Welcome to MotherHeart Hermitage
Meg Townsend
breathe. flow. be.
Meg has been in love with yoga and movement exploration since 1998 and has been teaching yoga since 2008. Prior to teaching yoga, she was a trained opera singer pursuing performance, but couldn't escape the feeling that she was meant to walk a different path.
Hatha yoga, Ayurveda, and Reiki are a few of the modalities that she's dedicated her life to studying, practicing, and sharing with others. Prior to the pandemic, Meg she had the privilege of guiding cultural and yoga journeys to places like Guatemala, Morocco, Italy, France, and Costa Rica. She currently spends her workdays as the Director of Program Development and Wholebeing Guide for Prasada, a corporate wellness company in the Philadelphia area.
Meg enjoys spending time in nature, hiking, biking, gardening, taking photographs, dancing, listening to music, and admiring the beauty of this world.
Anssumane Silla
West African Dance
An accomplished dancer and drummer, Anssumane Silla began performing at the age of 11 in his native Guinea Bissau. He has danced professionally for over 18 years with the National Ballet of Guinea Bissau. He was also a member of the contemporary dance troupe, Africa Estranha. With these ensembles, he performed for ambassadors, presidents and other international dignitaries and for the public throughout Ginnea Bissau. He has also performed in Mali, Senegal, The Gambia, South Africa and Libya.
While working with African Estanha, Mr. Silla performed pieces that address strife and suffering, including abuse of power and inequitable access to clear water and other vital resources, in Guinea Bissau, which has been torn apart by coups and political violence for decades.
Since arriving in Philadelphia in 2008, Mr. Silla has toured numerous states, performing as a dancer and drummer with the African Cultural Arts Collective (formerly Voices of Africa Drum Ensemble). He has been a featured artist for the Pennsylvania Humanities Council Humanities on the Road initiative, and a choreographer for the Kulu Mele African Dance Ensemble. In addition to teaching traditional (Bijagos, Balanta, Fula, and Manjaco) and contemporary dance styles from Guinea Bissau, he teaches a range of other West African dance styles in studios and schools in various Philadelphia neighborhoods.
Ryan Stracci
Message Therapist
For the past decade I have dedicated my efforts towards the pursuit of one goal...balance...physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Massage therapy opened that door and has afforded me the opportunity to not only achieve it for myself, but also provide it for my clients. I attended the National Massage Therapy Institute in Philadelphia and have since enhanced my craft through hands on experiences and additional certifications. I've been fortunate to offer my services at luxury spas, chiropractic offices and for a variety of job fairs and health care providers. I was able to share my knowledge as an instructor of massage therapy, guiding students towards their goals. Along the way I've received training in several modalities, including Reiki, deep tissue therapy and sports massage. I am nationally certified and licensed in the states of PA and NJ.
As I have evolved as an individual and a massage practitioner, so has my understanding of the concept of balance. It is this understanding I hope to share with all of you. Our time together will be tailored towards your needs and your goals. You will not feel rushed. We will be within sacred walls, so you will feel comfortable. My unique style, a blend of energy work, assisted stretching and soothing pressure, will be executed through a methodical and thoughtful pace. I look forward to potentially meeting you all, and would be honored to work with you on my table. Much gratitude to Dawn and to those that helped guide me down this path, to MotherHeart Studio.
To schedule Message Therapy contact Ryan Stracci: 267-229-9917
Marlee Moses
Mindful Movement and Meditation
Marlee seeks to create space within her classes that facilitates embodied awareness, personal agency, and introspection to build a steady foundation from which to take thoughtful action. She trained as a certified yoga teacher at Motherheart Sangha in 2018 after ten years of home-based practice, is a birth and post-partum doula, she has been practicing meditation for 15 years and will be beginning a two-year teacher training in mindfulness-based meditation and movement practices beginning February 2021.
Amanda Barth
Teaches Baby & Me classes
Amanda’s love for Yoga began over 20 yrs ago, as an early teenager. It was not until she had children that she realized how sacred a daily (and at times weekly) practice truly is. Both mind, body and spirit transform. Amanda completed her teacher training with Dawn at MotherHeart in 2020. To teach at Motherheart is a dream come true for this Fishtown Native.
Sara Giraldo
Yoga Instructor
Sara is a Certified Yoga Instructor 200hr RYT. She studied with Roe Pietropaula (The Breathing Room) who taught her ways to make yoga accessible to all body types and needs. Sara has practiced meditation since she was 14 years old after being introduced to this practice by her parents. She became a devoted yoga asana practitioner in 2014, when life challenged her to unexpected and determined changes. She found in yoga peace of mind, and the feeling of being at home, although away from home. Her classes are offered in Spanish (mostly) and English (yoga poses names in English). She creates an environment where students can challenge their bodies in a safety and proprius “close to self” way.
Sara was born and raised in Bogota, Colombia and has lived in the US for 10 years. She is a beautiful person and compassionate, funny yoga instructor. In her life out of the mat, she is an immigrants advocate in the Philadelphia Area, and enjoys spending time with her little fishtowner family.
Christina Gesualdi
Yoga Instructor
Christina is a Philly-based yoga teacher, home health aide, dancer, and choreographer. She has taught Yoga for over 14 years. She began by teaching gentle Yoga to senior citizens at a gym where she also worked the desk. Christina attended University of the Arts for modern dance. She came to Yoga seeking cross-training yet her practice became a subtle space to deepen self-awareness and sensation while unlearning an over-reliance on aesthetics that often comes with dance training. She loves imagery and poetics, and she seeks to make space for students to observe and get curious about the energies, emotions and breath within their Yoga practices.
Christina has completed 400hrs of Yoga teacher training, and has studied Yoga with Marie Ireola, Nicole Bindler, and KJ Holmes as well as Dawn Mehan of Motherheart Yoga Sangha for teacher training and the Inner Journey Program.
Chris Canan
Mindfulness Facilitator
I am a mindfulness facilitator and artist. I practice mindfulness in the tradition of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh and am an aspirant of the Order of Interbeing. I am 32 years old and currently live in the Germantown neighborhood of Philadelphia. I have been practicing mindfulness for almost 10 years and can’t wait to practice with you! We are all in this together learning as we go.
