Group Exercise Instructors

Michele Baker

Michele Baker is the yoga studio founder and senior teacher at Swan River Yoga. She went from developing a severe state of scoliosis and wearing a back brace in her youth to inspiring and teaching yoga full time. She has taught in New Orleans and at the NOAC since 1998. She also leads many workshops across the country and world. She has certifications in the Sivananda and Jivamukti traditions, where she taught in NYC, as well as training in Astanga. Her most recent training has been in the Anusara tradition, and she is now granted as an Anusara Inspired teacher. She is eternally grateful to her Divine teachers, Sharon Gannon, David Life, John Friend, and Ram Dass. Michele also loves to travel, sing and play her harmonium, and can-can dance. She is a bhakti yogini, and her name in Sanskrit is Vani Devi, a form of the Goddess Saraswati who delivers a sound voice from the eloquence of the Highest Self.

Elaine Agamy

Elaine Agamy is a certified yoga instructor whose yoga path began in the early 70's as the Head Exercise Instructor for Shape Spa of New Orleans, and includes kriya yoga initiation by Ganapati Sachidananda and a 10-year certification in the Chinese methods of therapeutic healing and meditative yoga. She thanks her many teachers through the decades for the love and classical training she has received.

Tony Cangelosi

Tony has been a certified AFAA group excercise instructor since 1990. He started as subsititute instructor in the summer of 1990 at the Lee Circle YMCA and became a full time instructor in December 1990. He then went on to teach full-time at the Lee circle YMCA from 1990-1996. Tony started at the NOAC in October 1994, and teaches Step, Mini Boot Camp and the hard body classes 4 nights a week. What inspires Tony? The particpants and the drive and passion to achieve a healthy lifestyle

Angela Torres

Angela Torres is a certified instructor with the U.S. Fencing Assn. Ms. Torres has over 15 years fencing experience and has been teaching fencing at NOAC since November, 1999. She has attended Coaches College at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs and is registered with the National Coaches Registry.

Annette, Aqua Aerobics Instructor

Jose Portillo, Boxing Instructor

Wendell Bullock

Wendell Bullock comes form East Texas and moved to New Orleans in 1984. He began his fitness career in 1990. Since then he has become known throughout New Orleans for his skill, knowledge, and enthusiastic leadership in the aerobics field. His is AAFA certified in group exercise and kick boxing, certified in spinning by Johnny G. He was named Best Aerobics Instructor for Gambit New Orleans in 1991.

Jennifer Pearl

Jennifer became interested in Pilates while taking a program developed by the NYC Ballet Company in 1994. The program emphasized length and strength within the physical body and she found many common elements with her yoga discipline.

In 2004, she became certified by the Physical Mind Institute in Pilates Mat and in Pilates Standing Exercises. In the summer of 2005, she completed a certification in Pilates Equipment. She had planned to start teaching in the fall of 2005 when Katrina hit New Orleans, closing the NOAC for one year. Jennifer taught locally and then furthered her Pilates training in the summer of 2006 and again in 2007 with Ellie Herman in San Francisco. She set up a private Pilates studio at the NOAC in the Fall of 2006 and has been teaching mat classes and private clients. She is certified on the all equipment through the Physical Mind Institute based in NYC.

Valerie Viosca ACA, LMT, RYT

Valerie received her 200 hour yoga teacher training in Santa Fe, New Mexico from Tias Little of Prajna Yoga in 2005. Valerie is also a licensed massage therapist & acupuncturist in New Orleans. Her classes infuse yoga, anatomy, and the acupuncture merdian system into an experience that weaves the body, mind & spirit into balance. The classes are taught for all levels to enjoy.

Terry McNeal

Terry has been the Director of the New Orleans Athletic Spin Program since 2003. He is a Level Three Certified Mad Dogg Athletic Spin Instructor. He has been teaching spin at NOAC for 10 years and continues to develop innovative programs to motivate and help members reach their fitness goals. His focus is Heart Rate Training and developing the Cardio Vascular System; using the energy levels within the Spin Program. He is ACE and AFAA certified as a Personal Trainer and is also certified as a Cardio Metabolic Specialist. He is qualified to perform VO2 testing and design individualized aerobic programs. He holds a B.A. degree from St. Louis University and has been in the pharmaceutical industry for over 20 years.