Jan was born and raised in Burnaby and has lived here for most of her life. She has been working for the City of Burnaby for almost three decades and has comprehensive experience in teaching fitness classes, programming and recreation. Jan was drawn to take her yoga and Pilates training in 2006 when many life changes unfolded. She has been actively teaching both disciplines ever since.

Jan loves the philosophy and healing aspects of yoga and she has a keen eye for alignment and technique. She has a strong sense of energy in the room and can quickly adapt her classes to the ability of her student’s and can guide them through making choices to modify postures.

Jan believes yoga and Pilates are about having fun while learning new things about ourselves. It is creative expression, creating shapes in the body, awareness of the breath, being mindful and tuning into your inner landscape- the sensing body. We practice this every time we meet on the mat and hopefully it translates into the rest of our life.

Jan enjoys many outdoor activities, conscious awakening and spiritual books, as well as spending time in nature. Her soul is very happy in the Whistler mountains and near the ocean. Jan is the Bonsor Yoga and Pilates studio coordinator and enjoys serving the Burnaby community.

Leanne has been dancing since the age of three and has always found joy in movement. Her many years of training in dance have taken her all over the globe, from New York to Romania and Russia.

Leanne has been leading yoga classes for 20 years. She has three teaching certifications under her belt, and is a Mentor for the Teacher Training Program with the Royal Academy of Dance. This has helped Leanne develop both an eye for movement and a keen awareness of functional anatomical movement.

Always looking for new ways to share movement, Leanne continues to take courses and grow as a student and a teacher. Leanne believes yoga is for every body and every age and there is joy to be found in movement and breath.

Jo has been teaching yoga since 2000 and brings a broad range of training and experience into her classes. For over 30 years, Jo has trained in many different yoga lineages and in 1988 she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Physiotherapy.

Jo’s enthusiasm for teaching comes from the belief that everyone has the ability to benefit from the practice of yoga and to experience the deep joy that comes when we learn to find “Sthira Sukha Asanam”- steadiness and comfort within each pose. (Pantanjali’s Yoga Sutras 2.46). Jo believes that with attention to proper posture and alignment and connecting movement with our breath, we learn to awaken the voice of the “inner teacher” in order to better learn how to bring ourselves to a more balanced sense of wellness.

For Jo, yoga is an everyday, every moment practice and she especially enjoys sharing the healing nature of restorative and hatha yoga. Jo believes in the possibilities for yoga as a healing modality and is certified as a Relax and Renew Trainer. Jo is also a member of the International Association of Yoga Therapists.

Mary has been teaching Ananda yoga and meditation in the Burnaby and New Westminster area since 2003. A stress related condition brought her to this relaxation based and transformative style of yoga.

Currently enrolled in the Ananda Yoga Therapist Program, she incorporates its healing and therapeutic benefits into each class. Modifications are offered to accommodate different body types and fitness levels. Her classes offer an opportunity to explore hatha yoga poses, and the use of breath work, mantras, chanting, mudras, affirmations and energy consciousness. The philosophy of yoga is woven throughout the class and Mary compassionately teaches as an ongoing and dedicated student of yoga.

Sharon has always loved to move. For years Sharon taught fitness classes but one day ended up in a yoga class and found it to be physically challenging.

Sharon was hooked, wanted to learn more and signed up for yoga teacher training to become a certified yoga instructor. Like most people, yoga started out for Sharon as a physical exercise, but as her yoga training deepened so did her understanding of the connection between body, breath and mind.

Sharon’s intention is to gently guide her students along this same path. In her class Sharon hopes you will have fun, laugh and maybe have the odd challenge.

Ariel is a creative, outgoing, approachable teacher, inspired to give others the tool of yoga that hasenriched her life. She has been teaching all levels of hatha, power and pre-natal yoga since 2002.

Ariel’s teaching draws on her background of contemporary movement training, jazz, ballet, 15 years of riding and showing horses, as well as personal yoga practice and intuition. A horseback riding injury left Ariel with severe back problems for years and in 1994 on the advice of a physiotherapist, she started practicing yoga. It is this personal experience with injury and recovery through yoga that she shares with her students, and as a result she places a huge emphasis on safety and correct alignment in her classes.

