The Body Garage Teachers

Shannon Turner
Yoga & Pilates

Hi fellow yogis! My name is Shannon, and I am from the East Coast of the United States and moved to Wanaka in 2008. I went to my first yoga class nearly 23 years ago when I was pregnant with my oldest child. It was love at the first Warrior 2. 

My yoga teaching journey initially followed the age and stage of my children. When they were very young, I trained at Karma Kids and Teens Yoga in New York City and played yoga with the little ones. That playfulness has been the foundation for my own practice as well as my teaching. Teaching teens has been one of the biggest highlights for me as I love connecting with that age group. I believe yoga can be a great resource when navigating what can be turbulent times growing up. We even took our yoga practice to the water onto paddleboards and navigated the turbulent conditions of Lake Wanaka! 

Shifting to teaching adults, in 2010 I completed the RYT 200hr training at the Byron Yoga Centre in Byron Bay, Australia. And in 2015, I completed a Yin teacher training with Mysan Yoga. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned practitioner, I look forward to meeting you on your mat, ready to approach yoga with a sense of playfulness. 

Sian Leigh
Yoga

Let’s be honest. This whole health thing can be pretty overwhelming, with a side of yawn. Sure, there was that whole prancercise fad and avocado mousse is great, but choosing the right path for your body, mind and daily demands can be confusing, stressful and a bit dry, really. 

While my Bachelor of Psychology, Certification in Nutrition and Holistic Health, yoga teacher training and retreat-running experience equip me with the knowledge and skills to support you through your health and wellness journey, it’s my experience as a human that makes The Health Shed so different.

  • Bachelor of Psychology

  • Certification in Nutrition and Holistic Health

  • 200 RYT Yoga Instructor, 100 RYT Yin Yoga.

"The mind, when housed within a healthful body, possesses a glorious sense of power."

-Joseph Pilates

Kirsty Pringle
Yoga & Pilates

Kirsty reluctantly tried yoga and Pilates while healing from a back injury in her early 20’s. Pressing pause on competitive team sports and explosive gym training, she relished the sense of calm found in mindful movement.  Ditching the Auckland corporate lifestyle, she traveled to Indonesia and India to deepen her understanding of the philosophy of yoga and principles of Ayurveda, eventually completing 1000 hours of training in Vinyasa, Hatha, Yin, Nidra, Restorative and children’s yoga and Pilates.

Kirsty is also a health coach, with a keen interest in women’s' hormones, neuroscience, and holistic health, and the first to pipe up that strength and body awareness are more important than being able to touch your toes. 

Kirsty’s classes are alignment-focussed and playful, weaving together creative sequences to challenge the way you think and move, in a way that is both functional and fun, always ending with a juicy relaxation. Injuries welcome!

"Yoga is the journey of the self, through the self, to the self."

-The Bhagavad Gita

Keity Garcia
Yoga & Pilates

Hi I'm Keity a Yoga practitioner since 2007, I decided to get my teacher training in 2018, going to India to do this, where I completed two of my certifications.

Before that, I was already studying meditation and Buddhism, lived in a monastery in Nepal and participated in a silent vipassana meditation retreat in Myanmar.

After my first teacher training, I have studied deeply about yoga philosophy, bandhas, biomechanics and the connection between pranayama and the nervous system. I taught yoga classes in Turkey and Brazil before moving to New Zealand, in 2019, when I registered myself with Yoga New Zealand and REPs, and have been teaching yoga since then. I have also been organising the International Yoga Day event in Wanaka since 2020.

In 2021, I completed the 300hr Yoga Teacher Training and also registered with the International Yoga Alliance as RYT 500 and E-RYT200.

Bernadine Balle-Guilleux
Yoga

Bernadine’s yoga practice is deeply intuitive and playful.  She believes freedom of movement in yoga passes through a disciplined approach and this comes through in her teaching style. 

She endeavours to create the space for her students to drop into an exploratory journey of themselves as they work towards alignment in asana.

Ceri Blythe
Yoga

 Hi I'm Ceri, my style of teaching weaves all my greatest loves together - Movement, Dance, Nature & Music. I am a trained eco-somatic yoga and dance teacher, with over 1000 hours of study, and many more hours of practice. I really love to guide people into the living vessel of their body/temple; coming to understand how magnificent and connected it really is. I am inspired by different and diverse ways of moving, to really drop from the mind into the breath and body.

I love to move slowly and with intention/attention to all the tiny sensations available to us - and I think this is where we can find a really rich and fulfilling yoga practice. 

I am also currently studying dance & movement therapy, which is giving me so much fulfillment (but don't worry, you won't have to dance around in my yoga classes lol).

I would love to see you in the studio soon.

Nati
Yoga

Hey there! I'm Nati, a yoga enthusiast who believes in the magical blend of body, mind, and breath. Born amidst Argentina's picturesque landscapes, I've always considered myself a seeker of beauty, whether in the wonders of nature, the enchantment of poetry, or the grace of movement. This innate curiosity has led me on countless journeys to explore the world's wonders and the richness of human experiences. For the past decade, I've called Wanaka home.

My yoga journey has taken me to India, where I initially trained in Vinyasa (200 RYT) and later in Ashtanga (200 RYT) practices. Following this, I deepened my practice with Yin Yoga (100 RYT) in New Zealand. With over eight years of teaching experience, my aim is to empower students to make their practice their own, fostering curiosity, creativity, and meaningful exploration, while nurturing a sense of empowerment and self-discovery.

Whether you're just stepping onto the mat or seeking to deepen your practice, come join me in crafting a yoga experience that's as unique as you are.