Yoga Teacher

Hey there!  My name is Dawn Zaruba and I’ve been teaching yoga and pilates for approximately 15years.  I’ve taught in many venues throughout the area and to a wide range of experience levels.

I’m passionate about health and exercise.  I’ve been involved in many flavors of physical activities over the years but I currently run and work out for health.
My education and certification background includes a bachelor’s degree in physical education from Cornell College, Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the NSCA, Health/Fitness Specialist through the ACSM, Balance Body Pilates trained,, and YogaFit trained. An associates degree and license as a Physical Therapist Assistant through Kirkwood.  I spent 3 years working in physical therapy.  Most recently I completed an MBA from Mount Mercy University with an emphasis in Quality Management and will earn a certificate in Fire Science from Kirkwood Community College in December.   You could say I have an insatiable curiosity about many things.

  1. What is your favorite yoga pose & why? I do not have a single pose, but I do feel like something is missing if I don’t incorporate a few variations of the warrior series into my practice.

  2. What is your favorite food/meal? Oatmeal/Breakfast
  3. What do you like to do when you have an hour of free time? Read
  4. What is your guilty pleasure? Irreverent/dark comedy
  5. What is the best book you’ve read & why do you love it? Don’t really have a favorite book, my favorite genre is sci-fi/fantasy
  6. What is your favorite season & why? Fall, I find the crispness of the air energizing
  7. Why do you/should you meditate? To recharge mentally.
  8. What is your “story” about why you teach/What makes you passionate about teaching? I find connecting the breath to functional movement patterns helps us build better habits and awareness of what our bodies are telling us or are capable of.
  9. What is one thing you want students to know about your teaching style? My style is functional, not fancy.
  10. Do you have a favorite yoga mat or meditation cushion? I use several mats all with textured surfaces to allow for better grip