Elements Yoga Academy

MEET ESTHER
Esther is the founder of Elements Australia and creator of Elements Studio in Brisbane, Elements TV a brand new yoga + wellness app and facilitator of Elements Retreats and Trainings.
She has been practicing yoga for over 18 years and is a + 500 ERYT trained teacher, Certified Life Coach and AntiGravity / Aerial teacher , Movement Coach and Marketing Guru.
Esther followed her heart to share her passion for yoga, movement and people and draws her inspiration from Functional Movements, Gymnastics and Power Yoga - she loves challenging her students strength and stamina and will make sure each student is taken to the edge of their comfort zone. Growth requires planting new seeds and breaking habits and movement routines that come easily to you. Esther’s classes focus heavily on intelligent activation cues to make you feel and activate in each pose. You are always invited to see your practice as a discovery journey as Esther teaches you a multitude of ways to transition, adapt, and shift from one pose to another.
Esther believes humans are meant to move everyday, in many different ways, pushing, pulling, hanging, jumping, swinging, sliding, building strength and increasing your heart beat just as much as letting it drop deep to nourish your nervous system. Her teachings incorporate traditional yoga just as much as functional movement and primal movement elements - a true Modern Yoga approach.
Esther teaches a range of class styles from traditional formats such as Power Yoga, Vinyasa, Hatha and Yin to strength focussed classes such as Core and Sculpt inspired by resistance training and unique Movement classes incorporating Functional Movement, Primal Movement, Gymnastic drills, Monkeybard and Rings.
Esther has trained with and takes her teaching inspiration from
- Duncan Peak, Power Living Australia
- Benjamin Sears, Luxyoga US + France
- Noah Maze, the Maze Method US
- Shane Perkins, Yandara Yoga Mexico
- Patrick Beach, Awakening Yoga Academy
- currently inspired by Movement Guru Jackson Lennan
QUALIFICATIONS
Bachelor of Multimedia + Arts + Communications
+ 10 Years Art Direction in Advertising Agencies around the globe
200H RYT TT with Bryce Tunny in Brisbane
300H RYT TT with Shane Perkins, Yandara Yoga Mexico
100H Advanced Sequencing with Duncan Peak
50H Advanced Anatomy Training with Noah Maze
AntiGravity Teacher Training
100H Restorative + Yin at Yandara with Alison Eaton
100H Life Coaching Certificate with Anna Suil Master Trainer NLP
100H Immersion with Benjamin Sears
2 years / Studio Manger Bend+Fly
Creator of Elements Australia the Wellness Business

Coming from a background in Gymnastics, Danique has always had a deep love of strong, functional body movement. She discovered Yoga in 2009 and her practice helped her to overcome a long term struggle with anxiety, disordered eating and body image issues, as well as allowing her to feel more connected to the world around her. From this grew a great desire to share Yoga with others, so she made the decision to leave a decade long career as a Bookkeeper to pursue this passion and began her career as a Yoga Teacher in 2014.
Since then has continued to study different styles of movement to quench her never ending thirst for knowledge of all things health and fitness.
She is a self proclaimed anatomy nerd who has a strong passion for safe and proper alignment & through her teaching she aims to inspire those around her to reconnect with themselves through movement & breath, while falling in love with their bodies and all of its incredible capabilities.
As well as being a E-RYT500 Vinyasa Yoga Teacher, she now also teaches Mat Pilates, Restorative & Yin Yoga, Meditation, Barre, Lagree, Kids Yoga and Acro with her partner, Rhys.
QUALIFICATIONS
2014 - Being Yoga - 200hr Yoga Teacher Training
2016 - Being Yoga - 300hr Yoga Teacher Training - incl. Restorative Yoga, Yoga Therapy for Back Pain, Creative Vinyasa Sequencing, Advanced Vinyasa Sequencing, Align & Refine, Kids Yoga & Chakra Vinyasa
2018 - Fire, Nectar & Creativity with Martin Collyer - Shri Yoga
2018 - Barre Body - Barre Teacher Training
2018 - Rainbow Kids Yoga - Kids + Families Yoga Teacher Training
2019 - Yin Yoga Teacher Training
2019 - Clinical Yoga Therapy Teacher Training
2019 - Trauma Sensitive Yoga Teacher Training
2020 - Mat Pilates Teacher Training
2020 - Lagree Fitness Method Instructor Training

