Instructors

Desiree Armstrong

Desiree found dance, her true passion in life, at the ripe age of 2. When she was 12, she started competing. She trained in RAD Ballet and ADAPT Jazz. She was in a fine arts program in high school. She started student teaching at her studio in Calgary when she was 14. In 2008, she moved to Victoria to attend UVic. She taught a credited hip-hop class at St. Michaels University Prep School in 2009.

She is now Co-Director of Victoria Dance Theatre, a teacher for Vikes Recreation, Camosun College and at the YW-YMCA. She has trained at many different studios and workshops in Calgary, Vancouver, Victoria and LA. Never afraid to try something new, she has tried many types of dance from jazz and musical theater to lyrical and hip-hop and many more! She is currently a third year Screenwriting and Business student at UVic.

Desiree not only enjoys the thrill of performing but loves teaching and sharing her passion for dance with others.

Justina Bailey

Justina is a knowledgeable Pilates instructor, Yoga Therapy instructor, personal trainer, and Belly dance teacher/performer. She is renowned for her attention to detail and genuine approach to teaching fitness while maintaining a level of humor and enthusiasm. Justina’s signature classes focus on discovering more about your body and how it moves in space while developing strength. Please join Justina this fall for Pilates, Yogalates, Bellyfit, or an Abs class that your body will thank you for! You can also attend one of her classes at Panorama Rec Centre, Esquimalt Rec Centre, James Bay Rec Centre and Grand Pacific Hotel.

Laura Benson

A certified Hatha Yoga Teacher (Moksana Yoga Center, Victoria, B.C) and member of the Hatha Yoga Association of Victoria, Laura began her yoga journey in 1999. Through the years it has helped her gain connection between mind, body and spirit. She believes yoga is a whole-being wellness tradition that develops personal growth through the yogic principles.

As a class guide, Laura honours the teacher in everyone and encourages a safe, supportive and accepting environment. She weaves yogic philosophy into the practice, taking it beyond the physical while inviting curiosity in movement, alignment and sensations. Laura provides modifications for all body types and skill levels while encouraging a gentle approach to strengthen the body and focus the mind.

Laura is focused on sharing the benefits of this ancient science to cultivate mindfulness, awareness and overall wellbeing, in order for these benefits to follow the practitioner into every aspect of their life.

Phil Bowers

Phil is a Certified Advanced Teacher with the Canadian and American Meditation Societies, and President of the Canadian Meditation Society. He shares a wealth of experience gained from meditating twice daily for 16 years, and attending close to twenty multi-day retreats. His focus is on sharing the natural, in-built ability to tap into inner peace, creativity, and strength, at any moment of your choosing. Regular meditation anchors you to your centre such that the ups and downs of daily life gradually affect you less and less.

Tersia Fagan

Tersia is a certified Hatha yoga instructor, who was trained right here in Victoria, and has taught yoga for six years in many different communities on the BC coast.

Tersia’s instructional style is infused with the yogic traditions of Hatha and Kundalini, and is combined with her passion for health and fitness.

She presents an eclectic approach that is practical and applicable, making yoga available to each individual by meeting his or her needs on the mat. Her dialogue, derived from life experience, guides participants through a holistic and heart felt experience of yoga.

"Each pose is an expression from within, and with observation and awareness, insight is gained". From this perspective, Tersia conveys the lessons learned on the mat as lessons learned in life.

Yoga with Tersia is an experience that warms, opens, and energizes the body, stills the mind, and settles the heart. More info at Yoga with Tersia.

Maggie Kay

Maggie Kay began her training at UVIC in 1993. In 1996 she moved to San Diego to enter Chiba Shihan's certified teacher program.

During this time Maggie also studied many modalities of massage and bodywork. Upon graduation of Chiba's program in 2004, Maggie returned to Vancouver Island to apprentice with Daniel Kempling, chief instructor of Pacific Coast Aikikai (Daniel Kempling is also a direct student of Chiba Shihan and holds a 5th degree black belt.).

Maggie is the only female graduate of Chiba Shihan's program in Canada. She currently holds rank of Sandan (3rd degree black belt). She is also a certified bodyworker.

Maggie's excited to bring Aikido to western Victoria with Goldstream Aikikai, offering classes out of Camosun.

Cat Jensen

Cat believes dance is a ridiculously FUN way to exercise and be active! Yet, dancing has many health benefits that go beyond making your muscles and heart stronger…it relaxes your mind and gives your soul freedom!

Cat obtained her certificate as a GROOVEmethod facilitator in 2012. She had been enjoying GROOVE as a participant and wants to share the amazing experience with others. She encourages everyone of any age, ability, and comfort level to try a GROOVE class today to nourish the mind, body, heart and soul.

As a skilled facilitator, Cat will share her positive energy, humour, and passion, in an encouraging and safe environment making your class experience revolutionary!

More information on GROOVE including videos showing what a class looks like can be found on her website www.everybodydancefit.weebly.com

Wendy MacDougall

Wendy is currently a dance educator at the University of Victoria and the Greater Victoria YM-YWCA. She has been designing and teaching dance programs for children and adults since 1991.

