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Niki Wozniak
Joga is owned and run by choreographer and former professional dancer, Niki Wozniak. Niki has over 20 years of teaching experience and has taught in numerous locations across Canada, the US, the Caribbean, and at the prestigious Shanghai Dance School in China. After an injury forced her to stop dancing, Niki discovered Pilates. It was the perfect combination of strength training, injury recovery/prevention, breath and core work that complimented her dance background and encouraged a mind/body connection. She fell in love. Niki completed her teacher training in Toronto, Canada at Body Harmonics (Pilates Method Alliance approved). Niki started practicing yoga 17 years ago, alongside her dance career, and completed her 200 hour teacher training in 2018. Niki's yoga classes are dynamic and flowing, focusing on linking breath to movement, tuning into alignment, and becoming present in the moment. She loves to experiment with music to create an ambience that will inspire and encourage you on your yoga journey. Niki began teaching in Sint Maarten as she loved the warm weather and the people of this truly "Friendly Island". She founded Redemption Fitness SXM and took over Joga in August 2020. Niki loves to inspire her clients with new ways of moving. Come join her for class, where you will be sure to sweat, tone, feel refreshed and have fun! |
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Armelle Trichet
Armelle has integrated Yoga practice & philosophy in her lifestyle for over 30 years. She is a 700-hours certified yoga teacher (Yoga Alliance) in Traditional Hatha Yoga (Sivananda Lineage), Vinyasa and Yin yoga; 100-hours certified Counsellor in Ayurveda & Yoga Wellness; and Certified “food and hygiene” advisor from the “Dargere school” (Recognized School of Naturopathy in France). She has begun a 500-hours Iyengar teacher training last year, which will be completed in 3 years. She is currently only teaching Iyengar method. Originally from France, Armelle has lived on the island of St. Martin for 35 years. |
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Stephanie Gibbons
Stephanie found the therapeutic properties of yoga while healing from a chronic illness that she had been dealing with most of her life. She views the practice as a cornerstone of her healing and is called to share the benefits with others. Stephanie offers a warm but structured environment that integrates dynamic & flowing movement with breathwork, guided visualization, and meditation to facilitate connection and ease among her students. Her Vinyasa classes are energetic and upbeat while her Slow Flow classes allow you to slow down and reconnect to your mind, body and soul. Stephanie is a 200hr RYT; she completed her training at Integral Yoga Institute in New York City. She hopes to see you on the mat soon! |
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Dinah Smith Eccles
Dinah is an experienced yoga teacher (30+years) trained in Ashtanga and Vinyasa flow. Her classes are energetic and mindful....suitable for all levels of practice. Dinah also does body work: massage, reflexology and more... |
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Manja Kop
Yoga found Manja when she needed it to slow down and reconnect with herself. In her words: ‘It has this beautiful way of showing you exactly what you need. To be truly honest, I was one of those people that didn’t think I could ‘do’ yoga because I wasn’t flexible or strong enough. Yoga helped me to reconnect with my body and quite literally change my mind’. Her biggest passion is learning about life. Always reading and learning about self-awareness, personal growth and how to stay connected in the present moment. She has completed her trainings in Hot Yoga (bikram series), Vinyasa and Yin Yoga and she is currently learning to become a breathwork facilitator. Manja is here to create a space for you to find your inner wisdom connecting your mind, body and your breath. |
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Suzy Scholz
Born in Paris to a Caribbean mom and German dad, Suzy’s journey in movement started out with dancing. Several years ago, she fell deeply in love with yoga magic. She spent time in India learning about the culture, context and history for the authenticity of her own practice and wants to share this with others. She is a 200 hour certified teacher through Alakh Yoga, in Rishikesh, India, focussing on Hatha and Ashtanga. Her grounding energy, eye for alignment details, and focus on breath will invite you to slow down, to honour yourself, embrace the gift of yoga, and leave you feeling at your best. |
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Meg Scharnagl