MEET LEANNE
Leanne started practicing yoga in 2011 in Vancouver BC. Although she didn’t know at the time, she sampled many different styles, specifically hatha, kundalini and vinyasa. Her yoga journey finally began to deepen in 2013 when she became a daily practitioner of Bikram yoga. This is a Hatha style yoga in heated rooms. It was an encouraging style for her at the time, as the repeated sequence helped her feel change in her body. Before yoga, she could hardly touch her toes! Leanne was a classic gym/runner and non-stretcher.
After a regular practice for many months, she wanted to dive into a Yoga Teacher Training. She wasn’t sure if she would be able to teach (stage fright), but really admired her many teachers in Vancouver. Leanne was already in study to become a Traditional Chinese medicine Practitioner - studying acupuncture and herbology, but loved yoga and needed to learn more.

At the beginning of 2015, she began a short teaching intensive to start the journey. She took a Strala Teaching Intensive with Tara Stiles. Strala is a modern yoga style incorporating Vinyasa with Qi Gong theory. So think really flowy, non alignment focused yoga. Instead of thinking about the posture, its focus is primarily to get out of the head and feel into the movements and breath. Very different to Bikram!

After that intensive, Leanne joined a full 200 hour YTT later that year in Karma yoga. After the Strala training, Leanne had stopped Bikram and started practicing Dharma and Vinyasa. She loved Dharma for the heavy inversion practice, and Vinyasa for learning the alignment cues. She wanted to learn more. Her first 200 hour course was a Vinyasa focus with Yin element to give understanding on the opposite theories. Her 200 hour was a one month intensive at Karma Yoga in Vancouver. Her lead teacher in this program was a Vinyasa trained with heavy influence in Ashtanga - which is the blueprint of how Leanne teaches today.

Karma Yoga was a center developed for giving opportunity to all walks of life. The program was intense and focused heavily on philosophy as it is the path to help heal past traumas. After receiving a partial scholarship for the program, Leanne went on to teach Karmic hours for the first year after her training ended (until moving to Australia). She is forever grateful for the Karmic path as it was the only reason she was able to stand up and teach in front of the public eye. Understand it was a service to others made the task less frightening.

Leanne was lucky while in Canada to practice with the many epic teachers in Vancouver such as Meghan Currie, Chris Dugan, Slava Golovough, and Steve Ferezzi. These teachers are still to this day her main influence - not only in the epic skill level they had but in their personality as a teacher, creativity and personal practice. During her time in Vancouver, Leanne completed 4 years of study to become a Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner (herbologist and acupuncturist).

After moving to Australia, Leanne went back to NYC in 2018 to study her 500 hour program with Sri Dharma Mittra. While in Vancouver, she learnt that her favourite style to practice was the Dharma lineage. The classes were always a blend of vinyasa and workshop-style postures where she learnt more interesting transitions and had a lot of fun with these teachers. The class was never stuffy - it was always a group laughing, learning many postures and transitions, listening to hip hop - absolutely no ego. On top of the fun of the class was a more in depth look at philosophy, pranayama and meditation. You always hear the phrase “that’s not yoga”. This phrase does not exist for Dharma yogis. It is a lineage of full compassion, challenging Asana, freedom to be seen and zero judgement. It was the real deal to her. She was so excited and humbled to train under Yogi master himself 80 year old Sri Dharma Mittra. This took her philosophy interest to the next level and her favourite part of the advanced training was the Spiritual discourse lead by Sri Dharma himself.

Within these studies and after, Leanne has studied short courses in Yin, Tantra theory as well as sat her first 10 day silent Vipassana meditation. She is, like all yoga teachers, a forever student, and most recently spent 2020 studying under Paul Grilley for Yin and Carlos Pomeda in yoga history, philosophy and Tantra. She is looking forward to her first Vedic meditation course with Jac Lewis in 2021.

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM LEANNE?

Leanne is looking forward to talking about ancient philosophy, and how we can apply it to our daily lives now. How do we apply this in our teaching? What does science say today? Expect her philosophy teaching to be rooted in a practical manner, with easy to add application into your teaching and your life. We will take a more in depth look at the scriptures, and how to pick apart the intelligence to create empowering sequences.

