KIDS TEACHERS
CHRIS CASTLE
I started gymnastics and exploring movement in 1996 and have never stopped.
When I was younger, I climbed on top of every school I have ever attended and knew I was a little different than other students. In 2001 I was given the chance to shadow a gymnastics class and that was the start of my coaching career. I coached Gymnastics for over 14 years after that. Being the head boys coach for most of the decade at the gym, Gymnastics Zone in the Napa Valley. I also coached Parkour for over 5 years and have coached at the renowned Tempest Freerunning Academy in the Valley. I have worked with 3 to 43 year olds, both men and women on basic to advanced skills, providing lesson plans and lifestyle habits to help my athletes achieve their goals. Movement is my passion because it's my Zen. I continue to share my passion with the world to touch as many lives as possible with the study of movement in all its forms.
JOHNNY CHANG (JC)
JC grew up in Southern California and is a parkour and meditation instructor at Kinship. He practices vipassana meditation in the traditional Buddhist theravadan style as practiced by the Venerable Ajaan Chah of the Thai Forest tradition. His primary teacher is Michael Zittel, who received his training through Noah Levine as well as Shinzen Young. Concerning movement, JC was first introduced to the concepts surrounding parkour/freerunning as a child when he jumped atop his first small ledge and subsequently jumped off of it. He was first introduced to the terms "parkour/freerunning" as a teenager, when he and his friends decided that it would be much cooler to jump onto (and off of) things with other people. Thus began his journey into the movement arts, leading to his Lvl II Instructor certification in 2014, through the WFPF (World Freerunning and Parkour Federation). When he isn't climbing walls or teaching others how to do the same, JC likes to spend his time practicing meditation, drawing, singing, songwriting, and doing other artsy type stuffs. Obviously, he would like to think of himself as an artist of sorts. Please humor him.
DILLAN HARRIS
Dillan Harris was dared by her mother to take a Bikram class at the ripe, angsty age of 13 – neither of them realized this would be the beginning of a practice that has enriched every area of her life ever since. She has been teaching now for about 10 years, after being certified at a little studio in Katy, TX called Yoga West, and then later completing Level 1 Training with Baron Baptiste in 2014. Her practice is based in flow, finding power in every pose, every breath, and creating whatever medicine you seek on the mat.
After practicing and teaching in every city she lived in, she built up the guts and gusto to move out to Cali, where she discovered she could fly. She jokes that she was born during her first aerial silks improv dance, but it’s really not far from the truth. This fabric has changed her life, and now she can barely keep her feet on the ground. Last year she even traveled Europe with her silks in tow, practicing, performing and even teaching a workshop wherever she could find a sturdy place to rig – including Slovakia, Poland, Germany, Hungary, and Austria. After completing Paper Doll Militia’s Level 1 Teacher Training in Oakland this year, she wants to share her love of silks with the world, to remind us that there is enough magic in this world and in our bodies that we can fly.
SHEILA MANN
My name is Sheila and I am a dancer, yoga teacher, aerialist, musician, and global citizen. I am proudly of indigenous and Latin descendent (¡Hablo español!). Yoga has given me peace, joy, resilience, and “literal” stability. Every day I strive to open my mind to new ideas, my heart to new people, be true to myself, and give 100% effort. Not knowing the lyrics to a song has never stopped me from singing along...loud and proud. In turn, I invite you to explore and see your practice as creative time. I teach because I believe in its ability to heal the mind and body. I have a passion for teaching absolute beginners because you can never replicate beginner’s mind. I completed my 200-hour Vinyasa certification and Aerial Yoga certification with Spectra School of Yoga in Costa Mesa, California. My yoga practice is rooted in my background as a professional dancer. I have dedicated myself to ballet, jazz, flamenco, and lindy hop. In my classes, I combine creative sequencing, a spirit of playfulness, and community to help you deepen your practice. My goal is to have you step off the mat feeling refreshed, relaxed, and balanced. Namaste.