About the Instructors

Jasprit Singh grew up in India. Both of his parents practiced yoga as a part of their daily lifestyle. As a child, he used to join his father in his daily exercise routine, including running, callisthenics, and yoga postures. As a teen, he built his own makeshift gym in his parent's courtyard. Soon after his peers were eager to join him in his exercise routines. As a young adult he moved to the United States to attend the Physics program at the University of Chicago. He dealt with the pressure of rigorous graduate work by maintaining a regular and challenging exercise regimen, and practicing yoga. He earned his Ph.D. in physics from the University of Chicago. He did Post Doctoral work at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, later joined Wright-Patterson Air Force Laboratories in Ohio. Jasprit Singh joined the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, in 1985. During his entire professional career in science, he has pursued his interests in the physical and mental benefits of yoga.
Over many years, Jasprit Singh developed the concept of using a free flowing rope, held in each hand, coupled with yogic asans, allowing gravity to create stresses that are not possible by traditional asans. He created the sequence of yoga poses using the rope as a "partner" to stress the body and mind. Professor Singh's goal is to create a "democratic" yoga, rather than a hierarchical yoga system, so that beginners and advanced students can practice the same asans together, also each striving for his or her own personal best. This yoga system is known as RussaYog, derived from Punjabi language, "russa" meaning "rope."

Teresa Singh was introduced to hatha yoga as a teenager by an Indian yogi who had come to the United States and opened a yoga studio in her midwestern town. Through the practice of yoga, Teresa learned an appreciation of the power of the mind to guide itself to inner peace and well-being. She incorporated yogic ideas into her daily life, also studying meditation as a teen. She continued her studies in the field of human behavior, earning a Master's degree in Social Work and an M.A. in Public Administration from the University of Southern California, where she and Jasprit had moved after their marriage. Teresa's many years of experience working in mental health settings has given her an appreciation of the importance of meeting each challenge in life with a positive attitude. The yogic approach of remaining calm under stress has served her well throughout her career and her life. She enjoys teaching RussaYog, a empowering style of yoga suited to all levels.