our instructors

Alexandra

Alex, Teaching internationally since 2004, Alexandra is a 500hr + registered teacher with Yoga Alliance, an experienced prenatal teacher and a qualified Doula (birthing assistant). Before moving to the region, she was both a resident vinyasa flow and pregnancy yoga teacher at London’s leading studio Triyoga. With a friendly, fun approach, she aims to guide students through a practice that emphasises mindfulness in action and the importance of balancing effort and grace in every moment.

Amanda

Amanda is a Yoga and Pilates teacher who completed the 950 hour Pilates teacher training through the Pilates Centre in Boulder and RYT 200hr Vinyasa Teacher Training with Erica Blitz. With 6 years teaching experience, she aims to bring joy and health to her students in a fun and explorative environment. She discovered acrobatic yoga 2 years ago and was instantly addicted to the practice. She continues her education with Acrobatics, Pilates and Yoga and attends workshops, immersions and trainings regularly.

Amelia

Amelia is an experienced yogi with a love of Vinyasa flow & the journey of evolving yoga focusing on calm, power & precision. She qualified in London & embraces the teachings of Vinyasa flow, Hatha & recently qualifying to teach prenatal yoga. Amelia’s lessons follow a wonderful combination of flowing asanas, breathing techniques, beautiful music & gentle instruction, allowing the body to move freely & the heart to be open to new experiences.

Andrea

Andrea knew at the first yoga class she attended in a small studio in Hungary that she needs to take up practicing yoga regularly. The calmness and peacefulness yoga practice has given her, led her to complete the Sivananda yoga teacher's training in Vietnam in 2010. Leaving the corporate world behind, she started to teach then. Andrea has also qualified in prenatal yoga in 2011. She likes to emphasize the importance of proper breathing and loves how good yoga can make people feel. She is also a certified holistic health coach working in pre and postnatal nutrition, weight management and women's health.

Bahar

Bahar discovered Pilates 6 years ago in her home country Turkey. Her passion especially for Reformer has grown throughout her regular and dedicated personal trainings. Short after she moved to Dubai, her enthusiasm for practicing Pilates led her to Zen Yoga. Bahar has completed Balanced Body University Pilates Instructor Training Programs at Zen Yoga both for Mat and Reformer. Since then she has been an instructor at Zen Yoga teaching Reformer and Mat classes.

Cheryl

Cheryl first found yoga at 16 & quickly developed a passion for the practice. She has trained with Yoga Arts & is a 500hr+ registered teacher with the international Yoga Alliance. Cheryl also took her pre-natal yoga in 2009 & Kid’s Yoga training in 2010. Cheryl has been with Zen since March 2008 & teaches Hatha Flow, Vinyasa Flow & Ashtanga. She loves to add an element of fun to her classes, encouraging students to laugh & enjoy their yoga practice.

Christine

Christine has had a passion for yoga since she was a science education student. Interested in yoga for healing, she is certified in Hatha & Prenatal yoga from Paul Jerald RYT-500 Yoga Alliance & Vinyasa yoga from Sadie Nardini. Also certified in Mat Pilates from Expert Pilates & Meditation from Anmol Metah, a Kundalini master, she believes that by combining yoga with Pilates & meditation, greater balance, flexibility, & inner peace can be achieved.

Debbie

After an initial introduction to Pilates Debbie then had a long break away!Recovering from a bad shoulder she rediscovered Pilates as a tool to re-educate and strengthen herself again. In her own quest to maintain an optimally functioning body she has done a basic mat course with Conscious Movement from South Africa as well as mat 1 and 2 training with Laura Weston and Balanced Body. She loves the ability of Pilates to modify and progress its exercises to help a person achieve 'their' given potential at any one point in time.

Diana

Diana comes from the Land of Spirituality,India. Deeply inspired by her mother also a Yoga teacher & her primal Guru;Diana progressed to become a qualified Yoga Instructor, RYT-200,Yoga Alliance.& is also endowed with Yoga Siromani to teach by Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center, India. Working in the corporate world full time, made it essential for her to gravitate further towards the balancing benefits of Yoga. Om Om

Elaine

Elaine discovered yoga as a university student in Canada & has been practicing for the past 25 years. Moving to Dubai with two children, she qualified as a fitness instructor & personal trainer. A trip to Yoga Thailand; made her decide to take the Yoga Alliance 200 hour instructor's course in Vinyasa Flow. She now balances teaching group fitness with working full time for Microsoft. She is passionate about helping people find a positive work life balance.

