My Teaching Style
Students who have yet to join the studio often ask if I ‘do’ the practice when I teach. I do not.
I may demonstrate a particular posture. But most of the time, I am guiding, observing and (verbally) adjusting.
My teaching focuses on helping students find true alignment through tiny shifts and subtle awareness of the body. These small adjustments help to create more strength, flexibility & openness in a posture. Did you know that your hamstring flexibility (or inflexibility) is most likely due to ‘how’ you forward bend rather than the length of your muscles? Similarly for your shoulders: how you raise your arms overhead changes your entire practice (and the openness/tightness of your shoulders & neck!)
All classes are personalised for each student and each group. This is why I choose to teach private and small group classes only.
Different themes are woven through each class, and each class term, to inspire the discovery of inner wisdom and stillness on & off the mat. Each class has slight variation & emphasis, depending on the theme.
My Qualifications
I have been teaching from my own studio since 2013 and practicing since 1999. Always a student, my training continuously expands and deepens.
To date, I have completed more than 1000+ hours of yoga teacher training and taken countless in-depth workshops:
3-year Level 4 500-hour British Wheel of Yoga Teaching Diploma
Ashtanga Yoga Intensive Program with Kia Naddermier
200 hour Yoga Alliance Ashtanga Intensive with Tim Feldmann & Kino MacGregor
40-hour Ashtanga teacher training with David Swenson.
Workshops by: R Sharath Jois, John Scott, Scott Johnson, Phillipa Asher, Joey Miles (to name just a few)
I am also a fully qualified Somatic Movement Therapist & Coach. This work oozes into each class I teach to support and deepen the experience.
I am grateful for all of these teachers who help me on my journey. However, no amount of learning can take the place of practice.
It is my daily ashtanga self-practice that is my biggest teacher. This informs my teaching and is my tool for growing through life.
“Denise is an amazing teacher, I have learned more in a year with her than in decades of on and off lessons with a lot of other people. ”