Our Teachers | Midwest Dharma Wheel

Our Founders

Supporting Wholeness Locally and Globally

Cary Twomey, B.F.A., C.P.T., C.A.P., P.K.T., A.Y.T.

Cary was drawn to contemplative traditions, both East & West, from her early teenage years and has spent most of her life immersed in exploring meditation, movement, psychology, spirituality, and healing arts. She received a B.F.A. in Dance Performance and Choreography from the University of Nebraska in 1991 and then spent a decade dancing professionally in NYC. During this time, along with her colleagues, she formed the Mark Jarecke Dance Company, performed original works, and toured abroad to teach. Throughout her dance career, she trained in Laban/Bartenieff movement theory, anatomy, kinesiology, rehabilitative movement, and other modalities that informed her therapeutic movement education.

She has studied anatomy, kinesiology, neuromuscular re-education, and movement problem-solving directly with neuromuscular educator/Anatomist Irene Dowd for 30+ years, and gained deeper experience in physical rehabilitation while working as the Pilates Rehab Therapist at Park South Physical Therapy in Manhattan, NY, in the mid-'90s. She was trained in and certified to teach the Pilates Method at the Green Street Studio in NYC with Deborah Lessen in 1996, where she apprenticed and taught for 10 years. Cary is now serving as a guiding teacher for Deborah Lesson's Teacher Training program. In 1998, she and fellow dancer Stephen Williams opened the NoHo Pilates Studio in downtown Manhattan, where it continues to thrive today. Cary taught Anatomy, Kinesiology, and Pilates as a founding faculty member of the first existing Joffrey Ballet/ The New School BFA program for professional dancers. Upon returning to Nebraska in 2002, she served as an adjunct faculty member at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln for two years, teaching Modern Dance, Kinesiology, and Ballet. For the last two decades, due to her Jungian training, she has been exploring deeper work with the body, the psyche, the unconscious, and movement. This has taken her into a much wider and more creative field of movement exploration and an emphasis on the individual journey towards awakened embodiment.

Cary began her training in Ayurveda in the early 90's with Maya Tiwari, founder of the Wise Earth School of Ayurveda, and with Dr. Vasant Lad of the Ayurvedic Institute. She did further clinical and practicum with Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, founder of The Chakrapani Ayurveda Clinic and Research Center in Jaipur, India, for five years. She also trained with Vaidya Rama Kant Mishra of the Shakya Vansiya Ayurveda lineage, with whom she studied on-going for fifteen years until his passing in 2017. She is a certified Ayurvedic Practitioner and Health Counselor as well as a Certified Ayurvedic Treatment Therapist. She has studied Vedic Astrology since the 90's and incorporates it into her holistic approach to Counseling and Ayurvedic practice when working with her clients.

Cary has worked with Jungian Analyst and Pilates Elder Mary Bowen for over 20 years of Jungian Analysis and training. During this time, she apprenticed under Mary, receiving direct training to teach Jung's methods.

Due to her deep interest in spirituality, eastern practice, and philosophy, Cary has studied, practiced, and apprenticed in the treasures of these contemplative traditions with many of their great masters since the young age of fourteen for the last 35+ years.

She has deeply immersed herself in the practice of both Indian and Tibetan Yogas and has studied and practiced under the guidance of her Indian Yogic teachers and Tibetan Lamas in the Nyingma, Gelugpa, Bön, and Dzogchen Traditions for over 20 years. She has found these years of authentic learning and immersion to be very important for understanding the essential meaning of such contemplative traditions and for finding an appropriate integration of their wisdom into modern times. These years gave her direct experience in Contemplative practice, and he was authorized to teach in 2010.

Cary's teaching remains primarily focused on each individual's unique needs and development, rather than on any particular tradition.

About Cary's Ayurvedic Background

About Our Movement Background

Lee Willet, B.F.A., A.Y.T., C.P.T.

Lee Willet, B.F.A., has been practicing and studying movement for 30 years. He is trained in the Pilates Method, Yoga, physical rehabilitation, and Ayurveda. He began studying movement in his undergraduate theater training and has been practicing and studying alongside his wife, Cary, for the last 26 years. He began teaching at Haymarket Studio when it opened in 2002. He has received Ayurvedic training from the Wise Earth School of Ayurveda and the Ayurvedic Institute.

Lee has a background in Theatre Arts, which began in high school. He has a B.F.A. in Theater Arts & Performance from the University of Nebraska. Lee has many years of experience in theater movement and stage combat, which has informed his movement training and body precision. Lee was recognized for his particular strengths in this art form and has been called upon for his expertise in teaching and choreographing movement for the stage. Following graduation, he went on to work as an actor in New York City, appearing in commercials, plays, T.V., and films. There, he worked creatively with a group of fellow actors, writing, directing, and producing original and existing works. He also choreographed and staged combat for Off-Broadway shows.

Lee's work in the acting and theater profession, and his affinity for movement, enabled a seamless transition into the world of bodywork and movement. Partnering with his wife, Cary, for three decades has continually exposed him to movement, healing arts, and contemplative life. He was certified to teach in 2005. Lee has a natural intuition for supporting others in their process and is often called upon to work specifically with dancers, due to his deep understanding of their needs. Lee supports the UNL Dance Program by teaching Pilates and Yoga to students enrolled in their degree program when called upon.

At the studio, Lee teaches Pilates and Yoga with a strong anatomical foundation and introduces people to meditation. He can evaluate physical issues and provide a therapeutic Pilates movement program. He has seen many of his students through extreme injuries, illnesses, pregnancy, and particular fitness goals. He has worked with autistic children and young adults and is particularly skilled with the rehabilitative needs of all kinds. Lee's group classes are challenging, strengthening, and grounding. He provides a stabilizing, joyful presence and offers well-rounded support through his understanding and practice of Ayurveda.