Our TEACHERS

Meet Kate Ball

Kate founded YogaSpirit in 2011 and has been teaching yoga since 2007. After completing her initial teacher training, Kate studied under Ana Forrest, who taught her principles of combing Native American ideology and psychology with yoga. Kate’s call to teach stemmed from the desire to share the same gift with people that she’d received from her yoga experiences. Yoga has had transforming power in her own life, both psychologically and physically. Kate feels deeply fortunate to share this path with others, and teaches classes centered on love, honesty & present moment awareness.

Kate teaches Vinyasa, Power Vinyasa, Yin, Fusion, and occasionally Bikram.

Kate also owns SpiritCafé ,YogaSpirit’s Sister Business, where food is considered “Culinary Yoga”.

What you can look forward to in Kate’s classes:

Kate’s sequencing is creative and fun, featuring strong work and always incorporates an opportunity for arm balancing. You can expect a lot of flow, coupled with some long holds. Good music is always a feature of Kate’s classes, as well as some meditative work to weave teachings from the yoga mat into life at large.

What yoga has gifted Kate:

Kate has found structure, support, and routine in her daily practice. Yoga has provided a way to connect with herself on a deeper level. “I feel that my practice spurs creative ideas and inspiration. I can find clarity and direction in a yoga class”.

Kate’s favourite poses:

• Child’s pose
• Handstand

Words of wisdom from Kate

“Lose this idea of ‘getting there’ – where is ‘there’? It’s not about getting to a place, it’s just about being in your own body and in your own experience. The more you can stop grading yourself on what it should be, the more your yoga will open up to you. It’s almost the opposite of the way we work in the world where we strive, strive strive. In the yoga room, you just are, and when you’re able to be spacious and gracious with yourself: that’s where the evolution comes.”

Meet Lucy Ker

After observing the change in her own physical and emotional wellbeing, Lucy was motivated to discover more about yoga. In 2012, Lucy completed her first teacher training with Africa Yoga and has been teaching yoga since then, even completing additional teacher trainings with Jim Harrington. “It is a blessing to share the benefits of yoga with my students and to witness the process of growth and transformation in others”

Lucy teaches Vinyasa, Power Vinyasa and Fusion Yoga.

What you can look forward to in Lucy’s classes:

With an important emphasis on music and playlists that accompany her sequencing, Lucy is passionate about the dynamic and fluid flow of Power Vinyasas. Lucy delivers clearly structured and well-rounded practices, promoting harmonious movement of body and breath.

What yoga has gifted Lucy:

Lucy initially was drawn to hot yoga purely for the physical benefits with the desire to become stronger, leaner, and more flexible. However, what she received was so much more. Yoga has been a safe place for Lucy to quieten her mind and spend time just with herself. “Yoga is a reliable constant in a chaotic world,” explains Lucy, “I feel freer, happier, and more grounded”

Lucy’s favourite poses:

Wide legged forward fold

• Low lunge
• Dancer
• Wide legged forward fold
• Spine twist

Meet Stevie Hiscock

Stevie’s journey to instructing yoga just fell into place. On a whim, Stevie looked into teacher training, used up all the money he made, and found his way to The Shala in 2012 to begin learning the practice. Stevie explains that the world was just saying, “Yes, Stevie, teach!”. Now, Stevie doesn’t go a day without teaching. 

Stevie teaches Vinyasa, Power Vinyasa, Fusion, Bikram, and Yin yoga.

What you can look forward to in Stevie’s classes:

Stevie’s classes are characterised by Stevie himself: full of energy, light, and humour. Stevie always tries to incorporate three elements into all of his classes: strengthening, stretching and stilling the body and mind. “I believe in a challenging class but I also know that everyone can shine and rise to meet the challenge when spoken to the right way, so I aim to use my words to keep people connected and calm”. Stevie uses his words and the power they contain to facilitate healing, harmony, and happiness.

What yoga has gifted Stevie:

“Yoga saved my life” explains Stevie, “It gave me purpose and meaning at a very low time”. Stevie was hooked from his very first Bikram class as it gave him the effulgent feeling of peace and ease. In Vinyasas, Stevie found confidence, the release of old emotions, clarity and calm. “There is no way I would be the individual I am today; body, mind and soul without the discovery of yoga and meditation”.

Stevie’s favourite poses:

• Handstand
• Splits
• Full wheel
• Half pigeon
• Shavasana

Meet Bev Slauck

The love of yoga was instilled in Bev from an early age as she grew up practicing yoga with her gran, who taught yoga well into her 80’s. With Bev’s background as a pharmacist and her keen interest in health and the body, teaching yoga was an easy transition for Bev. Bev has been teaching yoga since December 2016, completing teacher trainings with Yo Yoga and Catherine Wilkinson.

Bev teaches Vinyasa, Power Vinyasa and Bikram Yoga. 

What you can look forward to in Bev’s classes:

You can look forward to a dynamic Vinyasa class with Bev, featuring static holds to really feel the shapes, as well as Bev’s much loved arm balances and handstands. Bev always tries to bring in something new and different to class so that students can appreciate that you never stop learning in yoga.

What yoga has gifted Bev:

Through practicing yoga, Bev has learnt to not sweat the small stuff. Yoga has gifted Bev the ability to be more present and to approach life with a calm mind and a sense of humour. Bev explains, “It has also taught me to be grateful for bodies, which are capable of so much; our minds, which are so powerful; and our breath, our biggest tool to stay focused both on and off the mat!”

Bev’s favourite poses:

• Handstand
• Forearm stand
• Boat pose
• Full wheel

Meet Gemma Trehearn

After doing her teacher training at The Shala in 2017, Gemma’s call to teaching came from her love of movement and connection to the body, or as she prefers, the ‘instrument’. Gemma wanted to share her love for yoga and her personal experiences with the practice with people, hoping to engage and learn from others as well. “Even though I am the teacher, it is the students that teach me more and give me the most energy”.