Expect to learn more advanced Pranayama and meditation techniques, while simplifying it into your own personal practice. Understand the meridian theory when teaching Yin to understand if the sequence makes sense for your theme. And above all - how to find your Dharma. How to find your unique purpose and message as a teacher. We all have unique experiences which make us all valuable teachers. Helping the students find their Dharma and confidence gives Leanne so much joy.

QUALIFICATIONS

2012 Registered holistic nutritionist - Vancouver, Canada
2015 25H Strala Yoga intensive - Seattle, USA
2015 200H Yoga training - Karma Teachers in Vancouver, Canada
2016 Traditional Chinese medicine practitioner (acupuncture + herbology) - ICTCM Vancouver, Canada
2018 500H yoga training - Dharma yoga NYC, USA
2020 50H Tantra training - Creature yoga online
2020 20H functional Yin - Paul Grilley online

Courtney has a love for health and the human body - and through her passion & studies in Chiropractic, she is our anatomy goddess! Courtney leads a number of classes & modules in this training to guide you through a deep understanding of your own body, your future student's bodies, and also general anatomy considerations through several yoga poses.
Courtney also has a specialty for a number of recovery techniques, including manual therapy, roll & release - a segment we touch on within your 200H training, and deep-dive into within our 100H Yin + Restorative advanced TT course!

Linda discovered Yoga at young age trying to copy poses from a book with back then the latest pictures from the early 1980s. Being a movement enthusiast her personal Yoga practice shape shifted over the years and got inspired by her passion for dancing, contemporary circus and Qigong.
Before coming to Australia, Linda lived in Germany, Spain and Austria where she completed her Psychology studies and offered counselling. At the end of 2019 she decided to step up into the teaching role and completed her 800 hour Certificate IV in Yoga teaching with ALG in Brisbane in 2020.

In her Yoga classes she offers a space to connect with the body and to enjoy being alive in the present moment. Body awareness and alignment as well as the integration of Pranayama and Meditation in the physical asana practice are important to her.

Linda offers yoga classes that are founded in the teachings & techniques of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and practises styles such as Qigong, Yin & Yang, Bodywork & Vinyasa. Offering tradition and connection - we love exploring these styles through Linda, with new trainees.

Rocio was born in the Dominican Republic but spent many years in New York and Madrid working in fine arts, jewelry and fashion design. Rocio took a big leap of faith in 2016 and travelled to India to practice and study yoga. This changed her life forever.
Rocio completed a 200 hour Hatha training in India in an Ayurvedic Ashram. 800 hour Certificate IV in Purna Yoga at Byron Yoga Centre. Modular 50 hour trainings in Yin Yoga, Remedial and Restorative Yoga. Currently studying a Diploma in Advanced Yoga Teaching, Business Management and Ayurveda.
Her teaching style is alignment focused with a calm, slow flow vibe and always includes breath awareness and functional movement strategies, finding a time to integrate a complete experience of asana, pranayama and meditation. As a guest lecturer, Rocio shares her unique teaching style of 'rest & yumminess' with you!

I have been a PT for 12 years and in that time I pride myself on the fact that I have never stopped learning and relearning.
I did my degree in Musculoskeletal therapy (MST) over 6.5years part time, in between my PT sessions. It was around the same time that I first came across Ido Portal on YouTube (training on the road) and so started my obsession. Endless hours of rewatching videos to try and learn different movements that I thought looked the coolest. In January of 2015 I did my first workshop with Ido and his team, and then started online coaching with him later that year.
Towards the end of my MST studies I was introduced to the functional medicine world and started following the works of Chris Kresser and Dr Mark Hyman. From here I adopted the 4 pillar framework - Movement, nutrition, sleep and stress management.

It was soon after I finished my degree that I stopped almost all ‘hands on treatments’ with people. Now I educate others on each of the 4 pillars with an emphasis on a movement first approach. My goal for all I come into contact with is for them to build a daily movement practice (whatever that looks like for them) and then from here start to introduce the other pillars.

What do I do? I provoke change by empowering others through education so that THEY can live their best lives.

