EVOLVE provides Raleigh’s most expert and comprehensive pilates, Gyrotonic and yoga training. Our instructors are certified and steeped in an approach that values both individual achievement and community well-being. Our instructors work together, cultivating both mutual respect and innovation. EVOLVE maintains high instruction standards through extensive continuing education requirements. We cultivate superior quality and consistency in teaching through EVOLVE’s branded technique of delivering in “progression”.
EVOLVE Instructors
Alyssa Light
Alyssa’s passion for fitness and activity was born early, enjoying ballet, horseback riding and playing basketball throughout her childhood. Her dedication and commitment to basketball paid off when she earned an athletic scholarship to play at Campbell University. Following her graduation in 2001 she searched for an outlet to keep her competitive spirit stimulated and [...]
Beth McElroy
As a lifetime student dedicated to continuous learning and personal growth, Beth hopes to teach and touch others along the way in her journey. She has been studying yoga for many years but has thoroughly submerged herself into her studies in the last three years and recently graduated from the North Carolina School of Yoga [...]
Betsy “bb” Vohwinkel, RYT 200
Betsy “bb” Vohwinkel found yoga as a young, stay-at-home mom. In looking for a way to stay healthy and fit on a shoestring budget, she came across a VHS tape of Patricia Walden’s “Yoga for Beginners”. “At first I laughed and snorted and rolled my eyes at her instructions and demonstrations. But the savasana hooked [...]
Carrie Passey
Carrie was born and raised just outside of D.C. in Northern Virginia. After graduating from a local college she began working as a graphic designer and continued until her second child was born. She moved to North Carolina 8 years ago with her family, hoping to escape the hustle and bustle in exchange for a [...]
Carson Efird, Prana Flow Certified, E-RYT 500
Carson began meandering down the yoga path when she was sixteen as a compliment to her modern dance training. While pursuing her BA in Dance and Theater at Bennington College, VT, Carson completed her 200-hour ISHTA Yoga Teacher Training with Alan Finger at Be Yoga, NYC, as well as her initial Prenatal yoga certification. After [...]
Charlotte Holton
Charlotte Holton chose to become a Gyrotonic and Pilates instructor after years of practicing Pilates and yoga as a natural compliment to her work as a modern dancer. Originally from Winston-Salem, NC, Charlotte lived in New York and Chicago before returning to North Carolina. In both cities, she enjoyed working and studying with a wide [...]
Chelsea Jones, PMA-CPT
Chelsea Jones came to mind-body exercise and therapeutic movement as a child searching for peace, clarity and refuge. Moving her mind and body as one fueled her personal growth and continues to hone her deep sense of self. She found that her internal focus had the power to calm all waters; it became her source [...]
Conni Sithes, RYT 500
Conni Sithes is an energizing Vinyasa Flow yoga teacher inspired by her personal connection with nature, holistic fitness and Prana Flow yoga created by Shiva Rea. In her playful, dynamic practice that is invigorating and grounding, Conni awakens a deeper awareness of core strength both physically and energetically. In 2008, she completed her 200-hour teacher [...]
Courtney Greer
Courtney Greer graduated from the UNC School of the Arts with a BFA in Contemporary Dance in 1994. While a student, she was required to incorporate pilates into her everyday training regimen. Pilates helped prevent a plethora of dance injuries by strengthening her body, balancing her overall anatomical structure and training her flexibility and endurance. [...]
Dare Peed, RYT-200
Dare was first introduced to Hatha yoga at eighteen years of age and instantly fell in love with the awareness it creates both off and on the mat. Her passion for yoga has continued over the next decade where she married her high school sweetheart and together they had four boys. After the birth of her fourth son, she joined a [...]
Deborah Westmoreland
Deborah Westmoreland found Pilates and other body work like Feldenkrais therapy and yoga through a continued exploration into fitness and well-being. Being an athlete her entire life–dancing Vaganova ballet for 24 years, swimming, diving, and playing tennis competitively, being an avid runner and cyclist, and earning her brown belt in Karate at nineteen—there wasn’t a [...]
Denise Choy Stetten, PMA-CPT, RYT 200
Denise is a Certified Pilates Teacher, Registered Yoga Teacher, Certified Relax & Renew® Restorative Yoga Teacher and TRX Instructor. She is humbled and inspired by the intelligence of the human body and its ability to adapt as life changes. Denise has been studying movement for over a decade and she is grateful for all the [...]
Emily Bass, RYT 200
Around 10 years ago, Emily stumbled upon yoga at her local gym. It took her by surprise. She had always thought of yoga as just something you do after a workout. Having always been active and interested in finding new ways to stay healthy, she was blown away by the way her body felt after [...]
Emily Farrell
I started practicing mat pilates while attending NCSU. Never before a real “athlete”, I found a connection with the method and never wanted to give it up! I bounced around studios finding mat classes here and there, and about 2 or 3 years ago was introduced to the Pilates Reformer. I currently in the process [...]
Felice Gabrielle Ketterer
Felice, a native of Texas, received her BFA in Ballet and Modern Dance from Texas Christian University. Her passion for all forms of movement began at a young age. Growing up she was involved in gymnastics, cheerleading, track and basketball. It wasn’t until she was 16 years old that she found dance, the one form [...]
Jeffrey Golden, LMBT NC #2592
Jeff Golden’s very diversified background began in high school and college athletics, continued through his service in the United States Air Force and enriches him today through his study of Martial Arts, Pilates, and Massage and Body Therapy. Jeff began his martial arts training in 1996 at Kamiza (Apex, NC) where he studies Kantana under [...]
Jennifer Bluestone, E-RYT 200
Jennifer Bluestone grew up in continuous motion…swim-team, ballet, basketball; anything to keep moving. Jen was always exploring new fitness programs: step aerobics, kick boxing, etc. And then, Jen found yoga. A regular yoga student at her local gym, Jen’s interest grew. She began to practice Ashtanga and follow videos at home. When Jen’s mother became [...]
