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Alive Mindbody
Instructors
Kristen owns and operates Alive Mindbody, actively teaching, laughing and gabbing around the studio. Kristen prides herself on clever, functional classes that push boundaries, bend rules and feel insanely good on the body. With Kinesiology and Education degrees and various specialty trainings, mixed with a zest for music and motion Kristen’s classes are truly a smart, holistic combination of actions that will make you feel remarkable. Expect to giggle your way through an expressive and flow-focused movement experience. Connection to music, breathe, movement and others in the room is Kristen's jam!
Sign: Virgo
What makes you feel alive?
Regularly creating flow in my body; whether by movement, breathe, music or form of expression.
Fav Bevie: Bourbon & Spicy Ginger Beer
Vice: Baking really late at night and listening to slow jams in the bath tub
Saying: "Jump in with both feet."
Which celebrity acts most like you? Chelsea Handler (as I've been told and recognized as in public)
Yoga, Barre, Pilates, Aerial, Barre Certification Master Trainer
KRISTEN JENSEN
Once you've been to a Yoga class with Tracey you'll remember her earnest, genuine nature, her soft accepting mannerisms and her perky, often boisterous laugh. As both a Registered Yoga Teacher and Registered Holistic Nutritionist, a class or program with Tracey is the whole meal deal. Expect an invitation to breathe big, get loose, and follow cues from your body as you move through energizing flow sequences. Expect a healthy bit of sweat balanced by a deep dive into sweet softening poses. Expect to leave feeling way, way better than you did coming in.
Sign: Pisces
What makes you feel alive? Running through trees. Swimming fresh water. Paddling waves. Green drinks. Flow yoga. Connection.
Saying: “You don’t have to believe everything you think” & “Don’t be an asshole.”
Fav Yoga Pose: Good ol’ down dog. My pal.
Fav Bevvie: Matcha
Yoga, Alive Total Detox
TRACEY COOK
A calculated, multi-disciplinary movement wizard, expect to be bossed around in the finest tone through the most satisfying and appropriate poses and exercises curated to YOUR body.
Chantelle's experience and leadership shines immediately upon meeting her and you'll be left with utter thankfulness that this take charge, firm and clear coach is allowing you to turn your brain off and just enjoy the ride. Known for laughter, creative sequences, functional movement and clear cues, a class with Chantelle is a well rounded, authentic and easy to follow experience. She's a sweetheart wrapped in a fervent package, providing a magical experience of genuine care and tough love -do 8 more. Exist in utter bliss and ferocious challenge in Chantelle's classes!
Sign: Leo
What makes you feel alive? Fresh air, love and movement.
Would you rather be able to fly or read minds? Fly, nothing would be more freeing, uplifting, magical and amazing!
Describe your class in one word? Empowering.
Favourite Saying: "The meaning in life is to find your gift, the purpose in life is to give it away."
Barre, Yoga, Pilates
CHANTELLE SHAH-POULIN
You'll find Nicki cruising her bike around the city meeting lots of lovely people and helping them with their practice. She encourages her students to find both the balance and the value in strength, flexibility and alignment. Nicki has a brag-able Instructing background, but she'll deliver a class like your're the A-list celebrity, rolling out the red carpet and treating each of her students totally VIP. She is a dedicated practitioner and truly believes a strong and healthy body gives us the space to focus and cultivate an authentic and sincere sense of self. You can expect a loveable, tough gal who will leave you with nothing less than a well thought out, holistic class that hasn't left a muscle out of the action! You can also expect to honour some lady divas; Beyonce, Whitney Houston, Janet Jackson and the like.
Sign: Capricorn
What makes you feel alive? YOGA, Friends, Green Juice, Rest
What can’t you stop talking about? The benefits of a strong core and strong glutes!!
If you could pick anyone to have dinner with, who would it be? Beyonce. Obviously.
Nicki's Classes
Barre, Yoga, Pilates, Aerial
NICKI LAKAS
Richelle comes off as a tough cookie, usually flipped upside-down or flagging on the pole which makes her even more badass. Although her badass-ery is apparent, you'll appreciate Richelle's focused, attentive nature in class and enjoy the soft way she firmly manages to guide the class until before you know it they are backwards and upside-down too! A class with the Pole Boss is a real treat, as her direct, concentrated approach leave's you doing things you never thought possible, which is exactly what Richelle prides herself on. In class, expect a fitness focused approach with a little sexy thrown in. Get ready for a lot of specific pole focused conditioning, alongside individual feedback and assistance. There will be authentic candour a' plenty and a dash of frank remarks, just to keep it real.
