About Nordeast Yoga
A conveniently situated space on the corner of 13th Avenue NE & University Avenue NE, Nordeast Yoga offers a great escape from the hustle and bustle of the vibrant neighborhood below.
Nordeast Yoga proudly offers a wide variety of styles and levels of yoga to an audience that is equally diverse. No gimmicks, no break-the-bank membership dues, no fancy yoga pants required. Good old fashioned fun, affordable and approachable classes allow you to truly come as you are. We are an independent, neighborhood yoga studio located in the heart of the Minneapolis Northeast Arts District. Small, community based classes with a diverse group of teachers & styles and a relaxed, light-hearted approach make this the studio for every yogi!
Nordeast Yoga proudly offers a wide variety of styles and levels of yoga to an audience that is equally diverse. No gimmicks, no break-the-bank membership dues, no fancy yoga pants required. Good old fashioned fun, affordable and approachable classes allow you to truly come as you are. We are an independent, neighborhood yoga studio located in the heart of the Minneapolis Northeast Arts District. Small, community based classes with a diverse group of teachers & styles and a relaxed, light-hearted approach make this the studio for every yogi!
Annie Hanson
Annie Hanson began her yoga journey nearly sixteen years ago walking into a free yoga class in her college dormitory one evening, and the rest is history. After five years of daily practice with an array of renowned teachers, Annie began leading friends and family through private and small group yoga practices in her free time. She continued to grow her personal practice with self-study of the asana, examination of the Sanskrit language, analysis of several yogic texts and Vedic teachings, and took up a daily meditation practice. During her time at the University of Minnesota Annie added a number of Complimentary Alternative Medicine classes, including Ayurvedic Medicine, to her course load to further her understanding of the mind-body connection. She received her Bachelors of Science degree in Public Health and Psychology in 2003.
In the spring of 2008, Annie’s true love and devotion to yoga finally won out, and she completed her first 200 hour Yoga Alliance recognized training in Minneapolis. Shortly after, she was offered an opportunity to instruct for LifeTime Fitness, teaching alongside many of whom helped nurture her own love of the practice. Annie has led countless classes and workshops, as well as teacher training programs at LifeTime Athletic Club in St. Louis Park ever since.
April 2012 she completed her 500 hour training with renowned instructors Dave and Cheryl Oliver at Dave’s Ashtanga Yoga & Authentic Yoga Teacher Training in Scottsdale, Arizona. Under the prodigious wisdom, nurturing and encouragement of her teachers, Annie set out to open her own yoga studio in the fall of 2013.
Today she draws inspiration for her classes at Nordeast Yoga from her love of laughter, her infatuation with the infinite, her passion for peace, and the comfort of the company she keeps. Annie continues to expand her knowledge and practice of yoga regularly, but feels that the most valuable educators by far, are her students.
Lauren Sat Rattan Asheim
Lauren Sat Asheim began studying Kundalini Yoga in April 2007 and finished Level I Teacher Training Certification in February 2008. She graduated from Saint Olaf College in 2003 with a B. A. in Interdisciplinary Fine Arts and an emphasis in Dance. Lauren is an active participant in the Twin Cities performing arts community. Principles of Creativity, Prosperity, Projection and Radiance have intersected in her experiences with the fine arts as well as her continued study of yoga, meditation and other healing arts.
She is a RYT with the Yoga Alliance and a member of the International Kundalini Yoga Teachers Association and the Kundalini Research Institute. Lauren Sat Rattan continues to deepen her knowledge of Kundalini Yoga through further study and is in the midst of completing her Level II Teacher Training.
Lauren Kvasnicka
Lauren is a NE neighbor and has lived and worked in Minneapolis for the past ten years. She works in various channels of public health and health policy (depending on the time of year and aspirations). She is a yoga, group fitness, senior fitness, and spinning instructor. In all her classes, Lauren believes that breath is the most valuable tool to connect mind and body so expect one or two breathing exercises in her class. She wants students to discover poses and shapes relative to their own bodies and does so by providing lots of options and variations and invitations. In her free time, Lauren enjoys supporting local music, walks through the neighborhood, and cribbage!
Email Lauren if you have any questions: [email protected]
Niki Jewell Hildahl
Toni Gallo
Toni Gallo is a painter, teacher and student of awareness practices and spiritual philosophy working in Minneapolis. Her teaching and studio practices are expressive articulations regarding the infinite potential in being. She approaches life as one boundless practice space. A practice in retreating inward and exploring essence, through developing the habit of awareness.
Toni's yoga classes offer you the opportunity to practice being here; beyond further, by exploring consciousness and the connective material unifying our existence.
Toni's yoga classes offer you the opportunity to practice being here; beyond further, by exploring consciousness and the connective material unifying our existence.
Nell Benson
Nell’s journey towards becoming a yoga teacher started in childhood, when her father guided her in initiating a meditation practice that has been an integral part of her life since. First setting foot in a yoga studio 20 years ago and practicing on and off for years, it wasn’t until the winter of 2019 when Nell attended her first class at Nordeast Yoga that she knew she’d found her yoga home. The following spring was the onset of the Covid pandemic, and Nell’s yoga practice and the community at Nordeast Yoga became her source for grounding and sanity for the years of uncertainty that followed.
In 2023 on a last-minute whim, Nell enrolled in Nordeast Yoga’s first YTT training and that’s when all of the pieces started falling into place. The enrichment that teacher training provided bridged the gap between Nell’s personal practice and yoga. Nell gained a new level of awakening, desire to learn, and a longing to teach the tools that she finally gained the language to share with others.
Nell’s yoga jam is slow and introspective, with focus on restoration and grounding. Using a combination of relaxation techniques, breathwork, guided meditation, and poses designed to bring you immediate nervous system benefit. Nell’s goal with her classes is for students to leave feeling like the calmest and clearest versions of themselves.
In 2023 on a last-minute whim, Nell enrolled in Nordeast Yoga’s first YTT training and that’s when all of the pieces started falling into place. The enrichment that teacher training provided bridged the gap between Nell’s personal practice and yoga. Nell gained a new level of awakening, desire to learn, and a longing to teach the tools that she finally gained the language to share with others.
Nell’s yoga jam is slow and introspective, with focus on restoration and grounding. Using a combination of relaxation techniques, breathwork, guided meditation, and poses designed to bring you immediate nervous system benefit. Nell’s goal with her classes is for students to leave feeling like the calmest and clearest versions of themselves.
Kimberly Whitley
500 E-RYT Yoga Teacher
Kimberly has been sharing her love of yoga for over 10 years, supported by 26 years of personal practice. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Natural Health from Clayton College of Natural Health and is a 500 E-RYT certified teacher. Her advanced training includes Trauma-Informed Yoga with Street Yoga, Trauma-Sensitive Yoga, and a 300-hour intensive with the renowned teacher, and Nordeast Studio Owner, Annie Hanson.
As a Northeast Minneapolis resident and professional stand-up comic, Kimberly infuses her classes with authenticity, humor, and compassion. Her teaching focuses on mindful movement, and creating a safe, inclusive space for growth and healing.
Join Kimberly at Nordeast Yoga Studio for a practice that blends challenge, restoration, and a touch of laughter.
As a Northeast Minneapolis resident and professional stand-up comic, Kimberly infuses her classes with authenticity, humor, and compassion. Her teaching focuses on mindful movement, and creating a safe, inclusive space for growth and healing.
Join Kimberly at Nordeast Yoga Studio for a practice that blends challenge, restoration, and a touch of laughter.