Our Teachers

Christi-an Slomka - Director & Anusara-Inspired Teacher

You’re bound to feel the awesome potential of flowing from the heart in Christi-an’s classes. Her teaching richly embodies the Anusara tradition, to ‘open to grace.’ She cultivates a playful and supportive class where students can stretch, strengthen, restore, and connect deeper within.

Christi-an draws tremendous inspiration from her mentors, Sue Elkind, Naime Jezzeny, Sianna Sherman, Colin Matthews, Michael Siddall and John Friend through their luminous expressions of Anusara Yoga.

Off the mat, Christi-an follows her heart (often by bike) to experience the gifts of the world. Currently she is cultivating the art of skateboarding on the streets of Toronto!

Favourite Posture:
handstand, because it always invites something new to explore.

Colin Matthews - Director

Colin invites an ever-evolving conversation, with one’s self and the community. His teaching is infused with passion for life, self-empowerment, healing and the power of intention. His light-hearted spirit inspires a playful and engaged practice that is deeply rooted in the Anusara tradition.

Colin draws continued inspiration from his teachers, Naime Jezzeny, Sue Elkind, Sianna Sherman and Douglas Brooks. He has also studied with Bikram Choudhry, Judith Lasater, Ken Nateshvar Scott, and John Friend.

Colin co-teaches Kula’s advance study and teacher training certification program. Off the mat, he’s known to climb great rock faces, indulge in woodworking, and cherish time with his wife, Anne Marie.

Favourite Yoga Posture: Uttanasana, which requires tremendous humility to look inwards and honour one's boundaries.

Josie Houpt - Anusara-Inspired Teacher

Josie aims to uplift, empower and inspire all who enter her class through a combination of enthusiastic play and challenge. She encourages you to connect to the beauty within, and with a mixture of sweat and laughter, you will learn how to access the postures that puzzle yet promise intense transformation. Personal experience with scoliosis and injuries gives her an appreciation for the incredibly healing alignment principles of the Anusara method.

Josie is grateful for the inspirational teachers with whom she has had the gift of studying. May grace flow to her teachers Michael Siddall, Christina Sell, Darren Rhodes, Noah Maze, Martin & Jordan Kirk, Todd Norian and Ann Greene. Much respect is given to her teacher and founder of Anusara, John Friend, for lighting this path with such love and wisdom.

Off the mat, Josie happily indulges in experiencing new cultures and places through her love of travel and writing, as well as enjoying wonderful food and conversations along the way!

Favourite Yoga Posture:
Hanumanasana, because it embodies an ecstatic expression of possibility.

Marinella Nesso - Anusara-Inspired Teacher

Marinella’s passion for life radiates as she creatively weaves asana, alignment and Tantric philosophy through her class. Although a devoted Anusara yogi, her teaching also encompasses Pre-Natel Yoga, Kids Yoga, and Yoga Therapeutics.

She draws great wisdom and inspiration from her teachers Sianna Sherman, Todd Norian, Paul Ortega-Muller, Darren Rhodes and John Friend. Marinella’s teaching is intelligent, playful, and charismatic – her smile and laugh is contagious! She is an Anusara-Inspired teacher, and well on her way to becoming a fully certified Anusara teacher.

When not on her yoga mat, Marinella can be found enjoying city landscapes, riding her bicycle through Kensington Market or climbing walls!

Favourite Yoga Posture:
Vrksasana (Tree), because she hopes to be a Yoga Master one day on the Wii Fit.

Sonja Patterson - Teacher

Sonja’s class awakens the teacher within, as she weaves alignment principles with universal wisdom. Her passion and curiosity to deepen her knowledge enriches all who are around her.

Sonja teaches a dynamic hot flow class which blends Anusara and Moksha Yoga. She draws on the inspiring teaching of Naime Jezzeny, Sue Elkind, John Friend, Colin Matthews, and Christi-an Slomka.

Off the mat, Sonja has a soft spot for furry friends! She dedicates much time to loving animals, her own and those in need.

Favourite Yoga Posture:
Anjaneye Asana (Back Bending Lunge), a wonderful manifestation of strength and openness.

Cynthia Cooperstone - Anusara-Inspired Teacher

Cynthia’s passion for Anusara Yoga is evident in every class. It is her greatest intention to guide her students safely through practices that are as invigorating and fun as they are meaningful and balanced. With creativity and enthusiasm, she encourages her students to realize their best vision of themselves on - and off - their mats.