Elle

Elle started teaching 8 years ago. She trained intensely in Iengar, then Asthanga yoga. She attended many teachers’s workshops in Hong Kong and Bangkok such as Jivamukti, Vinyasa flow, Moksha, Max Strom, Nicky Knoff, Yin yoga, and Anusara. She was certified in Qatar by the Yoga Alliance as RYT200 teacher. She is also a Rescue Diver and is First Aid certified. With motherhood, her style of yoga broadened to Prenatal yoga, “Mommy and Me”, and Restorative yoga. She thoroughly enjoys teaching and accompanying each student on their personal journey.

EMILY

''Emily is 200+ yoga alliance certified & working towards her 500 hour certification with the iconic Shiva Rea. Believing there are many ways to practice yoga beyond the norm she brings a creative edge to her classes which are an eclectic mix of more traditional styles blended with dynamic pratices inspired by her teachers Peter Clifford and Shiva Rea. An energy healer and massage therapist she often introduces these elements in to class. With her love of nature and paddle boarding she started practicing SUP Yoga so when not in the studio you may find her teaching yoga at out sea!'

Emilie

Having contracted a major case of wanderlust, Emilie has lived in Asia, Europe, South Africa and the US, working as freelance health and wellness journalist. Emilie spent several years rehabilitating her back through Pilates. She obtained her Pilates Mat and Apparatus Certification in 2007 and began teaching classes in Thailand and South Africa. Emilie firmly believes that with dedication and passion Pilates can help relieve pain, get back into shape and bring balance to the body.Emilie is also the Lifestyle Editor for Women's Health & Fitness and mom to two-year old Max.

Eva

Eva teaches her classes in a dynamic and flowing style, focusing on precision and correct alignment. Eva trained as an asthanga/vinyasa yoga teacher with Paul Dallaghan and Neil Baker in Yoga Thailand and as a pre and postnatal yoga teacher with Jane Mackarness from Classical Yoga UK. Her teaching style has been influenced by the Iyengar method and by other teachers with whom she has studied over the years, such as Azita Dadfar, Alpana Cimbadi, Swati and Rajiv Chanchani, Christian Pisano and June Whittaker, Edward Clark, Dylan Bernstein, and Lenka Nezvalova.

Fran

Fran is Canadian and has practiced Yoga for 20+ years all over the world: UK,Libya,Malaysia,India,Australia and now Dubai. She holds a BSc from U of T in Physiology and Human Biology. She is Registered Yoga Alliance 500 teacher having completed two year training course in Perth WA. Fran teaches in the ISHTA Style: pranayama and meditation are seamlessly integrated into vinyasa practice with the aim of joyfully nurturing body, mind and spirit.

Ilham

Ilham Sebti has been hooked on Pilates since she started in 2005.Pilates has helped her tone her body after three pregnancies & has dramatically improved her posture.She completed her instructor training with her mentor & greatest Pilates Master in the US Mrs. Ellie Herman on all Pilates equipment & Reformer & mat training through Balanced Body University.She particularly enjoys post-natal work outs with her clients helping them get their bodies in shape.

Inka

Inka grew up with a strong awareness of movement & posture thanks to her mother's German gymnastik classes. As an adult, she practised various forms of yoga in her many moves across the globe. Yoga has helped her find balance & vitality in her stressful work as a graphic designer. Hoping to impart that same sense of awareness to others, Inka completed her teacher's training in India, focusing on classical Hatha yoga & it's therapeutic benefits.

Jade

Originally trained as a circus artist Jade is 300 hours certified by Yoga Alliance. After graduating from the School of Sacred Arts in 2010 she has built upon her experiences, learning & teaching AcroYoga, Vinyasa Flow & Yin in Indonesia, Philippines and teaching Acrobatics & Yoga extensively throughout Europe. In Jan 2012 Jade studied with Paul Grilley, specialising in Anatomy and Yin which has greatly influenced her style of teaching. She combines her extensive knowledge of the body from her experience as a physical performer with her training in Thai massage and Shiatsu to give students a holistic viewpoint of the body as both a structural and energetic space for exploration. Jade’s classes are body-honouring and mindful with an emphasis on empowering people to find what their individual expression of Yoga is.

