Mountain Community Arts is an inclusive space for creative, performing, and the healing arts. It is a space for self expression, self care, and community building.
Our studio welcomes people of all ages and abilities to join us for
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Dance classes
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Fitness classes
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Yoga classes
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Artistic expression
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Birthday parties
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Support groups
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Playgroups
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Holistic Wellness
We hope to bring much needed community building, healing, and personal growth to everyone. Let us know how we can best serve you? Follow this link to our survey
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Get to Know Us
Teachers
Cindy Gogan
Cindy has many years of education and experience in understanding the mind, body, and soul connection. Cindy began her career as a massage therapist then earned a Master's Degree in Counseling and Psychology to deepen her knowledge of the mind and body connection. She later received a PhD in Metaphysical Counseling to bring in the spiritual component into her practice. Cindy teaches Restorative Yoga and Kundalini Yoga often incorporating aromatherapy and Reiki into classes.
Paula Pelkey
As a 500-hour ERYT Paula has trained in and teaches many different styles of yoga; from powerful vinyasa practices to meditative form classes to prenatal and kids’ yoga. She has been teaching for 15 years and has taught in Massachusetts, Colorado, Maryland, Utah and Vermont. Guiding eclectic classes that pull from the many varied lineages of yoga is her forte! You’ll never get the same class experience twice with Paula.
Yoga has helped Paula maintain her sense of self after having children, yoga has supported her during stressful life events and yoga has provided peace in her daily life. Find the balance between effort and ease with Paula during your time on your mat.
When off the mat Paula loves to be outside. You can find her on the mountain skiing, hiking with her dogs or exploring the natural world with her two daughters.
Teri Andersen
Mary-Dana Bentley
Dani Granaroli
Ron grew up on the east end of Long Island, NY and was always involved in sports since an early age. He was a three sport varsity athlete through High School and continued on to play soccer all the way to the present day. Ron has always been a believer of using fitness to pursue new challenges and that has had a large impact on his outdoor pursuits. He was on the water before he could walk. So as an avid waterman he found challenges in water skiing, wakeboarding, kayaking, surfing and SUP'ing. Then during his time in Binghamton University as a philosophy major in upstate NY he connected with the mountains and found new challenges on frozen water. A few stops in Crested Butte and Snowmass CO with a ski mountaineering course at Rocky Mountain College and Ron now calls Londonderry, Vermont home with his wife Lisa, two daughters JJ and Sky and their two dogs Ziggy and Tosh. Ron is an avid telemark skier, loves Magic Mountain and has recently been hooked on Nordic skating the Landgrove flats trying to out race his dogs.
Ron is certified as a XPT trainer and has competed and coached CrossFit and soccer at many levels. Ron is bringing his experience and training to this community through the introduction of Backcountry Fit.
Teri Andersen
Teri Andersen is the owner of Mountain Community Arts LLC since September 2022 after teaching Hip Hop Dance and yoga at the former Mountain Community Yoga since 2016, Teri hopes to continue the energy of MCY but expand the offerings and allow space for more community based events and opportunities. Teri was the Visual Arts teacher at the Mountain School at Winhall for ten years, and has worked in Arts Education for over 20 years. Teri earned her 200 hour certification in Hip Hop Yoga Dance through Honest Yoga Center and B-tru Dance Center in South Burlington. Hip Hop Yoga Dance is a unique expression that blends her two favorite movement types - Dance and Yoga Asana (postures). Teri began dance training at age three, which led her to pursue creativity in many areas of her life. Teri shares her love of the arts with her three daughters and met her husband when they were both teaching pottery at Frog Hollow. She is also an avid runner who enjoys bringing her movement outdoors. Teri holds a certification in children’s yoga through Kidding Around Yoga. Teri's goal is for all her students to find strength, confidence, and joy in their own creative expression whether it is in the art room, yoga studio or a dance floor.
Mariel Butera
Our in-studio massage therapist Mariel Butera graduated from Finger Lakes School of Massage and holds a New York State License and is a Nationally Certified Massage Therapist. She has been practicing massage for nearly 25 years. Mariel’s approach to her patients is to offer holistic care. Mariel has a wide range of experience in deep tissue, trigger point, myofascial release, pregnancy massage, Swedish, reiki, biofeedback, as well as Active Release Technique. Mariel offers her healing energy through every interaction, she understands the unique needs of her patients and is able to create a space for more efficient healing and deep relaxation.
