Our Instructors' Yoga Biographies

Louie Ettling

Louie Ettling is the Director of The Yoga Space in Vancouver (www.theyogaspace.ca). She has been a keen student of Iyengar Yoga since she started her studies 28 years ago. Louie has regularly studied with B.K.S Iyengar and his family in Pune, India as well as during their intensives in North America. She serves on the Iyengar Yoga Association of Canada's Professional Development Committee as a trainer of teachers. Louie shares her love of yoga by teaching seriously and with humour. She is supportive and challenging of students' own intelligent exploration of and participation in the subject.

Patricia Fernandes

Patricia began her studies of Iyengar yoga in the mid 1980's and has lived and studied with teachers across Canada. She regularly attends workshops with senior Canadian and international teachers as well as the Iyengar family, including classes at the RIMYI in Pune, India. Patricia has served on the Professional Development Committee of Iyengar Yoga Association of Canada for many years and is currently on the Executive. She teaches from a depth of training and experience, encouraging students to explore the many gifts yoga has to offer and to observe the changes that it brings.

Corrie Vorlaufer

Corrie is an accomplished yoga teacher who has been practicing yoga for over 30 years. She decided to share the years of knowledge she had gained, and started teaching Yoga more than 10 years ago. Corrie is an encouraging and motivating teacher who has expertise in working with pupils of every level to gain optimum achievement in every pose. She is a certified Iyengar Yoga instructor.

Grant Richards

GRANT RICHARDS is a certified Iyengar yoga teacher who began practicing Iyengar yoga with Claudia MacDonald in 1990 to complement his soccer pursuits, as well as to alleviate recurring back pain. He completed his teacher training under the guidance of Louie Ettling and Ingelise Nherlan. The ongoing development of his practice has included attending many workshops locally by visiting senior Iyengar teachers, and in 2010 studying with the Iyengar family in Pune, India. His teaching is enhanced by many years of experience as a public and college level educator. Grant enjoys the process of helping students work towards a better balance in life through yoga. Currently, Grant teaches a class for men at The Yoga Space.

Alisen Stewart Milne

Alisen's passion for mindful discovery through movement brought her to the Iyengar method of yoga nine years ago. Working as a corrective conditioning coach in the sport and fitness industry she continually draws from the foundation of mobility, stability, strength and alignment as a powerful tool to move in a non harming way.

Cheryl Joseph

As yoga's gifts of strengthening, centering and healing permeated, Cheryl came to the realization that teaching Iyengar yoga was the path to follow. Cheryl's enthusiasm in guiding students to explore connections, and cultivate awareness of body and breath is revealed in her energetic teaching. Cheryl encourages students to apply the qualities of alignment and focus experienced in the practice to other activities they engage in, be it a walk in the park, a hike in the forest, playing on turf/snow/ice, or a stroll down Main Street. Cheryl is a certified Iyengar Yoga instructor and has been a student of Iyengar yoga for over 10 years. She studies with senior local and international teachers.

Lily Dos Remedios

Lily is a joyful and dedicated instructor. She frequently studies and attends classes and workshops with local and international teachers. She is devoted to her practice and brings forward her knowledge as she assists and guides you on your own yoga journey. She is encouraging and helps tailor the sessions to your needs. Lily welcomes everyone to have fun and try a class. She is also an ACE certified personal trainer.

Linda Shevloff

Linda Shevloff has been an Iyengar yoga instructor for many years. A Canadian who has resided in Asia since 1994, Linda has been influential in the development of Iyengar Yoga teaching in Hong Kong and South East Asia. She has also played a significant role in both the Iyengar Yoga Associations of Canada and South East Asia. She is an assessor and teacher trainer.

Bridget Donald

Bridget Donald began studying Iyengar Yoga in 1992 and completed her teacher training apprenticeship with Franklin Schryver in 2000. She continues to learn from local Iyengar Yoga teachers and has taken part in workshops taught by senior teachers from all over the world, including conventions led by the Iyengars. She has served on the board of the B.K.S. Iyengar Yoga Association (Vancouver).

