A message from downDAWG Yoga’s creator and CEO, Amy Allen.
Why did I create downDAWG Yoga?

I created this class for those who like a powerful, sweaty workout done to energizing, motivational music. downDAWG Yoga is not your traditional yoga practice, far from it. But that is what makes this class so unique. Coming from a fitness background it took me some time to get into Yoga. I was what some may have called a “non-believer”. I can relate to those who currently avoid doing yoga because they have the perception that it’s too slow or they prefer not to meditate or chant. Believe me, I get it! This is how downDAWG came to be. I thought, why not take flow yoga and fuse it with some great music while removing all the chanting and spiritual side?

So if you’re currently avoiding yoga because you’re intimidated, find it a little too slow or even used the word “boring” to describe it, THIS CLASS IS FOR YOU! You will get all the strength and flexibility training that yoga provides, done in a fun, light hearted environment. I say, if we have to play current, hip hop music to get people to do yoga, then so be it. Let’s just get onto a mat and have some fun! Who knows, you may just fall in love with Yoga as much I as have. Believe me, Yoga is an amazing workout for not only your body but your mind. Namaste.

 

Amy Allen – downDAWG Yoga Creator and CEO

Amy is a registered Kinesiologist, 250 hour Ashtanga teacher, a Victoria lululemon ambassador and BCRPA SFL who has been involved in the health and fitness industry for over 16 years now. Amy has completed various Yoga and Fusion teacher trainings over the years but her favorite discipline is Ashtanga. Amy has a dedicated Ashtanga practice which inspires and motivates her each day. Amy is involved with fitness presenting, educating fitness leaders all across Canada. She delivers unique, educational and upbeat workshops that are action packed and cutting edge. She brings a combination of humour, knowledge and warmth to each class creating an inclusive environment for all her students. You can see Amy presenting at various conferences such as BC Fit, YMCA, Island Fitness and the Every WOMAN conference. In her spare time she regularly gives back to the fitness community by mentoring new fitness leaders, providing them with the necessary tools to become highly successful instructors.

Amy is also a proud mother of her baby boy Travis who arrived February 28th. Amy taught her downDAWG Yoga class till she was 38 weeks pregnant so it’s only fitting that Travis loves to dance to music. He is a beautiful boy who has brought her and her husband Geoff so much joy and laughter.

 

 

Monica Elliott – downDAWG Instructor

Monica is a BCRPA certified group fitness leader and personal trainer. She is also a Fusion Fitness certified instructor. She has been actively involved in the fitness industry for the past five years. She teaches several different formats such as Step, Pilates, Spin, and Dance Fitness at several facilities around Victoria, BC. Monica is frequently referred to as “The Energizer Bunny” by her participants because she is well known for her energetic, motivational style of teaching.

Determined to be one of the best in her field, Monica regularly attends fitness conferences, including the IDEA World fitness conference in the U.S., where she receives training from elite instructors from across the globe.

Monica was hooked on downDAWG yoga from the beginning. The atmosphere was completely different from a traditional yoga class. The participants flowed through yoga postures to popular music and were encouraged to sing along and be vocal. It wasn’t relaxing; it was fun! Therefore, it was only natural that Monica would want to be a part of something so innovative and eventually become a master trainer for downDAWG.

 

 

Melissa Clarke – downDAWG Master Trainer

Melissa is currently completing her Master’s degree in Kinesiology, and is a Master Trainer and Trainer of Fitness Leaders. Over the last 15 years, she has worked on a provincial and national level presenting courses and workshops to thousands of individuals, and assisting organizations with fitness leadership program development. Melissa has expertise in a number of areas, including: Pilates, Fusion Fitness, group fitness, athletic conditioning, personal training, and exercise rehabilitation. She works to inspire others through her energy and enthusiasm, and believes that everyone should take an opportunity to get down!

downDAWG was a natural choice for Melissa – with an interest in flow yoga, a booty that kind of has a mind of it’s own, and a group of friends who politely tease her about most songs being her “favourite song”, downDAWG was a match made in heaven!

 

 

 

 

Krystal Say – downDAWG Master Trainer

Krystal is a HFS certified fitness coach through the ACSM and has a degree in exercise Science. She runs her own fitness studio without walls, BIA Fitness, in the U.S. geared towards inspiring and motivating groups of people in a variety of fitness programs wherever the crowd takes her, local parks for adventure workouts included!

Beyond BIA Krystal is a Instructor for TRX teaching both the STC and GRTC courses, enabling her to travel and educate individuals looking to grow and expand their knowledge. This has given her the ability evolve her dream of becoming a Fitness Educator.

downDAWG Yoga brings a whole new edge to her professional repertoire. Meeting Amy in San Francisco in 2011 inspired her to take DDY to U.S., expanding its unique and powerful influence into communities allowing people to reap the benefits of a yoga practice in an exciting and upbeat environment.

