THE TEAM

Our trained, experienced teachers offer around 30 varied classes per week. We have 20 teachers to give you variety and to prevent teacher burnout.

Our teachers offer a range of styles and backgrounds and all focus on your safety & having fun. 

We also host visiting teachers and workshops such as Inversions, Beginners & Yoga Nidra.

Welcome to House of Yoga & Wellness.

MEG ANDERSEN

Owner & Studio Manager

 

Hi, I’m Meg,  Owner and care taker of House of Yoga. I’m a Yoga and aerial teacher passionate about community, movement, and trauma-informed practices. I have a background in early childhood education and beauty therapy.  I enjoy creating nourishing, nurturing and empowering paces for people.
I look forward to connecting with you.

 

RYT 200

 

LOU KIRKHAM

Hi, I’m Louise! I’m fortunate to be one of the co-owners of House of Yoga. My life is fueled by a passion for movement and self-expression through music. I’m happiest by the beach, catching waves whenever I can steal a moment from my busy schedule.

In my younger years, I immersed myself in the creative arts and thrived in competitive sports. From rhythmic gymnastics, dancing, and competitive swimming to playing top-level netball and excelling in athletics, my life was always active and dynamic.

My desire to live life to the fullest has shaped my journey. After dedicating five years to being a full-time mother, I wanted to blend my love of daily exercise with my work—maximizing time for family, friends, and the outdoors. This shift led me to explore fitness options that aligned with my passions, steering away from traditional gyms toward something more meaningful and exciting.

Yoga and similar practices always intrigued me, but I craved a more upbeat tempo. Then I discovered AntiGravity® Fitness, and it transformed my life. Today, I’m healthier and happier than ever, with a practice that energizes both my body and soul.

I’m known for my positive outlook and sense of humor, and I always give 100% to everything I do. I’m thrilled to help others discover their own potential and joy through the incredible experience of AntiGravity® Fitness!

Louise always provides us with an enjoyable class with an easy flow from one action to another, great advice on poses and benefits to our bodies, plus there’s usually plenty of chat and laughter too. 100% recommend 

TINEKE ROSE

Senior Teacher – Vinyasa, Ashtanga, Yin + Restorative

Over the past 7 years Tineke has dedicated her lifestyle to learning & sharing yogic practices. Travelling all over the world, residing mostly in India she has found peace in the practice of yoga and believes in the compassionate way of living that it promotes.
 
 
With over 500hrs of teacher training and months of ashram living, Tineke has been sharing with students and training teachers about the easy balance that yoga can bring.
 
 
E-RYT500
 
 
Love Tineke’s dynamic, strengthening vinyasa flow. Always a well earnt savasana!Love Tineke’s dynamic, strengthening vinyasa flow. Always a well earnt savasana!

 

 

MARIA KEREWARO

Maria first discovered Yoga in 2008 while living in London. After completing various trainings she began teaching a Vinyasa style practice at Hot Power Yoga, London where her own journey on the mat had begun. In 2013 she decided to return to New Zealand while pregnant with her second child.

Maria’s strengths are teaching a moving practice with a mixture of sequences that balance and strengthen the whole body. She believes it’s not what the pose looks like, but how it feels and will encourage a deeper connection to the physical body through breath and becoming present.

RYT 300

ANA VIEIRA

Ana is an embodied yoga teacher and reiki master with over 16 years of experience, bringing together breathwork, kirtan, movement medicine, and somatic psychology to foster healing and self-awareness. Originally from Brazil, Ana’s journey has taken her around the world, and she now calls Aotearoa home. With 2500 hours of training, Ana integrates teachings from Shaivism Tantra, Embodied Flow™, Bhakti Yoga, Hatha, Vinyasa, and Embodied Yin™. Her approach blends yoga, embodiment, and belief inquiry to deepen self-connection and choice in responding to life. Drawing on emotional healing, somatics, and myofascial techniques, her classes create a therapeutic space for exploring the body’s subtlety, expanding awareness, and nourishing the nervous system—guiding students back to their mats with renewed intention.

