About the Instructors

Charlotte Ranz, E-RYT500  Angie Kimbel, RYT200 

Charlotte Ranz, E-RYT

Charlotte Ranz, Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher (E-RYT500), is owner of Red Elephant Yoga Studio. She has been practicing yoga since 1995 and is a certified yoga teacher whose teaching philosophy stems from her yoga lineage - Vanda Scaravelli - "Do not kill the instinct of the body for the glory of the pose." She received her teacher training from yoga master, Esther Myers who studied directly with Vanda Scaravelli.

 She is also very grateful to her first teachers, Chris Moore, Judith Valerie and Joy Doherty for their wise guidance and keen teaching skills that provided her with a solid foundation about yoga.

As part of her education, Charlotte received extensive training in anatomy, working with those who have limitations and disabilities, and understanding the mechanics of the body in motion. She earned a certificate of completion from Duke Integrative Medicine for Yoga for Cancer Awareness as well as a certificate for  Yoga Therapy for Seniors. She also has a CPR certification and has completed courses in Nuad Boran for Yoga and Bodywork and Accu-Yoga with Michael Gach.

Charlotte teaches all levels of yoga at the studio, including gentle yoga for those who desire easy, simple movements and relaxation as well as ongoing yoga for those desiring a deeper experience involving inversions, pranayam and meditation. 

"Yoga is not about putting your leg behind your head, doing amazingly complicated poses, tying yourself into knots," Charlotte says. "It is more about simply being in tune with your own body. Being able to know when it's time to relax. When it's time to let go. 

"As we age our needs change. So while we do offer yoga classes that challenge those who have more flexibility and want more difficult poses, we also provide classes for those of us who are older, whose joints perhaps don't move as good as they once did, who just want to find some stress release and gentle movements that allow us to get around. Yoga can be practiced on the floor, standing, or even sitting in a chair. And you are never too old for yoga. Yoga always finds a way to gently come to you."

What is an ERYT500? Why should you care?
Charlotte is a member of the Yoga Alliance, the national education and support organization for yoga in the US. They work in the public interest to ensure there is a thorough understanding of the benefits of yoga, that the teachers of yoga value its history and traditions, and that the public can be confident of the quality and consistency of instruction. Charlotte's ERYT designation means she has met the standards for those teachers who have significant teaching experience in addition to RYT training.

 "First and foremost for all of us here at Red Elephant Yoga," Charlotte says, "it is important to  provide a safe environment for our students. To do that, we must be thoroughly knowledgeable of anatomy and its relationship to yoga. This ERYT certification requires the most amount of study which is one tool students can use when assessing whether or not a teacher is qualified to teach them safely.

"Can you get hurt doing yoga? Absolutely!" she says, " Which is all the more reason to always ask your teacher about their formal education. You want to feel comfortable that you will be taught those things that are right, safe and comfortable for your body. Any yoga teacher should be more than happy to share their training experience with you."

Personalized Yoga Lessons Available
If you are interested in a more tailored class to address your specific needs, a private lesson or series of lessons at the studio, this can also be scheduled.  Perhaps you have arthritis and need to learn gentle movements. Or you are interested in meditation. If you are interested in receiving instruction that is customized for your special needs, contact Charlotte for availability. Rates: $85/private session. Seniors 70 and over - special rate: $65/private session. Call for group rates.

Charlotte is a member of the International Yoga Alliance, the International Association of Yoga Therapists, and a member of the Yoga Teachers Association of Central North Carolina.