Sign: Aries
What makes you feel alive? Pushing my body to do things it wasn’t capable of before.
What would be impossible for you to give up? Popcorn. I eat popcorn almost every day and often go to the movie theatre just for popcorn.
What are you terrified of? Spiders, caterpillars, any large bugs really.
Richelle's Classes
Pole
RICHELLE WILSON
Ashley is a focused fitness fiend and her classes reflect this incredible sense of organization and planning mastery that leave you feeling extremely taken care of. This little dynamo is your cheerleader and will coach, push, boogie and laugh all the way to the finish line with you. You can always expect a great burn and a full body workout to some fab tunes. Some rocker anthems like Imagine Dragons and Coleman Hell make frequent appearances. Expect efficiency, a kind ear to listen and an Instructor who thrives off feedback from you, to make the classes just what you need.
Sign: Cancer
What makes you feel alive? Doing exactly what I want in life right now and continuously creating goals and obtaining them.
If you could go for dinner with anyone right now, who would it be? THOR! Doesn’t matter where.... it’s a date with Thor.
Fav Artist: Steven Tyler
What can't you stop talking about? Aerial Yoga and Barre!! Between the burn, stretch and sweat I am in fitness bliss.
Ashley's Classes
Barre, Yoga, Pilates, Aerial
ASHLEY THROSSELL
Eve is in love with aerial, and her savvy flows, cool tricks and endless options at the silks make her a damn good Instructor. With several Yoga and Aerial trainings under her belt and more to come, you can expect variety, uniqueness and always the 'next option' suggested, this alongside giggles and Eve's light and sparkling personality. Eve's classes are always fresh, uplifting and fun for all levels! A master at creating a safe and comfortable environment, you'll find yourself upside-down in no time with Eve by your side!
Sign: Virgo
What makes you feel alive? Being elevated in the air in the Aerial Hammock!
Most embarrassing teaching moment? One time when I was teaching a hatha yoga class, I noticed right before Savasana, that I had a song on repeat the whole time! I can’t believe no one said anything to me!
Saying: When fears are grounded, dreams take flight.
Fav Artist: P!nk. She is honest, raw and an amazing role model! She is a true rockstar.
Vice: Building Charcuterie boards like a pro and then eating that for dinner!
Eve's Classes
Aerial, Yoga
EVE CARTY
The divine Portia Favro will leave you with some new sexy skills and empowerment beyond words. With a serious pedigree of dance education, performance history, choreography and production, Portia is no stranger to the land of jiggle, giggle and slay. Portia LOVES throwback jams and you can always count on music that you can sing along to in the shower. With a knack for bringing music video style and celebrity dance moves to the mainstream, you can feel confident and comfortable knowing Portia is just the gal to teach you the tips, tricks and moves for all bodies and everybody.
Sign: Scorpio
What makes you feel alive? I love seeing and guiding my students to push themselves out of their comfort zones and discover something new in their movement and artistry.
Best Workout Anthem: Call On Me by Eric Prydz
What sport would you play if you were a professional athlete? Definitely swimming!
Fav Bevie: Rose wine or a Prosecco
Portia's Workshops
Sassy Classes
PORTIA FAVRO
Lauren is an extremely talented and diverse Instructor and the organization queen in her other role at Alive as Studio Manager. A sassy, smart cookie in a poker face package, Lauren is delightfully deceptive. Offering consistently challenging classes, Lauren manages to empower and uplift her class every single time through a mix of seriously tailored actions plus light-hearted camaraderie. Lauren's class expertness lies in her musicality and choreography, she never misses a beat! You can expect spicy, full body workouts with bangin tunes and bad humor.
Sign: Scorpio
What makes you feel alive?
Dancing in the sun, walking through the trees, connecting with the people around me through movement, and music.
Fav Bevie: G & T
Vice: Wearing my house coat a little too often.
Saying: "Happiness Is Only Real When Shared."
What would be impossible for you to give up? Living by the ocean.
Lauren's Classes
Barre, Sassy Classes
LAUREN GIRARD
A class with Michael is like a ride on a magical unicorn. It's regal, playful, feels right, and you're not quite sure how you amazingly got in that position?! With creative flows at the heart of his class, you'll fall in love with Michael's genuine love for movement and authentic, hearty spirit. Expect an intentional practice that gets you deeply embodied and fully present. Classes demand students to press against the edges of their mind-body-spirit to unleash a great joy within. His vibes are high and his enthusiasm for living in the now will rub off on you.
