Meet the Instructor: Dominque

Dominque teaches hatha yoga at 8am on Saturdays!  

Tell us about yourself / your family. 
I am the oldest of three, the only girl. Grew up playing sports and going on lots of camping trips. I grew up in the Northwest, so I am used to the rain, pine trees, and people who commute to work by bicycle. I love the ocean, not the white sandy beaches most people imagine, but the rocky cliffs of the Oregon coast, full of tide pools, sea lion coves and often shadowed by overcast weather. I broke a lot of bones as a kid, some were the fault of my younger brother (I’m terribly competitive) and others were the fault of my own wildness. Dad taught me to be tough, I remember walking home from the park near my house after a spill, and then being in a foot cast the next day. My mother and I look the same, especially when I’m home for the holidays and raid her closet. I moved away from home rather young because of ballet, but we’ve always been a close family. We have a lot of matching pajama sets, its our traditional Christmas eve gift. Last years theme was polar bears, the year before that I think was red and green plaid- makes for a very organized Christmas morning family photo. 

Describe yourself in 5 words.
Confident. Self-critical. Passionate. Adventurous. Artistic.

When/Why did you start practicing Yoga?
I began my yoga journey my first year at Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s professional training program, as we had yoga classes bi-weekly as cross training. My first year in the program I had issues with a reoccurring injury and self-confidence, but I was lucky enough to have a phenomenal yoga teacher who recognized my struggle and nurtured me. I began to take yoga daily and it provided the balance I needed in my life.

Favorite restaurant:
Barley & Rye, it’s a farm to table restaurant in the quad cities

If money were no object, what would you do all day?
Dance!!

Why did you become a Yoga teacher?
I wanted to share something that I know works with others

Describe why you love Yoga in three words.
It feels good.  

Would you rather hike or bike?  
Hike

If you could live anywhere in the world — where would you want to live?
New Zealand

What are your favorite ways to incorporate movement into your life in addition to Yoga?
Dancing! Also, anything outside, I often take my yoga mat to the park, I love biking, hiking, I recently went kayaking for the first time in the Adirondacks, that was pretty neat

Do you have a guilty pleasure?    Something that is generally looked upon as wrong — but you keep doing it?
I eat peanut butter straight from the jar!