Jesma Reynolds, PMA-CPT
As a North Carolina native Jesma has always led an active lifestyle. Having competed in triathlons, marathons and road races in in the past, she now enjoys hitting the streets and trails with her two energetic weimaraners. Looking to complement her endurance workouts, she explored Pilates as a way to get back in shape following [...]
Julie Smith
During her teens, Julie Smith broke and trained racehorses to compete as Hunter-Jumpers. She continued to ride through numerous falls and injuries which finally caught up with her as she began triathlon training as an adult. She found Pilates as an alternative to her cardio workouts, and discovered that it strengthened her weaknesses, increased stamina, [...]
Katie McDonald Johnson, RYT-200
My journey with yoga began when I discovered the need for depth in my life. Like most people, I sought out new studios when I moved from one town to another and experienced several different styles of practice. When I took my first Vinyasa Flow class, I realized that I had found the practice that [...]
Laura Baron, RYT-200
Laura Baron, a recent transplant from NYC, came to yoga for the awesome, constantly intriguing workout–unable to touch her toes and much more interested in learning yoga tricks than in meditation or spirituality. Several years later (after, of course, mastering some yoga tricks), she realized that yoga had, quietly and relentlessly, changed her life. Laura [...]
Lauren Robinson, RYT-200
Lauren Robinson, RYT-200, was introduced to yoga during a very hectic time in her life. She had recently graduated from college and was working a fulfilling, yet sedentary full time job. She was instantly attracted to yoga for a number of reasons. She has an extensive background in dance, and yoga appeals greatly to her [...]
Lila Rasa Brown, E-RYT 500
One of Lila’s great joys is to guide students into a space of true transformation, encouraging them to continually discover, honor, and gracefully reveal the deep potential that lies within through the brilliant practice of Yoga. Lila has practiced yoga and meditation for over thirteen years and had the great blessing of meeting John Friend, [...]
Mary Kay Lemon, RYT 200
Mary Kay discovered yoga over a decade ago at the urging of her physical therapist to address a chronic neck injury. As a former ballet dancer and long-term runner, Mary Kay found yoga the perfect therapy for shoulder and neck tension, as well as a creative and healing way to build strength in her upper [...]
Mary Zucchino, E-RYT 200
As a registered nurse, Mary Zucchino was always interested in holistic healing. After initially finding yoga at a gym as an extension of her personal exercise program, she became certified as a yoga teacher, registered with the Yoga Alliance E-RYT 200 level. With 10 years of teaching experience, yoga has became a new way for [...]
Melinda Thomas Hansen, ERYT-200, RYT-500
Since her first ballet class at the age of 3, Melinda has had a passion for physical movement as an expression of Spirit. She first discovered yoga at the age of 16. After injuring her knee and falling into a chronic illness, Melinda turned to yoga for physical and emotional exercise. “Practicing the life affirming [...]
Melissa Campbell
As a child I have always been interested in physical activities and keeping myself in good condition. I was constantly participating in different sports and activities staying in constant motion. As a softball player, gymnast, cheerleader, dancer, runner , and even helping my grandfather on his farm in the mountains. I have always considered myself [...]
Melissa Kakavas, PMA-CPT
Melissa Kakavas is a native of North Carolina and former professional dancer. She found pilates in 1997 to rehabilitate a chronic hip injury. She began her training while dancing in New York with Susan Moran-Perich and Phoebe Higgins. Melissa went on to become certified to teach by Power Pilates, Inc. and The Physicalmind Institute in [...]
Michelle Corey, RYT 200
My first introduction to yoga was an Ashtanga Yoga workshop at the Y, back in 1998. I had been a fitness instructor for years; since 1987, teaching several types of classes, but this yoga workshop blew me away! I found a modality of movement, that wasn’t just movement, it was spiritual as well. I loved [...]
Mila Holy, RYT 200
Mila Holy originally started practicing yoga to help her heal from sports injuries. Once she came to understand all the benefits that came with regular practice, she decided to study more and share her knowledge with others. Mila was originally certified with YogaFit and later completed 230 hours training at the Asheville Yoga Center. She [...]
Nina Jonson
Nina Jonson was interested in a possible career alternative to teaching ballet. Nina fell in love with the mind/body control required for Pilates and how it complimented her ballet training. Although Nina ended up not giving up on her first love, ballet; she ended up adding another one. Nina was trained through PhysicalMind for Mat [...]
Rachel Wright, RYT-500, RCYT
Rachel began practicing yoga her senior year of college. Over the past six years her passion for the practice has overshadowed all other paths including: Off Broadway acting debuts, teaching theatre to the amazing children in Manhattan’s West Village, and the amusing sea of experiences and interests that accompany young urban life. Her passion for [...]
Rebecca Toms
Rebecca has a background in dance and yoga and has always enjoyed the more graceful side of fitness. She studied ballet as a child, then gradually shifted toward modern dance, spending a year in the NCSU dance company. As she got older, dance became too physically demanding and she transitioned again to yoga. After a [...]
Stacy Spooner, LMBT, RYT-200
Stacy Spooner’s, LMBT 3265, journey as a massage therapist began in 2000, while living as a military wife in Southern Pines, NC. Being a massage therapist for over 10 years has given her a deep love and understanding for all modalities of holistic healing and provided her an extremely diverse repertoire of healing techniques and [...]
Wendy Djang
Wendy Djang has been in love with all forms of movement her entire life. From the dancing she started as a young child, to the sports she enjoys watching, even her dogs running and performing agility. Her first experience teaching movement was a ballet class in the mid 80’s. Ballet and jazz technique grew into [...]
