Shannon branch
she/her
Shannon’s passage into yoga and Pilates began over 20 years ago in New York City, to reduce tension from the face-paced, laborious corporate environment of the fashion industry she was immersed in. Always active and trying the latest fitness trends, yoga and Pilates were a constant. In 2015, Shannon completed her 200-hour YTT and that same year she became Barre certified. She has been teaching Mat Pilates since 2011 and received her official certification in 2017. She is also certified in restorative yoga, adaptive yoga, accessible yoga, meditation and trauma informed yoga. Currently, she is enrolled with the Himalayan Institute for her 300-hour YTT.
In earlier times, the studio bore the name Yoga U, where Shannon was an instructor for five years until the COVID-19 pandemic hit. After decades of running the widely popular studio, the previous owner decided to embark on a new endeavor and closed its doors in October of 2020. Presented with an opportunity to reopen the studio and the resolve to keep the community practicing in the same space, Shannon decided to take a leap of faith and make it happen. With limited income and working a part-time job, she quickly took action and led the charge towards orchestrating a business strategy, used some of her life savings to finance the startup, and launched the opening of Sound Body Studio on December 14, 2020. The studio commenced its “opening” with virtual classes in the wake of the pandemic and gradually transitioned to full in-person classes by June of 2021. In the latter part of 2021, the studio began to grow, evolve, and hit its stride. It was during this time that Shannon was diagnosed with breast cancer. Shortly after, she went on to have a bi-lateral mastectomy and reconstruction surgery. Her positive attitude and cheerful heart have been good medicine, which has given her the strength and courage to persistently persevere.
Shannon has been back to teaching since April of 2022 and bursting with energy. Her approach to teaching is to encourage growth of the physical and spiritual self and condition each one to find balance on and off the mat. As she continues her healing journey, her vision is not lost. She sees Sound Body Studio as a safe space and brave space for people to come as they are, find their core, and know that yoga and Pilates is accessible for EVERY body and ANY body!
CARLY BECKLEY
she/her
Carly began practicing yoga in 2016 while in graduate school. She danced throughout childhood and loved that practicing yoga not only allowed her to maintain flexibility and strength, but also relieve anxiety. After practicing for about a year, she knew that she wanted to not only continue developing her practice on a personal level, but also to develop it in a way that she could share it with others. She completed her Yoga Teacher Training in June 2018, followed by a Barre Teacher Training in October 2018 and a Kids Yoga Teacher Training in December 2018.
Currently, Carly teaches yoga classes at the studio. She also leads Kids Yoga Clubs at Linden Hill Elementary School where she works full-time as a School Psychologist. When not working or practicing yoga, Carly enjoys spending time with her two cats and a book, taking long walks outside, or exploring new places with her husband.
JESSICA BOYKIN
she/her
Jessica began practicing yoga over 15 years ago and instantly fell in love. Finding her mat to be a place to find relief and peace. She always wanted to teach and decided to make her 200-hour YTT a pandemic silver lining. Jessica is thrilled to have the opportunity to teach and help others discover the benefits of a mindful practice.
Jessica loves spending her free time with her son, daughter, family and friends and aims to seize all of the days.
SUSAN BROWN
she/her
Susan is a seasoned marathoner, ultramarathoner and triathlete who has grown to love the rush of endurance activities with the mindset to “smile every mile.” While running as part of Black Girls Run! Delaware, Susan found & then fell in love with yoga as a way to recover during her training. Yoga stayed with her, and she continued to deepen her practice and her prayer life at home. As a result, Susan’s love of fitness empowered her to help others find their pathway and as a result, Susan is also a Certified Yoga Instructor, Indoor Cycling, HIIT & Flow Instructor and trauma informed yoga, who loves encouraging her students to go beyond the limits of their own mind while they uncover their strength both in body, mind and spirit. Susan is a mom of two amazing daughters and a paralegal of over 20 years, with a M.S. in Legal Studies from California University of Pennsylvania. Susan is also a small business owner, based here in Wilmington. When Susan isn’t working, you might find her curled up reading a good book.
