Noelene Francis
Noelene is one of the first Australian trained Dru Yoga teachers and is now a Senior Tutor on the Dru Yoga Teacher Training and Dru Meditation Teacher Training courses, and teaches workshops around Australia.  She has run her own yoga school in Canberra for the past ten years, and also leads sound workshops and kirtan sessions.

* What is unique about Dru Yoga?

Dru Yoga gives you body-mind wellbeing—with ease. Tailored for modern living yet firmly rooted in ancient yoga tradition, Dru’s flowing style is suitable for everyone, of all ages and body shapes. It includes classical yoga postures, pranayama (the science of breath), mudras (hand gestures), positive affirmations, empowering visualisations, relaxations and soothing meditations.

• Joints are kept relaxed and soft during movement (as in tai chi). This creates flexibility and a free flow of subtle energy.
• In Dru Yoga all movements originate from the spine because a flexible, healthy spine supports your entire yoga practice.
• Dru’s unique Energy Block Release sequences are easy-to-practise, flowing movements that help to release tension physically, mentally and emotionally.
• The spinal wave and spinal twist are core features of Dru, enhancing spinal health and vitality.
• Dru Yoga works to balance the chakras (energy centres of the body) and access the powerful energy of the heart.
• A deep understanding of core stability is a major focus.
• Within the flow of movement, Dru Yoga creates powerful moments of stillness which we call ‘Dru points’.

Dominique Santana Salerno, principal of the Australian Yoga Academy, is an inspired Yoga Practitioner, Teacher and Ayurvedic Healer.

She has studied extensively in a wide range of fields including a Bachelor of Communication, Postgraduate Diploma of Mass Communication, Postgraduate Diploma of Holistic Counselling, Diploma of Classical, (Raja) Yoga, Yoga - Alliance 500+hour Ashtanga Yoga and Advanced Pranayama Certification as well as a Certificate of Ayurvedic Medicine and Reiki level 3.
Dominique co-founded the Australian Yoga Academy and Blue Angel Centre for Wellbeing. She went on to develop the Australian Yoga Academy’s renowned Advanced Diploma of Yoga Teaching Program accredited by the Yoga Teachers Association of Australia. She is passionate about providing the highest quality professional training for Yoga Teachers at a foundation level as well as in specialist subject areas.
In addition to her many years teaching and studying in Australia, Dominique spent over 12 months in India, Thailand and Taiwan studying Ashtanga Yoga, Pranayama, Sanskrit, Yogic Philosophy and Ayurvedic Medicine. She was fortunate to have the opportunity to work and mentor with some of the worlds’ greatest teachers.
Dominique is a rare individual who has the unique ability to communicate the internal benefits of practice and timeless spiritual concepts in a practical and down to earth manner. Her open heart and relaxed approach enables her to truly connect with her students, inspiring those she works with to empower all areas of their lives.

Edna Reinhardt came to Australia as a five year old with her parents from Israel. At thirteen she had her first introduction to yoga. From that time, yoga discipline with its unique focus on the connection between mind and body, has been an integral part of her personal and professional life. Edna studied yoga and creative dance under the highly esteemed educator, Dorothea Mangiamele at Mangala Studios in Melbourne. Mangiamele’s distinctive style of creative dance was underpinned by Yoga. This association profoundly influenced Edna’s approach to yoga and dance education.
Edna established her first school of yoga and dance in New South Wales in 1980 and in 1990 opened Over the Moon Dance Studio in Castlemaine Victoria, a school whose central theme still rests on the compliment of yoga to dance. The school has become quite a cultural hub in the local community, hosting a wide range of movement disciplines, workshops and dance forms. Some 300 people ranging from toddlers to seniors attend Over the Moon weekly.
Edna continues to share her skills and experience with students and educators around Australia as an artist in residence in primary, secondary and early childhood settings. She regularly presents as a workshop leader for Department of Education professional development workshops and has worked as a teacher of Early Childhood Movement and Music at the Bendigo Regional Institute of Technology and introduced the concept of using Yoga in Early Childhood Education to this course.
Having taught many young people on an ongoing basis, from early childhood through to young adulthood, Edna has a unique insight into the influence that Yoga education can have on the development of young people. This has led to a belief in the importance of helping young people to develop a healthy relationship to their body and mind in creative ways.

Vicki Nguyen is one of  the directors of The Lotus Healing Centre in Essendon, a multi-disciplinary Natural Medicine, Yoga, Massage centre which has been in operation since 2000. After many years as a yoga student under the Iyengar & Classical Hatha Traditions Vicki decided she wanted to dedicate her life to sharing the passion & gift of yoga.

 In 2002 she completed her teaching certificate through the Vivekananda Research Institute & since that time has been instructing Hatha Yoga, Prenatal Yoga, Over 50’s & Baby Om. Being a mother of 2 Vicki has a very strong passion for Prenatal Yoga & believes yoga is the quintessential ingredient for a smooth transition into motherhood.

