We have a wonderful list of new Curvy Yoga teachers this month! I am excited to share them with you! To see a full list of our Curvy Yoga Certified teachers, please click here.
Jane Carroll
Location: Moulton, AL
Tell us a little about your relationship with yoga — both your practice and your teaching. I began yoga when I was out of touch and out of love with my body. My practice and teaching are all about celebrating the body just the way it is and connecting with the mind and the spirit. I use breath work and intention and often some sultry jazz on the mat.
Why do you want to bring Curvy Yoga to your community? Yoga classes were frustrating until I read Anna’s book Curvy Yoga and learned things like… how to move the belly out of the way and how to get up from down dog. Until then I thought of myself as a roly-poly in a twisty-bendy world. Curvy Yoga taught me that with the right props and modifications… anyone can do yoga. I want to bring that inclusiveness to my area.
What can folks expect when they take a class from you? I’m currently offering private lessons and small classes so they can expect a lot of personal attention. I have a new motto… there’s a prop for that… so we can modify a pose until it works for you, not you working for it. We’ll have fun and we’ll honor the sacredness of the space and the practice.
What has been your favorite part of the certification process?I loved all of it but I since I have to choose… it would be learning to honor my body… exactly the way it is today… without changing a single thing. Anna has truly helped me fall in love with me and my body. Thank you. And the pose modifications are amazing!
How can people get in touch with you? People can find me on my website, Facebook and Twitter!
Kait Vanderlaan
Location: Newton, PA
Tell us a little about your relationship with yoga — both your practice and your teaching. Kait Vanderlaan began practicing yoga in 2013 as a way to enhance her emotional and physical health. She fell in love with the practice and the way yoga strengthens the mind-body connection. Kait became a yoga teacher to help others feel present in their mind and body and decrease any disconnect between the two.
Why do you want to bring Curvy Yoga to your community? Everyone deserves to feel welcome in a yoga class and have the space to explore what feels best in their individual body.
What can folks expect when they take a class from you? Kait is also a licensed psychotherapist and focuses on all aspects of wellbeing in her work with individuals, families, and groups. She teaches from a weight inclusive and body positive perspective. Kait aims to foster a warm environment that allows everyone to feel comfortable in their body no matter what they are experiencing.
What has been your favorite part of the certification process? My favorite part of Curvy Yoga has been learning new ways to practice and exploring different poses.
How can people get in touch with you? People can find me on my website and Facebook!
Kim Smith
Location: Port Coquitlam, BC, Canada
Tell us a little about your relationship with yoga — both your practice and your teaching. After teaching fitness for the past 15 years I was looking for a place where I no longer had to push or punish my body to do more but instead find a place I could learn to practice patience and compassion not only to myself but others too.. Yoga allows me to be my best self. As a teacher I believe All bodies are yoga bodies and that yoga should be accessible and affordable for everyone. Within each of us lies possibility and hope. Through my teaching I hope to guide and nurture my students to explore what yoga means for them.
Why do you want to bring Curvy Yoga to your community? To break the stereotypes of what a yoga body should be and replace it by building a strong community that empowers women to cherish their individual uniqueness.
What can folks expect when they take a class from you? A safe and secure place where classes are individualized to meet the students needs.
What has been your favorite part of the certification process? Anna. Her honesty and openness about her personal journey. It hit home for me and at times I thought she’s reading my mind.
How can people get in touch with you? People can find me via email: Yogatogo@shaw.ca
Julie Macker
Location: Columbia, SC
Tell us a little about your relationship with yoga — both your practice and your teaching. Yoga has been transformational in my life – both practice and teaching. It has allowed me to appreciate my body as it is today, quiet my mind, and truly love myself. These benefits extend far beyond the mat and I’m beyond grateful to be able to share the gift of yoga with others.
Why do you want to bring Curvy Yoga to your community? As a student, I’ve often felt uncomfortable in yoga classes which led to the problem of knowing there was something about yoga that I loved but I always felt disconnected and lacked the desire to continue because the teachers were not able to understand how to adapt poses for my curvier body. By bringing Curvy Yoga to my community, I hope to create supportive, body positive classes for people of ALL shapes and sizes to explore the benefits of yoga in a safe and judgment free environment.
What can folks expect when they take a class from you? Folks can expect body affirming yoga for people of all shapes and sizes where they can get to know and meet the needs of their own bodies, exactly as they are today! My classes will build strength and flexibility while allowing everyone to discover what works for their own body in a supportive and body positive environment.
What has been your favorite part of the certification process? My favorite part of this process has been discovering how large the community of individuals who WANT to try yoga but have been turned off or are scared to start for a wide variety of reasons is. I’m so grateful for the knowledge and confidence I’ve gained and excited for the opportunity to be able to provide classes for EVERY BODY to try yoga in my community!
How can people get in touch with you? People can find me on my website and Facebook!
Holly Biggs
Location: Loveland, CO
Tell us a little about your relationship with yoga — both your practice and your teaching. I’ve definitely been sporadic with my yoga practice over my adult life but coming back to it in middle age has been such a gift. I embrace the sense of community and allowance for people who may seem like they have nothing in common. But, on the mat, we are one and each of us has something to contribute to the world, each other, our bodies, and the poses.
Why do you want to bring Curvy Yoga to your community? I want to welcome all body shapes, sizes, age, abilities into a gentle practice that celebrates individual expression of poses, promotes body positivity & self-care, and is inclusive. Too many people buy into the myth that to do yoga you have to be thin, flexible and young as promoted on social media. So not true!
What can folks expect when they take a class from you? A huge smile, a hug (with permission, of course!), sense of humor and a gentle sequence with lots of options to make the poses comfortable and accessible to every participant. I’d love for students to leave class feeling refreshed, empowered, joyful and valued.
What has been your favorite part of the certification process? Wow, how about all of it? I’ve gathered so many useful nuggets from Anna that will help me be a better ME both on the mat and off. I am so grateful for this opportunity!
How can people get in touch with you? People can find me on Facebook!
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