Sandra Goncharoff– Owner

Meet a positive, outgoing California girl who, from the age of seven, has traveled extensively in Europe and has come to find her home in the mountains of Colorado. Sandra visited Vail a few years ago while in Denver at a Pilates convention and almost instantly made the decision to call it home. Within two months, she had settled in Vail and calls it "heaven on earth".

From summers of surfing in the ocean to winters of snowboarding in the mountains, Sandra enjoys all activities that take her outdoors. However, her intuitive sense about the human body - its range of motion, its potential and its overall health - has led her into this vocation, long past the time when Pilates was just the "in" discipline for teachers. As a result, she has become one of the best Pilates and fitness teachers in the Vail Valley.

In years prior to her move to Vail, Sandra focused her undergraduate studies on anatomy and kinesiology. She followed up by earning a certification in Pilates equipment through The Physical Mind Institute with Maria Leone of Body Line Studios in Beverly Hills, California and an additional certification with Body Arts and Science International based in Newport Beach, California. From the time she was certified, she applied her Pilates work directly to the field of physical therapy. Initially Sandra was affiliated with Physical Rx in Huntington Beach, California and then with Ando & Aston Physical Therapy in Anaheim Hills, California. Building her Pilates expertise from her exposure to physical therapy protocols, Sandra has developed an extremely solid foundation of knowledge about the human body and its ability to be and stay fit, even when challenged by injury, being out of shape or overuse. Her resume also includes studies with noted experts such as Barbara Huttner, Rael Isacowitz and Julian Littleford. Sandra describes herself as a believer in “good living energy” and thus has gravitated to Pilates, GYROTONIC®, Yoga and massage as foundations for a powerful and fit life.

What makes the studio unique and successful? Sandra puts it best: “seeing the positive changes in people’s lives by educating them about their body’s anatomy and biomechanics, plus how to apply those principles to their daily lives.” Her commitment to defining what clients take home from Synergy is undeniable. Simply put, the goal in the studio is to adapt a movement and achieve a postural awareness that continues to flow outside Synergy’s doors. Power for Life and Fitness.

Sandra would like to see Synergy grow, but she means ‘grow’ in the sense that one might not expect. She wants Synergy to transcend gender and become a center for health, mind and body in the Vail Valley.

Karen Anderson – Yoga Director

Karen Anderson has been living in Vail for 14 years, and practicing yoga for 12.  She feels very lucky to live in such a lovely and natural place, and believes that the beauty of the outdoors inspires and helps us on our yogic path.  Her yoga practice began as a complement to competitive athletic training, but has become so much more: a way to look inward, to relate better to others, to live ethically and peacefully. 

Karen first became certified with Yoga for Athletes in Vail, then in the Vinyasa Flow style with Shiva Rea in LA,  and now studies the traditional Ashtanga practice with Richard Freeman at the Yoga Workshop.  While she continues to teach in Vinyasa Flow style, she incorporates the internal alignment and depth of the Ashtanga practice, and integrates the development of her own Ashtanga practice into her teaching.

Karen loves to teach at Synergy because of the beautiful yoga community that has developed there.  She learns from her students every day, and anyone who has been to our classes knows that we share a great deal when we practice!   The coziness of the room, intimacy of the practice, and open hearts are a daily blessing.

Toni Boush – Teacher

PRACTICE YOGA, It will be the best thing you will ever do for yourself.

Toni began practicing yoga about 7 years ago. She was searching for something, not quite sure what, when she discovered yoga. What began as a physical practice has become the most important thing she has done for herself, her mind, her body and her spirit. The benefits have been unbelievable. Living in the world that we live in and especially in the Vail Valley, I found myself pushing to the limit everyday!! Things would not and could not happen fast enough and she had huge expectations everyday of herself, which meant getting as much done as she could. Toni lives in the world she talks about and has realized through yoga that our minds don't have to work so fast, nor do our bodies and our motions. It is not necessary to react to all the stimulus. Yoga helps us figure that out. Toni has been teaching yoga for almost two years and in July 2008 she spent four weeks in Oslo, Norway with YOGAWORKS at an intensive teacher training. The learning was extraordinary and she feels that her teaching and her practice have truly evolved.

