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Michael Glenn

Michael Glenn found his way to yoga in 1997 seeking relief from running injuries. Though the effect was profound, the light didn’t switch on all at once. For years, Michael practiced yoga to heal injuries and counter imbalances that had built up from training for race, and it was only when he realized that he was spending more time in pain than feeling healthy that he committed fully to a yoga practice. Years later, after he had begun teaching yoga, he understood this to be an enduring lessons of yoga: we each see the light in our own time. We can’t force the moment; we can only be receptive. Michael’s experience in sports frames his beliefs as a yoga teacher. Yoga may begin as simple stretching exercises, or even an athletic endeavor in itself, but in time it will lead you toward healing and making smarter decisions about your body. Yoga is a light showing the way back into the body, and as our bodies grow whole, we begin to intuit the wholeness of life. Michael loves teaching yoga to athletes and non-athletes, beginners and serious practitioners alike. His teachers are Maty Ezraty and Chuck Miller. His growing list of interests includes acroyoga and. His practices of pranayama and mediation have been deeply touched by Emil Wendel. He has studied yin yoga with Paul Grilley. When not teaching yoga, Michael writes. And occasionally runs.

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Chae Hirano

Chae’s journey with Pilates began in 1996 when she moved to New York City.  Seeking an exercise regime that would build core strength and resolve postural issues she had long had, she landed at the Pilates Method Studio, the ORIGINAL Pilates studio, where she learned from Philippe Taupin. After  relocating to Sydney, she deepened her practice and study of Pilates, learning from some of the best teachers in the world, including Cynthia Lochard (Director at the Pilates Method Studio of Sydney), Alycea Ungaro (Director of REAL PILATES), and Sari Pace (daughter of Romana Kryzanowska, the protege of Joseph Pilates). Chae became certified in the universally recognized Authentic Pilates Method  in Sydney and began teaching Pilates in 1999. Her popularity as a teacher soon led to her open her own studio in 2002. A long-time yoga practitioner, Chae went on to develop a class that combined the practice of yoga asanas and Pilates. She called it Yogalates, and it soon became her most popular class. She says: “Yoga has been a part of my life since the early 90’s, so naturally I started putting in some bits of yoga into the Pilates mats I taught. I came to realize that joining the two are perfect for any one’s body and well-being!  I think my classes are popular because I teach from the heart, and with a dynamicism that never gets boring or dull. My philosophy is that strength begins from the ground up, and stretching is not only a necessity physically, but also mentally and emotionally. And all of this needs to be nurtured in a non-competitive and peaceful environment.”

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Maneesh Kalra

Surrounded by melodic kirtans, devotional mantras, and the philosophy of yoga and the Bhagavad Gita since early childhood, Maneesh found his passion in world of yoga rekindled as a young adult. Under the tutelage of various prominent teachers in Asia, Maneesh developed a passion and devotion for Ashtanga and the healing powers of yogasana (poses) and pranayama (breathing).  This passion grew so intense that by 2006, it compelled him to leave the frenzied rat race of the corporate world behind and instead pursue full-time yoga studies in Mysore, India. While in India, Maneesh was blessed to study Ashtanga under the auspices of the reverent Sri. K. Pattabhi Jois, his steadfast daughter Saraswati, and her inspirational son Sharath Rangaswamy.  He also deepened his understanding of yoga therapy and healing by studying some of the teachings from the Sivananda and Iyengar schools. Maneesh has, however, been most profoundly influenced by the world-renowned masters Chuck Miller and Maty Ezraty.  They have inspired and guided Maneesh to further deepen his interest in the therapeutic aspects of yoga, the power of the breath (prana), and the ultimate, spiritual goals of yoga. Through these various and variegated yoga adventures, Maneesh has not only gained a deeper appreciation and understanding of yoga, but he has also managed to undo much of the damage wreaked upon his body by decades of sports (and, admittedly, negligence).  He hopes to be able to share some of these insights as well as his passion for unlocking the power of the breath and of prana with all who are interested in learning.

