Our Staff

David Zemach-Bersin

Co-Director David Zemach-Bersin is one of Dr. Moshe Feldenkrais’ original American students and studied closely with Dr. Feldenkrais from 1973-1984 in the U.S., Europe, and at the Feldenkrais Institute in Israel. He has been involved with the practice and development of the Feldenkrais Method for more than 30 years, and is one of the world’s foremost Feldenkrais Teachers and Trainers. With Elizabeth Beringer, David founded Feldenkrais Resources in 1983. Feldenkrais Resources is the primary publisher of Dr. Feldenkrais’ English language books and audio programs, as well as programs from the world’s leading Feldenkrais Teachers and Trainers. In 2005, David co-founded The Feldenkrais Institute of New York. In 2007, he also co-founded The Feldenkrais Research Foundation, a non-profit devoted to initiating and supporting scientific research on The Feldenkrais Method. The first projects of The Feldenkrais Research Foundation will be to look at the efficacy of The Feldenkrais Method with multiple sclerosis, scoliosis, and recovery of mobility from mastectomies.
David is the long time Educational Director of the New York City, and Washington, D.C./Baltimore Feldenkrais Method Training Programs. His programs attract students from across the U.S. and Europe, and the faculties are composed almost entirely of teachers who studied directly with Dr. Feldenkrais. David has taught in Feldenkrais Training programs throughout the U.S. and Europe, and teaches popular post-graduate courses for Feldenkrais practitioners. Since 1977, David has maintained an ongoing and varied private practice working with a diverse population including those with severe movement limitations, neurological problems, children, seniors, world-class musicians, dancers, actors, and those in chronic pain. Since 2004, David has been teaching the Feldenkrais Method each summer at the prestigious Marlboro Music Festival in Marlboro, VT. David is a Honors graduate of UC Berkeley, with extensive post-graduate work in physiological psychology, and is the co-author of Relaxercise (HarperCollins), a popular introduction to The Feldenkrais Method. In addition, he has authored many Feldenkrais audio programs for both the public and Feldenkrais Teachers.
For many years David has been involved in the development of clinical and workplace applications of The Feldenkrais Method, and has taught courses for physical and occupational therapists throughout the United States. David has served as President of The Feldenkrais Guild of North America, and for nearly a decade sat on the Training Accreditation Board of The Feldenkrais Guild of North America. He lives with his wife and three children in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. For Functional Integration lessons on the East Coast in the New York or the Philadelphia area with David Zemach-Bersin, please contact: (215) 230-9208 or The Feldenkrais Institute at (212) 727-1014.

Marek Wyszynski

Institute Co-Director and Co-Founder Marek Wyszynski is a licensed Physical Therapist, a Certified Feldenkrais Practitioner and a former supervisor for the Lenox Hill Hospital’s New York Pain Treatment Program. He studied and worked with the world renowned physician Dr. Hans Kraus (the pioneer of trigger-point therapy and president Kennedy’s back pain physician). Since 1991 he has worked with people suffering from acute and chronic pain. Marek’s article: A Structured Physical Therapy Approach for Treating the Muscular Components of Chronic Pain Syndromes was published in The Journal of Back & Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation. He is also a former national fencing champion (Poland) and coach. Marek is the Director of Physical Therapy and Feldenkrais NYC.

Andrew Gibbons

Andrew Gibbons is a founding faculty member and the Creative Director of The Feldenkrais Institute. He maintains a private practice at the Institute where he works with a diverse population, including professional musicians, those with minor and severe musculoskeletal conditions, chronic pain and neurological problems. For the past two summers Andrew has taught the Feldenkrais Method for the prestigious Marlboro Music Festival in Marlboro, VT.  He has presented The Feldenkrais Method for doctors, physical and occupational therapists at the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan and at the Doctoral PT program of SUNY Stoneybrook Medical School, for musicians in the Manhattan School of Music’s wellness program and in public programs sponsored by the NY Department for the Aging.  He trained and continues to work closely with David Zemach-Bersin, one of Dr. Feldenkrais first and foremost American students. Andrew is a graduate of both Columbia University (BA) and the Manhattan School of Music (MM). He is a trained classical pianist and has worked as a consultant for The New York Times and on the faculty of Physical Therapy & Feldenkrais NYC.

Sheryl Field

Sheryl Field, the Executive Director of the Field Center for Children’s Integrated Development, is a certified Feldenkrais practitioner and teacher with more than 20 years of full-time clinical experience using Functional Integration to improve the functioning of children with motor disorders.  Sheryl trained with Dr. Moshe Feldenkrais in Israel and in the United States. An Assistant Trainer in the Institute’s Professional Training Program, Sheryl is one of the few Feldenkrais practitioners in the world who has extended the method to working with infants and children.

During her 20 years of experience using the Feldenkrais Method of Functional Integration, Sheryl has observed much greater improvement in children with motor disorders than is currently reported with other therapies. She has recently submitted a research proposal to the National Institutes of Health to test the efficacy of the Feldenkrais Method scientifically.  Sheryl is also an assistant trainer in the Feldenkrais professional training program with David Zemach-Bersin.

