Friendship Yoga was founded in 1993 by Nancy Footner, who began her studies in 1985 at the San Francisco Iyengar Institute. The Iyengar National Association of the United States sets rigorous and stringent standards for teacher training and certification, and Nancy is currently the only Certified Iyengar Teacher in Iowa City.

Nancy's continuing education includes ongoing training with Senior Certified Iyengar Teachers in the U.S. and Canada, and since 1999 she has made four trips to India for intensive study at the Iyengar Institute in India, most recently in August of 2011. In November 2011, Nancy successfully passed the Junior Intermediate 1 certification exam.

In 1982, I was hit by a car, resulting in two broken legs and a long period of painful rehabilitation which included an extended hospitalization, 5 months in a wheelchair, and prolonged physical therapy. In 1985 having finally learned how to walk again, I was independent enough to end the rehab program, but I was still very stiff, very weak and very fearful. In many ways, although I was young, I felt very old. It was at this time that I began studying Iyengar Yoga in San Francisco, California where I lived.

In 1991 I moved to Iowa City and in 1993 I founded Friendship Yoga. My intention was to establish the first Iyengar Yoga center in Iowa, and thereby connect Iowa to a national and international community of Iyengar Yoga teachers and students. See www.IYNAUS.org and www.bksiyengar.com.

I am incredibly indebted to BKS Iyengar, Geeta Iyengar, and Prashant Iyengar for their brilliant teaching, and to all of my teachers, especially Janet MacCleod, Evlaleah Howard, Francie Ricks, Kristin Chirhart, Chris Saudek, Lee Sverkerson, Mary Obendorfer, Eddy Marks, John Shumacher, Lois Steinberg, and Laurie Blakeney. Without them, Friendship Yoga would not have come to be.