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Marjorie Meyssignac

Since childhood Marjorie practiced many different sports, beginning from age 4 with ballet dancing and continuing with the martial arts of judo and capoeira. Growing up by the sea in Nice, France, she was blessed with the opportunity to swim sail, dive throughout her childhood. These experiences not only gave her a special awareness of her physical body, but also provided her with a powerful bond to Mother Nature. Eleven years ago, when pregnant with her first child, she started practicing yoga. Still very much in tune with her body, she thought yoga would be a gentle physical exercise to do while pregnant. What she discovered was that yoga was far more than simple physical exercice. Deeply moved by her first experiences with Iyengar yoga, she soon made it a major dimension of her life. She twice visited Pune, India to study with Geeta and Preshant Iyengar. After several years of devotion to the Iyengar method, she branched out and has in recent year started to explore other forms of yoga. She has been deeply inspired by the teachings of Simon Borg-Olivier and Emil Wendel who have opened new doors for her. Sharing the art and discipline of yoga provides Marjorie with a complete sense of happiness and fulfillment. Above all else, she teaches how yoga can help you find your true self and accept yourself with love and gratitude. Yoga, she says, is a wonderful ally for our journey on earth.

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Kaori Takahashi

Kaori practices what she teaches: restorative yoga. She believes that the journey to peace and happiness is a lifelong path best explored in a state of repose. Knowing the power of restorative yoga to refresh and expand both body and mind, she hopes to share her enthusiasm for taking the time to do nothing but relax in the present moment. Her interest in restorative yoga developed under Judith Lasater, with whom she has completed a teacher-training program and is certified. She  graduated from Be Yoga’s 200-Hour Teacher Training in 2005. Through workshops in Anusara therapeutics and Thai massage, she has continued to expand her knowledge of the body and perspective on how to bring it into a healthier state. Kaori grew up in London and Tokyo and, being  bilingual, teaches her classes in both English and Japanese.

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Kumiko Koba

Kumiko’s journey in yoga started when she could no longer bare the physical tension and emotional stress that had accumulated from training in dance, a car accident and years of working a high stress corporate lifestyle. Yoga helped relieve her from the pain and stress and also helped reconnect with a natural state of balance that she had almost forgotten about. She continues her studies in yoga to be able to share the true purpose of yoga, “union” with all her students.
・ Yoga Alliance accredited Yoga Teacher (RYT200)
・ Yoga Vidya Gurukul accredited Yoga Therapist
・ Completed a Yin Yoga TT under Victor Chang

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Kazuya Yanagimoto

Kazuya began surfing, playing soccer, and learning Shorinji Kempo at the age of 4. In 1994, as a teenager, he realized that surfing should be his lifework. He first experienced yoga while a surfing in Bali. Soon his practice was healing sports injuries and other physical ailments and his eyes opened to the power of yoga. He took his practice deeper by studying Ashtanga with Ken Harakuma and later completed a teacher-training program at IYC. Kazuya now teaches Ashtanga, as well as hatha yoga, while continuing to study with Ken and pursue his passion to surf. Kazuya is the official ambassador of the yoga brand Suria.

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Asami Yashima

While in her early 20’s, Asami had a busy and often stressful life working as a model for magazine and TV commercials. The hours of work were long and the days physically and mentally demanding. To restore her body and replenish her energy, she turned to yoga. Over the years, she steadily developed a practice that restored balance to her life. In 2006 she completed a Yoga Alliance-certified 500-hour program. Among her most important teachers are Chuck Miller and Maty Ezraty.

Nowadays Asami teaches yoga full time in Tokyo, focusing on vinyasa flow classes. In her experience, the beauty of yoga arises from the heart. As a teacher, she hopes to share the sense of wonder, happiness and good health she has discovered through the practice of yoga.

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Mikiko Yatabe

Every day yoga teaches Mikiko the importance of having a healthy body and mind for living one’s life fully. After starting her yoga practice nearly nine years ago, her passion for understanding the inner workings of the human body and mind and the energy we give, take and share with one another has led her to study many yogic arts and disciplines. Her practice has evolved to encompass asana, pranayama, meditation, Thai Yoga Bodywork, yin yoga, Abhyanga (ayurvedic oil treatment), Qi-gong and Vipassana meditation. Among the teachers who have deeply inspired her are Louisa Sear and Lucy Roberts from Yoga Arts, with whom Mikiko completed Level 1 Teacher Training. Under Sarah Powers and Bernie Clerk, she has become certified as a yin yoga teacher. For the gift of knowledge and insight pranayama, meditation and yogic philosophy, Mikiko is grateful beyond words to Emil Wendel. She feels gratitude to Patrick Oancia for introducing her to yoga.

In addition to teaching yin and hatha yoga, Mikiko now works as interpreter and translator at yoga workshops and teacher-training courses. Her love for sharing yoga with others grows in the hope that it will bring us to a place where we know peace.

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