Kirsten Bokenkamp
Kirsten first started practicing yoga in the 1990s and became a 200-hour certified yoga teacher in 2015 from MJ Yoga in Montgomery, Alabama. She believes yoga can be incorporated into a holistic approach to overall spiritual, mental, and physical health, holds a BS in nutrition, and earned her personal trainer certification from the National Strength and Conditioning Association in 2006.
Kirsten has practiced yoga at many studios and is inspired and influenced by many teachers and styles of Hatha yoga including Ashtanga, Iyengar, Bikram, Jivamukti, and Anusara.
Kirsten’s classes are compassion-centered, playful, and well suited for all levels. Expect to connect your breathing with movement through Vinyasa flow, challenge your balance, increase your strength, and have some fun. Her cues focus on alignment to keep you safe, and she offers various options for individuals in her classes.
Kirsten grew up in Landgrove, VT and after years of living in various parts of the US, has happily returned home with her husband to raise her two children. Before moving back home she taught yoga in Missoula, Montana. Outside of yoga, she enjoys spending time with her family, getting outside, and snowboarding. She is Communications Director with the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism, working to strengthen a diverse global community committed to exposing and countering racism, bigotry and hate. Kirsten believes that through yoga and compassion for ourselves and others, we all have a role in contributing to happiness and freedom for all beings, everywhere around the globe.
Christina McCarthy
Join Yoga & Mindfulness Teacher, Christina McCarthy as she weaves Insight Meditation teachings into her signature Yin Yoga & Yin Rest classes for a powerful and playful journey in and through the body. Christina's "Yinsight" classes cultivate an attitude of curiosity and pause to allow for kindness and attention to gently restore and bring the body back to balance. She received her Hatha Yoga 200hr YTT from Burlington Yoga. Completed a 60 hr Trauma Informed YTT from Passion Yoga School. And has most recently spent 2 years Training as a certified Mindfulness Meditation Teacher @ MMTCP with Jack Kornfield & Tara Brach. She can be found in Weston raising her three children and in the woods walking their dog. Remembering to live by her gentle free spirit and reminding others to do the same. Yin Yoga classes can offer a time to find repose while stretching the tissues going deeply into the breath while holding floor poses for 3- minutes. No Yoga or Meditation experience necessary. The goal is to replenish ourselves and others.
The promise of Mindfulness is to do nothing while holding passive poses & invite what is really alive.
Ron Jager
Ron grew up on the east end of Long Island, NY and was always involved in sports since an early age. He was a three sport varsity athlete through High School and continued on to play soccer all the way to the present day. Ron has always been a believer of using fitness to pursue new challenges and that has had a large impact on his outdoor pursuits. He was on the water before he could walk. So as an avid waterman he found challenges in water skiing, wakeboarding, kayaking, surfing and SUP'ing. Then during his time in Binghamton University as a philosophy major in upstate NY he connected with the mountains and found new challenges on frozen water. A few stops in Crested Butte and Snowmass CO with a ski mountaineering course at Rocky Mountain College and Ron now calls Londonderry, Vermont home with his wife Lisa, two daughters JJ and Sky and their two dogs Ziggy and Tosh. Ron is an avid telemark skier, loves Magic Mountain and has recently been hooked on Nordic skating the Landgrove flats trying to out race his dogs.
Ron is certified as a XPT trainer and has competed and coached CrossFit and soccer at many levels. Ron is bringing his experience and training to this community through the introduction of Backcountry Fit.