DIANA DANYAN
she/her
Diana was first introduced to yoga at the age of 16 when her aunt, who also happened to be a Yoga Teacher, would visit and occasionally offer one on one classes. This peaked her interest and inspired her to cultivate her own personal relationship with yoga. So she did, in the comfort of her own room, thanks to YouTube Yoga Teacher’s!
Once Diana graduated from Delaware College of Art and Design with a degree in Photography, she had more free time and spent it at multiple yoga classes a week. It wasn’t long until her thirst for knowledge drove her to dive deeper into the practice and lifestyle of Yoga by embarking on a 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training course through Truly Yoga in 2021. With all this new knowledge, she felt the need to share it! So, she did just that by teaching a weekly community class at Newark Natural Foods Co-Op as well as a biweekly community class at the Bear Library. These opportunities allowed her to put what she was learning to practice, finding her voice and unique style in the process; a style she is continuing to both evolve and refine.
NICOLE DOMENIC
she/her
Nicole found her love for teaching early on and at the age of 19 became a ballroom dance instructor. Soon after in 2002, she found yoga and has been hooked ever since. Nicole completed the 200hr YTT at Tulaa Yoga studio in March 2014 and her 500hr in 2019 at The Himalayan Institute. She is always excited and eager to share her love of not only the physical benefits, but the spiritual and philosophical side of practicing yoga. Nicole enjoys combining all of these aspects into her classes, focusing on bringing the breath, the mind, and the body together to create a holistic experience for her students. Since completing her teacher training, Nicole has developed a profoundly deep affinity for the science of Ayurveda. Becoming an Ayurvedic Yoga specialist in 2016 and an Ayurveda Health Counselor in 2018, she loves being able to infuse her yoga classes with the wisdom and teachings of this vast science. Nicole draws from a big well as she is also trained in restorative yoga, chair yoga, as well as trauma-informed and accessible yoga.
As a lifelong student, Nicole continues to pursue additional training to infuse new knowledge to her teaching and personal practice. When she is not in teaching mode, you can find her concocting recipes in her kitchen or hanging out with her daughter, husband, and dog doing just about anything outside.
AMY DOWNING
she/her
Amy Downing is a certified Yoga, Barre and Mat Pilates instructor. Her own yoga journey began over a decade ago at Yoga U, and she instantly fell in love with the physical and mental benefits of a regular Vinyasa practice. She is excited to bring her own style of Vinyasa Yoga to the studio!
Outside of the fitness world, Amy works as a practicing Dental Hygienist and enjoys doing so. A lifelong Delaware resident, Amy lives in Pike Creek with her husband, 2 children and 2 dogs. She loves the Grateful Dead and enjoys going to many live concerts throughout the year.
rita grenville
she/her
After working in Corporate America, training and coaching in personal development, Rita returned to yoga and Pilates in search of strength and flexibility. She is a registered yoga teacher, having completed her 200 hour RYT training in early 2016. She has also completed her Pilates mat training, and has further certifications in yoga for boomers, seniors, breast cancer and chair yoga. Rita’s focus is on making her classes accessible and safe for everyone.
JESSICA MICCHELLI KELLY
she/her
Jessica is a 200 hour certified yoga instructor and certified barre instructor. She’s been practicing yoga for almost 10 years and teaching yoga in the area for almost 5. One of the most important things to her as a yoga instructor is inclusivity. Yoga is for everybody and every body! Her goal is to make sure everyone feels welcome and confident in her class. Jessica has been a barre instructor for about 4 years and offers a challenging, yet accessible and fun class for all levels. When you take a class with Jessica, you can expect great music, an invigorating workout and a sense of humor. In her spare time, she loves to run, cook, and spend time with her family and friends.