Jatta

Jatta has been practicing yoga since 2001 and Ashtanga Vinyasa for 4 years. Her training has taken her to master teachers as R. Sharat, Lino Miele and Yogi Kamal Singh. She is a qualified 200hr Yoga Alliance Ashtanga vinyasa teacher from Yogi Kamal's Tattvaa Yoga Shala in Rishikesh. She will continue to the 300hr completion at the end of 2012. In addition Jatta is learning Sanskrit and Vedanta. Jatta's teaching is inspiring, energetic and her passion for Ashtanga is passed on to her students. She is grateful in sharing her knowledge of Ashtanga Vinyasa facilitating the transformation of the body, mind and soul.

Jill

With a background in Naturopathy and Remedial and Sports Massage Therapy, Jill discovered Pilates after a back injury and found it to be a natural compliment to her other qualifications. STOTT Pilates trained in Mat, Reformer, Cadillac Chair and Barrels and Injury and Special Population disciplines with over nine years experience in Dubai. Jill is also Master Level 1 PIDDDS consultant, which incorporates a self help Spinal Balancing technique, diet and lifestyle changes for complete Wellbeing.

Jo

Jo Arganaraz travelled around the globe in her 20?s and 30?s as an English teacher. Now travelling the inner path, Jo teaches ashtanga, vinyasa flow, yin, restorative, kids and prenatal yoga. Jo believes that more important than the asana (posture) style itself is the ethical foundation and a practice of compassion, non-attachment and devotion. She loves to add a philosophy element to her classes and writes on yoga themes for international websites and magazines.

Joanna

Joanna has an Architectural background with which she pursued carrier in Nuclear Industry for about 10 years. Her move to Dubai seven years ago helped her discover Pilates, which she fell in love with straight away. She adapted her Pilates experience into every day activities. Seeing how it transformed her posture's balance, mobility, stability & strength, inspired her to pursue Pilates further. Joanna completed Pilates Mat & Reformer Instructor Training through Balanced Body University.

Kirsty

Kirsty first discovered Pilates after suffering several years of chronic lower back pain and the practice has enhanced her entire health and well being; the only therapy that could keep her pain free. She is trained in mat, Reformer, Cadillac & Pole, Chair & barrels and completed the comprehensive 12 month, 950 hour teacher training programme through The Pilates Centre, Boulder, Colorado. She has also completed training in Dorn body alignment and is a PIDDDS level 1 practitioner. Her extensive personal experience with back pain means she brings a unique sensitivity, combined with precision to her work, creating a safe and encouraging, yet challenging environment for clients of all ages, ability and fitness levels. Her love of teaching and her attention to detail coupled with study of Psychology and over 10 years Corporate experience allow her to adapt her approach for each client, offering skills that translate to their everyday lives.

Laura Weston

Laura has been in Dubai & with ZenYoga since August, 2007. She is a certified yoga teacher as an E-RYT 200 through Yoga Alliance as well as a Balanced Body University pilates faculty trainer. Her passion for movement is naturally given & expressed with a creative feeling of mind, body & spirit awareness. She teaches Vinyasa Flow, Yogilates, Prenatal, Pilates Mat & Reformer.

Laura F.

Laura’s first class was actually when her mother was pregnant with her, so really, before birth the seed was sown! Having practiced yoga for the last 10 years, she is constantly amazed at how each asana class brings about a new discovery within ourselves. Seeking a deeper awareness of ‘Yoga’ she has travelled & lived all over India, teaching yoga at an ashram for 8 months as staff, as well as in Goa, & Kolkata.

Lina

Lina Mansson Al Nusif has been practicing yoga since 2002. She did her teacher training with Yoga Arts and is a 200hr certifed Yoga Alliance teacher. She has previously worked for about 10 years as a Physical Therapist in Colorado, USA and in Sweden. Since moving to Dubai she has had the opportunity to deepen her own yoga practice and also her teaching. Yoga has help her understand the connection between body, mind and soul and she is very glad to be able to give back the teachings that have been given to her.

Leona

From an early age Leona practised various types of dance. Pilates mat was a natural progression & a way of maintaining & increasing her core strength, posture & flexibility. Leona believes Pilates is excellent for all ages & fitness levels, compliments other forms of exercise, strengthens the core & body, improves balance, increase co-ordination all of which benefits us in our everyday life. She teaches Pilates mat & Reformer.

