Our Instructors

Our instructors are all highly-trained and compassionate individuals
Yolanda Nash
Owner/Senior Instructor
Native New Yorker, Yogini, Reiki Master, Entrepreneur, and Mama of 2, Yolanda Nash is thrilled to open her third hot yoga studio. Yolanda began her yoga journey as a student in 2000. After two years studying, she made the leap to instruct, and has taught across the country in highly developed and competitive yoga cultures such as NY, California, Oregon, and internationally in the beautiful city of Vancouver, Canada. She opened her first studio on Long Island in 2002. Her second studio was opened in Queens, NY in 2008, pioneering the hot yoga movement in the outer boroughs of New York.

As a wife and mother of 2 young children, Yolanda expanded her interests in wellness to include certifications in Pre/Post Natal Yoga, as well as being trained in the methods of teaching yoga to kids. She is also certified in Buti Yoga and most recently, Sound Healing & Yoga Nidra. As a teacher trainer, her guidance and instruction has helped launch the careers of many NY based yoga teachers. Relocating her family to a warmer climate, Yolanda welcomes a new community of wellness warriors to her newest hot yoga studio. Guiding as many people as possible to their individual health and healing goals is her passion. Nearly 24 years after her first yoga experience, her commitment and focus to share the gifts of yoga practice remain as strong as ever.

Melissa Schildkraut
Instructor
Melissa Schildkraut has been working in the health and fitness field for 25 years.  She began practicing hot yoga 6 years ago and fell in love with the heat, the postures and the yoga lifestyle.  Melissa was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to become a hot yoga instructor 4 years ago.  A mom of 3, Melissa is passionate about her kids, eating healthy, her rescue dog and of course Hot Yoga!
Shaina Ross
Instructor
My love with yoga began 5 years ago when I stepped into Yolanda’s studio. Discovering what I always knew deep down, the modality of yoga brought me into an inner world that connected movement in my body with peace and stillness in my mind and spirit. I knew almost immediately I wanted to teach and spent the next year and a half practicing at the studio as I was able and almost always at home, as a mom to two young daughters. I am now a RYT 200 and spent the spring of 2018 studying in a masters program to bring me to 500 hrs of training in yoga. I have studied deeper the history and styles of yoga, yoga for grief, trauma and mental illness, and the physiology of breath, meditation and movement. I have loved being under Yolanda’s guidance and feel so honored to teach in a space that has given me just that — space — to know myself, let go of negativity, and heal in so many ways, body, mind and spirit. I hope to always honor every student with those same principles, giving the space needed to connect, move, restore, and heal.
Alice Nelson
Instructor
Kripalu and Bikram certified in yoga and Mad Dogg certified in spinning. Has been teaching fitness since the early 1990’s, starting with step aerobics, weight classes and pool aerobics. Moved into spinning and yoga and still teaches and practices both. Owner of Bikram Yoga Rumson in New Jersey for five years from 2000 until 2005. Is an avid cyclist, crossing the USA by bicycle in 2006 for the American Lung Association. Is very grateful for finding yoga to enhance all of life’s experiences and uses yoga tools to enhance all life has to offer.
Amy Haren
Instructor
Amy discovered her passion for yoga about three years ago the first time she attended class at Hot Yoga 4 You. She loves it so much that she now practices almost twice a day everyday. Practicing in the heat has been particularly healing for her body. The mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects of yoga have truly changed Amy’s life. She is a RYT 200 certified yoga instructor and teaches vinyasa flow and yoga hiit classes. She is excited to begin teaching the Hot 26 class & Vinyasa classes.
Sara Gole
Instructor
Sara is originally from England, a mother of 3, and married to a U.S. Air Force pilot. They moved to Sarasota a year ago, where they plan to put down roots.

Sara fell in love with Yoga while they were stationed in Okinawa, Japan, where she became a RYT 200 hour certified yoga teacher and a Yoga Alliance Certified SUP yoga teacher. Her journey as a yoga teacher began teaching heated Power Yoga, Glow Flow and SUP yoga classes. However, during her training she felt extremely passionate about supporting the health and healing of service members, veterans, and their families through yoga. This passion led her to become a certified Warriors at Ease level 1 and 2 yoga teacher, with a focus in adaptive and trauma based yoga.

Sara has taught online classes for Warriors at Ease as part of their Operation Remote Resilience, and plans to continue to contribute to this amazing non-profit organization in the future. This same passion to support military families like her own led her to become certified in Children’s yoga.

During the pandemic Sara taught predominantly online and in order to heighten her skills in an online environment she earned a certification in teaching Yoga online from The Institute of Yoga Sports Science.

Sara teaches Hatha, Vinyasa, Yin, Restorative, SUP, Adaptive and Trauma based, as well as children’s yoga. She is excited to return to a heated yoga studio, where it all began. Sara truly believes that yoga is for everyone. Her goal as a teacher is to provide an environment where everyone is welcome. No matter where a person is on their journey, her classes provide a place for continued health, healing and growth.

Rosemary Schmidt
Instructor
Rosemary’s yoga journey started as a student here at HotYoga4You over four years ago. Her journey has been one of physical, mental, and spiritual growth. Originally from the Northeast, Rosemary has loved living in Sarasota where she and her husband Tony raised their two children. Rosemary looks forward to bringing Restorative Yin and Yoga Nidra classes to the studio. She can’t wait to meet you on the mat and connect with you about your health and yoga journey.
Ruth Raposa
Instructor
Ruth is certified in Power Pilates, Inferno Hot Pilates, and Spin. She has been in the medical field for 30 years and recently retired from nursing. She understands the importance of incorporating fitness at every stage of life for mental and physical well-being.

“Teaching is not a job for me, it’s a fun way to interact with students and help them push themselves. I love the energy my students bring to class but most importantly, love to hear how exercise has changed their lives”.

When she isn’t teaching classes, she enjoys spending time with her family, including her Goldendoodle, Booker and cat, Orbit.

Ruth is excited to join the team and hopes you’ll join her for Hot Pilates.

Derrick Hawkins, LMT
Instructor
Derrick began his yoga journey in 2004 while attending Massage Therapy school. Classes began every morning with movement and the love affair began.

That relationship was on and off for the next 10 to 12 years. However, the recommitment came after Derrick attended physical therapy assistant school and came to understand just how functional yoga postures are. Yoga is functional movement when applied correctly. This understanding combined with a one month unlimited membership to a hot yoga studio cemented the experiential power that a consistent yoga practice has on one’s life.

In 2021/2022 Derrick completed his 200 hour, his 300 hour, and his Life Coaching certifications.

These yoga trainings have roots in Ashtanga (8-limb) and Anusara (Alignment) as well as his life experience lending towards Restorative and Yin combined with functional movement training from Physical Therapy.

Derricks goal is to provide the wholehearted wellness path for individuals, focusing on all layers of the body, physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. Derrick combines his training with his life experience to bring together these concepts of East and West, of Science and Spirituality, of Yin and Yang.

Find Out More About What We Offer

We look forward to sharing the joy and many benefits of Hot Yoga with you!  

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