Meg was introduced to yoga as a child by her grandmother, who still practices everyday at 80 years old (goals, I know) - and hasn’t looked back since! Meg has her 200 hour training in Power Vinyasa, along with a 45 hour training in Yoga4Cancer. Meg’s classes are upbeat and uplifting- always complete with a dance-worthy playlist and a healthy dose of spirituality. She looks forward to flowing with you on your mat soon! |
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Maria Paula Jaramillo
Maria Paula has been practicing yoga for 12 years. However, it was only after undergoing an emergency back surgery and being diagnosed with a neuromuscular chronic condition, that yoga became such a crucial part of her life. Yoga has empowered Maria Paula to honor and listen to her body while facing her fears and embracing her possibilities in the present moment. Having recently completed her 200hr Yoga Alliance Certified Yoga Teacher Training, she is eager to share her practice with others. Maria Paula has dedicated her career to working on environmental and social sustainability. She has lived in 8 countries and has worked in various international organizations such as the United Nations. Seeing a fundamental link between our individual yoga practice and sustainability, she believes that as we increase our self-awareness, we also become more aware of our connection with others and our environment; this in turn, allows us to be more compassionate and responsible for our energy, our intentions, our thoughts, and our actions. Maria Paula speaks English, Spanish and French. |
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Lisa Davis-Burnett
Lisa says yoga practice is for everyone and anyone. She focuses on the client’s needs for physical exercise with gentle awareness. Her goal is restoring, reviving, and reconnecting the body, mind, and spirit for improved health and self-love. |
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BeeBee Ada
BeeBee attended the Scherer Dance and Arts Academy in Guadeloupe, and graduated with a Jazz Major. She also completed the Elite Professional Semester at Broadway Dance Center (NYC). BeeBee founded her company “Bee-Hype” in 2009, and is a highly sought after performer, choreographer and teacher on both sides of the island, and throughout the Caribbean. |
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Sasha Mall
Sasha first found her love for the practice of yoga in 2010 when staying in her home town of South Africa. After moving to Sint Maarten and keeping up her practice, she completed a 200hr Vinyassa Yoga Teacher Training in 2016. Following her passion for Wellness she became certified as a Holistic Health Coach that same year. She later discovered the Dynamic Yoga Method and travelled to Italy where she spent 8 weeks immersed in nature and undertook a 500hr Somatic Awareness Training in 2017. Her approach towards cultivating an awareness practice is one of feeling sensation within the body to strengthen pathways of love, fearlessness and trust. After giving birth to her son in 2018, she felt called upon to focus her teachings in working with women during the prenatal and postpartum period. She continued her studies in Prenatal & Postnatal Yoga and has since become certified as a Baby Yoga & Baby Massage instructor. Sasha believes in the importance of new and expectant mothers being nurtured in their transition to motherhood and throughout their journey thereafter so that they may flourish. She draws from her experience and love for woman's health. You can keep up to date on all her classes and workshops on Facebook. ~ @Nurturingmama&bebesxm |
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Jolanda Dejong & Melinda Chiu | Joga Founders
What better inspiration for Joga than a love for yoga and healthy food? Friends since the 1990's, Jolanda and Melinda recognized there was a great need on St. Maarten for a studio dedicated solely to yoga. They saw that there were many devoted and talented yoga teachers on the island but their classes and locations were constantly changing. "We wanted to create a place where teachers on the island could unite and share a beautiful space. A consistent place where those seeking yoga could find it." Joga's mission is to form a community where we can all learn, teach and share the love of yoga and beautiful, healthy food" Jolanda first started practicing hot yoga in 2011 while living in Fort Lauderdale and was instantly hooked. After moving back to St. Maarten in 2014 she quickly recognized that she needed yoga in her life and so Joga was born. Melinda was first introduced to yoga 1999 and it felt as if she had come home. Her love for yoga and yearning to deepen her own practice led her to attend Yogi Amirt Desai's teacher training at the Providence Zen Buddhist Monestery in 2004. Through the years Melinda has attended numerous yoga retreats, conferences and ashrams around the world. |