We have a wonderful group of new Curvy Yoga teachers this month! I am excited to share them all with you! To see a full list of our Curvy Yoga Certified teachers, please click here.
Bianca Snyder
Location: Evansville, IN
Tell us a little about your relationship with yoga — both your practice and your teaching. I was introduced to yoga in my early 20s, in northern CA. Yoga replaced running, massages, getting my nails done – it became my time for myself. The combination of my practice in classes I take, teach, my at home practice, and the people I’ve met though the yoga community have transformed me from a girl to a woman and continue to shape me into the person I am today. I’m so appreciative of the gifts of yoga – patience, well being, compassion, gratitude, love (for self & others) – that I have a burning desire to share them with everyone 🙂
What can folks expect when they take a class from you? My classes are like my parties – all inclusive. Everyone is welcome and no one will feel left out. And only the best for my guests 🙂
*Bianca graduated Curvy Yoga Certification in December but we are so excited to be featuring her here today!*
Shelah Davis
Location: Homestead, FL
Tell us a little about your relationship with yoga — both your practice and your teaching. I first started yoga 100 pounds heavier than I am now. I could barely walk to the end of my driveway without getting out of breath. As I began my journey to better health, yoga kept popping into my radar. I was fortunate to stuble upon a great instructor in my very first class and I was hooked. (although, I could barely walk for almost three days after my first class!) 7 years later, I am still addicted to my own yoga practice!
I have used yoga as a means to manage my stress, lose weight and more importantly, fall in love with myself – curves and all!
As I continued to move forward in my own personal journey, I encountered a couple of things about the yoga community in South Florida – it isn’t always supportive/accomodating of larger people, people take it so serious! Yoga is fun and I love to have fun on my mat. As an instructor, my goal is to help my students, no matter what size they are, to find JOY in their practice.
We embrace every human that wishes to practice. (and sometimes even the furry beings as they come to visit while we bend and stretch.)
Why do you want to bring Curvy Yoga to your community? I fell in love with the Curvy philosophy the minute I read about Anna. I have been following her for quite some time and I simply LOVE the joy she brings to yoga – for EVERYONE. That is exactly my hope as an instructor.
I encounter people all of the time who tell me that they are afraid/nervious/intimidated to try yoga for the first time due to all of the media hype surrounding it lately. They aren’t bendy enough. They aren’t strong enough. They don’t own yoga pants. (yes, I have heard that. More than once.)
I see a need for more Curve friendly and body positve teaching, not only in South Florida but world wide. My hope is that I can reach people who normally wouldn’t set foot into a traditional studio. I know that once someone has a great experience on their mat, they will be open to go back again and again. Yoga just has that effect on a person.
What can folks expect when they take a class from you? What can someone expect from me as an instructor? FUN. I bring high energy and love to the places that I teach. I think that those are both reflected in my classes. High energy to me doesn’t mean twisting up into a pretzel. It means finding a place to let your heart soar. So it really isn’t about how deep your pose is for me, it is about how open your heart is to you finding your own unique place. As we move from one pose to the next, I offer several stopping places for students and encourage playing with our boudaries a bit – moving in and out of poses to explore our own limits. I lead a practice but students are free to move in my classes.
I also encourage students to laugh, smile and have a great time during our time together and I work to be sure that each student feels welcomed and comfortable from the moment they walk in the door until the second we turn out the lights.
What has been your favorite part of the certification process? For me, my favorite part of the Curvy certification has been the new ideas presented through the curriculim. Each module has made me really dig deep to evaluate the way I currently lead my classes. I have changed up a lot of the things I used to do in an effort to better myself as an instructor. I have communicated more with my students as well. The more I can understand my students, the better an instructor I become. I really feel that I can embrace the philosphy of being body postive now that I have experienced Ana’s program.
How can people get in touch with you? I can be reached online at www.ShelahDavis.com, on Facebook, Twitter or via email!
Heather Schultz
Location: Orange Park, FL
Tell us a little about your relationship with yoga — both your practice and your teaching. My love affair with yoga began when I unrolled my mat to explore the asanas as a source of therapy for my autistic son. What I discovered was not only how yoga could enrich his life, but how it could bless mine. It became my bliss. It touched every facet of my life – mind, body and soul.
Why do you want to bring Curvy Yoga to your community? I came to recognize that students were utilizing private yoga sessions because they didnt feel safe in the traditional class setting. They didnt feel comfortable in their skin. After a few sessions, the financial burden of private yoga became too much and they would quit. It broke my heart. I knew we had to live our yoga and discover a way to make every yogi feel welcome and supported in their journey. I want to be a studio that offers yoga for everybody and every body.
What can folks expect when they take a class from you? I whole heartily believe that yoga is a practice, not a performance and I share that conviction when I lead class. I want every student who unrolls their mat with me to feel a sense of community, unconditional acceptance and the encouragement to find a practice that is perfect for the body they own.
What has been your favorite part of the certification process? I came into this experience expecting to learn modifications to help students overcome the physical, emotional and mental obstacles that were creating roadblocks in their practice. I didnt expect the course to be a “mirror” that would expose the obstacles that were hindering ME. If I am going to ask students to embrace themselves, their complete self, than I need to be a living example of that. The exploration of self in the safety of this class environment was just what I needed to bring body positive yoga to life.
How can people get in touch with you? I can be reached online at www.bliss-yoga-wellness.com, on Facebook or via email!
Jen Stratakis
Tell us a little about your relationship with yoga — both your practice and your teaching. I’ve been practicing for 13 years, teaching for about 7. I didn’t go into it for the teaching, as I’m very introverted, but somehow, my passion for the transformative power of yoga overcame my self consciousness.
My personal mission is to bring meaningful yoga to as many people as possible, so I teach in gyms, YMCAs, universities, studios, parks…wherever I can, truly!
Why do you want to bring Curvy Yoga to your community? There is such a need for body-positive, life-affirming yoga: Acceptance of and recognition of the beauty of all sizes, shapes, and ages!
What can folks expect when they take a class from you? Variety, a great playlist, and themed/seasonal classes! A little Yin Yoga, a little Restorative, and occasionally a partner pose or two. Mix it up!
What has been your favorite part of the certification process? Sharing ideas with Anna and the other yoginis in my class – getting inspired all over again!
How can people get in touch with you? I can be reached on Facebook or via email!
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