Liz

From Colorado, Liz is an energetic Vinyasa Yoga Instructor (500CYT) who takes her classes beyond the image of what Yoga is ‘supposed’ to be, and encourages her students to define Yoga in their own way. Yoga has taken Liz all over the world, landing currently in Dubai. Liz’s teaching is dynamic bringing techniques from all Yoga styles into each class, empowering her students to take Yoga beyond the mat and discover their true potential.

Lucy

Lucy set a goal in early 2010, to become a qualified yoga teacher within 2 years. Zen Yoga became Lucy’s second home as she religiously practiced with two of Zen yoga’s much loved & inspiring teachers, Laura Weston and Cheryl Parsons. Lucy’s goal was attained in July 2012 were she trained in Bali, and completed her RYT 200hr through Yoga Alliance. Her Journey has now gone full circle! She teaches Vinyasa Flow & Studio 54!

Marcellene

Being born in the Land of Yoga, India; cultivated a natural on-going passion for Yoga for the past 30 years. Whilst her contribution to the corporate world was a full 20 years; she soon nurtured her enthusiasm by the 200 hours teaching training at the Oldest Institute in the World: The Yoga Institute, Mumbai, thereafter teaching for 10 years. She believes in the Power of Stillness which permits one to sit into the pure presence of awareness prompting her to complete her YIN Yoga training.

Marisa

Exercise has been a daily part of Marisa’s life for the past 30 years. After 13 years of yoga & fitness practice in New York, she discovered Pilates in 2005 in Paris & developed an unprecedented passion for it . On arrival in Dubai she perfected her technique under the instruction of Jill Trevethan & Sarah Nobles at Zen Yoga. Which led Marisa to take her qualification through Balanced Body University & her instructor-trainer, Laura Weston. Since April 2010 Marisa teaches Pilates Mat, private & group classes.

Max

Healthy mind creates healthy body & Healthy body creates healthy mind. Realizing the core importance’s of thoery & practical, which inspired me to graduate in Fitness & Nutrition from Penn Foster Career School,Scranton PA & Diploma in Yoga Education(DYED),Satguru Yogasramam,Palakkad Kerala. To widen my knowledge,travelled across India & South east Asia for Seminars & Workshops. Finally chose the path of Power Yoga.

Melanie

Yoga became an integral part of melanie's life as soon as she started to attend yoga classes. Over the years Melanie has enjoyed different yoga practices from Hatha to Ashtanga & Kundalini. Melanie practiced yoga through both her pregnancies. After taking weekly baby yoga classes for a year, she trained to become a Baby Yoga Instructor both with the Sitaram Partnership in London & Birthlight, & was awarded her teaching diploma in 2006.

Melissa

Melissa's awareness to create a deeper relationship between the mind, body and spirit lead her onto a yogic path and allowed the cultivation of peace in her life.After her initial training in 2009 she was blessed to find a yogi 'home' at Brahmani with senior teacher Julie Martin. There, Melissa found the freedom and contentment of practice, completing both her 400hr Vinyasa and 500hr Ashtanga trainings, as well as being given the opportunity to assist Julie on workshops and teacher trainings around the world.She continues to gather extensive knowledge from a variety of senior teachers and yogic disciplines. Melissa's journey continues to grow and inspire both her as a teacher and her students.".

Michelle

Michelle discovered yoga in 2003 while attending classes with Vinod Pillai, at Bayoga in Manama, Bahrain. As her practiced progressed she sought to deepen her mental & spiritual underst&ing of yoga which culminated in a journey through Southern India where she studied vinyasa flow with Dr. Senthil Kumar, at Ayurveda Retreat, Conoor, India (Yoga Alliance, RYT 200, August 2008). She continues to develop her knowledge through daily practice & is pursuing her RYT 500 through Radiantly Alive Bali with Daniel Aaron.

Neha

Born and raised in India, Yoga, for Neha is simply a way of life. After completing her formal training under the guidance of Guru Dharmajyoti from well renowned Yoga University in Nashik, India, she has been a teacher with ZenYoga since 2007. Her classes are rooted in the Hatha tradition, along with creative flows which focus on strengthening the body with the Asanas, breath with Pranayama and mind through Meditation. Neha recently completed Yoga Therapy Teacher Training and is qualified to teach Prenatal/Postnatal Yoga.

