• 2011 - 2012 Season

Julie Martin (E-RYT 500)

Julie Martin, Director of Brahmani Yoga in Goa, India, is an internationally recognized teacher of both Vinyasa Flow and Ashtanga Yoga. Born in Los Angeles but based in Brighton, UK for 14 years, she moved to Goa in 2003, and set up Brahmani Yoga - now one of the leading yoga centres in Asia. Julie has been teaching for over 15 years and has been running highly respected training programmes at Brahmani for the last 8 years.

As a former professional dancer Julie imbues her classes with the grace and rhythm of dance, encouraging play and discovery in her students. Each class becomes a choreographed journey through the body and mind, fusing the qualities of traditional yoga with personal discovery and self expression.

With emphasis always on awareness, Julie is continually inspired by the workings of the body and how through using alignment, breath and foundation alongside playfulness we can unlock the freedom in our movement, and find our true practice, our true selves.

Julie Martin was featured in the Incredible India campaign (shown worldwide), as one of the leading foreign yoga teachers having chosen India as her 'motherland'. Her path has led her to teach workshops and trainings around the world but her heart remains in India.

“The practice is not in the asana, it is in the awareness.” - Julie Martin

• Julie will be teaching throughout the season.
• You can email Julie direct by clicking

Jane Sleven (BWY)

Jane has an extensive background in massage, counselling and healing. She practiced Satyananda Yoga from 1975 and then trained with the British Wheel of Yoga. From 1995, John Scott, Shandor Remete, and later, Guruji in Mysore were Jane’s Astanga teachers. There have been many other kind, insightful and encouraging teachers along the way, but her students have always been, and still are, the greatest influence and inspiration.

Jane's vibrant personality and intuitive approach enables her to connect with students’ individual needs to develop empowerment and confidence. What’s really being taught is awareness - to be present, practicing each time as though for the first time. Jane’s depth of knowledge and experience flow through her warm, encouraging presence, clarity of instruction, and thoughtfully attuned adjustments.

Joanne Smallwood (RYT 500)

Joanne has been a dedicated practitioner of Ashtanga Yoga since 1997. She completed a Teacher Training program in 2005 at The Downward Dog Yoga Centre, with Ron Reid and Diane Bruni. She values a daily practice and enjoys sharing her love of yoga.

Joanne has been teaching yoga classes in Toronto and will be teaching and assisting in the morning classes throughout the season.

Joanne will be teaching the ashtanga level 1 & 2 classes throughout the season.

Joanne is also the General Manager at Brahmani Yoga. You can email her directly by clicking .

Anouk Petzoldt

Anouk has been practising various styles of hatha yoga for thirteen years and has been a dedicated ashtanga practitioner since 2006. After participating in a teacher training with David Swenson, she completed her Ashtanga Teacher Training at Brahmani in 2008, where she has found her guides and lights in the incredible team of her teachers Julie, Melanie Cooper, Jodi Boone and Emil Wendel. She has taught at Yogashala, Reykjavik under the caring guidance of Ingibjörg Stefánsdóttir. While in Europe, Anouk is able to keep attending workshops with excellent teachers such as Nancy Gilgoff, Richard Freeman, Matthew Sweeney, Petri Räisänen, Caroline Boulinguez and Mark and Joanne Darby, to then draw onto her own style of practising and teaching.

Anouk is passionate about enabling people from all walks of life to experience the joy of yoga beyond the pure physical experience, and she is fascinated by the altruistic learning exchange that emerges between the student and teacher. For her, teaching is a beautiful act of giving and devotion, and she only hopes to guide students as they walk on their own path of love towards the spiritual freedom we all seek.