Michelle Demus | New York, NY

Lifelong passions for yoga, dance, and fitness, coupled with her strong business background, have led Michelle Demus to become a highly sought-after yoga instructor and wellness expert.

Michelle, an E-RYT 200, most recently served as the Program Director and a Senior Teacher at Pure Yoga in NYC, launching this luxury yoga brand from Asia in the US market. During her tenure at Pure she developed and directed a world class program which received numerous accolades including “Best of New York” 2009 and 2010, as well as “Best Instructors in the Nation” from Fitness Magazine in 2010.

Initially trained as a classical dancer at the San Francisco Ballet, Michelle has more than 15 years of experience teaching in the yoga, fitness, and dance industries. She began her yoga journey while completing her graduate studies in California. Michelle holds a M.A. in Movement Therapy from UCLA and a B.F.A. in Dance from The Juilliard School.

Michelle traveled internationally as a YogaFit Senior Trainer from 2001- 2010, conducting teacher trainings and presenting at numerous fitness and mind/body conferences. In addition to appearing in yoga and fitness DVDs, she has been consulted for numerous publications including Fitness, Fit Yoga, Oprah, Essence, NY Times, and US Weekly. She has also appeared on ABC News, NBC, the CW, and LX TV. Michelle’s professional performing credits include the Juilliard Dance Ensemble, The Dallas Opera, NBA Dallas Mavericks Dancers, Los Angeles Modern Dance & Ballet Company.

Michelle also over 10 years of experience in the fashion industry to the table, working for companies ranging from Puma to PRADA to Jimmy Choo. Michelle teaches an athletic and inspiring blend of Power Yoga and Yoga Barre designed to challenge experienced yogis, while remaining accessible to those whom are new to the practice. She currently resides in NYC and teaches at Exhale. She is honored to be associated with Zobha, as it is a company which truly personifies the practices of grace and yoga both on the mat and in the board room.

“Growing up as a dancer, the word "Grace" always had an association for me as being expressed via an elegance or beauty of movement. I now view Grace through a broader lens -- I see it as an authentic expression of beauty or elegance embodied in all states of our being -- form, manner, motion, action, thought, and intention.

Grace is the unique, empowered expression of the divine within each of us, and the acceptance, without judgment, of that within us which is not divine, but human. Zobha's mission to embody the Grace within each of us on and off the mat is one that I am truly honored to be a part of.”