 Vicki has created a unique teaching style drawing upon the influence of Hatha,  Iyengar & Ashtanga principles. She is very passionate about Yoga as a Therapy & has seen the magic that committed yoga practice can bring. She likes to emphasise the importance of conscious living, empowering her students to be in control of their minds, their breath, their actions, & essentially their lives. Vickis classes blend pranayama seamlessly with a dynamic & always stimulating asana practice, ensuring fluidity of movement & also strength & stability. Vicki love of Yogic Philosophy ensures she imparts this knowledge to her students & always incorporates the sutras, chakras & 8 limbs within her focus.

Vicki can be contacted at The Lotus Healing Centre on 93311888 or www.thelotushealingcentre.com.au

Twee teaches globally as a recognised teacher and senior trainer of Prana Flow ~ an empowering, transformational, and evolutionary-edge blend of Hatha, Tantra, Ayurveda, and Vinyasa Flow Yoga (created by Shiva Rea).  After a year of residing in Perth, Australia and 12 years in New York City, she is now a global citizen travelling to teach and share her passion of yoga on her Soul Connections Tour 2008, often travelling to a different country every week!  
She has a unique ability to connect with students of all levels by encouraging them to explore the infinite intelligence of Prana (life force), to really listen to their Inner Teacher, and to respond and move from that centre of Truth.  She donates her time and a portion of her proceeds from her yoga events to local and global charities as a contribution towards improving the lives of those less fortunate, and reducing the impact on the world’s natural resources. These local charities (often chosen by her students and hosting studios) have included Kenya Education Fund, Youth Focus WA, Parkinsons WA, Surfrider Foundation Australia, War Child, Royal Flying Doctors, Trees for the Future, and YouthAids.
For more information about her Soul Connections Tour around the world or her features on the front cover of Yoga Journal (Dec 08), Be Yoga Japan and Shiva Rea’s Fluid Power + Trance Dance DVDs go to www.tweeyoga.com.

After training as a classic dancer, Maggie worked for two decades in advertising and publishing successfully climbing the corporate ladder - but always with a heavy heart. Whilst on a corporate function in 2000, Maggie was involved in an accident that, whilst not life threatening, turned out to be one of those defining moments when you consider all that you have and all that you are. Little did she know at the time that a complete “U-Turn” was about to take place…

When recuperating from the accident (major hand injury) and nurturing both the physical and mental wounds, Bikram Yoga found Maggie and she began to use its healing effects as part of her “head, heart and hand” therapy. Maggie also knew, almost from the very first class, that Bikram Yoga would become an integral part of her life.

Maggie resigned from the corporate world in 2005 and went to L.A. to study under Bikram Choudhury. She then taught full time at various Melbourne studios before opening her own Bikram Studio in 2006 in Glen Waverley. Towards the end of 2007, Maggie took over ownership and management of Bikram Yoga South Melbourne.

Atma travelled widely before arriving at Swami Satyananda’s tiny ashram in Bihar, India in 1979 where she embraced the yogic ashram life and took initiation in the tradition of Sannyasa in 1980 and continued to live under the guidance of her Guru, Swami Satyananda, for many years. 

In 1996 Atma was appointed the Director and Acharya of Satyananda Yoga, Rocklyn Ashram near Daylesford.  Atma continues to reside at the Ashram as a senior teacher maintaining the values of yoga in both the traditional and modern application required.  

Atma has a simple straightforward practical approach to personal progress in life. Self-observation, and attention to the everyday details of living consciously, is central to her approach.

Tamika teaches yoga with the intention that through changing your posture, you can transform your energy levels, mindset and emotions… shifting your entire awareness. Her classes combine a precision of movement, alignment and tradition, with a sense of play and freedom in the flow of the practice. Her approach to Yoga is dynamic, with a meditative side.

Since 1999 Tamika has studied with various schools including Vivekananda Yoga, and more recently, Yoga Arts in India. She incorporates different elements of Hatha yoga in her classes, including Ashtanga and Iyengar. Other interests you may catch a glimpse of include Herbal Medicine, Shiatsu & Reiki.

Working with breath and focus, Tamika will give you the attention and direction you need to really progress in your practice, and to share her love of yoga and enjoyment in movement. You’ll leave every class feeling energised and centred.

MARK
Mark Breadner has been practicing yoga for over thirty-five years, after being introduced as a child by his mum, a yoga teacher. The roots of Mark’s teachings come from a background working in the field of Somatic Psychotherapy, studying and practicing many of the more popular styles of yoga and in-depth studies of Tibetan Buddhism. He has taught yoga for 20 years and has devoted the last decade to training yoga teachers, through the Heart of Yoga Association, Nature Care College and now BodyMindLife Yoga. Mark’s extensive work in corrective exercise therapy and injury rehabilitation, combined with qualifications in Exercise Kinesiology through the Chek Institute has led him to work and travel regularly with elite athletes such as members of the Australian Olympic Swimming Team and members of the Rip Curl pro-surf team.

