Our Yoga Teachers
Dragonfly Yoga Studies | Downtown Fort Walton Beach
Meet Our Yoga Teachers
In addition to a mystical and peaceful environment, Dragonfly Yoga Studies includes a family of yoga teachers who will give you a warm welcome and help you make the most of your yoga practice. Each of our experienced yoga teachers has their own unique style. They are eager to help students of all different levels, whether you are a beginner or experienced yogi.
“As yoga teachers, we must teach students how to be intelligent to the body with the asana. When a student learns to find steadiness and ease within the poses, they have an intrinsic tool. They can develop a true relationship with the body that can last a lifetime.”
Laura Tyree
Owner & Director, 500 E-RYT, 700
Laura encourages her students to utilize their yoga practice in a multitude of ways. Many deepen their awareness of self and open fully to their unique beauty and strength, both inner and outer. Her teachings grow and blossom as her life transforms. Blend these cherished traits with her unique approach to the eight-limb path, mantra meditation, anatomy, and psychology and then one can grasp the full, organic richness of her yogic style.
On this journey, she combines hand mudras with asana, linking the breath, mantra, energetic clarity, and spiritual concepts to flow richly into a timeless experience of yoga and the self. Laura Tyree first trained with Jan Campbell and the rigorous Iyengar Yoga Method in 1986, while recovering from a sports related injury from college. She began teaching in 1990 after meeting teachers Erich Schiffmann and Rodney Yee. Internal awareness, breath, and compassionate purpose lead her to deepen her practice and her studies.
After many years of practice and study with Rodney, Erich and other dedicated and renowned teachers, she continues to hone her teaching skills and explore her personal growth. Laura opened the Florida doors of Dragonfly Yoga Studies January of 2001, consolidating her training programs into one, 10 month long yoga teacher training course.
Melissa Shalongo
Yoga Instructor
Melissa cultivated her unique, interdisciplinary approach to yoga at the Nosara Yoga Institute of Costa Rica where she earned her 200 RYT and 500 RYT teaching credentials under the instruction of Brahmanand and Amba Stapleton. Her experiential style of teaching is fueled by an insatiable curiosity, a love of biomechanics, and a belief that one’s direct experience is the ultimate authority in yoga and in life.
Lori Hupp
Yoga Instructor
Lori began her yoga practice shortly after her second hip surgery in 2004 due to a 2003 injury, as one way of rehab and reconnecting. Lori found incredible physical gains but also found a place of peace where she could breathe, think, and be quiet.
The added benefit that yoga provided her as an athlete and runner was so much more than she ever thought possible! As a retired gymnastics instructor with 15 years teaching experience as well as a retired cross country/track/road coach (5 years exp), Lori possesses the knowledge and love for motivating athletes of all abilities and ages.
Tisha Maraj
Yoga Instructor
Tisha stepped into her first hatha yoga class in 1993. Since that day, Tisha had dedicated herself to learning and experience the ancient teachings from the yoga tradition.
Tisha developed her unique practice by drawing from several different schools of yoga and researching many styles of teaching. You will experience a diverse series of postures and practices that develop strength, will, and an openness of heart with a lot of enthusiasm and fun designed to keep you going!
Tisha completed her RYT 200-hour teacher training in 2011 at Satchidananda Ashram, Yogaville, in Buckingham VA, where Integral Yoga began. Tisha has continued her education at Yogaville since then.
While every class may be a little different, you will always stretch your spine in every direction, smile, and learn a little about how each posture effects specific parts of the body. This class is for everyone from beginners to the seasoned with a special mix of traditions and innovations you will enjoy.
Andrea Hartsog
Yoga Instructor, 500RYT
The dedicated Andrea leads wonderful relaxing yoga classes at Dragonfly. Her soothing voice and strong heart are at each student’s disposal. Knowledge, clarity, and compassion are at the center of her teaching.
Felicity Hall
Yoga Instructor
Felicity is a woman of the world, a global yogi, a mother of 3 and a friend. Felicity was born and raised in New Zealand. She grew up as an only child and would lose herself for hours up trees or in the sand dunes of Waitarere beach. She grew up to continue to explore the world beyond those dunes and discover it all with nothing more than a pack on her back…. she never stopped travelling, finding her soul mate, an American soldior, they continued to make new homes everywhere, all the while, growing a family.
Yoga has accompanied her since 2004 as a mental and physical support through life. Transitions in yoga are transitions in life, the practice of taking yoga off the mat is why she practices yoga. Focusing recently in a Vinyasa style of asana yoga she enjoys the transitions on the mat as opportunities to explore the transient qualities. How smooth and graceful can they be, can you go gently through, can they be fun? Then sit-a-spell in the landing, the pose. Just be there. Breathe. The natural rhythm of life encapsulated in her one-mat yoga practice, connecting breath and movement.
Felicity teaches yoga because she wants to share the gold that she finds in her own practice. She wants you to feel it too. She teaches a multi faceted system from meditative to active yoga practices with all that is in between because we all find our gold in different places, on different days, person to person.
Yoga Teacher Training
The depth of the Yoga Teacher Training Program at Dragonfly Yoga is unparalleled – expect change and growth. Led by primary trainer and owner Laura Tyree, Dragonfly Yoga offers extensive, comprehensive and enriching Yoga certification and training programs tailored to both aspiring teachers and serious students of all levels. Whether you seek to deepen your individual practice or learn the art of teaching with integrity and grace, the programs and its teachers provide the sacred space, wisdom and support necessary to achieve your goals.
Our students enjoy an intensive personal study, hand-ons experience and practical application. We help you develop a solid Yoga foundation which allows you to identify your innate teaching awareness and abilities. Dragonfly Yoga’s classes and programs are proudly MyCAA-approved (Military Spouse Career Advancement Account).
“This yoga studio has extremely dedicated instructors. I found Melissa and Dottie to be very service oriented to class participants. They know how to squeeze every posture to the fullest! Fort Walton Beach is fortunate to have a yoga studio of this caliber.”
“A wonderful place to expand your practice with caring instructors!”
“Absolutely wonderful people here. Always genuinely welcoming, from the instructors to the other yogis. What makes this studio different? Relaxation props/listening to acorn nuts falling on rooftop/generous essential oil sampling/ even Hugs!”
“Great atmosphere, friendly staff, and AMAZING instructor, Jean Williams. She has such a calming style that encourages you to excel! Looking forward to my next class!! ”