WELCOME TO BLYS
Blue Lotus Yoga Studio was founded in 2018 by Julie Nogueira and Duffy Perkins. Their mission---to create a space where everyone feels welcome, supported, and empowered. BLYS takes a holistic approach to health and wellness with classes designed to tone, strengthen, balance, and restore.
JULIE NOGUEIRA
Co-Owner/Founder
A former gymnast and dancer, Julie began practicing yoga in the early 2000s with Gregor Singleton at the Baron Baptiste Studio in Boston. She was immediately struck by the challenging physical and emotional nature of the practice.
Julie is an RYT-500 and a Yoga Alliance Continuing Education Provider (YACEP). She has undergone an additional 100 hours of training in the areas of Yin & Restorative Yoga, Hands-on Assists, and the Advanced Study of Asana. In addition to running the day-to-day operations of BLYS, Julie leads vinyasa classes, workshops, CEU trainings, and destination retreats. She lives in Annapolis with her husband and three sons.
DUFFY PERKINS
Co-Owner/Founder
A committed Buddhist who has spent considerable time in Asia, Duffy Perkins’ teaching is influenced by Chinese, Tibetan, and Indian philosophy. Merging her knowledge of skillful bio-mechanical movement with her studies of Tantric yoga philosophy, Duffy is known for her creative ability to weave the transformational power of intention into asana practice in ways that are accessible, down to earth, physically healing, and inspiring.
Duffy is a RYT-500 and currently leads the BLYS 200-hour YTT. Her teachers are Julie Mellk, Caitlyn Visconte, and Kim Manfredi. She has a master's degree in the History of Religion from the University of Virginia.
KIM ERMER
Studio Manager
Kim’s passion for fitness led her to BLYS in early 2019 after over a decade working in corporate hospitality and events. Since joining the BLYS team, Kim has enjoyed forming relationships with clients and instructors. She enjoys helping people discover new classes and the unique experience of practicing outside on the floating platform. Kim recently became a certified barre instructor after having fallen in love with the low-impact, high-results program.
Outside of BLYS, Kim enjoys spending time with her husband and their two children, running, and stand up paddleboarding. When the weather is warm, you’ll often find her out on the water around Annapolis with family and friends.