Instructors
Dana Oneto
I love helping people feel healthy and happy in their bodies, making that mind-body connection! My teaching style combines personal, compassionate attention with gentle adjustments to promote healthy alignment, whether it’s Hatha or gentle yoga, power hatha flow or children’s yoga. I also design yoga and fitness programs for students of all levels.
My yoga journey began in 2003 while working at a small fitness center in the Sierra foothills in California. On my very first day I was suddenly asked to fill in for another teacher. It was one of those powerful moments when the universe opens a pathway previously unknown. I’ve followed that path with passion, love and faith ever since.
My relationship with creative movement as my primary language of artistic expression began very young. At age eight I started performing with Katie McGuire’s Creative Dance Theatre in Berkeley CA and also participated in an Arts Magnate Program in public-school.
I was also introduced to yoga at an early age, thanks to my mom dragging me along to her classes. Though I didn’t yet consider it for myself, I’m sure it influenced my style of dance. When I was finally ready to listen to what my body truly needed, yoga was right there.
In my 20’s I continued to dance and perform in the Bay Area until the disease of depression and addiction, which had been a struggle since my teens, almost consumed my life. After almost 2 years of full-blown drug addiction and homelessness, I began recovery in 2002. As my body remembered the joy and power of being present through physical engagement, movement and dance nurtured my physical and spiritual healing. I took a deep dive and let my belief in the power of yoga guide me. By 2003 it was time to embark on professional training.
After several years of teaching yoga at the fitness center and various events in the foothills, I began teaching all over our rural county, while also working on a farm and growing food. My first daughter was born in 2006 and my second in 2009. Balancing self-care while caring for others first during pregnancy and now as a parent, has deeply influenced my teaching.
Since then, I’ve continued to study and practice with many teachers and traditions, including:
- Chopra Certified Health Instructor in Ayurveda (in progress)
- Certification as Process Coach in Range of Light with Tracey Wright
- 200-hour certification with Dorothy Sturdevant in Sonora, CA
- 250+ hours in Subtle Yoga* with Kristine Kaoverii Weber, MA
- Intensive study with Kofi Busia, Santa Cruz, CA and Rusty Wells, San Francisco, CA
- Trauma Release Exercise (TRE) with Maria Alfaro
- Iyengar style yoga practice with Maya Lev, Yoga Center Santa Cruz
- Online trainings through Yoga Alliance
In 2019 I took another leap of faith to open Good Karma Studio in Murphys, CA with the goal of combining my teaching and life experience. Little did I know I’d soon face the huge task of sustaining a fledgling small business as a solopreneur during a terrible pandemic. With the physical space closed, I pivoted to Zoom, ironically expanding access well beyond our local yoga community. Growing the studio continues to be an exercise in resilience, creativity, and, well… Good Karma!
The studio now employs seven yoga instructors who offer a variety of levels and styles (Hatha, Gentle, Ashtanga). We also offer meditation workshops and new healing modalities such as trauma informed yoga and somatic healing and free classes and training opportunities for aspiring teachers.
Another personal challenge has been adapting to life in a small, rural community in the Sierra foothills – so different from my urban upbringing. However, this has given me a fresh perspective on just how interconnected and interdependent we are with each other and the earth. But by coming together to help each other, we experience a greater sense of meaning and purpose.
As part of my community commitment, I offer a regular free yoga class and engage in outreach programs. My favorite is a Teens Yoga for Anxiety Class that I taught through Calaveras County just before the pandemic. I look forward to seeing it reinstated soon. I am also excited about the many new teachers and healers that are moving into our mountain area and how Good Karma Studio has become a resource for their offerings, not only through having a community space for events but also through supporting their growth by making these new healing modalities, classes, and therapists available to our population and helping these new teachers thrive in our community!