Anat Meiri

Anat Meiri is a certified Feldenkrais practitioner on the Institute’s faculty and is the Institute’s Administrative Director and the Program Coordinator of the Institute’s Training Program. Anat started her Feldenkrais professional training in 2003 in Berkeley, CA, and moved to New York in 2006 joining the New York Professional Training with David Zemach-Bersin. She has danced professionally since 1995 with the Rina Schinfeld Dance Theatre in Tel-Aviv and with the Deborah Slater Dance Theatre Company, Papas and Dancers and the Peck-Peck Dance Ensemble in San Francisco. Anat teaches individuals and classes and mentors dancers at the Institute.  In her mentoring work she combines her experience as a dancer with the philosophy of learning and teaching gained from The Feldenkrais Method to help dancers achieve their potential.

Mark Hirschfield

Mark Hirschfield trained with David Zemach-Bersin and is a Faculty Practitioner at the Institute. He has taught Feldenkrais classes in various locations in Brooklyn, Manhattan and at Physical Therapy & Feldenkrais NYC where he helped create the Alexander Yanai project, a weekly series of Awareness Through Movement lessons drawn specifically from the transcripts of classes Dr. Feldenkrais taught for many years in Israel (on Alexander Yanai street). Mark’s professional background in theater, both acting and directing, as well as his personal pursuits of skiing and yoga help him draw on a wide experience for improving the self use of his clients.

Lisa Shufro

Lisa Shufro is a Certified Feldenkrais Practitioner.  She first came to the Feldenkrais Method to get her injured shoulder “fixed” so that she could get back to her “regular life.” She soon discovered that the Method offered a way of thinking and acting that led to more than good posture…for her, it opened the door to a more fulfilling and joyful life. Inspired to become a teacher, Lisa trained with David Zemach-Bersin at the Feldenkrais Institute in New York City. She continues advanced studies with Sheryl Field to help children with motor development disorders, such as cerebral palsy.

Lisa’s vision is to incorporate thinking from the Method into the workplace, to help businesses achieve greater success with less effort. She currently works at Walker Digital, a business innovations company based in Stamford, CT. Lisa is also an accomplished violinist, and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Music from Yale University.

Sara Daskal

Sarah Daskal was born in Romania, and is a graduate of David Zemach-Bersin’s second Montclair Feldenkrais Method Professional Training Program in 2003. She is also a graduate of several Bones for Life Trainings with Ruthy Alon (one of Dr. Feldenkrais’ first Israeli students). Sarah is an enthusiastic and experienced Practitioner, and teaches classes and offers individual Functional Integration lessons on Mondays at the Institute.

Tamala Bakkensen

Tamala Bakkensen is a graduate of the Feldenkrais Professional Training Program in New York. She also holds a BFA in theater and music from Florida International University and a Master’s of Fine Art from the University of California, San Diego. She has performed in regional theater, in New York, and on television, as well as traveled to Bali to study dance and mask making. In addition to teaching public classes and workshops at the Institute and SUNY Purchase, she works with private clients. She has also taught movement with the School for Film and Television and acting and public speaking at UCSD.

Connie Rotunda

Connie Rotunda, a guild-certified Feldenkrais® practitioner, trained with David Zemach-Bersin. She holds an MFA from the FSU/Asolo Conservatory. A professional actor and director, she has worked regionally and Off Broadway, created and performed sketch comedy with Alarm Dog Rep, as well as performed and taught as a guest artist. Ms. Rotunda has taught Feldenkrais® workshops and classes in a variety of settings throughout Brooklyn and Manhattan, actor movement workshops at the FSU/Asolo Conservatory, the Metro Playhouse and the Northeast Theatre Conservatory.

Guest Teacher

Dayana Henwood

Dayana Henwood is an authorized Awareness Through Movement teacher and is part of the administrative team at the Institute.  She is currently enrolled in the New York Feldenkrais Method Professional Training Program with David Zemach-Bersin. Born in Montevideo, Uruguay, Dayana began studying the Feldenkrais Method in 1995. Her interest in movement combines theatre training, modeling for sculptors and painters, and performance art as a living statue in South America, Australia and the U.S. Dayana is also a serious student of the Japanese martial art of Aikido under the direction of Mitsugi Saotome, Shihan and enjoys interlacing Aikido principles into her Awareness Through Movement classes.

She teaches Feldenkrais classes in English as well as her native Spanish.

Zoe Schieber

Zoe Schieber is an authorized Awareness Through Movement teacher and part of the administrative team at the Institute.  She is currently enrolled in David Zemach-Bersin’s New York Feldenkrais Method Professional Training Program.  She has an Anthropology Degree from Tulane University and pursues her passion for dance while living in New York. In addition to teaching Awareness Through Movement, she choreographs, teaches dance and performs. Currently she is dancing with Eva Dean Dance and teaches children through Young Dancers in Repertory.