Meet our Teaching Team…

Each of our wonderful teachers brings something different and unique to their classes, yet all have undergone extensive yoga teacher training.

They are here to meet you exactly where you are in your yoga journey, and offer their knowledge, understanding and support.

Scroll below to read more about our team!

OUR DIRECTORS…

  • RISE ACADEMY DIRECTOR

    Yoga was introduced to me 20 years ago and it has been a part of my life ever since, I have been teaching for 6 years, qualified to teach Hatha, Tantra and Raja Yoga.

  • I’m a busy mummy of two young children and enjoy a lifestyle of natural living and holistic wellbeing. I love the outdoors, good food, dancing, socialising, old Volkswagens and snowboarding!

    I also run a business, Dubholistic, Beauty and Wellbeing. Healing the body, inside and out. Dubholistic provides natural products and wellbeing services to our customers, helping individuals to be their best self.

    Find me in Fold Yoga or @dubholistic and at www.dubholistic.co.uk

  • Back in 2013, aged 50, I apprehensively attended my first yoga class, I was immediately hooked. Slowly growing my practice at home, at local studios and on line, then attending workshops, retreats and training courses. Eventually taking teaching training, it has been truly life changing.

  • My passion now is to spread the word and to encourage anyone and everyone to give yoga a chance.

    If you are not sure whether yoga is for you then my one to one introduction to yoga sessions give you the opportunity to find out. We start with no expectation and assume you know nothing. I guide you through what to expect from a yoga studio, introducing you to what happens in a yoga class and we also explore the ranges of your mobility, gently investigating what practice is best for you. The intention is to ease you into group classes when you feel ready.

    Recently I have attended breathwork training and this has opened another new world for me. The breath and how we use it forms a major part of all of my sessions

  • RISE ACADEMY DIRECTOR

    I first discovered Yoga as a dance student and initially attended Yoga as a way to inform and strengthen my body as a dancer. It wasn’t until I was a busy, young working Mum craving space that my practice started to evolve and a deeper sense of self and consciousness came to awareness on the mat.

  • Through physical asana and spiritual teachings I found that my yoga practice began to be a place of internal sanctuary; providing space to look within and observe what’s already there, enabling not only more space in both body and mind, but also a place to move towards becoming a more conscious, calm and considered human being.

    Eventually, I decided to embark on a yoga teacher training and trained with Authentic Flow Tribe with Satu Tuomela and Fanny Olsson in Authentic Flow tantra Yoga (200 hours) and Shake the Dust (50 hours), Embodied Tantra Yin (50 hours) and Mandala Yoga (50 hours).

    Alongside teaching Yoga, I am a Dance Artist and Movement Therapist/Coach.

OUR TEAM…

  • When I first tried yoga, it wasn't love at first class for me. I was never a naturally flexible person, and I left the class feeling a bit rubbish and put off….

  • I then didn't go to another class for a couple of years! I then tried Yoga again whilst travelling in Bali, and the teacher wove in philosophy and teachings of self-acceptance and I just fell in love…I left my first class feeling so much lighter and wanted more! Enjoying the peace and mental clarity it brought me, I brought the practice back home with me and it's been a part of my life since. In the past I've struggled with anxiety and body image and yoga provided me with the safe space to reconnect to myself with a sense of compassion and acceptance.

    I decided I wanted to learn to teach yoga as I wanted other people who felt that they weren't good enough to go to yoga to find the peace and calm that I had.

    I completed my 200hrs in Ashtanga in March 2018 at Abhinam Yoga School in Goa. The teaching here highlighted practising in a way to prevent injury and cultivating a life-long practice. Whilst Ashtanga provided a solid base for my learning, I prefer to teach a little less rigid, allowing space for exploration and intuition. I teach my classes with an emphasis on feeling good, rather than looking good, remembering how I felt when I was a newbie.

    My classes emphasise mindful movement and connection to the breath with little bits of yogic philosophy woven in.

    When not on the mat you'll find me up a hill in the beautiful peak district, reading, or cooking up some vegan goods in the kitchen.

  • I first started practicing yoga in my early 20s it was for the physical benefits. I only discovered the multitude of other benefits yoga brings through exploring different forms of meditation a few years later…

  • …which slowly allowed me to think about and experience yoga in a different way. 

    In between the physical asanas, yoga philosophy, and a sense of flow brought about through movement, I’ve been able to access moments of stillness, comfort and ease that has far outweighed what I gained through meditation alone. I now feel that if I do not practice yoga, I will certainly go mad! 

