About - SUM Athletica

Yoga - Wellness - Community

SUM Athletica is a refuge for the mind, body, and spirit. A Yoga Studio where an individual can come to either restore or enhance their body’s physical capabilities. A place where an individual can find a community to foster their well-being.

SUM Athletica was founded by a Physical Therapist and Exercise Physiologist who believes that this refuge can be found in the training principles of Yoga. Yoga provides a sum of movements that enhances the bodies strength, tissue length, joint mobility and stability. The ultimate result is an increase in physical balance, coordination, as well as mental focus, and well-being.

We believe that this “SUM of Human Movement” will help you reach a higher potential and provide a road map to future physical and mental endeavors.

The Team

SUM Athletica Yoga Instructors

Alex Roemke

Alex has been teaching yoga since 2017. She has two 200 hour certifications, one in Power Vinyasa and the other in Hot Vinyasa, and two 50 hour trainings, one in Yoga Sculpt and the other in Restorative Yoga. Her practice has changed every aspect of her life and she is excited to share her Yoga journey with all her students. “In my classes, you will get to create a mind-body connection through the use of your breath. Above all else, you’re going to have a great time moving and grooving. I can’t wait to connect with you all!”

Anolani Makea

Anolani is a yoga instructor, meditation teacher, and movement enthusiast. Since graduating from the comprehensive Bhaktishop School of Yoga in Portland, Oregon in 2014, Anolani has taught over 750 hours of public classes. Her passion for yoga has naturally evolved into a devoted personal pursuit of aerial circus arts through aerial yoga, pole, silks, and lyra.

Courtney Halstead

Cortney took her first yoga class at age 16, at that time she had no idea the impact it would have on her life. Although she continued to attend classes she didn’t find consistency in her practice until her first year of college at ASU. It was then she attended an ashtanga style class at the student center and quickly fell in love. Once plagued with insomnia, she was now able to peacefully sleep. Once fidgety and full of nervous energy, she could now focus and be still. Yoga, this beautiful union of movement, breath and mindfulness brought an increase in the quality of her life in every way.

In 2013 Cortney felt called to share the gift of yoga with others. She received her 200 hour yoga teacher certification at Sumits Yoga in Scottsdale. She immediately started teaching group classes and was led by her mentors to expand to teach vinyasa flow, injury prevention yoga for athletes, chair yoga as well as children’s yoga classes.

Yoga has taught Cortney how to live with more grace, ease and gratitude. She is excited to share this practice with anyone and everyone open to receive the many benefits of yoga.

Danielle Butterly

Danielle (Dani) views yoga as a way of living, and is constantly seeking ways to deepen her own practice. She knows the “learning is never over” and teaching yoga is her way of experientially understanding and applying the teachings of yoga. Danielle uses yoga as a way to heal her autoimmune condition and is a firm believer that one must practice the teachings to fully understand and receive the healing benefits from them, so maintains a consistent asana, pranayama, and meditative practice. As Shri K. Pattabhi Jois says, “Yoga is 99% practice, and 1% theory.”

Danielle found yoga at age 15 and completed her first 200-hour training with Dave and Cheryl Oliver in 2012 at age 18. She completed her second 200-hour training in Rishikesh, India at age 23 when she traveled around the world for a year by herself after college. Her classes are fun and upbeat, but keep a traditional approach.

Emma Mizquez

Emma started practicing yoga in 2014 to restore her body after years of competitive swimming. Yoga transformed her perspective, soothed her nervous system and revitalized her energy.
After receiving her 200 hour Yoga Certification at Scottsdale Community College, she continued her Yoga education in prenatal yoga and children’s yoga. “I teach with props (blankets, bolsters, blocks, straps) to create a deeper physical/mental awareness and connection. I believe that Yoga is an endless well of spiritual knowledge, and I deeply enjoy learning every day and helping our community through this ancient art, science, and philosophy. Namaste.”