Shannon discovered yoga in her mid-twenties at the gym. She was hooked from the first class, but never thought she’d go on to teach it. Shannon was surprised at how challenging it could be and how amazing she felt after each class.

She became a regular student and after a few years of practice, decided to become a yoga teacher. Shannon was certified by Prana Yoga College over 14 years ago and went on to teach many different styles of yoga. Yoga has benefited Shannon on many levels and she tries to incorporate these benefits and lessons into her daily life.

Coming from a dance background helped Tara connect with the strength in stillness and stability that both Pilates and yoga develop. After starting her own personal yoga practice in 1999, Tara came to realize that exploring the body through asana was only the preliminary stage to a deep yogic experience. Tara received her Pilates mat certification in 2001 and then went on to receive her yoga teaching certification in 2004.

Tara learned the importance of releasing emotional patterning in the body. Freeing the body allows you to free the mind and come to realize your life purpose and your passion. Tara hopes she can guide people to find their essence through yoga as well as bringing a sense of fun to her classes.

LeanneJan

Ariel Jo Mary Sharon

ShannonTara

Katie began her yoga practice 13 years ago and has been teaching for the past nine years. She is strongly influenced by her dance training and as a result she emphasizes alignment, flow of sequence and coordination throughout her classes.

For Katie, yoga is a moving meditation, bringing a deeper connection between body, mind and spirit. Her goal with each class is to encourage this experience.

Katie has been studying Pilates for 13 years and received her certification to teach mat Pilates in 2009. Pilates brings strength and empowerment to Katie and she hopes to help students find this within their own practice. Katie also teaches dance at the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts.

KatieYoga & Pilates Instructor Profiles

at Bonsor

Originally from Montreal, Joanna started practicing Pilates to complement her dance training as a classical/contemporary dancer and teacher. She immediately fell in love with both the strengthening and rehabilitative aspects of the practice. Seeing the benefits of a consistent practice, Joanna decided to become a Pilates instructor and in 2015 she earned her Pilates certification.

Enthusiastic about movement, Joanna has a mind/body approach to exercise and believes that all students have the ability to heal themselves, work hard, find balance and have fun at the same time. A natural born motivator, Joanna brings energy, strong rhythm and dance moves to your mat. She emphasizes proper alignment as well as integrating breath into the movement. All that with a background of feel good music!

When not on the mat, Joanna teaches dance at the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts, where she enjoys working with children, teens and adults.

JoannaTiffany is originally from Burnaby and has been teaching yoga in both BC and Australia for the last 6 years. Tiffany’s passion for movement started at a very young age when she discovered dance and sports, which she focused on intensely until her late teens. As an adult, Tiffany has not only honed her yoga and meditation practice, but she also continues to pursue her passion for movement by competing in triathlons and running races.

Because of her diverse background, students can expect a variety of classes from Tiffany, from challenging Power practices, alignment-based Hatha classes, and deeply relaxing Restorative and Yin classes. Tiffany’s goal is to share her knowledge of yoga and meditation, while always remaining a student herself.

TiffanyMarie’s introduction to yoga was right here at Bonsor many years ago when she attended her first Hatha Class. She embraced it immediately and began to study various forms of yoga and healing while pursuing her travel career.

In 2006 she decided to attend Wellness College where she studied physical, mental,emotional and spiritual wellness as well as life coaching. At the College she was introduced to Kundalini yoga and was so inspired that after completing her wellness studies, she went on to yoga teachers training. As a certified Kundalini yoga teacher and a wellness coach, Marie brings an integrative approach to her classes, offering insights and wisdom from a holistic perspective. Marie also enjoys teaching chair yoga for seniors.

Marie

Yoga has taught and continues to teach Carlene acceptance, strength, positivity and peace. Carlene always looks forward to how she feels when she’s on the mat. She loves how yoga can mean something different to everyone who practices it.

Carlene originally started yoga as a way to get back in shape after having two children when her body no longer felt like her own. Through yoga she has gained more than physical strength and flexibility- she has learned how to connect mind, body and breath.