 

 

Kirsten Dibblee – downDAWG Instructor

Kirsten is a high school teacher who started practicing yoga in 2004 while completing her Bachelor of Education Degree in Physical Education and Biological Studies. She is a Yoga Alliance Registered Yoga Teacher who has been teaching yoga since 2008. Kirsten is also certified as a Pilates Mat Level 1, FitFlow Yoga Fitness, Fusion Fitness Integrated Yoga, and BCRPA Weight Training and Indoor Cycling instructor.

Fitness is an integral part of Kirsten’s life. She completed her first Ironman Canada in 2010 and enjoys training for triathlon, long distance running, playing soccer and hiking. She believes her Yoga practice helps keep her balanced, flexible and physically and mentally strong so she is better able to participate in other activities.

Kirsten first went to a downDAWG Yoga class on a recommendation that her students would like it and instantly knew that it was for her! She likes the challenge of the classes and feels they are a great compliment to a more traditional practice. She is excited to be part of the downDAWG Yoga team so that she can help introduce others to all the fun!

 

Anna Dodds – downDAWG Instructor

Anna K is a BCRPA certified Group fitness and Pilates instructor. She particularly enjoys instructing clients one on one on the Reformer and Cadillac, helping them get in touch with their core and bringing their bodies back to natural posture and alignment. She also teaches Zumba fitness and other specialties all over the Oceanside area (Parksville). When she has a spare moment from teaching, she also enjoys running and Crossfit. She is currently working on her Aquafit certification and completing her Pilates Method Alliance certification.

One of Anna K’s goals is to bring new forms of fusion fitness in her community that is fun, non-intimidating and doesn’t feel like exercise that appeals to everyone and downDAWG yoga totally fits that description! Anna K is a bit of a fitness junkie and knowing that stretch and flexibility was an integral part of overall physical wellness and being, she tried various forms of yoga but found them to be boring and not as high intensity. She came to the conclusion that yoga was just not for her and tried to find other formats to ‘get her stretch on’. She first discovered downDAWG at a fitness conference and it forever changed her life! She was amazed how much she worked up a sweat doing flow sequence yoga while grooving to hip hop beats without ever emptying her mind and not having to chant a single ‘om’! It was the first time she truly had fun and was challenged in a yoga class! She jokes that ‘yoga kicked her butt!’ and she instantly knew she had to become an instructor!

Known to her students and close friends as AK-Dizzle, Anna K always makes her fitness classes fun and feel like a PARTY! Already a lover of reggae and hip hop music and always bringing her A-game and edgy swagger to every class she teaches; downDAWG yoga seemed to be a natural and complementary match in Anna K’s life and teaching style. She is excited to be a part of the downDAWG family and to introduce downDAWG yoga to the Oceanside area.

 

 

Robyn Issel-Grey – downDAWG Instructor

Self-described as “a bit high-strung” Robyn loves (and needs) to move! An avid athlete
from an early age, Robyn has played a variety of sports with a particular affinity for track, field hockey, strength training, swimming and winter-sports. She discovered yoga a few years ago while looking to increase flexibility, as well as to release tension.

Loving that downDAWG provides the opportunity for an intense workout, while at the same time offering the mindfulness of body and breath of Vinyasa yoga–Robyn was hooked. She looks forward to sharing her passion for movement, music and mindfulness with you!

 

 

Melanie Dobler – downDAWG Master Trainer

Melanie began her fitness career over ten years ago while completing her Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Guelph. Since that time her love for motivating people has taken her across the pond to London UK where she worked for two years in top clubs like KXGYM UK, Reebok sports club and then back to Ontario to work in various Corporate Fitness facilities as well as the YMCA of Greater Toronto where she had the rewarding position of delivering the YMCA fitness leadership programs as a YMCA Canada Trainer.

While she holds a multitude of Fitness Certifications including her Can Fit Pro FIS, UofG PT, Reebok Group Cycling, TRX Certification and more, the downDAWG Instructor Training ignited a definite spark and uncovered a format that brings together her love of beats and music with the practice of yoga in a format she can embrace. Ultimately, the thread of her fitness pursuits have always been to inspire people to be active and celebrate their body and self regardless of shape and ability so she strongly believes having never been flexible herself, with this program she can encourage others to work towards a more balanced body and make yoga-believers out of even the toughest fitness class skeptics.

 

Stephanie Munger – downDAWG Instructor

Stephanie is a trained dancer with over 10 years of experience in modern, jazz and ballet. After graduating from high school, she decided to pursue a career in fitness and began instructing dance fitness classes. In 2009, she obtained her Zumba Fitness Instructor licence and has been teaching daily classes since. She is currently in the process of completing her Group Fitness Instructor and Cycling Instructor Certifications and has plans to continue expanding her skills through other formats.

