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Teachers

Valentina Candiani

Valentina started studying classical dance in Venice, Italy when she was very young, then went on to explore other forms of dance such as jazz and contemporary. She further trained as an aerialist, arm balance and acro-balance contortionist with Ernesto Belley (ex artist and trainer of the Moscow State Circus) at his Acrobatic Club in Venice. With a professional background in arts and design, when she moved to London she started working as a cartoon animator in several projects and continued her career as graphic designer for magazines, then moved on to television graphics and web design. At the same time she developed a growing interest in Yoga and the desire to express her visual creativity in a more artistic way. 
She left her job as a designer 15 years ago to dedicate to teaching Yoga, and to her training. She has been performing worldwide with Edward Clark’s “Tripsichore Yoga Theatre Company” since 2007 (a Physical Theatre including dance, acrobatics and yoga).
During these years of experimenting with physical movement and theatrical material, she started developing innovative techniques to merge different disciplines and create avant-gard choreographies. After meeting some of the best performers in the UK, she decided to found her own company, giving physical theatre a new face. She is the founder and director of Aerialandwww.aerialand.com and Magma Theatre Company www.magmathatre.com

 

About my training:
I qualified as a Sivananda Yoga teacher, but my practice moved on to the more dynamic form of Ashtanga Yoga, which I studied and practiced with some of the best teachers, including Sri K. Pattabhi Jois. I practiced regularly at the Ashtanga Yoga Shala with Hamish Hendry, completing third series. I also partecipated to various workshops and intensive courses with David Williams, David Swenson and John Scott.
I started exploring other styles of yoga, when I lived in the US, studying with David Life and Sharon Gannon (Jivamukti) in New York. I also lived and studied in Los Angeles, where I practiced extensively Power Yoga and Flow Yoga with teachers as Shiva Rea, Brian Kest, Vinnie Marino, Annie Carpenter, Nancy Corcoran, and Erich Shiffmann, and Ashtanga Yoga with Maty Ezraty and Chuck Miller, as well as Kundalini Yoga with Gurmukh Khalsa. 
I collaborated with The Yoga Journal - italian edition - writing a series of articles on Yoga. Click here to view the article about Tripsichore and read the interview with Edward Clark.
Click here for the article in english language (text only).
To integrate my yoga, dance and acrobatic aerial skills, I've also qualified as an AntiGravity Yoga Teacher www.antigravityyoga.com
I'm also a qualified Aerial Hoop instructor at Intermediate level.

I am a registered Cranio-Sacral Therapist, and also a Nutritional Therapist, graduated at the College of Natural Nutrition, London, and a Patrick Holford's Zest4Life weightloss coach practitioner.

Mark Colleano


Mark Colleano received the authorization to teach Ashtanga Yoga from Sri K. Patthabi Jois at the Ashtanga Yoga Institute, Mysore, India after practicing directly with him and Sharath Rangasway, regularly since 2000.

He started practicing Hatha Yoga in July 1975 at age 20, after being shown basic postures by a fellow actor, I then, continued to practice daily for 13 years. At this time I was an actor and had appeared in many prestigious productions with some great actors such as Rock Hudson in Hornets Nest', Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor's son in Divorce , and Omar Sharif in The Horsemen'.

Mark says: While living in Los Angeles in 1996, I began practicing Power Yoga and discovered Ashtanga Yoga. I worked with many teachers, such as Noah and Kimberly Williams, Erich Schiffman, David Life and Sharon Gannon, Gurumukh Khalsa, and David Swenson.
It is the connection with the great tradition and lineage of Ashtanga Yoga that I felt with Guruji and his authority that effected me so much and inspired me. 

It is through a daily practice over many years that the transformation of the vital occurs and a real connection develops

Sylvia Garcia
I began my yoga journey in 2001 in a Sivananda centre. I enjoyed my introduction to yoga but immediately sought to explore other styles and went on to a regular Ashtanga practice.

When I first began practicing yoga it was very much a supplement to my dance career, however after many years and several dance based injuries, it became what I turned to full time.

Over the years my practice has diversified to include many styles of yoga. My regular practise now consists of Ashtanga, Dharma Yoga, Vinyasa Flow, Yin and Acro Yoga as well as circus based handstand and acrobatics. I enjoy maintaining a diverse range of styles and continue to seek all avenues yoga offers.

I completed my first teacher training course in Ashtanga Vinyasa flow with Yoga London. Since then I have also completed David Swenson’s Primary and Second series Ashtanga teacher training/yoga immersion course’s as well as Norman Blair’s Yin Yoga training. I have also trained with Uma and Nirlipta in Yoga Nidra which I continue to practise and enjoy alongside the more dynamic physical elements.

My teaching style is very fluid and stimulating and I like to offer hands on adjustments for students throughout my classes. I adapt for the individual within the group and make yoga accessible to everyone while keeping it challenging and fun.

What I love the most about yoga is how much more I have to learn. It’s a lifetime journey that always has so much more to offer which I find very humbling and inspiring and I feel incredibly lucky and honored to be able to teach what I have learned to others.

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