Meet the Instructor Monday – Shara Power

In today’s Meet the Instructor Monday, we’d like to introduce you to Shara Power, who began teaching yoga classes at Rivercity Pilates this summer.   If you haven’t tried one of Shara’s classes, I guarantee she will make you feel terrific, as she leads you in moves that will work every muscle in your body! We asked Shara some questions, and here are her answers!

Compare yoga to your full time job!!  During the day for my “real” job, I am an Informatics Specialist at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. This is a fancy way of saying I work with the hospital’s computer charting system. I was a Bone Marrow Transplant nurse for the first 7 years of my career and transitioned to the information technology side of health care in 2012. It was at this time that I started my first teacher training at Jane’s House of Yoga in St. Louis, Mo in the Dynamic Yoga Method. I learned a lot about change in that time frame and yoga was the grounding force that helped me deal with it. I use yoga everyday in my daily life, not just in the physical adjustment of my body but more so in how I deal with others, stress and challenging situations. Yoga has taught me to accept what I can not change and to be open to the exploration of new ideas and complex problems.

Favorite food to prepare?  I am not an incredible cook but I am learning! I try at every holiday to learn how to make a family recipe. My husband, Zach, and I like to share the wealth when it comes to cooking at home. We try to cook and clean up together whenever possible. It is great being able to spend time together by doing something so simple.

We heard you were a dancer, can you elaborate?  I started dancing when I was 4 years old and danced all the way through college. I have done just about every style of dance out there but jazz and lyrical were always my favorites. In fact, it was my love of movement that brought me to yoga after college. I have yet to try ballroom or belly dancing but hopefully I can get Zach to ballroom with me at some point in our lives!!

Why did you choose to practice Yoga?   As I mentioned, I was an avid dancer and have always had a need for movement in my life. I have never been a sports person or a runner so when I graduated from college and went from dancing 4-6 hours a day to nothing, I felt like there was a huge void in my life.  My Mom started practicing yoga in 2007 and encouraged me try it out. I started practicing in 2008 at The Studio on South Dubuque St in Iowa City. I remember being so sore for the first 2 months of practice!! But underneath all the sore muscles something was happening deep in my heart. I was falling in love with this practice! It was liberating, life affiriming and emotionally challenging all in one. I knew I was hooked from that moment on.

Why did you become an instructor?  I had been considering becoming a teacher for about a year but the turning point for me was when a teacher of mine asked me if I would be interested in teaching a class at the studio. I have been on the teaching journey ever since.

How do you de-stress  outside of yoga?  Lots of time with my husband, Zach, and 2 cats, Bailey & Duncan. I also LOVE to travel and am gone as often as I can be.

What is your favorite song / favorite group?  My favorite artist since I was about 14 is Tori Amos. Don’t get to play her music much in class but I listen to it constantly and have seen her in concert about 6 times.

Something that would surprise the students who have been in your classes so far?  I am a HUGE Harry Potter Fan. I have my own wand from The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and have been sorted into the Ravenclaw House. Zach and I plan to go on a Harry Potter themed England vacation in the summer of 2016.

I’ve attended Shara’s classes, and her excitement and energy inspire all her students!   Try a yoga class with Shara soon — I am certain that you will be glad you did!   We are excited to welcome Shara to Rivercity Pilates!

Carey