Julie Smerdon has been sharing yoga, meditation and inspiration for over 2 decades. Privileged to have studied under master teachers in both yoga and meditation, Julie offers these practices as a means to inspire people to cultivate a richer experience of life. With her trademark warmth, humour, and enthusiasm Julie presents in a masterful style that blends strong technique with perceptive insights that get straight to the heart of what yoga is really about.
Having earned certifications in multiple movement disciplines, Julie’s extensive knowledge of biomechanics and therapeutics led to her work with Cricket Australia. Julie has writes regularly for Medium, and has been featured in Australian Yoga Journal, Australian Yoga Life, and Style Magazine.

Rich’s foundational passion, lies in helping people increase their happiness and remove the toxic modern-day epidemic of stress, anxiety and depression from our nervous systems.
After a long & constant search for something ‘more’ or ‘deeper’, Rich ended up at meditation, and remarks there has been nothing that has brought as much joy, creativity, love, laughter and peace to my life as Vedic Meditation.
It gave the power to be able to respond to life with creativity rather than react to life with emotionality. Hence why he knew this was my calling to share this amazing, scientific tool with the modern world.

A tool to navigate this crazy world we live in with all the peaks and valleys and demands. So fast forward to today…

Rich enjoys sharing his love and learnings so far around this technique with you - within the Elements Course. With the help of Vedic meditation, Rich is able to help millions of others live a life with more love, more peace, more creativity and joy, and loads less reactivity to the inevitable stresses of the modern world.

Along his journey towards this discpline, Rich has learnt so much about the world of people (as prickly as it can sometimes be…). As well as all aspects of a business – sales, marketing, communication, managing people, dealing with the worries of small businesses and cash flow headaches. This only deepens his advice & perspectives to give to you, as students!

Candace is a lover of Kirtan Meditation and Yogic Wisdom. Specialising in Vedic Philosophy and the practice of mantra meditation, Candace has been teaching this way of life for the past 20 years both nationally and internationally in Teacher Training Courses and at Educational Events. This spiritual practice has touched her life in the most wonderful ways possible, and from this place she feels inspired to share this gift with others.
Her mission is to unite people through the power of Kirtan Meditation and Yogic Wisdom. It states in the Vedas that for the world to be peaceful, we need to be peaceful within ourselves, and Candace can honestly say that she has experienced this through embracing what she is passing on from Enlightened Teachers.

Aaron teaches Movement in person from his forest studio on the Sunshine Coast and to students all around the world online.
His playful teaching approach incorporates Hand Balancing, Gymnastic Strength & Mobility, Locomotion and Soft Acrobatic concepts as well as internal stillness practices.
He is the creator of the popular online course, Locomotion Flow which teaches students primal movement sequences and combinations inspired by Capoiera, Dance and Acrobatics.
Formerly a busy corporate lawyer and a father of two, he understands the need for movement to be practical, accessible, efficient and fun.

He believes movement should help reduce stress & pain (physical and mental) and deliver the greatest outcome of all....to feel better in your body.

Fiamma was first drawn to yoga when she instinctively found herself on a mat in India in 2015. Fully immersed in the practice, she found the combination of mindful movement and conscious breathing, allowing to delve deeper into her own truth.
Today, Fiamma teaches from a place of vulnerability to create an open, loving and healing space for students to practice. As yoga continues to have a profound impact on her life, her passion for sharing this knowledge and experience with people insatiably grows. Fiammas classes are a combination of heated Vinyasa flow and soft, restorative asanas to create a balanced and well-rounded practice.

"My hope is that you always leave one of my classes feeling like you have learnt something about yourself, created space for growth or simply accepted what you see and feel. Yoga is an ongoing exploration of your inner world, through it you begin to see that the source of your own peace and happiness lies within."

Fiamma is the current manager of Elements Studio, with an abundance of business knowledge within the yoga industry, and an ever-growing community within the industry too. As our admin angel, Fiamma also holds space for many of our trainees and studio members. You'll be sure to meet her!

My passion for teaching yoga is aligned with my desire to help others who may feel yoga is out of their realm of possibility. Props in yoga practice are a focus in my teaching style along with the belief system that any pose can be adjusted to suit anybody. My aim is to build a happy, confident atmosphere where all students regardless of experience, shape or size can thrive.
Building awareness of what fuller figures humans go through in not only a yoga class but in daily life, to give the student trainees the tools and knowledge to offer variations and an understanding of what it's like to be in that person's shoes. Sharing this with the next generation of yoga teachers is an honour.