SARAH LEAMAN
she/her
Sarah began practicing yoga over ten years ago, looking for a way to work through the stress of teaching Special Education in a Philadelphia public school. After her first power yoga class she thought she was going to pass-out, but was hooked! Sarah found yoga was not only a great way to relieve stress, but made her strong and more balanced both physically and mentally. Her world completely changed in 2012 when her daughter was born. It was then that she became more aware and devoted to her practice. Sarah began practicing yoga everyday and she felt transformed. She completed her 200 hour yoga training with Bill Raup at Power Yoga Works in the summer of 2014. She continues to be a student of yoga, always working to grow in her own practice and be inspired by others. Sarah completed a second certification as a Child Light Yoga Instructor in 2015. Now she can share the love of her practice with her daughter, son, and other aspiring yogis! Sarah thinks yoga is for everyone, it’s just a matter of finding your right fit! Come to her class to get flexible, de-stress, and increase your strength. Sarah’s class is powerful and playful, and she will make you sweat.
otis littleton
he/him
Otis began his yoga practice in 2016, and immediately experienced the benefits of this practice to become a 200-hour YRT certified yoga teacher and Balanced Athlete instructor. He brings 20 plus years of experience as a teacher to all walks of life: Graduated from Albright College in 1996 with a Bachelor of Science in Biology and later achieved a Masters’ Degree in Secondary Education at the University of Bridgeport in Connecticut in 1997. A dedicated love for teaching, learning and fitness, combined with his grounding personality, Otis has transformed himself into a mindful movement, meditation & strength trainer committed to helping others.
KIM (kimmy) TURTLE
she/her
15 years ago, Kim’s life changed after her first yoga class. Her journal entry for 11/7/2007 reads ~ “1st day of yoga ~ I think I am going to like yoga. It seems to fit where I am right now…”
Her heart has been in the yoga studio since her very first class. Although many years have passed, Kim’s interest for the yoga practice and everything associated with it has only become stronger. Wanting to share the benefits of yoga brought Kim to Tulaa’s 200-hour YTT in 2017. “Acceptance of your body and gratitude for where you’ve been, where are are and where you may go are reasons to keep coming back to your mat. The way yoga connects the mind, body and spirit is truly a gift for life both in and out of the studio.”
Meet our substitute teachers
gail pineault
she/her
Gail is a long-time yogi having practiced, studied and taught for about 20 years. She completed a 200 hour yoga certification from OM Yoga and Cindi Lee based in NYC in 2005 as well as numerous workshops throughout the years. To stay current and up to date with evidence-based movement and the latest science on yoga, she follows Jenni Rawlings.
Gail believes yoga is for everybody and can be practiced anytime, anywhere as it is more than the physical poses. Gail taught yoga classes of all levels at the YMCA and in their after- school program in several different schools.
She helped mentor and train yoga teachers there and facilitated small-group and one-on-one yoga clients there and the studio. She has attended many retreats at Omega Institute with Rodney Yee and Colleen Saidman along with yoga retreats from The Yoga Journal master teachers. Her favorite place has been teaching at the former Yoga U studio and now a “full time” substitute and practitioner at the renewed Sound Body Studio. She calls this her second home. Gail has been a part of the studio teaching and practicing since 2003. She is a “semi-retired” parent of two married kids:) Besides yoga, hiking and biking with her husband are some of her favorite things to do. Cooking and taking care of animals as well. She is grateful to Shannon for “keeping the torch lit” and providing the space for yoga community.
carrie casey
she/her
Carrie feels teaching is a joy. She embarked on her yoga certification journey after 20 years of practicing yoga as a beginner. Carrie graduated with her 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training from Yoga Alliance certified Now: Yoga’s Program in 2018. While not teaching yoga, she works at her “not as fun” job managing New Castle County’s Division of Community and Housing. Carrie enjoys attending yoga classes, reading, and spending time with her husband, Mike, three teenagers, Isabel, Michael and Tierney, dog, Koda and tortoise, Sandy. She believes that yoga is for everyone.