The Teachers
Catherine Kelleher
Catherine formed yogafever as a result of her passion for yoga and a true belief that Yoga can help people in all walks of life. She has a particular passion for introducing sports-people to the benefits of yoga and has worked with athletes in many different fields including the Welsh Rugby Union 2011 World Cup squad and the Welsh Judo Academy.
Catherine first began practising yoga with Yogacharini Kalavathi Devi in Pontypridd in 1997. Following which, Catherine went on to study the 12 month 'Yoga: Step by Step' Course in the Gitananda school of Rishi-Culture Astanga Yoga – also with Kalavathi Devi. The course culminated in a month-long stay at the Ananda Ashram in Pondicherry, India. During this stay – the student experienced complete absorption into Ashram life under the direction of Dr Ananda Bhavanani. This exposure to the yogic way of life was ultimately to steer Catherine towards teaching in the hope that she may encourage others to seek out yoga and the benefits it can offer to all.
Catherine has since undertaken courses in many styles of yoga and studied under teachers such as Matthew Sweeney, Shiva Rea and Dr Ruth Gilmore. Catherine completed the 'Hot Yoga Teacher Training Program' through the YogaHaven training school based in the UK. This involved an exceptional standard of teaching from Allie Hill (Director/Owner of Yogahaven) and Toni Roberts (Senior Yoga Teacher).
Catherine previously had an extensive career in corporate environments including LloydsTSB, CCT and 118118, rising to Senior Management positions.
Catherine teaches a non-dogmatic style of yoga drawing on many different yoga traditions. Catherine is a Yoga Alliance UK Registered Teacher.
Ellie La-Trobe-Bateman
Ellie grew up in nature; long countryside walks and summers on a small unpolluted island in the Channel Islands. It seemed inevitable that Ellie would go on to study Biological Sciences and Environmental Change, which in turn, fed her desire to help the earth and change the world for the better!
For the last decade (she can't be that old!?), Ellie has been working to help the world be more sustainable through her work as a Consultant. She has worked in many worthwhile areas including a range of energy, development, agricultural and carbon reduction projects.
When Ellie found yoga, she realised that to make a real difference in the world you need to start with yourself! She immersed herself in yoga and has not looked back. Ellie trained as a teacher at Ashiyana, North Goa, India with a focus on personal development through raja yoga, anatomy, teaching to teach, philosophy, karma yoga, Bhaki yoga and subtle bodies. Ellie is also passionate about Creative Dance as a form of expression and teaches Creative Yoga Dance in Cardiff. Ellie is also a trained Vortex Healer and offers private sessions.
Ellie's classes are very playful with lots of smiling and laughter – she won't let you take yourself too seriously! When she's not teaching you might catch her out in the fresh air cycling, running, walking, hiking, drawing and sea swimming (which she loves)!
Ellie is also a Vortex Energy and Metta Healing Practitioner working from the Gaia Centre in Pontcanna and Roath. Her passion is working with individuals to help them realise their full potential through holistic sustainability yoga121s. For more information please see http://thehealingearth.org and www.gaialifestyle.com
Sharon Davies
After her first ever yoga class in Sydney, Australia Sharon fell in love with "that feeling" you get from Yoga. The next class however was a very different experience and that's where Sharon's yoga journey began. From living a fast pace life as a Business Manager in London being bombarded with the pressures of financial performance; yoga opened a new door for Sharon.
Sharon reminds all her students to treat every class as their first; being honest about the practise; accept limitations; and creating new positive habits in the body & mind.
She is a Sun Power Yoga /Yoga Alliance 200 and REP's Level 3 instructor, trained under the watchful eye of Course Director Anne Marie Newland a direct student of Swami Vishni Devananda - this wonderful classical mix of Astanga for Heat, Flexibility & Stamina, Sivananda for Mind & Breath work, and Hatha for Alignment, will leave your body with "that feeling".
Aaron Cousins
Aaron began practising 20 years ago after his father introduced him to hatha yoga. After seeing an iconic image of a greek god look-alike Derek Ireland posing in the Mediteranean sea, Aaron was inspired to learn ashtanga yoga, a dynamic yoga that possessed an almost gymnastic quality. Aaron began teaching Dynamic Yoga in Cardiff in 2003 after completing Teacher Training with Godfrey Devereux, Director of Windfireyoga. Aaron completed British Wheel Teacher Training in 2010 with his current Ashtanga yoga teacher and tutor Richard Adamo. Aaron has participated in workshops with Sri K Pattabhi Jois (London), Liz Lark, Richard Adamo, Nancy Gilgoff, and retreats with John & Lucy Scott.