    I recently completed by 200 hour teacher training with Rise Academy. But I am forever a student, and yoga is a continuous journey. With a masters in psychology, and a trainee psychotherapist, I’m fascinated in bringing together eastern wisdom and western knowledge, and hope to sprinkle this into my teaching. 

  • Although I had attended various yoga classes throughout my life, I had not attended one for several years. After years of bouts of clinical depression I started to attend Dru yoga classes and soon felt the benefits not only physically, but on a deeper emotional level…

  • After attending several workshops and retreats I felt drawn to learning more and applied to undertake my teacher training as my own personal journey. At first I had no intention of teaching I just wanted to know why it was helping me. During my training, my bouts of depression started to fade and my confidence returned I started to feel that I wanted to share this yoga with others. I have taught classes for 12 years now. I also completed my teacher training in meditation.

    Yoga for me is a continuous journey, every class or workshop you attend deepens your knowledge and personal practice bringing you back to the still point within.

    Yoga keeps me calm, balanced and happy, it completes my day.

    Outside of yoga I love to walk often with my dogs, I have practised Tai Chi, and done several energy medicine courses (during lockdown) with Donna Eden and Prune Harris.

    I celebrated my 70th birthday last year on the Velocity Zip Wire in Bethesda

  • I initially discovered Yoga in my early 20s but used it sporadically simply as a way to have a “nice stretch”. It wasn’t until many years later, following a couple of life events, when my relationship with yoga truly started.

  • Firstly, I found myself with PTSD following an abusive relationship. Secondly, I had had enough of being a burned out Primary School Teacher and SENDCo. I started attending daily yoga classes, finding myself in a beautiful community. I felt more connected to myself and more connected to others than I’d ever experienced before.

    As my practice evolved through the space and time in the spiritual teachings and self-enquiry, it continued to inform and shape the way my life needed to change.

    I am passionate about creating a community, to give back, to support beings to truly meet themselves exactly where they are, in all flavours of how we can be in our human experience. I believe the more we open back to ourselves, the more authentic we express as our true nature. Yoga is yours and it is your practice; I feel privileged to be able to be your guide for part of that journey.

    I weave elemental enquiry into my teachings in an inclusive way through flow, meditation and nidra, yin and restorative.

  • Hi! My name is Donna, and I am a Cheshire based Yoga Teacher. My passion for yoga came from an enjoyment for movement and a call to support my mental health.

  • I had left an intense dance training background harbouring depression and anxiety which left me battling myself and my mind. Finding the practice of yoga provided me with a pathway to come back to myself, and it gave me the tools I needed to find peace and compassion.

    I felt called to complete my teacher training in Rishikesh, India in January 2020 so I would be able to help others find their connection to themselves through yoga. Yoga has given me so much personally; I wish to help others struggling with mental health learn better ways of coping with their feelings and emotions.

    What I hope you can get from my teachings is a feeling of positivity towards yourself and your journey. The aim of each class is to 'Cultivate positivity through mindful movement.'

    Outside of yoga I love spending time outdoors, travelling or cosying up with a good book!

  • My passion for yoga began in 2012, when I took my first class at a yoga studio in Tokyo. I immediately noticed the benefits of the practice, and how different my body felt. From then, yoga soon became both a regular grounding practice and a source of fitness that I fell in love with

  • My work and travels have taken me across the globe, with yoga remaining a consistent thread throughout; from deep and transformative practices in Indian ashrams to flowing through studios across Indonesia Japan and the Philippines. I later trained to become a yoga teacher enabling me to share the practice that's become an essential part of my own wellbeing and lifestyle, with others.

    Today, my teaching is rooted in embodied somatics - tuning into what the body wants - and is informed by the philosophies of Tantra. In each class I aim to create a warm, inviting space to guide students through a unique and creatively themed practice. My intention is to empower students to explore and reconnect with their bodies, and move in ways that feel authentic and nourishing - through playful, dynamic vinyasa sequences - or a slower, more meditative flow.

  • I came to yoga as a compliment to other pursuits such as climbing and mountaineering but soon found the practice had its own immeasurable benefits not only to my body but also my mind.

  • After several years of practice, I decided to deepen my knowledge and travelled to India to gain my 200hr training in Ashtanga and Vinyasa. I studied traditional Indian yogic philosophy under Sudhir Rishi which opened my mind to more than just the physical asanas that are commonly practiced in the western world. I continued to travel on to practice and teach in Thailand, New Zealand and Peru.