Maura Brickman – Kundalini Yoga Teacher

Maura Brickman is inspired by yoga on all levels and has a strong passion for movement and transformation in the body and the mind. Her adventurous spirit and longing to know and speak the truth lead her to the practice and philosophy of yoga at an early age. She completed her first teacher training in 2005 in Kundalini Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan, which gave her a 200 hr Registered Yoga Alliance Certification. Four years later as her path as a teacher continues to evolve, Maura completed another 28 day teacher training in Hatha Yoga Interdisciplinary and Vinyasa Flow Yoga with Jennifer Yarro at Frog Lotus Yoga in the Berkshires of Massachusetts, another 200hr RYA certification. Inspired to serve others and connect with the yoga community, she also volunteers for Yoga World Reach programs around the state of Colorado. Maura combines her well rounded knowledge and experience in the various practices of yoga to create a unique personal practice and a projection of light and inspiration as a teacher. Drawn to the feeling of being grounded and connected to nature, Maura chooses to spend her free time snowboarding and hiking in the mountains of Colorado with her friends, family and two beautiful dogs.

Jolene Dart – Pilates Teacher & Massage Therapist

Jolene comes to us from northeastern Wisconsin. She moved to Colorado in 2005 for the 320+ sunshine days and the views of and from the mountains. With her graduate degree in Human Kinetics and work background in rehabilitation, fitness and massage therapy, teaching Pilates has become a natural fit. A Massage Therapist since 2002, she specializes in deep tissue, sports massage, and neuromuscular therapy. Her mat and equipment Pilates certification was received through Body Arts and Science International in February of 2008. Her teaching style has comically been compared to a drill sergeant with attention to efficiency and precision. Her goal is to provide an individualized, safe, and demanding Pilates workout, complimented with massage therapy as needed, for each client.

Angela Daulton – Pilates Teacher & Massage Therapist

Bio coming soon!

Yvonne Schwartz – Yoga Teacher

Yvonne Schwartz RYT, MT-BC moved to the Vail Valley a few years ago from Phoenix, Arizona. While living in Phoenix, Yvonne began her journey towards becoming a yoga instructor. She began her first formal training at the South West Institute of Healing Arts in Phoenix. While at SWIHA she studied Anusara, Vinyassa, and Restorative Yoga with Mary Bruce and Jim Keegan. Yvonne recently completed her 200 hour RYT yoga certification through Inner Power Yoga with R.R. Shakti. Through her certification at Inner Power Yvonne learned the art of adapting yoga to meet the needs of different populations of people. She found this style of adapting yoga to reach all people complimented her previous studies in music therapy.   As a practicing music therapist, Yvonne uses music as a tool for helping children and adults with special needs. She found that yoga helps her stay focused, present, and grounded as she helps others. She currently teaches at the Westin Spa, Synergy, Singletree (community Center), Cascade, and subs at other studios around the valley. Yvonne continues to develop her practice through regularly attending workshops, trainings, local classes, and reading. She would like to thank all of the teachers and students who continue to inspire her in her life and practice every day.

Jeff Draper – Certified Rolfer & Performance Enhancement Specialist

Jeff Draper B.S. is a Certified Rolfer® and Cold Laser Therapist as well as a Personal Trainer. His background includes intensive study in the fields of sport and exercise science, nutrition, spinal biomechanics, Rolfing®, and Cold Laser Therapy. Utilizing a broad spectrum of treatment approaches, he specializes in relief from chronic pain conditions as well as post-rehabilitation from acute injuries, and performance enhancement. Originally from Alaska, his lifelong interest in fitness, sports training and nutrition lead him to Colorado to pursue a degree in Sport and Exercise Science. After graduating from the University of Northern Colorado, he furthered his education at The Rolf Institute of Structural Integration in Boulder, CO where he studied Ida P. Rolf's Method of systematic myofascial restructuring. His first introduction to Rolfing occurred when he was nine years old. During a routine screening for scoliosis, the school nurse noticed that he had an S-shaped spinal curvature. After trying several types of therapy unsuccessfully, a local Rolfer offered to work on his back to correct the problem. Astonishingly, after several sessions he had grown an inch in height and the abnormal curvature in his back had decreased significantly. Now, twenty years after his first Rolfing session, his back is still straight and has never been a problem. "My goal as a Rolfer is to alleviate chronic pain, restore balanced patterns of movement and return people to optimum levels of physical performance." -Jeff Draper

Nicola Farrer – Yoga Teacher

After spending three days at the Yoga Journal Conference in Estes Park in 2002, Nicola realized that yoga was going to become an integral part of her life. It was during this transformational experience, where she was intensely immersed in Meditation and Yoga Asana, that Nicola decided she wanted to share her love for yoga with others. She then completed her certification in Yoga for Athletes (a unique program that integrates Hatha yoga, but is geared toward providing athletes with greater balance, strength and flexibility). Her dedication to the craft inspires her to continually educate herself through a variety of workshops each centering on different styles and philosophies.