Over the years Aaron has studied a wide range of disciplines ranging from cycling, weights, Tai Chi, the martial arts of Karate, Judo, Ju Juitsu, Indian body weight calisthenetics, Massage, Reflexology, and the art of hand balancing. Aaron has taken the best out of Indian calisthenics, hand-balancing and martial arts infusing their principles into his version of Yoga; bringing a freshness and dynamism to the classical forms of yoga, whilst maintaining their core principles.
We are very lucky to have Aaron teaching his Ashtanga Infusion classes at the studio. You may see other teachers at the back of class growing their own practice with Aaron. You can read more about Aaron on his website: http://www.ashtangainfusion.com
Rachel Jones
Rachel has been practicing Yoga for 26 yrs, primarily in the classical Hatha tradition inspired and informed by Iyengar and more recently, dynamic and creative flow. Yoga helps Rachel everyday to seek balance and to simply live in the ‘here and now'; to be present in each and every moment.
Rachel has studied Yoga academically as well as physically; gaining a Masters Degree in Medical Anthropology (Cultural Study of Health Care) in 2000. During this time Rachel became interested in social and cultural approaches to pregnancy and birth.
Rachel qualified to teach General Yoga in 2001 and Yoga for Pregnancy in 2002 through the Yoga for Health Foundation. In 2004 Rachel had the joy of becoming pregnant with her first child, Amora and 2006 with my second child, Thomas. During these pregnancies, I learnt Ashtanga, Iyengar, Hatha and Shivananda approaches to Yoga for Pregnancy. In 2007 Rachel gained a qualification from the Birthlight Trust in Childbirth Preparation and in 2008, went on to train with Uma Dinsmore-Tuli at the Life Centre.
Rachel is a very popular teacher, helping women to bring awareness to the power within a woman when she is pregnant – a magical time of discovery. Rachel understands that each and every pregnancy is unique. It is also a time of rest and rejuvenation – a time to let go and move into your own self whilst empowering, strengthening and energising from within. Every woman needs a Rachel when they experience pregnancy either for the first, second or thirteenth time!
To get in touch with Rachel: racheljones86@hotmail.com or call 07773 278918
Jo Paxton
Jo was first introduced to Classical yoga in 1998. She found yoga an inspiration and ever since then has embraced yoga as an integral part of life.
Jo is a firm believer in the physical health benefits of yoga such as increased strength, vitality and co-ordination, and also the more subtle use of yoga and meditation as effective tools for healing and self-awareness.
After studying many forms of Hatha yoga with U.K. and Internationally based teachers, Johanna gained a Yoga Haven Teacher Training Diploma with Brighton-based teachers Allie Hill, Katherine Varney and Chris Swain. Her personal style of yoga is inspired by a mixture of Ashtanga, Classical and Scaravelli forms of Hatha Yoga and her teaching style can be described as practical and informative.
Passionate about nature, martial arts and the great outdoors, when not massaging, I can be found getting muddy on my mountain bike or getting my hands dirty in the garden.
Jo and is also a qualified practitioner of Thai Yoga Massage and is currently studying for a three-year Diploma in Shiatsu.
The combined experience of both teaching and massage has enabled her to develop a compassionate and intuitive approach when teaching yoga.
Amanda Blackwell
Amanda is a Yoga teacher working in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan.
Amanda found yoga in 2006. She found the practice to be a powerful means to build physical, spiritual and emotional strength after a period of illness.
Studying closely with Laura Gilmore at Bristol City Yoga over the past 5 years, Amanda has developed her personal practice to include varied disciplines; such as restorative yoga, Yin, and Astanga (dynamic flowing sequence linked together on the thread of the breath) this broad experience is reflected in her teaching style.
Amanda's aim is to help her students find a place of stillness within; she is not so much worried by students ability to touch their toes as their ability to get through each day with a feeling of calm; for her this is the meaning of Yoga.
Amanda teaches with warmth and a genuine interest in the well-being of others; she hopes to meet you on the mat soon!
Pilates Teacher: Kaithrina Greene
Kaithrina graduated as a sports rehab therapist in 2002 and has since worked extensively in the field of sports, as she believes that this complements Pilates perfectly. She has gained experience working with high profile football clubs and in particular spent time in Spain at La Liga Club - Valencia. In addition she has also worked as an independent Pilates practitioner for a number of years.
Her unique training in sports rehabilitation and Pilates brings a fantastic combination of rehabilitation and fitness to her patient management.
Specialities High level fitness injury prevention, Movement evaluation and re-education
Training Alan Herdman Pilates, Polestar pilates, Sports Rehabilitation and Injury Prevention Bsc (Hons) –Middlesex University, London