Gemma teaches Vinyasa and Power Vinyasa. 

What you can look forward to in Gemma’s classes:

Gemma’s classes flow with challenge and creativity as she tries to introduce new ideas which challenge your way of moving and connecting to your body. Gemma believes we all have a natural wisdom of moving and connecting to ourselves through our breath and our physical body, we just need to be inquisitive and curious to access it.

What yoga has gifted Gemma:

Yoga has changed Gemma’s life in a short space of time, allowing her to accept and love herself. “Yoga taught me to sit back, smell the flowers, and appreciate the small things. To put things into perspective, to be grateful, to be kind, to be true. And every time I get back onto my mat, I learn all of these things and more all over again”.

Gemma’s favourite poses:

• Scandasana
• Standing splits
• Down dog
• Handstand

Meet Kath Hyman

Kath began her teacher training with YogaLife in 2016 to deepen her own practice and learn more about the philosophy of yoga. Through learning more about the wisdom and magic of yoga, Kath discovered her incredible love for instructing. Her inspiration sources from the loyal yogis who consistently show up on their mats to collectively “learn, cultivate mindfulness, and experience the healing qualities of the yoga journey”. 

Kath teaches Vinyasa and Power Vinyasa. 

Words of wisdom from Kath

“Yoga is for everyone and everybody; our only limitation is the story we tell ourselves, but we are blessed to have the power to change that story”.

What you can look forward to in Kath’s classes:

Kath’s classes have a strong, dynamic flow that always has a touch of creativity and playfulness. You can expect to move in a way that challenges you while also is safe, alignment-based, and cultivates strength and flexibility. Kath’s classes will guide you to discover the magic of moving meditation as you intuitively follow the inherent wisdom of your body.

What yoga has gifted Kath:

From consistent yoga practice, Kath has been able to unlock strength, creativity, and empathy she never knew she had and never knew she needed. “My yoga practice continues to inspire me daily, allowing me to authentically express myself both on and off my mat”. No only that, but as a byproduct, Kath has found a deep sense of community and meaningful friendships.

Kath’s favourite poses:

• Dancers pose
• Warrior 2
• Forward fold

Meet Katy Jane Williams

Katy has a background in dance and performing arts. After finding her previous space too critical and judgemental, Katy moved her life onto the mat, but initially just for strength building. However, after finding the overwhelming acceptance in yoga, Katy did her teacher training at Yoga Life in 2016. “Even though I’m considered a teacher, I’m still a student. Always. I’m always learning and always growing and I feel like the practice itself highlights areas for self growth and self inquiry”.

Katy teaches Vinyasa, Power Vinyasa, and Bikram yoga.

What you can look forward to in Katy’s classes:

After her knee injury, Katy has transformed her classes to accomodate all types of bodies and movement, focusing on strength building especially. Expect to move both fast and slowly in Katy’s classes to give yourself time to feel sensations and get deep into postures. Katy encourages a “cultivation of what’s happening in the body so you don’t just use the practice to check out – be in the body and be aware”.

What yoga has gifted Katy:

Katy has found acceptance and restoration in yoga, explaining “yoga just accepted me for who I was. Whether I was flexible or not, where I had gained weight or lost weight. It didn’t matter what my body looked like, or how good I was, or whether I could touch my toes. Yoga was always there for me, I just had to show up”. After consistent practice, Katy has found a true, deep love in yoga, saying “it’s such a healing space”. 

Katy’s favourite poses:

• Flapping fish
• Wide-legged forward fold
• Forearm stand

Meet Rox Freddy

Rox started her yoga journey about 6 years ago. She explains, “when I started I knew very little about yoga, and even less about the connection between body and mind.” Rox practiced bikram, vinyasa and Ashtanga,  each style transforming her mind,  body and spirit into a better version of herself. Rox continued down the yoga path and in each and every class she would learn a little more about herself, taking what she learned and applying it outside the studio.

Rox teaches Bikram and Fusion Yoga. 

What you can look forward to in Rox’s classes:

Bikram can be quite an intense physical practice but it was designed to also challenge you mentally. Rox feels it is important to create a calming environment during the bikram practice, to find stillness or to find calm between postures , rather than achieving the perfect bikram pose. Rox encourages yogis to feel more but think less, to breathe and continuously check in with your ego.

What yoga has gifted Rox:

“My yoga practice has changed my life in so many ways that I wanted to be able to share that knowledge, share the gift, share the amazing experience of yoga with the world.”

Rox’s favourite poses:

• Camel
• Child’s pose
• Bikram standing bow pulling
• Handstand
• Wildthing

Meet Sara de Beer

Sara began practising yoga when she was a teenager, after her mom was in a car accident. Through her first yoga mentor, Andrea Sternberg, she practised therapeutic yoga drawn from the Iyenagar method to assist with mobility and healing of the cervical spine.

Sara completed her first teacher training with Jim Harrington in 2010. She teaches a movement practise which is influenced by the diverse and skilled yoga teachers she has been lucky enough to learn from. These include Jim Harrington, Patrick Creelman, Mariah Betts, the Shaynes and the dance teachers she has encountered during her training in classical ballet, flamenco, Five Rhythms and free dance.

She is inspired by her daughter, and considers movement and play inseparable allies on the mat. She doesn’t subscribe to any single style, only the belief that we should move in ways that feel good, increase our strength and agility, and help out our mental health. Her hope is that the mindfulness we practise in the studio translates to greater self awareness of our position in the place of things.

Sara teaches unheated Vinyasa.