Sign: Capricorn
What makes you feel alive? Pushing my body to the edge of its physical capacity during a yoga practice, playing with handstands, snowboarding, surfing, or other activities that demand full engagement with the NOW.
What can't you stop talking about? I’m obsessed with authenticity. How can I be a more authentic human being, and how can I empower others to be exactly who they are?
If you could pick anyone to have dinner with, who would it be and where? Joe Rogan at an amazing sushi restaurant in LA. He is the epitome of authenticity and he doesn’t give a f*ck what others think of him.
Yoga
MICHAEL TORU
You'll be swooned by Jessica's gentle, humble nature and then blown away by her intense athleticism and deep willpower to achieve crazy feats at the pole. A modest power house capable of ridiculous pole conquests, Jessica will wow you with her love of pole and earnest nature. A soft spot for trick based classes, new and innovative moves and transitions, Jessica is extremely savvy in
the personalization department and loves giving tips to
individualize each participants workout! Jessica really has a love affair with pole that is unwaivering. They've been a serious item for a long time and her relationship is always evolving through workshops, exploring new moves, education and influence from Pole dancers
around the world. An idolized Advanced Pole Instructor, Jessica is nerdly organized, quick to respond and uber contributive. Expect this mix of nerdy planning and slick skills in class!
Sign: Aquarius
What makes you feel alive?
Pole dancing, sharing my passion for pole and seeing my students build confidence and achieve their personal goals. Snowboarding and listening to some good music also make me feel alive!
What would be impossible for you to give up? Maple Syrup
Favourite quote: True friends are like stars, you don’t always see them but you know they are there.
What is your fav pose? Headstands or Arm balances
Pole
JESSICA STEVENSON
Pole-mama Jane is on a mission to create a fun, accessible, and empowered Pole Fitness community! Jane’s classes are usually less about “tricks” and more about “flow”, with an emphasis on musicality, quality of movement, and dance technique. Her prior background in classical dance, combined with training through the Canadian Pole Fitness Association, make her classes an interesting blend of technical work, flow movement, and powerful strength training. You will come away from her classes feeling challenged, sometimes chilled out, and always stronger than you were before.
Sign: Libra
What makes you feel alive? Fast dancing with my favourite people, slow dancing alone with no one around, and flying through the air on a circus trapeze.
Describe your class in one word? Flowability
Vice: Dark chocolate, falling asleep in front of fireplaces, and stealing my hubbie’s plaid shirts.
What would be impossible for you to give up? Dark chocolate. I eat chocolate at least twice every day of the week.
Jane's Classes
Pole
JANE BULL
Quiet and introspective upon first meet, Shannon's delicate, and congenial demeanour lends to a sly workout and undercover sweat. Just like her actions are smooth, grounded and calculated, you can expect to receive the same silky soft delivery of an astonishingly rigorous and gnarly workout. Not one for being in-genuine or wasting your time, you'll get a direct, quick n dirty. With a soft, yet firm tone and calculated coaching style you find yourself turning off your brain in class and enjoying feeling the music and mastering cool movements. A bit of a Ballerina, Shannon draws from her dance background, love of movement and sweet musical tastes to deliver a really soft, sweepy, dancey class in an easy to follow sweaty, hot sneak up.
Sign: Virgo
What makes you feel alive? Dancing.
Vice: Coffee & hashbrowns
What is your favourite way to spend the weekend? Not waking up to an alarm, fresh coffee and a homemade breakfast- usually pancakes topped with fruit. Getting fresh air and exercise.
Favourite Saying: “In the waves of change we find our true direction.” I love going to the beach to think, reflect and listen to the waves.
Barre
SHANNON REHSLER
She'll tell you her classes are a pound of sweetness, a cup of sweat, and a dash of sass- and she's right on the money! This take charge gal has a gentle way of commanding the room and moving you through tough movements, but with sweetness and smiles all around. Keen to provide a tailored workout, Olivia always has an incredibly smart and curated lesson plan to provide the perfect blend of work and release. With Pilates, Yoga and Barre trainings under her belt, you can enjoy fusion and blended classes that really do feel sweet and satisfying. You know you've gone to the right class if you see a warm smiling face, tank in a front knot, creative moves and a Taylor Swift song!
Astrological Sign: Pisces
What makes you feel alive? Sunshine, swimming in the ocean and the people I love.
Favourite quote/saying: “Where there is kindness, there is goodness, and where there is goodness there is magic.” - Disney
What can’t you stop talking about? My job as a youth worker (seriously don’t get me started).
