Our Teachers
Becky - Having grown up in the beautiful
Wakefield area, Becky had an early introduction to her spiritual yogic
connection. As a child, she tried her first yoga postures in her parents'
living room, but has been practicing regularly since 1999. She recently
became a Yoga Alliance certified Hatha/Kripalu teacher. Becky's classes
are based on the principles of Kripalu Yoga, a variety of postures that
emphasizes breath work while encouraging inward focus and spiritual attunement.
"Yoga has helped me discover my true essence. By teaching yoga, my
intention is to help guide my students reconnect with their own true beautiful
essence".
Denise - Denise Giroux began practicing Tai Chi in 1994 as a means of improving her chronic back problems and to counter the effects of stress. She taught Tai Chi in Hamilton & Montreal before moving to Cantley where she continues to practice Tai Chi and yoga
Elena - Elena was born in Russia and started her dance training at the age of four. In the seventies she and her parents danced every week with their guests in their small Moscow apartment. “I never stopped learning from dance. Ballet classes in Moscow introduced me to body centering and balance, Ballroom competition during 7 years formed my posture and coordination, years of performing Flamenco started fire in my heart , Tango studies in Argentina gave me connection with music and partner, Somatic and movement therapy studies taught me about healing capacity of the movement. My classes help people to fight depression and improve body and mind connection’’, Elena says about her rich learning and teaching background. Her last passions are tango and somatic. She is working on her graduation papers in Somatic Movement and dance therapy. She has Master’s degree in Biology and believes in body intelligence and the healing capacity of aesthetically derived movement.
Gillian - A lifelong learner and yoga practitioner, Gillian found her calling as a teacher of Vinyasa Yoga. She completed her in-depth Hatha teacher training in Toronto and has continued to enjoy attending workshops that enhance and deepen her own practice. Gillian encourages her students to find their innate sense of stillness and expansiveness in their yoga practice. She balances this inward awareness with a keen understanding of postural alignment, strength and stability.
Janet - Janet has practiced various styles of yoga for the past 20 years. She started with Kripalu in the mid 1980's and has gone on to study Iyengar, Ashtanga, Anusara and Yin. She completed her Teacher Training at Yoga Space in 2003 and brings a blend of these yoga traditions to her Vinyasa and Ashtanga classes which focus on toning and strengthening the body as well as steadying and calming the mind.
Jennifer D - Jennifer was born in Pennsylvania and started dancing at the age of 4. Jennifer began her professional training at the School of the Pennsylvania Ballet at the age of ten. Six years later she moved to New York City to train at the prestigious School of American Ballet. It was there that she was spotted and offered her first job. In 1994, she joined American Ballet Theatre where she had the opportunity to perform and travel around the world. Jennifer later went on to dance with Alberta Ballet in Calgary and most recently with the Tulsa Ballet in Oklahoma, where she had the privilege to work with some of the foremost choreographers in the dance world today. Throughout her schooling, Jennifer had several opportunities to work with and assist in teaching younger students. As a professional, she taught during summer workshops for children of all ages. Now as a mother to a young son, she realizes the value and importance of dance and movement in children, and hopes to share her knowledge and passion of her art with them.
Jennifer G - Living in an increasingly busy world, we are constantly bombarded by negativity, guilt and sadness. Jennifer believes that consistent yoga practice is one positive way to enrich your daily life and to restore the natural harmony between body, mind, and spirit. Her aim in each class is to provide you with a refuge and the tools needed to release your physical stress, settle your mind, and open your heart to feel love and compassion towards yourself and the world that surrounds you. From Montreal to Ottawa, urban to rural, groups and individuals, Jennifer has been instructing yoga for 7 years and is excited to now be teaching in her community. In addition to yoga instruction, Jennifer has worked as a personal trainer and currently operates her own Kumon Math and Reading Centre in Orleans.
Mara - Mara is a present, playful and compassionate yoga teacher. Her personal practice took root in 2005, and her dedication to yoga as a tool for discovering what makes us happy, healthy and inspired has since blossomed. Mara's classes promote a holistic approach to health and fitness, anchored in her own experiences of physical and emotional healing. Mara received her certification from the Kripalu Centre, and has embraced their unique approach to yoga which empowers students to befriend and listen to their bodies, identifying what practices support their well-being and personal growth.
Montana - Montana began practicing yoga ten years ago, primarily in Hatha and Ashtanga styles. She completed her 200-hour teacher training in the Sivananda tradition of Hatha Yoga. She aims to encourage students to use the breath and asanas to calm their bodies and clear their minds, and believes yoga can help to bring contentment and acceptance into our lives. Montana feels it is important to practice not only asanas, but also breathing exercises and meditation in order to have a complete yoga practice; all three of these elements are included in her classes. Apart from her love of yoga, Montana is a plant biologist and, having moved here from BC, is excited to learn about native plants of the Wakefield area.
Shelley - Shelley has been teaching yoga for eight years, and for five years in Chelsea. She has worked for the Rama Lotus Yoga Centre, Santosha Yoga, Pura Vida Spa in Costa Rica, and in various community centres and businesses. Her understanding of the deep connection with consciousness yoga practice gives us, comes from her four years of training at the Barbara Brennan School of Healing as an energy healer, working through the human energy field (aura) to shift consciousness. Besides teaching yoga, Shelley has a private energy healing practice and offers healing and spa services from her home in Chelsea as DoveHeart Healing.