Roberta Vommaro

Roberta has been practicing yoga since the age of 13. She started her Iyengar Yoga teacher training in 2008 in Brazil with Katia Dacosta and is continuing her training in Vancouver with Louie Ettling. Roberta participates in courses and workshops with internationally established teachers.
Roberta's teaching style is grounded, energetic, and kind. Sensitive to individual needs and challenges, her teaching combines precise alignment and attention to detail with harmony and grace. She believes that yoga is a path of discipline, balance and transformation.

Luci Yamamoto

Luci became a keen student of yoga in 1997, after taking her first class in Berkeley, California. Currently training for Iyengar certification with Louie Ettling, she has studied with Sandy Blaine, Donald Moyer, and Mary Lou Weprin, and regularly attends workshops with other senior teachers. An articulate, energetic teacher, Luci's classes are rigorous but always geared to the individual. She encourages students to challenge themselves and to appreciate the precision and depth of Iyengar yoga. Originally from Hawaii, Luci is a professional writer, editor, and Lonely Planet author; she blogs about yoga at http://yogaspy.com.

Siobhan Sloane-Seale

Siobhan has been studying yoga for the past twelve years. Her first yoga classes were in Winnipeg where she was introduced to Iyengar yoga. When she moved to Vancouver Siobhan explored many different kinds of yoga but after a long period of injury her desire to be healthy brought her back to studying Iyengar yoga. She is excited to be teaching at The Yoga Space and thankful for the opportunity to share the benefits of yoga with others. Siobhan is currently in the process of preparing herself for her Iyengar yoga teaching certificate and is in the teacher training program with Louie Ettling and Ingelise Nherlan.

Terri Damiani

Yoga came as one of those “aha” moments in Terri's life over ten years ago. Since that time, Terri is now working toward the international Iyengar teacher certification under the guidance of Louie Ettling. Terri provides individual attention with a very hands-on approach; creating a safe, supportive, fun environment With very diverse teaching experience, she weaves precision and humour to enthusiastically assist people to better health.

B.J. Overland

B.J. began practicing yoga in Winnipeg in the late 1990s. He has been a dedicated Iyengar practitioner since moving to Vancouver, attending classes, workshops, and intensive study sessions with local and international teachers such as Gabriella Giubilaro, Chris Saudek, and Louie Ettling. Currently, he is working towards intro level I and II certification in the teacher training program at The Yoga Space. B.J.'s classes are energetic and invigorating, as he works to challenge his students in a safe and supportive environment.

Meghan Goodman

Meghan Goodman is a yoga instructor and professional dance artist who can sometimes be seen dancing on the side of tall buildings. She began practicing yoga in 1998 and has been teaching since 2006. Meghan was granted her Intro 1 Iyengar yoga certificate in February 2012 and is currently completing the Intro 2 level with training teacher Louie Ettling. For upcoming performances and class schedule please visit: http://meghangoodman.wordpress.com.

Gerie Primerano

After taking her first Iyengar yoga class in 1988 with Wende Davis, Gerie knew it would become an integral part of her life. Under Wende's mentorship, Gerie completed her teacher training apprenticeship. With over 13 years of teaching experience, she continues to deepen her practice and understanding of yoga. Gerie studies weekly with Louie Ettling, attends workshops with senior teachers from Canada and abroad, and has studied with the Iyengar family in Pune, India. She has been an active member of the BKS Iyengar Yoga Association (Vancouver) since 2001. Gerie's love of yoga creates a spirited and supportive environment where the student can discover how yoga practice has the potential to enrich our daily lives.

Jason Topal

Iyengar Yoga has grown to become a prominent part of Jason's life since taking a class five years ago. He enjoys the precision, intensity and rigorousness of the practice and is currently completing the teacher-training apprenticeship program with Louie Ettling.

Sharmeen Jacobs

Sharmeen, a keen student of yoga for 12 years, first walked into an Iyengar class 4 years ago: she knew she had come home. The practical, accessible to all, precise, and disciplined approach to yoga resonates deeply with who she is. Her passion for Iyengar yoga, her warmth and caring, is clearly reflected in her teaching. To deepen her practice she regularly attends workshops with visiting international teachers. She is currently working towards her certification under the guidance of Louie Ettling.

= Certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher.
The certification mark is a registered trademark granted to those teachers who have been trained, tested and approved by National Certification Boards. Endorsed by B.K.S. Iyengar, the certification mark denotes the teacher's authenticity and commitment to the Iyengar system of Patanjali's ashtanga yoga.

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