our teachers

shannon and son jude

director

Nominated as a Shared Vision's Yoga Visionary

Shannon works very hard to help others shine. She turned to yoga in 1999 to heal a knee injury after an active childhood as a ballet dancer. In her university years she studied acting and directing as well as aerobics and weight training. Upon graduating from The University of Guelph Shannon came to Vancouver as an actor and modern dancer for film and theatre. In 2004 she completed her 200 hour yoga teacher's certification in Hatha Flow, Power Vinyasa and Prenatal yoga from Serenity Yoga and Carolyn McManus. She has continued her training with master teachers David Swenson, Mark Whitwell, Sadie Nardini, Desiree Rumbaugh, Martin Kirk, Paul Grilley, Dean Smith, Rodney Yee and Maalaa as well as many great teachers in the local yoga community. Shannon teaches full-time at Sanga Yoga Studio and has also taught for corporate retreats and groups, the UBC Thunderbirds baseball team and private sessions for individuals with chronic pain, injuries and cancer. She has been teaching in the Dunbar Village community for seven years and opened Sanga Yoga Studio in January of 2006. With over twelve years of dedicated yoga practice and seven years full-time teaching to draw experience from-she works with all age groups, levels of experience and abilities. She has a deep respect for yoga and meditation and believes that tuning the body leads to miraculous changes in the mind and spirit. She has a heart full of gratitude for all of her teachers including her husband Daniel and her baby boy Daniel Jude. Namaste

ale

studio assistant

Alejandra (Ale) was introduced to yoga while studying dance in New York city. She has been certified through Open Door Yoga Studio and has also taught salsa and latin dance. Ale is also a graduate of the Teacher's Integration Program at Sanga Yoga.. Her teaching style and personal practice is influenced by Ashtanga, Classical Hatha, Pilates as well as her love for dance. As a dancer Ale has learned how to control the body's movements and as a yogi she has spread that awareness to her mind and heart. Her classes have a strong emphasis on alignment and body awareness. Originally from Mexico, her classes have a warm, friendliness to them. She believes that each yoga posture is an expression of the soul. She is very grateful to find herself walking in this path and has all the gratitude in this world for her teachers. Spanish speaking students welcome!

angie I.

A student of yoga for more than 13 years, Angie has studied Yoga and Ayurveda in both India and Vancouver. Angie took her first yoga class in 1995 to fulfill a need for self-nourishment; to deepen her understanding of herself in mind and body. In her yoga classes, she aims create an environment that fosters self-inquiry, generating that vitality and clarity which are born of moment-by-moment awareness. Angie currently teaches Hatha, Yin and Prenatal yoga at studios, community centres and other locations in Vancouver. Spanish speaking students welcome!

lisa S.

Lisa looks at yoga as a way to learn about life, ourselves, and our relationships to each other. She has a degree in Psychology from the University of Victoria and received her teacher's certification from Prana Yoga College and Shakt Mhi. She is also a graduate of The Teacher's Integration Program at Sanga Yoga. As a trained actor and young person's acting instructor she uses yoga to break down her own personal boundaries so she can share her craft with others, on camera as well as with students. She teaches yoga as a way helping people to expose their true selves, the bright light and love that resides within all of us.

lisa M.

A commitment to health and wellbeing has been an integral part of my life from an early age. In my professional life I have been an actor in film and television. Personally, I have raised with two sons, who are nearly grown and on their way to independence. Yoga has been a foundational support on my path of self development. Ten years ago I began studying ashtanga yoga with Fiona Stang and along the way have had the opportunity to study with some very inspiring teachers.The transition from practicing to sharing yoga sprang from a deep passion to share that which has enriched my life.I wish to express my deep gratitude to Shannon Cluff and Swan, who have been incredibly wise and supportive.And I wish to express my gratitude to Pattabhi Jois, who sums up what I has been my experience on this path ; yoga is 99% practice, 1% theory.

marla

Marla Waal has been teaching yoga for 11 years. Her first career as a professional dancer had her living in Montreal and later Chicago, performing on stages all over the world. Having grown up on the West Coast it felt right to return here with her husband in 1998, when she began to study, practice and teach yoga. Initially attracted to a very gentle and therapeutic style of hatha yoga, she later studied Ashtanga, restorative yoga, yin yoga and many styles of meditation. The journey of study, investigation and practice through yoga is a life long passion for Marla. Marla is grateful to many teachers, colleagues and students who have been a part of her yoga and her life. Currently her greatest teacher is her son Felix, who was born last October. Marla is very excited to become part of the Sanga Yoga family.

angie D.

Angie's began practising yoga at the age of sixteen using a Hatha yoga video. She has been an athlete throughout her life and always found herself returning to yoga for its unique body-mind-spirit approach to well being. Angie also holds of Bachelor of Commerce from UBC, and a Diploma of Human Kinetics through Langara College. She is a certified BCRPA Yoga Fit instructor and has also completed her 200 hour training through YYOGA Flow Wellness. Angie is grateful to the many amazing teachers she has studied with and she is excited to be part of the Sanga family!

nathalie

As much as there is to experience in life, there is no life without breath. This is what Nathalie hopes to bring into each of her classes, using her own experiences to draw students back to the simplicity and ease of yoga. Having practiced herself for nine years she has found great reward in channeling her knowledge and experience to others. She has completed a Level one Vinyasa teacher training with YYoga Flow Wellness as well as a Hatha teacher training with Prana Yoga. She believes no yoga is unaccesible to the willing student for within each of us is a most willing teacher. Natalie aims to encourage and inspire others in practice so that yoga can be brought to life.

Respected Teachers, Professionals and Services in our Community

Green Earth Organics-Organic Grocery Home Delivery Service

www.greenearthorganics.ca

David Hatfield-Education and Spiritual Development for Men

www.masculinity21st.wordpress.com

Lisa Montesi-Yoga for Teens and Young Women

www.yogagirl.com

Anna Wu-Certified General Accountant

www.annacga.com

Lise Desrosiers Wearing-Wellness Master and Retreat Leader

www.liseonlife.com

Tanis Frame-Mothers Education Facilitator