 

SASHA MILJUS

Half Serbian, half English and a whole amount of LOVE, LIFE AND MAGIC!

She is a Yoga teacher with 500 hours worth of training under her belt. 

She loves the sense of self achievement that comes from the gift of the hammock. Sasha believes “you have the power to make your intention a reality.”

One day she saw the woman she wanted to be, breath by breath, day by day, she’s making her way there.

RYT500

LOU EMPSON

Lou started out practicing hot yoga in 2014. What drew her to the practice was the intensity of it. She was in awe that one minute you weren’t sure you had the energy to peel yourself off the mat and the next, you were bounding out of the studio with an enthusiasm for life you never knew you had.  What Lou loves the most about a 26&2 style class is that the set sequence frees up a little more space in the mind to allow yourself to really focus the thoughts inward; and that it teaches compassion, for ourselves and for others.

Even though 26&2 can be an intense class, Lou teaches it with kindness and compassion, will always offer alternatives for those that need it and different ways to understand the postures and their benefits.

 

MIKE DEANE

Mike, New Zealand’s sole Navakaraṇan instructor, expect inversions, arm balances, and strengthening poses in this session.
Mike’s journey is inspiring—he completed essentials, modules 1 & 2 in Italy, and recently, module 3 in Spain under Dario Calvaruso’s guidance for a total of 108 hours. Experience the magic of in-person Navakaraṇa, a method taught solely offline.

LEIGHIA MURRAY

Leighia is a certified Yoga teacher and trained Ayurveda practitioner with over 20 years experience practicing Yoga Culture. She has studied with many respected lineages throughout the world, which has afforded her to meet and learn from different interdisciplinary Yoga principles styles and teachers.
She believes that teaching is a privilege through a yoga shala that provides a space for students to explore the healing and transformative effects on and off the mat that her own personal journey continues to provide and awaken. Leighia believes movement is medicine and a powerful healing modality that allows the student to connect back into the dance of life that frees one from restrictions and reminds us of our true essence that is wise, wild and free.
Through providing a deep diversity of practices from classical Hatha to Vinyasa, Pranayama and meditation and the healing of its sister science Ayurveda are incorporated in the practices to support an international relationship to take off the mat and back out into the world.
“I strive to be like my Yoga mat it has never seen so many versions of me, and it has never said no to a single one”

PAIGE ELISE

 Paige is a qualified Personal Trainer and Yoga teacher. She worked in the Medical industry from the age of 15, and transitioned into the Health and Fitness Industry in 2015. She moved to New Zealand from Australia in 2018 and turned her attention to full-time Yoga teaching. She became a Mother in 2019 and feels drawn to working with females, Mother’s and Women during their pregnancy journey. Paige is committed to ongoing self-development, and is passionate about being able to share some of the tools and knowledge that have been part of her journey; particularly with managing anxiety, depression and healing traumas. As a chronic Asthmatic, she has gained valuable insight into the importance of breathing through the nose and conscious diaphragmatic breathing. She was diagnosed with Scoliosis at the age of 14, and the practice of Yoga has played a huge role in her being able to actively minimise pain, strengthen and correct the curvature of her spine. Paige’s intention of sharing her love of Yoga, is teaching people to slow down and pay attention to their breath and inner state. She loves to help people understand the connection between their Mental, Emotional, Physical and Spiritual Health; and to empower others to make more positive decisions in their lives.

Just had my first class with Paige and she was fantastic! I consider myself to be experienced in yoga but have just recently rejoined the practise after pregnancy and birth- Paige was attentive to my modification needs and guided us through a very mindful and mentally/emotionally fulfilling practise this morning. Highly recommend!