Stephanie is constantly full of energy so dance has always been a perfect outlet for her. However, after trying her first yoga class, she discovered that channeling her energy into slower and controlled movements brought just as many benefits as a high impact dance fitness class. The stretching and core strength she gained from yoga helped improve her movement and balance in dance as well as day-to-day life.

When she first heard about downDAWG Yoga, the fusion of flow yoga with hip hop music sounded like heaven…and after she tried a class, she was hooked! Stephanie is eager to see how this new format will help people who typically only participate in group fitness classes to transition into yoga and vice versa. Stephanie is excited to help introduce downDAWG Yoga to Ontario and you can find her instructing classes in Guelph, Kitchener and Cambridge.

 

 

Terrie Baumgartner – downDAWG Instructor

www.getfitguelph.com

Terrie started her fitness career over 10yrs ago. During a 6 year break to raise 4 children, she introduced them to one of her loves-yoga. Her dream of becoming a yoga instructor on the back-burner. Her children began playing and posing at the age of 2. She returned to fitness in 2009 updating her certifications which now include University of Guelph Personal Trainer, TRX Group Fitness Instructor, Cycle REEBOK Instructor, Canfit Pro Fitness Instructor Specialist and yes, DOWNdawg Yoga®.

downDAWG brought inspiration, passion and a perfect fit. Family time became time to play with flows and music. Class time became full of amazing interactions and Terrie has never had such overwhelming response to a format before. Currently bringing classes to public schools for gym programming and teaching at the University of Guelph, Terrie is having the time of her life. Kids and adults are proving it’s time to get your Namaste on and Terrie hopes to help more and more people realize the importance of fitness, flexibilty and FUN in their lives.

 

Renae McCloud – downDAWG Master Trainer

Renae is a personal trainer and group exercise instructor certified by ACSM and ACE, a trained Cycle, Yoga and Pilates Instructor, and Master Trainer for downDAWG Yoga and TRX Training (teaching Suspension Training and Rip Training courses).

downDAWG Yoga is expanding to the U.S. as Renae shares this unique and powerful program to fitness professionals and yoga enthusiasts across the country. Renae is a high-energy presenter who brings humor, knowledge and inspiration to her courses.

With more than 20 years of experience in the fitness industry, Renae currently is the owner of McCloud Fitness, offering personal training, small group training, and coaching for weight loss and weight management. Renae believes fitness and wellness is a lifestyle and lives by example. A lifelong competitive athlete, Renae currently enjoys mountain biking, trail running and hiking and has been known to leap tall buildings in a single bound.

 

Michelle Maynard – downDAWG Executive Assistant

Michelle has a degree in Recreation and Health Education from the University of Victoria. She has always been active and made it her profession 5 years ago. She is a BCRPA certified Pilates instructor, instructs TRX Suspension Training and is currently working on the BCRPA Group Fitness Instructor course.

Michelle has been a supporter of downDAWG Yoga since it began. She takes a similar approach when teaching her classes to what downDAWG promotes – Get participants in the door in a non-intimidating way and keep them there with your passion for movement; which is what drew her into the company. Michelle is so excited to be part of the team to watch it grow into the future.

 

Lynne Skilton-Hayes – downDAWG Instructor

Lynne Skilton-Hayes is the Fitness Program Supervisor at the University of Guelph where she is responsible for the programming of hundreds of programs for students, varsity, faculty, staff and community. She is a canfitpro and ACE certified group fitness instructor and master personal trainer. Lynne holds a B.SC. degree and brings over 20 years of education and experience to the fitness industry. She is an International Fitness Presenter/Educator, Bender Ball Master trainer, canfitpro ProTrainer and GSTC TRX instructor, In 2004 she was awarded ‘PTS ProTrainer of the year’. Lynne has done work for television and print. She has presented nationally and internationally numerous group fitness workshops as well as personal training and group fitness certification courses to hundreds of fitness professionals across the country.

Lynne is one of the most passionate and dynamic professionals you will ever meet. Her quality in teaching, her breadth of knowledge and her passion for the field is evident in everything she does. Her own pursuit of excellence has led her to achieve that recognition and consequently recognition for Guelph’s achievement in the industry as well. Anyone who has been a part of her classes, courses or training will attest to the motivation and passion that Lynne has for helping others achieve their goals in this field.

She is also the proud mother of a wonderful 4 year old son who reminds her on a daily basis the importance of being healthy and fit.

 

Ready to join the fun? Interested in becoming a downDAWG Yoga Teacher? Please check out our Teacher Training page

Already a downDAWG Yoga Teacher? Click here to manage your membership fees

 

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