She teaches Cueing, Voice Control and Flow Tactics to budding new yoga instructors. She continues to travel all over the world offering yoga classes, retreats and ceremonial offerings.
Megan Burnett, Owner of 405 Yoga in OKC
A devoted dancer and athlete her whole life, Megan has a passion for movement and sharing the joy and the balance that dancing and yoga both guide us to. In 2006, after dabbling in a few 'gym yoga' classes, she took her first studio class with an instructor who actually touched her and helped align her properly into a pose. She was hooked and immediately started to see a transformation in her dance training and her life. Seeking to also empower others with the tools to find balance within themselves, she acquired her 220 hour Kunga Yoga teaching certification in 2011 and has now earned the distinction of E-RYT 200 and YACEP. She studies and teaches a wide variety of yoga: hatha, vinyasa, power flow, The Rocket, yin, restorative, prenatal, gentle, sahaja dance flow, yoga for athletes, yoga for dancers, and more. She is passionate about teaching healthy alignment and yoga 'from the ground up', hands-on alignment, and creating classes that are both playful and soulful, drawing both beginners and experienced practitioners alike. Her students like to call this 'yummy yoga'! Her Studio: 405 Yoga
Hannah Bell, RYT 200
Hannah Bell completed her 200 hour yoga teacher training in the summer of 2018 at Mount Madonna Center in Watsonville, California. With an extensive background in the culinary arts, Hannah has a wide breadth of knowledge of what it means to serve. While her yoga classes can be challenging in many ways you can always count on a point of levity. Her teacher, Baba Hari Dass, encouraged the attitude of ‘work is play’. Her personal mantra is to be silly, honest, and kind. When taking her class you can always count on her encouragement to lean into the human experience and all of the complexities it has to offer. Yoga can be whatever you want it to be; a stretch, a breath, an hour to just turn your phone off, or something far deeper. She will meet you wherever you’re at with mindfulness and the intention to serve. She knows the real work is stepping off of her mat and carrying the practice into the rest of the world.
Sana Meditation
Through meditation, the universe brought together Tiffany and Sue. These two yoga-lovin’ souls quickly bonded, and they formed the mediation duo, Sana Meditation. Their connection quickly blossomed through their love of hiking, kayaking, and yoga.
From the start, the two focused on providing a space for the community to meditate; to provide a space and hold space. Providing a space every day that is accessible to everyone regardless of background, social status, baggage, or experience. Holding space where you can sit down with your self and feel safe and loved; where you can come as you are.
Sana’s meditations are designed to give you the space to come home to your true essence – the core of your being, you without your “story”.
Sana is a Sanskrit word with multiple meanings. The one that connected with Tiffany and Sue is the definition of “offering”.
Lacy Norman
I have danced and trained professionally in authentic middle eastern dance and Yoga instruction for over 10 years. I feel that Yoga and belly dance are both moving meditations and excellent tools for healing and embodying spirit. Add in the healing power of music and rhythm and breath and a great time is had by all!
Joni Murphy
Joni is an aerial hoop teacher and performer originally from the west coast. With a background in aerial yoga, she focuses on active flexibility training both on the ground and in the air. Her classes this weekend will be beginner friendly, going over some drills, mounts, and basic moves on the aerial hoop.
Michael Van Antwerp
Dr. Michael Van Antwerp has been an avid practitioner of acro yoga for over a decade and has been teaching this dynamic practice for the last five years. He completed his acro yoga teacher training with the AcroMastermind program in New Zealand. He values the trust, fun and connection that acro yoga fosters within the community. His extensive knowledge of anatomy and bodywork enriches his classes, providing students with a comprehensive approach to acro yoga.