 

STEPHANIE ROBERTSON

Stephanie loves creating a peaceful, welcoming environment where students can come to relax and practice some self-care. Stephanie’s daily practice consists of meditation & asana. To keep grounded & calm, she meditates several times throughout the day for 5-10 minutes. She has been teaching several styles of Yoga since 2010 including Vinyasa, Kids Yoga, and Kundalini.  E-RYT 500Senior Teacher – Vinyasa + Yin In her classes Stephanie loves creating a peaceful, welcoming environment where students can come to relax and practice some self-care. Stephanie’s daily practice consists of meditation & asana. To keep grounded & calm, she meditates several times throughout the day for 5-10 minutes. She has been teaching several styles of Yoga since 2010 including Vinyasa, Kids Yoga, and Kundalini.  E-RYT 500

Love my yoga with Steph ! She reads the room perfectly and can fit her practice to all levels of yoga .. I really enjoy her classes a lot.

EILISH KENNERD

Meet Eilish, an intuitive massage therapist specializing in Deep Tissue Massage. With a deep understanding of the body’s energy dynamics, her transformative approach addresses both surface and profound muscle layers. This technique unlocks energy blockages caused by contracted muscles, promoting healing and well-being. Whether you’re seeking relief from chronic pain, back issues, or emotional imbalances, Eilish’s therapeutic touch revitalizes your body and soul. Arriving from Canada in March, her free-spirited nature and healing passion create a space where intuitive relaxation harmonizes with the power of Deep Tissue Massage. Experience profound healing with Eilish’s transformative touch.

GEORGIA BURR

Georgia’s introduction to yoga was back in 2013 where she first met the mat in a fiery practice in a hot yoga class. She fell in love with the practice and the connection it allowed between breath, mind, body and soul. In 2022 she completed her first Yoga Teacher Training in Ubud, Bali, where that fire could no longer be contained and she just had to share it. This training had a core focus on the Vinyasa style of yoga. Georgia has combined this with her more recent learnings on Hatha to create practices that are peaceful yet dynamic, soft yet strong, grounding yet fluid. She encourages self-curiosity and invites you to move in a way that is most nourishing and supportive for your internal and external body. She now shares her love for yoga and movement in studios and gyms throughout Tauranga, and looks forward to showing you how to best love YOUR self.

CAROL KENNEDY

Carol, originally from Scotland as her beautiful accent portrays, moved to New Zealand in 2016 and immediately felt at home.

She is one of our Senior Instructors here at House of Yoga and has been teaching with us since 2019 at the previous Float Fitness studio. Aerial Pilates is her baby but you’ll also find Carol teaching our new ‘Stretch & Release’ class too.

Wellness has always been a passion for Carol both personally & in her career. She’s a massage therapist and our resident Health & Wellness Coach.

Carol works with people, in particular, women, to guide and coach them to feel better both physically, mentally and emotionally. This is achieved through goal setting and accountability to change various habit and lifestyle behaviours, delving into all aspects of life and working with a holistic approach. Empowering people to live as the best and most authentic version of themselves is what she’s passionate about.

Under her coaching umbrella she’s also a Concussion Recovery Specialist and works alongside people struggling with ongoing concussion symptoms, helping them to prime their body for healing and fast tracking their recovery.

Outside of work, Carol loves living in the Mount, making the most of what our beautiful coastline has to offer and exploring the amazing little slice of paradise we’re lucky enough to call home.

ANGELICA MACHADO

I migrate from Brazil in 2005. In 2017 I have started to attend some ying yoga classes with Ana Viera at the House of Yoga. I remember that I was really enjoying to come to her classes and feel so relaxed after. In the same year I was introduced to Kundalini yoga in Australia and I had an awakening. It was the best experience of my life in terms of mind, body and soul, I felt so good about myself like nothing else matters. In 2018 I was back in Aussie doing my teacher training with the RA MA DA SA team. Since than I have been teaching Kundalini to family, friends and to the community. I believe that everybody has their light and their gift to be shared in their community. My classes are to elevate and guide people to follow their own truth identity