Cory discovered yoga shortly after 9/11, while living in NYC —initially through a soft introduction at the Integral Hatha Yoga Institute in the West Village and then with the mind-blowing, tapas-inducing experience of Jivamukti Yoga. Since that time, pretty much everything about the way he views the world has been challenged, bringing with it transformation from a goal-oriented, judgmental, high-tempered, career-driven person to the more even-minded, compassionate person he humbly aspires to be today.

Cory began teaching yoga at Flow Yoga Center in Washington, DC, in 2008 after completing teacher training at Flow in 2007 and Jivamukti in 2008. In the years that followed, his commitment to practice and teaching continually deepened, and in December 2015, he resigned from an international food policy position at the U.S. Food & Drug Administration to pursue yoga study, practice and teaching full-time.

Cory’s own practice is an integration of Tibetan Buddhism (of the Kagyu-Nyingma lineage of Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche) and Ashtanga Yoga. His main teachers are Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche and his brother Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche — both sons of Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche — along with Khenpo Tokpa Tulku and Any Gyan Tara (of Nagi Gompa Nunnery) all in Nepal. His study and practice of Ashtanga Yoga has been supported by Tim Feldmann, Jen René, Michael Joel Hall, Maggie Lively, Tim Miller and David Garrigues. He completed Tim Miller’s 2nd Series TT in 2016, and David Garrigues’ 2nd Series Intensive and 10-day Teacher’s Intensive in 2017 followed by 2 years of apprenticeship. David Life, Sharon Gannon, Ruth Lauer Manenti, Andrea Boyd, Jill Abelson and Alanna Kaivalya of Jivamukti Yoga were his early teachers and mentors and he attributes much of his understanding of yoga to them. Cory practices and teaches the Primary (Yoga Chikitsa) and Intermediate (Nadi Shodana) Series of Ashtanga Yoga.

Marque Garaux, is a retired U.S Marine Veteran, long time rock climber and overall outdoor enthusiast

​Marque discovered Ashtanga Yoga while seeking different ways to alleviate his lower back pain. After noticing an almost immediate physical change, Marque then slowly began to see other positive changes happening in his life as well. With no Ashtanga teachers in the area, he found himself with no choice but to get up early and practice on his own before work everyday. During this time Marque also attended a 200 teacher training and several Ashtanga workshops and intensives to deepen his understanding of this beautiful system.

In the fall of 2014 Marque decided to follow in the footsteps of the teachers that he most respected and applied for study at the K. Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Institute (KPJAYI). Marque was accepted and spent the first 2 months of 2015 in Mysore, India learning under the guidance of R. Sharath Jois. Marque has practiced with Sharath during multipe US tours and has also returned to India each year since and has practiced with both Sharath and Saraswathi. Marque received the blessing (Level 2 Authorization) from Sharath on December 12th, 2017 during his morning practice.

KORY is the founder and director of Alchemy Studio + Ashtanga Yoga Cleveland. See her full bio here: https://www.alchemystudiocle.com/ashtanga-yoga-cleveland