The Yoga Common

Erica is in love with the practice of yoga. She profoundly believes in its healing effects for the individual body and spirit, as well as the collective whole. She delights in teaching beautiful and expressive asana classes in the hatha vinyasa style.

When Erica found mang’Oh, she was running around New York City teaching at various studios, gyms, and living rooms. As creative director and co-owner of the studio, she is inspired by and grateful for all of the students and teachers that call mang’Oh their yoga home.

Erica has a BFA in Ballet and Modern Dance from Texas Christian University, and she received her yoga certification through Laughing Lotus Yoga School.

David’s journey in yoga started over 20 years ago. Being a former gymnast and of Japanese descent, he was immediately attracted by yoga’s vigorous yet meditative approach. During his decade long work as a relief worker for the Red Cross and the UN in Africa, Middle East, and South Asia he worked in terrible conditions, war, and natural disasters. Many elements of yoga – breath work, meditation and asana- helped him towards managing emotional and physical hardship.

However, such working conditions came with a price – PTSD, malaria, anemia, and Degenerative Disc Disease. His back pain was so bad he could not get out of bed in the morning. Eventually David decided it was time to recover and heal. That’s when a solid yoga practice and the will to become a yoga teacher emerged.

David is now a yoga teacher, a healer (Reiki Master) and certified in Thai Massage. In class, he focuses on balancing body and mind and strongly cues for proper alignment and safety.

David wishes to share his passion for yoga with his students and to encourage them to expand yoga practice beyond asana and help set a path towards healing and strengthening body, mind and spirit.

Sarah Girard was born and raised in Venice Beach, California and recently moved to New York City. Having an exposure to a wide variety of yoga teachers at an early age, she welcomed education from many different disciplines. As a cancer survivor, artist and food lover she has incorporated resiliency, courage and humor into her life.

During the past decade, Sarah has trained hundreds of hours with Bryan Kest, Annie Carpenter, Maty Ezraty, Dharma Mittra and Leslie Kaminoff. Her non-profit work brings her to both Cancer Wellness Centers and low-income high schools throughout Manhattan. She believes that we are all students and to be a teacher one must always be learning. Sarah encourages the connection of mind and body in her classes and celebrates the challenges we greet in our daily lives.