His years of work and study in complementary Eastern and Western systems of health have led Mark to develop a holistic system of healing called “The Five Pillars of Health and Wellbeing”. Through this system, Mark’s focus is to help people heal themselves through life-style observances and practices that strengthen and purify the nervous system, increase vitality in the body and serenity in the mind. He teaches people to self-regulate – to recognize where they are out of balance, and to apply specific practices that restore harmony, balance and the natural flow of energy (prana). Mark’s drive is to take the esoteric principles of yoga and make them practical and applicable to modern-day living.

NICOLE
Nicole Goodwin is co-founder and owner of BodyMindLife Yoga studio in Sydney, and has been practicing yoga for over 10 years and teaching for more than 7 years. Previously from the corporate world, Nicole’s desire for a lifestyle that was more holistic and empowering led her to embark upon a life-changing journey, studying with prominent teachers around the world. Her own growth and evolution through the many practices and styles of yoga has been the creative inspiration for BodyMindLife Yoga Centre. Nicole’s teachers include Shiva Rea, Baron Baptiste, and Mark Breadner.

The roots of Nicole’s teachings are expressed through the creativity of her own personal style, her in-depth studies of yoga and Ayurveda (Diploma of Health – Yoga Teaching), bodywork (Diploma of Remedial Massage) and energetic healing. Her passion is for Vinyasa yoga, focusing on the integration of breath and movement, awareness and alignment, strength and flexibility, effort and ease.

Her dynamic classes are a combination of breath inspired movement and creative, yet balanced and intelligent, sequencing that allows individuals to experience greater ease and vitality – moving from “doing yoga” to “being yoga”. Nicole recently assisted her teacher, Shiva Rea, at the Asia Yoga Conference in Hong Kong, and continues to study with her through her global retreats and teacher intensives.

Nicole’s desire is to encourage individuals to bring themselves back to balance through yoga, and lifestyle choices that help them move in the direction of wellbeing. She leads yoga retreats and teacher training's in Australia and internationally.

Nicole shares her knowledge of yoga through her monthly column in Women's Health Magazine.

 

Twee teaches globally as a recognised teacher and senior trainer of Prana Flow ~ an empowering, transformational, and evolutionary-edge blend of Hatha, Tantra, Ayurveda, and Vinyasa Flow Yoga (created by Shiva Rea).  After a year of residing in Perth, Australia and 12 years in New York City, she is now a global citizen travelling to teach and share her passion of yoga on her Soul Connections Tour 2008, often travelling to a different country every week!  
She has a unique ability to connect with students of all levels by encouraging them to explore the infinite intelligence of Prana (life force), to really listen to their Inner Teacher, and to respond and move from that centre of Truth.  She donates her time and a portion of her proceeds from her yoga events to local and global charities as a contribution towards improving the lives of those less fortunate, and reducing the impact on the world’s natural resources. These local charities (often chosen by her students and hosting studios) have included Kenya Education Fund, Youth Focus WA, Parkinsons WA, Surfrider Foundation Australia, War Child, Royal Flying Doctors, Trees for the Future, and YouthAids.
For more information about her Soul Connections Tour around the world or her features on the front cover of Yoga Journal (Dec 08), Be Yoga Japan and Shiva Rea’s Fluid Power + Trance Dance DVDs go to www.tweeyoga.com.

Sacred Earth’s journey over the past 5 years has taken them far and wide. From colourful markets & festivals across Australia to playing on busy street corners in downtown LA, Yoga Temples in the heart of Hollywood,  sacred temples in the mountains of Ashland Oregon & retreat centres all over Australia & New Zealand. Their music is used extensively throughout the world in the massage, yoga, meditation, healing, spa & film industries to evoke a feeling of well-being, peace, and ambience.

In 2004  Sacred Earth began touring Australia wide, offering sacred music concerts. In this short time they have been embraced by the Australian Community and now often play to sold out concerts around Australia.

Their music is awe inspiring, uplifting and takes the listener on a deep inner journey. The stillness that is discovered during their concert performance is profound. Often moving listeners to tears by the sheer beauty of the music. Over the past 5 years they have recorded 4 superb albums selling over 38,000 copies worldwide. All of their albums have received rave reviews in a myriad of publications including “Women’s Day”, “Australian Yoga Life “, “Wellbeing Magazine”, “Living Now”, “The Art of Healing”, “Nature & Health”, “Music & Wellness-Italy” and many more. Sacred Earth is regularly heard on Sacred Sounds Radio, which is broadcast live from Los Angeles, as well as many alternate Australian radio programs. They are leading the way for sacred music within Australia and are held alongside the likes of the industry’s best sacred music artists. The production and presentation of their albums is world class and upheld by their professional  & breathtakingly beautiful live performance.

Prem & Jethro Williams who are Sacred Earth love their life and the gift they have been given to bring to the world. These two performers are set to take flight across the world delivering nothing less than divine connection to the realm of the sacred.