    As a qualified mindfulness practitioner in Mindfulness Based Stress reduction and Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy approaches, I bring a mindful element to all classes including grounding and sometimes longer meditations such as compassion to self and body scans. My passion lies in making yoga accessible to all and I’ve recently undergone a 30hr Trauma Informed and Social Justice training with Mei Lai Swan. I have over a decade’s experience working in the mental health sector and advocate yoga on being an excellent way to improve well-being.

    Off the mat you’ll find me up a hill or on a rockface and if it’s raining, I’ll be dancing badly and singing off tune, reading or being creative in the kitchen.

  • Yoga has become a central part of my life despite being relatively new to the practice.

    Yoga has had a transformational impact, enabling me to live a much more spiritual, connected and fulfilling life.

  • Whilst I have always been physically active, yoga has enabled me to find much more balance, strength and flexibility in both my body and mind.

    Yoga practice at Fold has opened up for me a loving and caring community; I am delighted as a teacher to give back to this community.

    My teaching focuses on breath and alignment; creating space for others to find the powerful potential of their bodies and to discover previously unreleased elements of themselves.

  • I first discovered yoga during the 2020 lockdown. The practice found me in a difficult place at a difficult time. Looking back, it was the start of a journey back to myself. Lots has changed since I began practicing yoga.

  • At first it was a solitary experience, using apps, online meditations and YouTube videos. I aimed to get stronger, more flexible, and to regain a lost connection to my body following years of living an unsustainably fast life in the city.


    I moved to Macclesfield at the start of 2024 and I felt the calling to train as yoga teacher during a community vinyasa class. My teaching practice is rooted in tantra, somatics and embodied movement. I love a powerful class with a multisensory soundscape, rich visualisation and plenty of storytelling, flow and intuition. Yoga has changed my life and I can't wait to see where the journey takes me in the coming years. 


  • I first started practicing yoga around 10 years ago, and for a few years I went in waves of loving it and not getting much from it. I really fell in love with yoga sround 4 years ago after I had several major surgeries.

  • It helped me so much not only start moving again and building strength but to come to terms with and accept my new body and new self. I think yoga can be really powerful in all aspects of life, and I really appreciate what an amazing supportive community there is.

  • Lauren is a yoga and embodied movement practitioner, astrologer and theatre artist. She invites students to bring their full selves to the mat and to create space for everything they are to come into play. 

  • She completed her yoga teacher training in Tantra and is also trained in Yin and Embodiment Yoga as well as Somatic practices.

    All of Lauren’s classes are geared towards supporting accessibility and authentic expression from a trauma-informed approach.

    For Lauren yoga is about presence, connection and remembering that we are here, now and we are alive!

    In Lauren’s classes expect: space for authentic, free expression, lots of astrological insights, and deep philosophical curiosity.

  • Steph has been practicing yoga for 10 years and teaching for 6, trained in vinyasa, mandala, yin, nidra and pre natal. She is also a qualified yoga therapist with a special focus on supporting people with symptoms of anxiety, stress and burnout.

  • Her classes are laced with philosophy and anatomy with a strong focus on mind-body connection and self empowerment, with students finding Steph to be a warm and light hearted guide. She believes there is an aspect of yoga that every person can benefit from both on and off the mat.’

  • I started coming to yoga over 15 years ago when I was a burnt out Manchester midwife! It came into my life via my gym membership and predominantly as an exercise practice. Eventually, I felt called to know more leading me to complete my teacher training and this really was just the tip of the iceberg…

  • I loved yoga because I felt I could come to class and put my body in interesting shapes and move in a way that felt good, and above all I loved being told what to do as it meant I could just zone out for an hour. 

    However, I slowly came to realise that I was missing the magic and that in order to truly connect with myself I needed to leave my comfort zone.

     I gradually came to more free movement and somatic practices that have helped me to grow as a person and to truly experience a journey into self. These days you’ll find me shaking things up both on and off the mat and living the freedom this brings me. Being asked to join Fold is a real dream for me. The studio and its amazing space holders have been integral in my yoga and movement journey.

     My classes are always inspired by what I come up against in life and include slow flow, restorative, yin and Shake the Dust. I am bubbling with excitement and happiness to share what I’ve experienced. A journey of self knowledge, discovery and joy in the freedom free and intuitive movement can bring. I love all things yoga because it can be whatever you want and need it to be. That’s the magic of movement.