Holly Archer
I discovered yoga about 17 years ago when as a new mom I knew I needed something to help me balance out the stress of daily life. As soon as I took my first yoga class I new it was what was missing in my life and I haven’t looked back since. I am a 500 plus hour RYT (Registered Yoga Teacher)through Yoga Tree, and I have been teaching since 2010. I consider myself a forever student of yoga and I love to continue my education of this craft through as many trainings and workshops as I can take. I am so grateful to be able to share what I’ve learned with others. My hope is to inspire my students to explore their edge while maintaining an awareness of what their body needs, and to create space for themselves, in body and in mind. I look forward to practicing with you.
Madison Ward
Born and raised in the Arnold area, Madison actively enjoys all that the dreamy Sierra’s have to offer! She began her yoga journey back in 2014 while attending Cal Poly and has been an avid practicer ever since. Madison chose to achieve her teaching certification in 2021 from Awakening Yoga Academy as a result of the class shutdowns that came out of the global pandemic. In the summer of 2021 she began teaching backyard classes to friends and family and determined she wanted to pursue a studio setting next. She is currently trained in Hatha and Vinyasa yoga. Madison strives to introduce as many people in the area to the practice as she can.
Dellamay Miller
Dellamay is a true Lebenskünstlerin: an artist of life. The world is the canvas and yoga is the medium with which the masterpiece is painted. Breath in… Breath out…where the mind goes Prana will follow. Having had the great blessing to study under many wise men and women in lands both near and far along with the curiosity to explore and question what is “real” and “true” she discovered the joy of being both student and teacher and that potential in every being.
She completed her teacher’s training at the Mount Madonna Institute in Watsonville California, which follows the classical Ahțāga system outlined in the Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali. With this foundation in the purification of body, breath and mind her personal praxis and teaching style are formed. She also has a playful side which expresses itself in acro yoga- a movement form which combines partner acrobatics and therapeutic flying into a fun, trust based and playful form of mindful movement. As a multi instrumentalist and singer her poetic and musical nature is enchanted by the beauty of Bhakti. Offering and participating in Kirtan- chanting names of the divine in sacred sound, brings her great joy. An invitation is extended to those who read this to come explore themselves and this sacred art form we call Yoga, for if you never ever go, you will never ever know- isn’t it so?
Renee Anderson
What I discover on the mat transfers immeasurably into my life off of the mat. For me, this mindful practice clears the clutter, paves a divine path inward, and deepens my resolve that because all things are connected, all things are possible. Thich Nhat Hanh said, “Mindfulness helps you go home to the present. And every time you go there and recognize a condition of happiness that you have, happiness comes.” In this spirit, I strive to create an encouraging, welcoming space wherein exploration and self-discovery can serve others in whatever way they seek.
My yoga journey began 15 years ago in a hot studio when I was living in San Diego. There, I immersed myself in the Bikrham practice, which set my foundation for diving into other practice styles. As a former high school teacher, I changed direction, and in 2018, received my 200-hr RYT and 90-hr Yin certifications through Bellevue College, in the Seattle, Washington area. I have since taught Hatha, Vinyasa, Yin, and Restorative styles in yoga studios, high schools, and private settings.
When I’m not on my mat, I can be found hiking local trails, munching on cacao bars, promoting my husband’s singing gigs, traveling near and far, and funning with my two grown kiddos and friends. So, after having left California for decades, I’m thrilled to be back and share this truly transformative practice with all of you.
Brea McQuoid
My yoga practice began after a traumatic injury back in 2012. Immediately after my first power vinyasa class, I knew I had found my new form of exercise and quickly began to understand that yoga was about so much more than the physical movement. Yoga has taught me to find space, to hold myself up with strength + ease, to give myself breaks + grace, to love my body + strive to know it better, always. I show up to teach to strengthen my practice for the benefit of a happy body, powerful mind + thriving spirit so that I can be a more present friend and family member, a healthier being all around, and to find more passion within the things that I love (and don’t love so much).
