Teaching Faculty

Iyengar Yoga teachers are, first and foremost, students of Yoga. If someone is not a student of Yoga, they are unable to teach the subject. As such, all our teachers are committed to their own practice and study of Yoga.

All teachers at the centre undergo a rigorous training and mentorship program lasting several years. After being mentored, they are assessed by an independent panel of assessors. Teachers maintain a current, vital connection with the work of BKS Iyengar through regular attendance to classes and workshops. As part of this ongoing study, teachers travel to India annually (or biennially) to study at the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute (RIMYI) in Pune.

Students benefit from the high quality of instruction and personal attention.

Additionally, some of the best Senior Iyengar Yoga teachers teach workshops at our centre.

Alice Lam

Even now Alice can still remember the very good sleep that she had the night after her first yoga class. And that was in 2004! Since 2004, Alice has learnt and practised different styles of yoga. She has experienced changes and benefits bought through yoga practice. Alice recognised that yoga not only helped her to become physically strong, but also trained her on the mental level. She discovered that Yoga helped her to be more calm and stable in the face of challenges that she faced in her life.

In order to study Yoga with a systematic and long-term approach, Alice started studying and practising at IYCHK in 2016. Currently, she is in the mentorship programme at the centre. Alice assists in the Specific Needs classes. She is inspired to see the therapeutic applications of yoga.

By sharing yoga with others, she hopes everyone can have a chance to undergo transformation bought about from the practice of yoga.

Anna Ödman

Anna Ödman started Iyengar yoga in Bangkok 2007 because of a back injury. That first encounter was a life changer. After many years of studentship, she completed a 3-year apprenticeship program with the Iyengar Yoga Centre of Hong Kong and is now teaching Yoga. Anna is Swedish and has lived all over Asia with her family for over 20 years (Jakarta, New Dehli, Bangkok, Warsaw). Anna has a strong athletic background with experience as a professional skier, marathon runner, tennis player and pilates instructor before fully committing to Iyengar Yoga. Anna is also Registered Nurse.

Ave Chu

Iyengar Yoga helped Ave to markedly ease discomfort that was coming from from a chronic back injury. It also helped her to regain flexibility that had been lost largely from her “working” lifestyle. Having experienced these benefits, she began a daily practice of Yoga. With dedication to practicing Yoga daily, Ave realised that the more she practices, the more doors are opening up for deeper exploration— not solely on the physical aspect, but also on mental and emotional levels. In 2017 she joined the Iyengar Yoga in Depth program at IYCHK, and now she is being mentored to become a yoga teacher. Ave works full time in the commercial sector at a non-profit making statutory body. This involves interaction with people from all walks of life, which can be challenging. Ave says that she applies the inner peace acquired from yoga into the hustle and bustle of the business setting. This helps her to strike a good balance in everyday life.

Catriona Lim

Catriona’s first experience with yoga was with the yoga society whilst at university. She was intrigued as to why she was so drawn to yoga beyond the immediate physical and mental benefits that could be found in other activities such as sports or in the gym. It was when she was taught in the Iyengar tradition in London that she began to understand why and how yoga is a profound practice and to feel the impact of BKS Iyengar’s words that ‘Yoga is an art, a science and a philosophy’.

Catriona has continued her study of Iyengar yoga in Hong Kong where she relocated to with her job at a financial advisory firm. She finds that yoga has helped her to understand herself and her actions better and its relevance, both, on and off the mat. She would like to help others to experience these benefits as well.

Catriona is currently in the mentorship programme at IYCHK.

Cecilia Lau

Cecilia's first encounter with yoga was a community course at age of 16. However, she was not impressed by the monotonous instructions and the aggressive adjustments given in the course. She left with the impression that yoga is yet another kind of competitive sport.

Her perspective changed in 2017 when she was introduced to the book "Tree of Yoga" by BKS Iyengar at the Iyengar Yoga Centre of Hong Kong. She discovered that yoga is not about physical movements, but a tool for managing the mind and for self exploration. Since then, she has been furthering and solidifying her studies of Iyengar Yoga.

In 2020 she embarked on a mentorship to become an Iyengar Yoga teacher.

Cecilia is a local from Hong Kong and has spent a few years studying and working in Europe. She is interested in different cultures and learning languages (she speaks fluent Cantonese, English, Mandarin, German and elementary Italian and Dutch).

She is grateful to have met respected Iyengar Yoga teachers that she can learn from during her yoga journey, and that she is given a chance to share her learnings about the traditional art of yoga.

Clara Lam

Clara started Iyengar yoga with the Introductory Iyengar yoga course at our centre in 2013. She was impressed by the way of teaching, level of detail and the consideration of the teacher. For many years after that she dedicated herself to being a student. At one point she realised she would like to share the benefits of yoga with others, but in order to do this need to understand more on the subject of Yoga and effective communication through language. Clara committed herself to becoming a teacher of Yoga and completed the teacher apprenticeship program with the centre. Clara also has a full time job in the field of quality assurance and regulatory compliance of natural and organic products. She makes sure that products meet standards. About why she practices Yoga, she says “yoga provides me with calm and clear mind as I go about my daily routines.”