Kandi Neal

Kandi’s Vinyasa Flow classes are fun, challenging, and geared toward all-levels. You can expect traditional yoga with a modern flair. We’ll flow to the beat of the music, with longer holds woven in. No two classes are the same, so the variety keeps things fresh. The Yogi can expect to improve strength and flexibility, and walk away feeling better than they did when they walked in.

Kari Levine

To Kari, Yoga is more than physical exercise. To her, yoga is an embodied prayer — where the yoga āsana-s (postures) are the tool through which we can experience ourselves as the peaceful, centered, divine beings that we are. Kari is 500 Hour Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher (500 ERYT), the highest designated certification through Yoga Alliance, and has thousands of hours of experience teaching group classes, in private sessions, and in her own personal practice. She is also a Sound Meditation Facilitator, Devotional Singer, Writer, and Intuitive Energy Worker. Kari holds a Masters Degree in Sociology from FSU with an emphasis in Yogic Studies, Embodiment, and Social Psychology. She is a gifted and soulful teacher, with a special skill for creating a supportive and nonjudgemental environment. Regardless of the style or modality that Kari is using, her goal is always the same — to guide students to recognize, experience, and activate the innate healing power of their own bodies and minds.

Lexi Lieffort

Lexi began practicing yoga in 2012. This ancient art changed the way she thought about herself. From this experience a transformation of strength and flexibility occurred not only in her body but in her mind, and her passion for the practice of yoga blossomed. She received her Yoga Teacher Training certificate at Scottsdale Community College. Her intention in teaching is to build confidence, self love, strength, and mobility in her students. Each day is a new day and with discipline and practice we can create a beautiful healthy life.

Lauren shotton

After graduating ASU with a degree in Psychology, Louren left the desert to live by the sea. It was in Santa Monica, when a friend dragged her to a Vinyasa Flow class, that she began loving and practicing yoga. In 2017, she completed Yoga Teacher Training at YogaWorks Main Street and it wasn’t until then that she began divulging into yoga as a way of life. “In my class, you will find more body awareness in your poses with linking breath to movement and still leave you sweaty and happy.” – Lauren

Maddy Hernandez

Maddy first started practicing yoga in 2004 and it immediately contributed to her healing journey. Bridging the gap between the practice of yoga and mental health she believes in setting a safe space for all to explore their practice. With Maddy, you’ll be able to create strong balance and grounding in your practice with movement that heals both physically and mentally.

Sarah chapman

Sarah Chapman, is a professional Singer/Songwriter here in her home state of Arizona. Sarah began doing yoga as a child to help manage her scoliosis and now has nearly 25 years of experience doing yoga for its health benefits. In a detour through the world of acting Sarah met actress and instructor Amy Searcy. Amy eventually certified Sarah in teaching both Yoga and Qigong through Zen Wellness Phoenix in the fall of 2011.
“My goal as a yoga teacher is to give people the tools and the space to help themselves through life. Whatever is handed to them, these practices can help them cope with it. It is mind training as much as body or spirit. It is a way to cleanse and renew. It is a way to grow and evolve into our higher selves. Most of all, it is whatever each student wants to get out of it. I’m just there to hold space, share knowledge and shine some light.” – Sarah

stevie dolence

Stevie is driven by spreading the healing abilities of yoga that she knows first-hand. Her junior year of college Stevie was bogged down with stress and pain from her chronic pain disorder, fibromyalgia. After she tried everything with no results, she decided to begin yoga. She immediately fell in love and instantly felt a release of the pain she had lived with for years. Stevie practices every day and has taken her practice with her around the globe from Cyprus through the States. She recived her 200 ryt through LifePower Yoga Teacher Training Program by Johnny Kest, in King of Prussia, PA. She has experience teaching audiences ranging in age from 3 to 93, and focuses her classes around sensation and mindfulness. Her favorite classes to teach are vinyasa and ashtanga.