Teachers - The Studio

Amanda Jorgensen

Owner + Teacher

Amanda is a wife and mother of four children. She enjoys hanging out with friends, nutrition and coffee! She began practicing yoga as a way to feel more energetic and relaxed. Once she learned all the other health benefits of yoga it changed her life and she fell in love with it. She went through her teacher training at Evolve Yoga in Sioux City. After completing her 200 hours of training she began teaching at YALA Yoga in Okoboji. From there she felt lead to start a new studio in the area. Besides the health benefits, Amanda loves the connection yoga gives her with other people in the community. She hopes people leave her classes encouraged, inspired and strengthened for the rest of their week and life!

Email Amanda

Greg Jorgensen

Yoga + Barre

Greg grew up in the Lakes area and still lives here with his family. Sports and exercise have always been a big part of his life, as his dad was a high school coach. He teaches Barre at The Studio. He enjoys barre because it includes a combination of cardio, yoga poses and weight lifting — for a full body workout.

Karina Van Whye

Barre Teacher

Karina was born and raised in the Lakes area, and now enjoys living here with her husband and three children. She is a musician, foodie, and cardio lover. Karina was certified to teach barre through BodyBar(re) in the summer of 2019, and began teaching shortly after. She loves the fact that barre combines many different forms of exercise and yoga, always keeping things exciting in class. Her goal at the end of each class is for her students to leave with a smile and the perfect “barre buzz”.

Jamie Leckband

Yoga & Aerial Teacher

My name is Jamie Leckband and I call the Iowa Great Lakes Homes, specifically Lake Park! I’m a full time mom to a three year old boy and a full-time Paralegal at Cornell Abstract and Title Company in Spirit Lake. I joined The Studio Yoga and Barre as a student with a background in dance and gymnastics and quite literally fell head over heels in love with Aerial Yoga. When I’m not switching in my mat for an aerial silk I’m practicing Power Yoga. I believe that strength and fitness still matters in the modern word and that simply without it, every other endeavor suffers. That is why I decided to become a 200 hour Certified Yoga Teacher. I have enjoyed teaching and learning this past year and I look forward to expanding my knowledge and sharing it with others.

Machel Shull

Yoga Teacher

Machel Shull shares her love of yoga in each yoga class she teaches, focusing on body awareness, movement and attention to breath. She has over 2000 hours of teaching and is a certified Yoga Alliance, E-RYT 500-hour yoga instructor. Teaching yoga in San Diego, California and in Spirit Lake, Iowa, Machel counts herself blessed to meet so many wonderful individuals through yoga. She is also the author of five self-help books, including, MIDDLE AGE BEAUTY. Her background in yoga training includes Ayurvedic Health, attention to body alignment in yoga postures, meditation and Vedic philosophy. Her podcast, The Inspired Mind hit the top 25% most shared podcasts around the world in 2022. Her website is MachelShull.com.

Danielle Pavelko

Yoga Teacher

Danielle lives with her family in Lakefield, MN. She received her 200 yoga training here at the Studio in 2019. She has been practicing yoga for 8 years. She has been a licensed massage therapist in the area for 9 years. Her passion is to serve others through whatever means she has.

Dominique “Mickey” Blecha

Yoga Teacher

I have been in and out of yoga studios the entirety of my life, having been raised by a yogi, and it is a passion that has brought me growth, grounding and ever expanding knowledge for the human experience. 🧠

I completed my 200 hour YTT certification at Yoga Bogha in Portland, Oregon in 2017 along with first degree reiki and Holistic Nutrition at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. My intent is to hold s p a c e for those from all walks of life and provide knowledge on the anatomy of yoga as well as the philosophy. 📿

When I’m not immersed in my practice of the 8 limbs you can find me making craft coffee at Nektar, navigating love and life with my fiancé Alex and chasing down our 3 young daughters! 🤍

I look forward to seeing new and familiar faces alike, and sharing this phenomenal practice together in a safe and sacred space of community and unison. 🌎