Wendy has studied with Jacquelin Sears formerly of the New York City Ballet and Marlisse McCormick from Les Ballet Jazz De Montreal.

Although her experience includes performing, her vision is to share the love of dance as a choreographer and teacher to create a positive community.

Britta Poisson

Britta Poisson is a certified Junior Intermediate I Iyengar Yoga teacher. She teaches locally and is involved in the administration of the Iyengar Yoga Centre of Victoria, a non-profit organization dedicated to physical, mental and spiritual growth by the study and discipline of yoga. She is a teaching member of the Iyengar Yoga Association of Canada.

Kelly Potter

Kelly began teaching staff fitness at The School of Fine Arts in Banff twenty years ago. Over the years has taught Step, Cardio, Core, Strength and Endurance exercises using swiss balls, med balls, rubber tubing and bodybar both in classroom and personal training situations. Her focus is on improving health and better quality of life through stretching, flexibility and building core strength. She has taught at various fitness facilities including UVIC, VI Fitness and the YMCA. She holds a current membership with BCRPA.

John Ricker

John Ricker began a simple meditation practice many years ago with the School of Philosophy in Wellington, NZ and over the years studied yoga and meditation in Canada, South America and India. He became a teacher of meditation and kundalini yoga in 1994.

John suggests taking just a few minutes a day for meditation, and if you do it every single day for about 6 months the results will astonish you, and everyone you know.

John is a member of the International Kundalini Yoga Teachers Association and a Registered Clinical Counsellor in BC, with a Masters degree in family systems counselling from Bastyr University in Seattle. He also attended the Canadian Acupressure College in Victoria and became a registered Jin Shin Do acupressure practitioner.

Chantelle Shah-Poulin

Chantelle Shah-Poulin began her journey on the yogic path over ten years ago. Since then her love for the practice led her to the Moksana Yoga Studio where she obtained her 250 hour teacher training certificate in spring of 2010. In winter of 2011 her experience inspired her travels to Nosara, a small surf town in Costa Rica. Here she acquired her 100 hour yoga dance teacher training certificate.

Through her passion and continuous study she has learned the art of opening, healing, meditation, breath, movement and self inquiry. These key components are then shared through her teachings, where in turn her students can experience their own self inquiry and yogic light within.

Kumi Smith

Kumi's been involved in fitness for many years and started teaching back in 2003 while in her home country, Japan. For the last year she has taught hip hop and boot camp classes for Camosun Recreation. Kumi has already become a favorite with her class participants. She brings to her classes great energy, warmth and a true passion for teaching.

Laura Sunshine

Opening the self to the journey, we arrive on the mat with one purpose, to breathe!

This is Sunshine’s intention every time she shows up to teach and/or participate in a yoga class.

After five years of practicing yoga in Victoria and Vancouver, and working with teachers such as Aase Lium-Hall, Maria Filliponee and Kim Wilson she realized it was time to take yoga to her own style.

Sunshine trained with Shivea Rae doing a teacher training in yoga & trance dance, and knew her calling was to teach a style of yoga that was expressive and creative.  She also completed her 250 hr training with the Yoga Alliance. She is also trained as a prenatal YTT, Kids YTT, Street Yoga YTT and her Circus Yoga YTT, just to name a few.

In years past Sunshine developed a strong following of students through the development of her own yoga company called Oasis working along side DJ Prodigal Sun.  She has also gained a strong reputation in the yoga community while managing one of the major yoga studios in Victoria, Hemma, and teaching at many more.

With varieties of classes in her back pocket she decided it was time to create her own style and fused together her passion of yoga, dance and live music with her partner Trevor Nugent-Smith on percussion.

Airlie Sturrock

Airlie started ballet when she was 2 has hasn’t looked back. She graduated from Ryerson with a major in dance and a minor in theatre where she explored all forms of dance and musical theatre. She has performed and choreographed locally for many years with Victoria Operatic Society and Butchart Gardens. Airlie has been teaching for about 25yrs from tiny tots to adults. Come an enjoy Airlie’s infectious energy on Monday nights for her Hip Hop class.

Tenille Tellman

Tenille was part of a performance Belly Dance troupe in southern Alberta for five years before she moved to Victoria in 2010. She obtained certification as a Groove Method facilitator in 2011. Her dance experience also includes countless classes, workshops and performance numbers in styles such as American Tribal Style, Tribal Fusion, Hip Hop, Pole Dance, Polynesian, Vegas Showgirls, Can-Can, Latin, Ballroom and stage performing arts.

Tenille believes anyone can be successful in dance and she strives to provide a safe and fun learning environment for all class participants. She has taught classes for adults and children of all ages.

While studying to become a Registered Massage Therapist, Tenille teaches Groove Method classes at St. George's Church and both Groove and a Belly Fusion at Passion and Performance studio.

Empowering people to feel good about their bodies while exploring new movements, one class at a time! http://dancewithtenille.weebly.com