A student first, a teacher second, Nicola approaches yoga as a lifestyle, allowing her own practice to reflect in her teaching. She guides her students into becoming aware of their own body wisdom and intuitive to their inner voice. Her classes are challenging, energetic, contemplative and uniquely catered to the needs of her students. Nicola's choice of a Vegan-lifestyle, her avid awareness of the environment and a compassion for all life, stems from the healing energy manifested in the classroom and on the mat.

Nicola is also certified in pre and post-natal yoga.

Friends, mentors and inspirations: Charry Morris, Argie Tang, Libby Plante, Julian & Rob Farrer, Alanna Kaivalya, Gurmukh, David Life & Sharon Gannon, Seane Corn, Eknath Easwaran, George Harrison, Rumi, Hafiz.

Melissa – Yoga Teacher

Melissa lived in Chicago for eight years, where she participated in numerous triathlons and marathons, all the while maintaining her daily yoga practice. She joined the Vail Valley yoga community eight years ago, and has been teaching flow classes ever since, while still feeding her love for outdoor sports.

She was not only trained and certified in the Yoga for Athletes discipline, but also participated in the YogaAway instructor training. YogaAway focuses on the practice of using yoga sequences to assist in stress reduction and mental focus while improving fitness. Melissa teaches a Vinyassa style of class that blends strength and flexibility with choreographed postures that are linked together though the breath. These creative posture sequences combined with gentle cueing culminate with a meditation to help quiet the mind.

Deb Plath – Synergy Pilates Teacher

With a self-professed passion for people and exercise, Deb Plath fell in love with being a personal trainer 25 years ago, which is just about the same amount of time she has been living in the Vail Valley. A southern California girl who describes herself as a ‘city girl’, Deb moved here to start a new relationship – who knew it would lead to being a successful, multi-talented fitness teacher?

From aerobics to spin to becoming a Certified Personal Trainer, Deb teaches because she calls it a “gift you can give someone else”. She admits that it takes motivation, but that is one thing she does not lack.

After years of teaching a variety of fitness disciplines, Deb gravitated towards Pilates because she recognized the importance of ‘core strength’ in any fitness regimen. She also likes the need for mental strength, precision and focus that Pilates demands.

Deb’s Pilates certification was earned in 2003 from Barbara Huttner, who is not only well-known in the Vail Valley Pilates and GYROTONIC® circles, but also a driving force in the establishment of Synergy. In fact, Deb credits Barbara for being the reason that she came to Synergy as a teacher. She adds that she continues to teach at Synergy because of the “energy in the studio” saying, “I feel motivated when I’m there!”

Her favorite class to teach? Group Pilates Equipment! Best said in her own words: “It’s invigorating for me to see my clients get it.” She loves seeing her clients transform their bodies and attitudes about being fit. She calls it a “motivating story” to guide students who “think they are in shape” to really being in shape.

Lisa Post – Pilates Teacher

Lisa moved to Avon 14 years ago from Minnesota to take a chance on love after a high school reunion. Happily married and mother of two girls, she is employed with Vail Resorts as Manager of Internal Audit. Originally a gymnast, coach and judge Lisa began practicing yoga ten years ago, and then jumped into Pilates a few years thereafter. After several years of practice teaching she obtained her Body Arts & Science mat certification. Lisa enjoys all types of Pilates and believes anyone can learn to perform and eventually love the dreaded exercise called "Teaser".

Moving to Vail from Varberg, Sweden more than ten years ago, Lindy Johansson’s reason for choosing Vail is somewhat typical – the skiing. Her decision to stay still includes skiing, but she also adds that she likes the cosmopolitan, yet small, feel of the Vail Valley. The lifestyle and variety of activities seem to be a perfect match.

Lindy’s introduction to Pilates came when she was helping a friend who was training to be a Pilates teacher. “She needed a guinea pig, and that was me!” Obviously the experience piqued her interest, and soon Lindy found herself enrolling and graduating in a Pilates course taught by Rael Isacowitz at Body Arts & Science International (BASI). And her friend? Her friend also became the reason that Lindy is a Synergy teacher today.

Describing her commitment to teaching, Lindy first lists the “great energy coming from different individuals”. Probably for that reason, she enjoys teaching Group Pilates Equipment Classes the most. Like the ongoing process of her own learning, Lindy finds that her students go down a path of “cumulative learning” She says when a student finally has the ‘light bulb’ go on, it is without a doubt the best part of teaching. The other ‘best’ parts come from her feelings about Synergy: “it’s a big old family”! As well, Lindy embraces the Synergy atmosphere and says: “it’s not just Pilates….. it’s all aspects – mind/body/health”.