Cynthia recognizes, with gratitude, the support she has received from her primary teacher, Michael Siddall, and the inspiration she has received from John Friend, Todd Norian, Anne Greene, Tiffany Fraser, Paul Muller-Ortega and other teachers. She is also indebted to her students for their ongoing dedication and trust as they join her on this vibrant path.

Cynthia delights in wearing a number of different hats: yoga teacher, writer and editor, avid reader, movie-goer, theatre buff and, best of all, mother of two.

Favourite Yoga Posture:
Full Vasisthasana, because when you get there, it feels like flying!

Aaron Slade - Teacher

Aaron's classes affirm that life is about living to the fullest, and is all about taking it to the next level. Weaving together his understanding of tantric philosophy, asana, and drawing on his life experiences, his classes motivate you to bust a move and play a little more hardcore than you thought you could.

Currently studying with Michael Siddall locally, and with John Friend internationally, Aaron goes the distance to learn, to better understand, and to live his practice. The light we create on the mat needs to be taken out into the world to make the day brighter for everyone else in our lives.

Off the mat, he continues to embody the nerdy teenager within, throwing dice, playing cards, and organizing boardgames well into the night.

Favorite Yoga Posture : Eka Pada Koundinyasana I, because falling on your face teaches you humility, and to fall on your face less.

Jennifer Slade - Anusara-Inspired Teacher

Jen believes that yoga is about deepening our capacity to Love. With enthusiasm and loving-kindness, she enables her students to courageously and boldly reach their full potential, while also connect with the playful side of their practice.

Jen is a certified Moksha Yoga Teacher, and has completed Kids Yoga, and Prenatal teacher trainings. Since 2005, she has studied Anusara and offers her sincere and heartfelt gratitude to her teachers, especially Behnje Masson, Michael Siddall and John Friend.

Off the mat, Jen is a musician, and loves enjoying life's yumminess - including her hubby Aaron Slade, who is also a yoga teacher.

Favourite Yoga Posture: Krounchasana, because of the grounding and rooting combined with the expansion of boundaries.

Lindseed Toner-Camulsky - Teacher

Linseed facilitates a class that welcomes playfulness though storytelling, humour and life’s daily lessons. She seeks to hold a space where students feel empowered to combine challenge with patience.

Linseed was introduced to yoga at a young age through her dad. She has studied Iyengar-inspired Hatha flow through the Yandara Institute. She introduces lessons of Shiatsu (Shiatsu School of Canada) and Thai Yoga massage (Lotus Palm) into her practice. She continuously feels inspired by and grateful to the teachers at Kula as she deepens her Anusara yoga studies and practice.

Outside of Kula, Linseed can be found around town hula hooping, working at farmers markets, harvesting wild edibles, playing the balalaika, and fixing bicycles.

Favourite Yoga Posture: Vrksasana to backbend, as it is a beautiful expression of the idea that from a solid foundation, one can soften and lead from the heart!

Ana-Maria Alvarado - Teacher

Ana-Maria's yoga journey has been a never-ending discovery of mind, spirit, and body. She brings joy and light heartedness to her classes, challenging and balancing her students, and ultimately leaving them energized and tranquil long after they have left the mat.

Ana-Maria discovered the joys of yoga through Bikram as well as Ashtanga, and continues to be inspired by the heart-oriented teachings of Anusara and her passion for teaching kids yoga. She is deeply thankful for the guidance of her teachers, including Michael Siddall, Erica Blitz, Christi-an Slomka, Cynthia Cooperstone.

Off the mat, Ana-Maria cultivates a deeper sense of place by exploring the city on her bike and day dreaming of her next world travels.

Favourite Yoga Posture: Adho Mukha Vrksasana - handstand, because it inspires, challenges and demands courage!

Geneviève Vallerand – Teacher

Geneviève’s teaching combines humour, sensitivity and kindness to a foster greater connection within, and to the world around. Fueled by a strong intention and Anusara’s principles of alignment, she invites you to tune into the remarkable and unique journeys we undertake each time we step onto our mats.

A traveler and seeker at heart, Gen is continually awed by Anusara’s powerful teaching of “yoga, from the inside out.” She is thankful for the guidance of her teachers Barrie Risman and Robin Golt in Montréal, and Christi-An Slomka; Marinella Nesso, and Josie Houpt in Toronto.

When she is not at Kula, Gen works in Communications, and keeps herself busy enjoying the outdoors, friends and planning future travel expeditions!

Favourite Yoga Posture:
Wild thing: partially for its awesome name, but also for its ability to make you root down and soar!