Carlene enjoys inspiring others by creating mindful awareness and by cultivating body exploration through yoga poses. She loves teaching all types and styles of yoga and she believes in practicing from the heart to ensure classes are accessible to all students of all levels.

CarleneYoga has been a part of Linda’s life for over 10 years. Her practice has helped her grow stronger, be more flexible, and act more loving and accepting toward herself and others. Yoga inspires her to live each moment more mindfully. Linda completed her yoga teacher training in 2013 but she will always be a student of the practice and is deeply grateful for the loving wisdom of all of her teachers.

Linda believes yoga is about creating space between the body, the mind, the breath and the soul. With regular practice she believes that yoga can help guide one to live an abundant life of freedom, love and ease. Linda’s intention is to help others discover these gifts for themselves.

Linda is known for her genuine, non-judgmental teaching style and heart-centered philosophy. Dedicating herself to continuous philosophical education from different spiritual disciplines, Linda conveys inspiring meditations throughout her classes.

Linda is a warm and welcoming energy whose classes are playful and heartfelt! She enjoys hiking the North Shore Mountains, reading books on Eastern philosophies, watching dark humour cartoons and singing along to The Backstreet Boys. Her favorite places are on top of a mountain or near the crashing waves of the ocean.

Linda

Marcela loves to sing and dance and it was through these art forms that she was first introduced to yoga. Moving and expressing herself creatively is how she lives and this cannot be done without mindfulness and the breath.

In 2011 she completed her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Theatre Performance and in 2013 she began her teaching career after completing her yoga teacher certification. The passion Marcela has for her practice is evident in the way she teaches and connects to her students. She gives off an energy that makes you feel just as welcome and happy to be on your mat as she does.

Her guidance in class and knowledge of human anatomy empowers you to work through the poses in a way best suited to your body; placing a focus on alignment, self-confidence, self-respect, and self-esteem. She strikes a balance between strengthening, stretching, breathing and smiling.

Outside of the studio, Marcela can be found either surrounded by good food and the love of her family, or traveling the great outdoors on a mountain or near an ocean.

Marcela

Yoga and Pilates Instructor Profiles at Bonsor

It is Sylvia’s great joy to share the wisdom of yoga. Learning and practicing yoga for over 30 years has supported and enriched her experience of riding the waves of her life. Sylvia’s path began when her interest in Eastern philosophy and spirituality led her to yoga. Her first class revealed a place deep inside her that affected the course of her life.

In 2003 Sylvia received her yoga teacher certification and her dream of traveling and studying in India came true when she studied in the Krishnamacharya tradition of yoga therapy in Chennai. Her belief in yoga as a holistic health practice then led her to become certified in yoga therapy.

Sylvia’s classes are relaxed and comfortable and individual needs are addressed. Her instruction is thorough and seeks to renew a compassionate friendship with the body and flow of energy. Yoga is presented as an interesting and deeply nourishing practice, strengthening and balancing all the systems of our humanness.

Sylvia

Lindsay has been studying and training throughout her life to express herself through movement. In addition to dance and a variety of theatre arts, her adult practice expanded to include yoga which she has been actively practicing for 15 years.

Awareness of the body through yoga and dance brought her to a mindfulness practice that includes seated meditation and philosophical inquiry. She strives to live her life as a walking, moving meditation and she approaches her practice with curiosity and commitment. Lindsay brings joy, presence and safety to her teaching.

LindsayJeannine first began taking yoga classes over 10 years ago, with the goal of improving her flexibility for her career as a dancer. Over time she became more intrigued with the spiritual aspect of yoga and the practice of focusing the mind through meditation.

In addition to her yoga teacher certification, Jeannine has a dance teacher training diploma from Grant MacEwan College. Jeannine has over 20 years of teaching dance and fitness and is now enjoying teaching yoga to all levels. Jeannine’s extensive teaching experience combined with her knowledge of dance, gives her a unique sense of flow and creativity.

Jeannine enjoys sharing her knowledge of yoga and strives to create a safe and supportive environment for her students, allowing them the opportunity to experience the healing power of yoga, while strengthening the mind, body and spirit connection. Jeannine also teaches dance at the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts.

Jeannine