Brigitte Hagerman Fijal
Mary-Dana Bentley
Maia Fitzpatrick
Brigitte Hagerman Fijal started classical ballet training at the age of four under the direction of Michael Tevlin at the Fort Wayne Ballet School. At 16, she moved to New York City to advance her training at The Joffrey Ballet School. After dancing as a company member for Joffrey 2 in NYC and as an apprentice with Momix, Brigitte decided to go into acting and moved to Hollywood, CA. There, she was invited to join the Los Angeles based circus, Cirque Berzerk, as their ballerina. She has also been cast in several national commercials, music videos, television programs and feature films.Brigitte has had the honor of working with great talent such as David Bowie, Taylor Swift, Emma Stone, Gary Oldman, Robert Patrick and Philip Seymour Hoffman. She also worked with several noted directors, including Floria Sigismondi, David LaChapelle & P.T. Anderson
After completing her P.E. (Physical Education) degree at Endicott College, Mary-Dana began her fitness teaching career in Montpelier where she taught step aerobics and boot camp interval training classes. She moved to our mountain area to work as a community manager at Stratton, in addition to teaching step aerobics and spin classes at the sports center for several years. Due to knee injuries, she gave up running, tennis and all high-impact sports. She now focuses on stretching and strengthening to follow her passion for horseback riding. Mary-Dana is an avid rider who competes in hunter jumper shows throughout New England during the summer. Mary-Dana lives in Londonderry with husband Bob, 2 dogs and 3 horses. She loves snow shoeing and hiking with her labs on Magic Mountain trails. You can often find her waiting tables at the New American Grill and enjoying conversations with her dedicated customers.
Maia Fitzpatrick received her early training in Kansas, where she was a founding member of the Topeka Ballet. She then studied at the San Francisco Ballet School as a scholarship student. Ms. Fitzpatrick graduated from Walnut Hill School for the Performing Arts, where she danced featured roles in numerous ballets. In 1996, she joined the International Ballet Project under the direction of Valentina Kozlova and Diana White. In 1997, Ms. Fitzpatrick was invited to Poland by the Ministry of Culture to teach a course in "Balanchine Technique" to the students and faculty at the Bytom State Ballet School. In 2006, she worked as a choreographic consultant on the major motion picture "Reservation Road" starring Jennifer Connelly and Mark Ruffalo. Ms. Fitzpatrick's lifelong dedication to the performing arts and to the education of children has led her to teach at leading ballet schools in the Northeast for over 30 years.
Evan Leontis
As a singer, voice teacher, and yoga instructor, Evan Leontis spends her days moving her body, making music, and connecting with others. She has been practicing yoga for over fifteen years. This practice has been a source of strength, fun, exploration, comfort, and healing for her on her journey as a musician and teacher. In the summer of 2017, Evan fulfilled a years-long dream of completing a Yoga Teacher Training with the goal of deepening her own practice and learning the skills needed to share the wonderful world of yoga with others. She traveled across the world to Bali, Indonesia to complete the YogaWorks 200-hour yoga teacher training certification in an intensive, immersive month-long program. During this vinyasa yoga-based training she studied anatomy, asana (yoga postures), pranayama (breathing techniques), and yoga philosophy, as well as restorative yoga and Thai massage.
Evan now specializes in helping performers understand their bodies better through yoga. She has developed a Yoga for Singers Workshop that she has presented at the Boston Conservatory, UTRGV, Texas A & M Kingsville, NATS Boston, the Manchester Music Festival, the New Music School, the NEC Preparatory School, Greensboro College and the Boston University Tanglewood Institute. Her blog entitled Inner Voice: the Intersection of Yoga and Singing explores topics relating to the ways yoga can help singers. Originally from Ohio, she has lived in Vermont since 2019 and loves exploring the Green Mountains with her husband, twin baby daughters, and their dog. More information can be found at evangelialeontis.com
Mary Misavage
Moving up from Bethlehem CT, Mary established a connection with yoga after landing in Londonderry, Vermont in 2018– beginning her own practice the following year. Interested in using yoga as an approach to stay connected to the body, Mary also learned the important role yoga plays with the mind as she felt her own practice deepen. Taking the journey even further, Mary received her YTT-200 hour teaching certificate through Triyana Studios in partnership with Village Yoga, located in Newfane, Vermont.
Given her professional background in education and social work, classes with Mary are inherently playful and look to reunite students with their silly side– while cultivating a sense of community, awareness and self-compassion
Contact Us
Mountain Community Arts
Mountain Marketplace Rte 100 Londonderry, VT 05148
Email: info@mountaincommunityarts.com
1-802-856-8080