Kory Sheffer - Alchemy Studio Founder + Atha Yoga Cleveland Director

KORY is the founder and director of Alchemy Studio +Atha Yoga Cleveland. Formerly, Kory was the founder and director of Ashtanga Yoga Napa Valley (Napa, California) which flourished from 2015 - 2020. Yoga found Kory over a decade ago through common Western and gym styled classes. Intrigued by the source material, she sought a more meaningful and comprehensive Yoga experience, discovering Ashtanga Yoga to her delight. Kory began this journey with Vance Selover (Berkeley, California) and gradually ventured to Ashtanga Yoga luminary Tim Miller (Encinitas, California) where she engaged in regular practice from 2014 through 2019. During her years studying with Tim, she received 100 hour teaching certifications from him in The Primary and Intermediate Series of Ashtanga Yoga.

Fortunate geographic proximity led Kory to meet Harvard PhD candidate and founder of Yogic Studies, Seth Powell in 2018. His mastery of Yogic history, philosophy, and Sanskrit language encouraged her to further her curiosity in these subjects. She regularly participates in Seth’s Yogic Studies online courses and invites him to share his immense knowledge and engaging teaching style with her community of students. Kory now assists Seth in leading yearly pilgramiges to India through the Yogic Studies “Sacred Sites of India” tour. Kory credits Seth with catalyzing and fostering some of her most profound realizations in her time as a student of Yoga.

In June of 2019 Kory studied for one month in Bali under the guidance of Mark Robberds. She has been profoundly inspired by Mark’s experience and approach to integrating alternative movement modalities such as FRC and Kinstretch into the practice while maintaining the integrity of the Ashtanga Yoga method.

Kory has twice embarked on sojourns to Mysore India - November and December of 2016 and June and July of 2018 for intensive study with the late Sharath Jois at KPJAYI, now known as the Sharath Yoga Center.

Continuing her studies and fascination with body mechanics, in February of 2020 Kory received certification from FRS (Functional Range Systems) as an FRC movement specialist.

In the Yoga room Kory is a supportive and encouraging teacher. She recognizes that all students are different and will require a unique and individual approach. While Kory acknowledges the “traditional” framework of the Ashtanga Yoga sequencing and methodology, she is known to provide supportive and at times alternative suggestions - which may include deeper anatomical research or physical conditioning to ensure that each posture is appropriate for students to incorporate into their practice. When studying and practicing with Kory students can expect to be challenged in a supportive and positive manner; engaged in deep self-study, discovery & reflection; and inspired by the awakening of limitless potential.