Favourite Artist. Taylor Swift
Pilates, Barre
Olivia Leyser
Veronique has been a Fitness Instructor icon in Victoria for many years. Initially recognized for her bubbly, positive and gregarious personality, her esteem withstands due to her instructional consistency and innovative class concoctions. This high energy exercise bomb will leave you in a satisfied, sweaty explosion of a movement experience. Her fans are devoted to her music taste, incredible class prepping and easy to follow choreography. If you haven't had the pleasure of a class with Veronique yet, you'll receive a WOW experience and soon have it bad for Partyfit, her signature class developed for all levels to push their bodies in fitness through fun dance moves. Now a fan, or soon to be a fan, one thing is for sure, this gal will leave you breathless.
Sign: Dragon
What makes you feel alive? Enjoying good food with friends, cuddling with my cat, walking my dog, spooning with my partner in bed and dancing- always more dancing!
Vice: Classic vodka martini with extra olives
What can't you stop talking about? Fitness, dance, and love.
Favourite Quote: “An open heart is an open mind.”
― Dalai Lama XIV
Partyfit
VERONIQUE MERCIER
Deena is gregarious, boisterous, giggly and enviously delightful. A workout with this Master of 'getting buff' is a spunky experience loaded with creative sequences and squat til you drop motivation. Known for delivering a playful, non-judgemental class, expect to have fun and be engaged the entire class. Deena has a devilishly wild side, and wild hair to match, that when unleashed you'll find yourself doing a few more pulses than you thought possible. Deena's a cute brute getting away with minimal breaks in class for a non-stop, creative and deliberately sweaty experience. Deena thrives to share her love for “the burn,” but has a knack for offering modifications to make the environment lively, engaging and accessible for all guests. Somehow this workout Bae never seems to run out of energy.
Sign: Cancer
What makes you feel alive? Nutrition, movement, travel, sensation, connection and laughter.
Vice: Potatoes, beer & naps.
Best workout anthem? Anything by Meek Mill!
If you could have dinner with anyone, who would it be and where? Chef Grant Achatz at his restaurant Alinea. (I just watched his appearance on The Final Table - he’s weird in the best way.)
Barre
DEENA REDMAN
Her yoga classes are a lot like her hair: ever-changing, colourful and full of joy. Meet Carly Greene Hill. She’s a yoga teacher, poet and spoken word artist. Often found with a cappuccino in one hand and pen in the other, Carly creates avenues of self-expression under her pen name tiny.writer. Her yoga sequences offer something for everyone — be it encouragement, heart, funk, flow or rejuvenation. You’ll come for the sass and soulful tunes, but stay for the vulnerability and never-before-felt sense of freedom.
Sign: Cancer
What makes you feel alive? There’s a small second where body and rhythm form a serendipitous, little rebellion. Syncopating movement with what you hear is my favourite moment of being alive.
What can’t you stop talking about? Creativity! Creativity, creativity, creativity. I think it’s what reminds us were human, and therefore, makes life so paradoxically tortuous yet absolutely delicious to live out.
Describe your class in one word? Reverence.
Favourite Artist. Phantogram. Go listen. You’re welcome.
Favourite quote/saying. “There are thoughts which you cannot grasp, without changing your life.”
Yoga
CARLY GREENE HILL
She's the gal in bright pink pants, cheetah tops and sparkly hightops- reminding us that life is for fun, spirit, and personality! Jassy's classes have a sprinkling of this creativity and a good mix of dazzling Yoga poses. Surprisingly, you'll experience a deep and internal journey focused on subtleness in class, delivered by a radiating, rather radical babe. Interestingly, this is Jassy's forte, providing a lighthearted approach to a virtuous method that Jassy is deeply connected to. Rigorous in her personal practice and Yoga connection, you'll experience a stunning blend of tradition and creativity. You'll get into your body through breathe and feeling. Expect to flow with a balance of challenge and nourishment.
Sign: Capricorn, Libra moon
What makes you feel alive? Sunshine, dancing, moving, acro, laughing, traveling and seeing all the beauty in this world.
What would be impossible for you to give up? Meditation and Yoga, Girl be crazy without!
Favourite Beverage? Matcha bubble tea
What is your favourite Yoga pose? Triangle! If I could only do one pose forever this would be it.
Favourite Artist? I love art and things are created purely for beauty. My favourites are the pieces created to experience - Installations and interactive pieces. Some favs are Magrite, Takasi Murakami, Crystal Wanger and Richard Serra.
Yoga