Paul Jones

Paul began his yoga journey with Bikram yoga. Anxious to learn more, he began taking Iyengar yoga classes, which helped him develop a greater underst&ing of each posture. He was introduced to Ashtanga yoga & enjoyed the dynamic flow of the series. As a teacher by profession, Paul decided to build on his skills & completed his Yoga teacher training in Bali in July 2008. Paul teaches with a personable approach, focusing on detail & alignment.

Penny

Penny has been practicing yoga for 15 years. She is Yoga Arts 200hrs trained and has taken teacher training intensives with Max Strom and in Yin Yoga. She is also a certified children’s yoga teacher (Yoga Bananas UK). Yoga has no age limit, it can be practiced by anyone of any age. The practice of yoga is a wonderful opportunity to allow ourselves ‘time out’ from our busy lifes.”.

Roula

Roula has been a sports enthusiast for over 15 years. While she has practiced numerous disciplines over this time, she discovered her enthusiasm for Pilates when she moved to Dubai in 2008. Currently, Roula teaches Pilates Reformer at Zen Yoga & recently finished the Balanced Body Pilates Mat course, which she will soon add to her teaching repertoire.

Salmah

It was through Salmah’s instructor Kathy's patience & encouragement that she developed a passion for Pilates. She completed her Pilates Certification through Body Arts Science International (BASI) under one of the best instructors Ed Botha. It is Salmah's mission to touch everyone's life with pilates & bring positive change to their body & mind. Salmah teaches Pilates mat, prenatal & postnatal Pilates.

Salma G.

Salma has been a sports enthusiast for most of her life, having participated in many disciplines. Being passionate about living a healthy and fulfilling life, she pursued a degree in Nutrition in the United States. She's been practicing yoga since 2003 and completed her RYT 200 in 2011. As a runner and a cyclist, yoga has helped Salma immensely with her training both mentally and physically. Salma have a special interest in yoga for athletes, especially in proper alignment and injury prevention.

Sam

Sam is a Yoga Alliance qualified teacher and has been teaching groups and private clients since 2009. Her yoga journey began whilst working in London in 2004 and instantly she was hooked. Sam gained her teaching qualification with Yogalife in India and continues to develop her knowledge through daily practise. She believes everyone can benefit from yoga and what you learn from your practise really does enhance the rest of your life. She likes her practise and her classes to be fun and joyful.

Sandy

Sandy Joy Rubin has been a move-aholic her whole life and loves to share the joy and health that come with movement with herstudents. She has been practice pilates for 5 years and became a teacher 3 years ago (completing her 950 hrs teaching training through the Pilates Center in Boulder). During her pilates journey Sandy discovered her love for yoga and it's spiritual elements and dived deep into her own yoga self practice and meditation. After meeting her teachers in Greece she began her Yoga Teacher Training and Acro Yoga teacher training. She believes that movement can bring us back to health and happiness and her mission is to share this passion with those around her and to inspire others to find self love and happiness. Sandy is also a qualified Thai Yoga Massage therapist anduses this as another tool to help people find balance and joy.

Sarah

Sarah studied with STOTT Pilates & gained a Pilates qualification that aided in her therapy work. She developed her Pilates skills to include the Reformer & a number of Pilates based equipment disciplines. She is currently a full time Pilates Instructor & Studio Manager at Zen Yoga. Sarah believes that what sets Pilates apart from other forms of exercise is that it can be performed by anyone, regardless of their fitness level, age or experience.

Suzanne

Suzanne’s love for yoga was born with her first yoga class in 2003 that she took to balance out the physical demands of her marathon training. Amazed by yoga’s ability not only to strengthen, balance & vitalise the body but also the mind, she deepened her awareness by studying yoga in India - the birthplace of yoga - & then qualified under the 300+ hours Vibrant Living Yoga teacher training at Radiantly Alive in Bali.

Tracy

I have been in the fitness industry for 12 yrs. I qualified as personal trainer & masseuse in the U.K. I came to Dubai in 2002 as a personal trainer & fitness instructor. I have always had a passion for Pilates. I trained with Stott Pilates in late 2009. I teach Mat & Reformer level 1&2 & also advance Mat. I have attended workshops for Body sculpting, Pilates for Men & stability ball. My coming workshops that in will be attending are: programming for scoliosis management & mini stability ball.