When I’m not practicing or teaching yoga, I spend time out hiking and exploring with my pup and cooking delicious meals with whole foods. Recently, I moved back home to Calaveras County after living away for 12 years. During that time, I‘ve spent my years working in the realm of natural health – whether I was teaching yoga classes, serving families as a birth and postpartum doula, working within a naturopathic clinic, farming livestock and poultry or teaching pet parents how to provide a species-appropriate diet for their furry family members. Currently, I am living in Vallecito and have been focusing on enjoying being back in the foothills of the Sierra Nevadas. It‘s a very special gift to land back at home in the community I grew up within and am eager to practice with you.
Substitute Instructors
Felicity Oceansong
Meet Felicity an accomplished dance instructor, musician, and holistic practitioner with a passion for world culture and movement arts. With over two decades of experience in music and dance, Felicity has become a sought-after teacher and performer, known for her ability to seamlessly blend traditional and contemporary styles.
As a dance instructor, Felicity has mastered a wide range of styles, including the serpentine style, Trible and Turkish, Indian dance, and mudras. Her unique approach to teaching dance incorporates elements of spirituality, history, and cultural context, helping her students not only develop technical skills but also gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for the art form. Felicity is also a certified Rachel Brice instructor, a testament to her expertise and dedication to the craft. In addition to her dance background, Felicity is a skilled musician with a specialty in world music. She has spent years traveling and studying various musical traditions, incorporating them into her compositions and performances. Her deep understanding of rhythm and melody allows her to create immersive and transformative musical experiences for her audience.
Felicity is also a certified yoga teacher and meditation practitioner, incorporating these practices into her holistic approach to health and wellness. She is skilled in guiding students through various forms of meditation, including mindfulness and visualization, and often incorporates these techniques into her dance and music classes.
Finally, Felicity is trained in hypnosis, further deepening her understanding of the mind-body connection and her ability to help clients achieve their goals. With her diverse skill set and passion for world culture, Felicity continues to inspire and empower individuals to explore their creativity and unlock their full potential.
JoDee Eatmon
JoDee has been sharing her Gentle Yoga with Worldfest since 2000. JoDee has been teaching Yoga and Dance to children and adults of all ages for 40 years! JoDee studied yoga at Expanding Light Ashram in Nevada City, and Sivananda Yoga Farm in Grass Valley. She has participated in the Yoga Journal Conferences in San Francisco for many years. She took classes with Sean Corn and Shiva Rea, as well as several other yoga instructors throughout the years. JoDee is a mother of three children and a grandmother of eight. She has done yoga with all of her children and grandchildren. She has worked with special needs children Of all ages and continues to share Yoga and Dance. She teaches Yoga and Dance in Arnold and in Murphys California.
Chelsea Flores
Chelsea Florres has lived a life of movement. From a young age of living on a farm and riding horses to playing sports as she got older she has always been mastering her body, mind, spirit. Chelsea believes yoga is preventative medicine. Meaning by creating good habits we stay healthy and fit, building a natural immunity. Her objective as a yoga teacher is to help you feel at home in your body. She strives for all of her students to find stability and relaxation in each pose. This is where we begin to feel change. Chelsea has a certificate with an 8-month, 200 hr intensive YTT from Suzanne Dunning at Tosha Yoga in Humboldt County and over 10 years of a personal practice. Her studies include a completed course in Acupressure, Reiki 1, with a background in Ayurvedic Medicine and Holistic Health. These passions are woven into the classes. Through breath may we find a steady practice, through our practice may we feel more aligned with ourselves, and may our alignment better our relationship to the world around us.
Special Event & Guest Instructors
Colleen Gavan
Colleen is dedicated to creating a nurturing and playful environment for others to truly inhabit, heal and feel good in their bodies. In classes and privates sessions she incorporates her training in yoga therapy and traditional yoga with natural movement, developmental movement patterns and physical training. Colleen has been practicing and teaching yoga since 2001 and now specializes in yoga therapeutics, yoga for trauma and chronic pain.
