Maria Gonias

Welcome to Merrick Hot Yoga! Our studio owner, Maria Gonias, believes strongly in the power of the Merrick Hot Yoga community. After falling in love with yoga in 2008, Maria knew this would become her passion and she became studio owner in 2014. Since then, she has become certified in Hot 60 (26 +2), Inferno Hot Pilates, Yogi Beans children's yoga, Hot Barre, and Hells Bells. Maria is committed to her mission of inspiring and motivating her fellow community members to become certified in the classes she practices and loves. Not only is Maria a fantastic instructor, she is also always planning fun events for the studio and spending time with her family...... all while satisfying an endless sweet tooth. 

 Follow us to see what Maria and Merrick Hot Yoga are up to next! @MerrickHotYoga

Danielle Collins

Danielle Collins has been teaching Hot Barre for three years. She loves finding new, challenging ways to utilize props in her class, and is known to use the barre to break out into push-ups or wall-sits. Classically-trained in ballet growing up, Danielle enjoys creating classes using the rhythm and beats of her playlist. Additionally, Danielle works behind the scenes capturing content for Merrick Hot Yoga's Instagram account.

Emily Fitzsimmons

Emily Fitzsimmons has been teaching at Merrick Hot Yoga for almost four years, and is certified to teach Inferno Hot Pilates, Inferno Hells Bells, and Vinyasa. After playing Division II collegiate lacrosse at East Stroudsburg, Emily feels lucky to be able to share her love of movement, health and fitness with all of the amazing clients at the studio.

Gina M

For over 10 years, Gina M.’s intention for all of her classes is centered around finding the calm in chaos and the strength in stillness. Whether it be Vinyasa, Inferno Hot Pilates, Yoga Sculpt, or Yin, Gina’s classes are set to fun music and will always bring a challenge - mentally and physically. When not teaching you can probably find Gina in her kitchen making anything from sourdough to seven layer cake. 

Janet Tallarine

Janet Tallarine’s passion for fitness started at a young age, and she's been certified as a personal trainer and fitness instructor for 15 years. She has impacted her clients' lives with one on one and group classes that focus on developing strength, endurance, mobility, flexibility and promote weight loss. She has worked at Merrick Hot Yoga for six years teaching Inferno Hot Pilates, Booty and Core, Hells Bells, and Hot Body Bootcamp. Above all, Janet practices what she preaches: "Live to be fit!"

Lauren Renda

Lauren Renda’s passion for understanding the human body blossomed during her formative years as a figure drawing art student at the Fashion Institute of Technology. For the last 10 years, Lauren dove into different disciplines of study including classical-pilates, Inferno Hot Pilates, Bikram, Hot 60, and most recently Ashtanga. Lauren also holds a Medical Exercise Specialist certificate, which allows her to work with PTs to develop pre/post rehab programs for clients. 

Mary Kalwiss

Mary Kalwiss has been teaching Vinyasa for more than 13 years. Her journey to yoga began when she herniated two discs in her lower back. As soon as she started practicing, she realized it was helping her body heal both physically and emotionally. She loves inversions, so expect to find yourself upside down at some point in her class. When not teaching yoga, or spending time with family, Mary is a first grade teacher! 

Peter Metz

Peter Metz has taught Vinyasa for more than four years, and Inferno Hot Pilates since 2019. More recently, he was certified in Inferno Hells Bells. At Merrick Hot Yoga, he created a fusion class called Yoga Bootcamp incorporating Vinyasa and Pilates principles. Fitness and health is a passion which Peter loves to share with others. Peter went to school for fashion design and studied in Florence, Italy for a year.

Scott Lopez

Scott Lopez got his hot yoga certification through Evolation Yoga, and has been with Merrick Hot Yoga since it opened its doors eight years ago. When not teaching Hot 60, Scott can be found fishing, both on the South Shore, and North Shore of Long Island.

Shaun Thomas

Shaun Thomas is an energetic passionate instructor that loves helping people reach their fitness goals. She’s been an instructor for over eight years, and loves teaching everything from Inferno Hot Pilates, kickboxing and dance-style cardio classes. Fun fact... Shaun was an NBA cheerleader, which helped train her in how to motivate and cheer on her clients along their fitness journey.

Sheryl Oleksak

Sheryl Oleksak has been a yoga instructor for more than 13 years, after learning how powerful a yoga practice can be in discovering new feelings of strength, ease, accomplishment, openheartedness, harmony and balance. She holds certifications in Yoga Teacher Training, Partner Yoga, children's yoga, Zumba, and teaches Chair Yoga to seniors and online for the Alzheimer's Association. If all that wasn't enough, Sheryl is also a piano instructor, certified thai massage therapist, and Reiki Master. Also, not hard to believe, in her high school yearbook, she was named the "giggler."

Victoria Antis

Victoria Antis has been with the Merrick Hot Yoga community for six years, first as a work study, and now as an Inferno Hot Pilates and Hells Bells instructor! Through the years, she has developed a love for the practice, and was inspired by her clients and fellow instructors at the studio. Her main goal is to make her clients feel their very best from the inside out, and to take time for themselves both on and off the yoga mat. When not in yoga gear, she prefers scrubs and is enrolled in the Accelerated Nursing Program at Molloy University.

Victoria Fowler

Victoria Fowler is a certified Yoga Instructor, Professional Dancer, Dance Teacher, Reiki Master and Certified Energy Healer. Victoria’s yoga classes infuse the physical asana flow with dance inspired transitions and meditation. Victoria holds a sacred, open and compassionate space for all students who come to practice. She has assisted teaching in many high-volume events such as; Reebok Yoga in Union Square, Bryant Park Yoga, Union Square Sweat Fest, and Sound Off Yoga.

Viki Gravina 

Viki Gravina was born under a waxing gibbous moon landing in the sign of Scorpio. What does that mean and why does it matter? As a lover of all things astrology, Viki intertwines her teachings and classes with the moon's lunar cycles. Viki has been practicing hot yoga for 10 years and teaches Hot 60 and Hot Vinyasa at Merrick Hot Yoga. She is certified in yin, Inferno Hells Bells and Inferno Hot Pilates, too!