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.

Julia Cannings

Julia has been involved in the world of dance since she could walk, first participating in more classical forms such as ballet and jazz. After getting involved in Hip Hop as a teenager, Julia followed in the footsteps of her mother and began belly dancing at the age of fourteen in her hometown of Penticton. Through belly dance, she discovered a serious passion for performing as well as teaching. In Victoria, Julia is a French and English Literature Major at UVIC, but always finds time to continue her belly dance education within the vibrant island community. "My goals for every class I teach are to sweat out the stresses of everyday life, and have a great time doing it!" Her classes are full of smiles, funky music and celebration of the feminine, but be prepared to work!

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.

Guy Friswell

Guy views teaching yoga as a joyful extension of his personal yoga practice. He is passionate about all things yoga, and always eager to share this passion, both one-on-one and in a class setting.

Guy’s personal practice is a fusion of influences, including the alignment and inward focus of the Vijnana tradition and Core Strength Vinyasa Yoga™, the yoga philosophies of Erich Schiffmann and Michael Stone, and the mental discipline of Bikram Choudhury. He is strongly committed to fostering yoga community and has a voracious yoga reading habit.

Guy’s teachings are a reflection of his personal practice – a fusion of styles and a continuing journey – and always with a twist of wry humour. He teaches regularly at Hemma Yoga and the Ministry of Health.

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.

Mary Klovance

Mary is a university graduate who has been hula hooping since the summer of 2007 when she first picked up a hoop at a summer festival. Since then she has been practicing everywhere from the beach, to her own living room and is continuously learning new tricks. Her love for teaching hula hooping started when she began introducing her friends to hooping and encouraged them to learn new moves. Mary gets a real kick out of watching her students master new tricks and can't wait to begin teaching her Beginners hula hooping class in October 2010! 

Alison Louwe

Alison completed her 250 hour Yoga Alliance Certified Yoga Teacher Training at Moksana Yoga Centre in Victoria, BC. Alison specializes in teaching a gentle restorative style yoga, focusing on body awareness, breath and meditation.

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.

Laura Mannerfeldt

Fitness has always been a part of Laura's life, whether it's swimming, dance, and gymnastics or playing competitive women's fastball for the past 20 years. She's always taken fitness classes and enjoyed them so much decided to teach. In 2009 she became an instructor at Camosun after completing the group fitness course with BCRPA (British Columbia Recreation and Parks Association).

Laura's classes are always dynamic, challenging and fun, her motto being, "If you're not smiling in my class I'll do whatever it takes to make sure you're having a good time and come back for more!"

Jennifer Naples

Jennifer's philosophy: If it doesn't create joy, it isn't worth doing. Her classes emphasize reconnecting with the body. Through self-expression, flow, playfulness and re-discovering the link between body, mind and spirit to promote wellness, quality of life and overall happiness.

Jennifer is compassionate and non-judgemental. Recognizing that each individual holds the key to their own health and healing journey, she creates the space to facilitate the process. Helping you discover tools you can take home for self care that will empower your personal journey to health, happiness and personal growth.

Practising yoga for more than 14 years, she has recently been studying under Karuna Erickson (student of Rodney Yee) and Ally Bogard (student of John Friend), both of which have greatly influenced and inspired her and her approach to yoga. 

A member of the Natural Health Practitioners of Canada, she is both a certified Hatha Yoga Instructor and Thai Massage Therapist. Currently, Jennifer is studying a two year program in Eastern Therapies and Bodywork at the Pacific Rim College of Complimentary and Integrative Medicine. She will be offering Yoga Therapy sessions this fall along with Thai Massage and private yoga classes. For further information, please contact her directly at prthaiyogamassage@gmail.com

She looks forward to practising with you soon!

Namaste ~ Honouring the Divine Within

Amber Petersen

Yoga has been a part of my life for going on eleven years now.  My Victoria yoga-life started by following an ad in the Martlett for a free yoga class at the Yoga Shala and I became hooked on the sense of well being that came from practicing yoga.  I love sharing my passion for yoga with others and I try to make my classes dynamic and flowing, challenging but gentle, and always incorporate a sense of humor – nothing loosens up the body quite like a smile. I completed my Yoga Teacher Training at the Yoga Shala in downtown Victoria focusing in Ashtanga and Yin Yoga.  

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.

Karen Robinson

Karen is a registered yoga teacher and holds a 500hr certificate (RYT500) with more than 800hr of teaching experience. She continues to study and teach a variety of classes and workshops to all ages and levels in and around Victoria, BC, Canada.

“With each class I teach, I become more convinced that yoga is a deeply personal journey. It is truly “Yoga for You” – your practice, your time, your exploration; and I always try to impart this philosophy to each student in every class.”

She began her professional career as an educator, and earned a masters degree in education (MEd) and taught elementary, high school, college and adult students. Other professional qualifications include a bachelor of mathematics (BM) and an English language teaching certificate (CELTA).

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.