Mara Sievers

Movement has always been my favorite way to express my thoughts and my emotions. Teaching Yoga and Pilates allows me to share my passion with others.

One of the qualities my students seem to like most about me is the compassion I show them, no matter what level of physical condition or emotional state they bring to class.

I was born in Graz, Austria, and trained as a dancer, actress and singer at the University of Music and the Performing Arts in Vienna. Following a career in musical theater and television, I moved to New Hampshire with my husband in 2008. I teach Yoga and Pilates in our new home state as well as at other locations in the U.S. and Europe.

For any problem, there is a solution.

I turned to Yoga in 2000 after injuring my back while dancing. Yoga not only helped me heal and return to the stage quickly, but it actually helped me grow stronger and more flexible than I had been prior to my injury. As I continued to practice Yoga, I found that it transformed my mind and spirit as well as my body. Yoga taught me how to step outside the stresses of daily life and how to convert anxiety into positive energy. I decided to become an instructor so that I could share the incredible benefits of Yoga with others.

Yoga really can work for everyone; if I can find mental, physical and spiritual strength in its practice, I can help you find the benefit you seek, too.

I’ve been fortunate to study Yoga under a series of gifted instructors, both in the United States and Europe. Over the past few years, I have incorporated strong influences from both the Kripalu and Iyengar traditions into my classes, so that I can teach my students to guide their bodies into correct alignment while inviting their minds to a place of peaceful reflection, contemplation and compassion. I continue to learn valuable lessons every day by reading and listening to insightful questions and comments from my students and other teachers.

Pilates is all about health. It can be a great complement to other sports, or a wonderful way to start giving your body the attention it deserves.

I began studying Pilates in 1997 as part of my dance training. Developed by Joseph Pilates over seventy years ago to aid injured war veterans and later embraced by ballet dancers, Pilates is an exercise system designed to strengthen and lengthen your entire body. It’s a remarkable way to improve your overall health and ease the strain on typically over-stressed parts of the body such as the knees and lower back. I became a certified Pilates instructor in 2006, and after completing a one-year course of training in Austria, I began training other instructors in the Pilates method. I strengthened my abdominals and my core and gained a better balance in my daily life through the low-impact exercises offered by Pilates, and I can help you achieve those goals, too.

“Thai Yoga” is sometimes called “Lazy Yoga,” because the practitioner uses a hands-on approach to loosen tight muscles and guide the student into a series of Yoga positions and stretches. I studied this technique at the Yoga Vidya Center in Vienna, Austria, and I’m pleased to be able to offer it to you as part of my range of services.

I’m a strong believer in the healing power of Yoga and Pilates, and I would love to share their benefits with you.