I was drawn to yoga because of my love of movement, but found that what I really needed was the sense of ease that yoga teaches. Learning to be still –to relax and let go– took time and required an ‘unlearning’ of my past patterns. The results continue to be life-changing and empowering.
Colleen Gavan
Carolyn Tracy
Carolyn Tracy began practicing yoga in 5th grade while competing in gymnastics. She specializes in teaching Yin yoga. Her students describe her as soothing, healing and knowledgeable. Carolyn’s compassionate teaching style coupled with her lifelong experience and her expression of Yin yoga are growing a rapidly expanding following of enthusiastic students yearning to heal their joints as well as soothing their souls. One class with Carolyn and you’ll understand why she is sought after. She brings a spunky playfulness into her yoga as she’s passionate, too, about kids, animals and nature. When your body is ready for balance and the tranquil calm that is it’s birthright, you’ll seek Carolyn’s Yin expertise.
Alex Mannos
Breathe. Heal. Evolve.
Grounded in the principle that “energy moves regardless of us,” Alex Mannos is dedicated to using yoga for the mindful movement of energy, creating a pathway for clearing away the stagnant and replacing it with dynamic energy for healing in the body and in the mind.
Highly empathetic, she is a guide who actively works to help people feel safe in a communal space.
Alex maintains that we are on earth to connect with others; she is here to share with others and create opportunities for these connections through her yoga practice.
A practitioner of Yoga for the past 10 years, Alex began teaching Forrest Yoga in June of 2014, immediately following her 200 hour Foundation Teacher Training with the creatrix, Ana Forrest. She also completed Sarahpuetics 5 Element Thai Massage Training, earning 100 hours of Thai Massage & Chinese Medicine training with Sarah Vosen & Sarah Yovovich.
In previous years, Alex has worked with non-profit organizations, including Yoga Across America & the Dr. Mehmet Oz HealthCorps, teaching and performing. She also assisted CodyApp (now AloMoves.com) and Daniel Scott Yoga with the first ever comprehensive package of online AcroYoga classes.
Finding my yoga practice connected me to a place within me that I never realized I was disconnected from. It created the foundation for me to become my own healer, allowing me to work through emotional and physical trauma, as well as the every life stressors. I would love to share this gift with you and help you to discover how to live life fully!
Alex Mannos
Amanda Ragan
Amanda has intuitively worked with sound for many years and studied at the Center of Light Institute of Sound Healing and Shamanic Studies. Blending knowledge of earth based ways with the workings of the body to encourage balance in all aspects of self and spirit.
Tracy Wright
I’m Tracey Wright from the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California. As the founder of Range of Light Coaching, I have trained in various modalities over the past two decades. My formal training began in Ayurvedic Healing, Acupressure, Herbology, Qigong, Reiki, and Meditation. These practices led me towards deepening in specific areas such as Hypnotherapy, Neuro-linguistic Programing, Feminine Power, Process Coaching, Somatic Awareness, Internal Family Systems, and Compassionate Inquiry. As a wilderness guide and explorer, the natural world has been a consistent teacher. This modality weaves together all the gems discovered from years of self-work and practice with clients and students. My life experience includes two decades of marriage, where we’re raising three children. I enjoy working with couples and facilitating group classes for couples as well as women’s groups. I have a private practice in downtown Sonora, California where I see clients in person as well as seeing clients around the globe on zoom and phone. My deep compassion gives me the ability to meet and understand others without judgment.
Dana Nichols
Instructor Dana Nichols has practiced meditation since childhood when his father took him to Yoga lessons.
Dana has had a rigorous mindfulness meditation practice since 2016 and has completed three 10-day silent retreats.
Dana in 2023 successfully completed the two-year Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program offered by the Awareness Training Institute and the Greater Good Science Center at the University of California, Berkeley.
Dana worked more than 30 years as a reporter and editor in the newspaper industry and has also taught journalism at the college level.
He lives in San Andreas with his wife Ruth. They have six grandchildren.
Ivonne Lopez
Thalia Suddeth
Kim Brody
