About Gayle

After twenty fulfilling years as a Montessori elementary school teacher, Gayle has immersed herself in the activities in which she is most passionate.

Whether giving piano lessons or leading Nia classes, Gayle embraces teaching filled with humor and the joy of learning. Under the tutelage or her teacher, Alexander Mylinarski, she learned the “Art of Teaching”. Coupled with the Montessori philosophy, she takes into account each student’s learning style to meet them where they are, opening doors for self-discovery.

Piano Enthusiast and Teacher

Gayle started studying piano in second grade and continued through college at Pacific Lutheran University. She taught piano throughout high school and college, and resumed several years ago, after retiring as a school teacher. With Gayle’s unique approach, students not only learn how to play piano, they also learn discipline, organization, and how to take personal responsibility for learning.

Nia Movement Arts Teacher

As Montessori is to education, Nia is to exercise. Gayle took her first White Belt training in 2004 and started teaching that year. Gayle has earned the highest level as a Nia teacher, a First-Degree Black Belt. She loves Nia’s full mind-body-spirit practice and how it helps students discover playfulness, health, and ways of living an artful life filled with creativity and passion. Thanks to doing Nia regularly, Gayle skis downhill and cross country, hikes, bikes, and paddle boards.

“Extreme Knitter”

Gayle, a self-taught knitter since age 16, calls herself an “extreme knitter” because she often knits on planes, trains, automobiles, and even a sailboat. Working with fine natural materials, deftly moving fingers, and doing math in her head is a calming meditative daily activity. Over the years Gayle has knit custom socks, hats, felted hats, vests, shawls, skirts, cardigans, and sweaters. Magazines, pictures and knitting store patterns are all sources of inspiration. Using just the right blend of wools, silks, bamboo, and cottons, Gayle customizes or designs every item she knits so that it is the exact size, colors, and fit for the lucky recipient. Gayle is so adept at knitting that she quickly spots flaws in pattern instructions and easily works out how to resolve them.

Hair Shimmerz Mastery

During a 2012 Nia movement arts class, Gayle noticed shining strands of dancing light reflecting in the instructor’s hair. They were Shimmerz – colorful metallic silk threads tied onto strands of the instructor’s hair. Soon, Gayle learned how to tie Shimmerz – not an easy feat, but, Gayle’s ambidextrous fingers, with decades of experience knitting and dancing across keyboards, quickly mastered the art of tying hair Shimmerz.