Devika Virmani

Devika Virmani is a long time student of Yoga. She started practicing yoga when she was working as a Senior Consultant in a financial services search firm. After many years of studentship, she completed a 3-year apprenticeship program with the Iyengar Yoga Centre of Hong Kong, become certified, and is now teaching Yoga. Devika spent nearly ten years in the banking industry (across India, Dubai & London) with international banks before joining the recruitment industry. While she’s not practicing or teaching yoga, she runs her own search firm catering to the financial industry.

George Dovas

George is the Director of The Iyengar Yoga Centre of Hong Kong. He teaches students of all levels and is a mentor for upcoming teachers. George Dovas encountered Iyengar Yoga in Sydney, Australia in 1999. In 2001 George moved to Hong Kong. Since that first lesson he has continued to practice and learn Iyengar Yoga, realising the enormous depth of the subject and need for continuous study and refinement. As well as teaching Yoga, he has given talks on Yoga, its benefits and how this ancient science is being verified by modern science. George is also involved with the Iyengar Yoga Association of Hong Kong (IYAHK), having been a part of its inception and serving various roles on its committees. George is an assessor of teachers seeking Iyengar Yoga certification in South East Asia and China. Annually he spends one month studying at the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute (RIMYI) in Pune, India with the Iyengar family. Formerly, George was working in the fitness industry as a fitness instructor, and before that a business consultant for a top tier professional-services firm.

Jackelyn Ngan

Jackelyn’s first experience with Iyengar Yoga was in 2012 where she joined an Iyengar Yoga class in Hong Kong. In time, she came to be impressed by how yoga changed her, both, internally and externally. As she progressively learnt from different teachers, she came to understand the importance of sequencing poses for correct effects. The attention to detail, a hallmark of Iyengar Yoga classes, helped her to develop body awareness. The clarity of instructions developed an understanding of alignment and strengthened her focus. The benefits resonated with her and a desire to become an Iyengar Yoga teacher sprouted. After a period of several years of training, Jackelyn was certified in 2022. She teaches students of all ages and levels. She has experience teaching in the corporate field and has also offered “community” classes. Apart from teaching yoga, Jackelyn works as a full time Executive Assistant for a technology firm.

Judy Zhou

Judy started yoga in 2007 in Beijing. However, it was on her first trip to India in 2012 that she experienced the Iyengar Yoga method. She says “I was so amazed and attracted by this yoga method that I stayed for one month to learn from this Iyengar centre in North India.” This was just before she moved to Hong Kong. In Hong Kong, Judy completed the teacher apprenticeship program at the Iyengar Yoga Centre of Hong Kong. In earlier years, Judy was working as a full-time photographer in the media. Now, she works as an independent photographer, specialising in still-life, portraits and architecture photography. She loves trekking, cooking and handicrafts. She has an interest in Ayurveda and collecting different herbs, incense, oils and spices. She says that “the most grateful moment on my yoga journey is that I joined BKS Iyengar’s centenary celebrations (Yoganusasanam 2018” in December 2018. It was her first time to attend classes by Smt. Geeta Iyengar and Sri. Prashant Iyengar, and she says “I felt, deeply, the light of yoga from their teaching and it deepened my understanding about Iyengar yoga.”

Keely Yau

Keely started Yoga in 2005 in Hong Kong.

She practiced with the aim to relieve the stress of studying, working and efforts to keeping healthy. Yoga practice brought her a feeling of spiritual joy, which prompted her to follow the source and learn more about Yoga. In 2012, she attended her first Iyengar Yoga class. In the Iyengar yoga class, the precise demonstrations of asanas (postures) with clear instructions and focus on alignment helped Keely to develop a deep awareness of her body. In 2013, Keely traveled to Rishikesh, India for 6 weeks to explore different teaching methods of Yoga, and determine a direction for her future yoga path. After that journey, the inner answer was to follow the footprints of the Iyengar family. In 2014, when Keely was pregnant, Iyengar yoga helped her to adapt to the changes, in her physical body and in her life. She believes that the sensitivity and awareness developed through her Yoga practice, helped her tremendously during the natural birth of her daughter. This experience strengthened her belief that “Yoga is for everyone”, and that yoga practice can be modified according to one’s current body conditions. Keely says “continued practice of yoga can strengthen the mind to accept and overcome difficulties in our daily life.” Keely completed the Iyengar yoga teacher training and become a certified teacher. Apart from teaching Yoga, Keely work as a part-time Project Coordinator at University and for Social enterprises.

Kitty Wong

Kitty Wong started her journey on the path of Iyengar Yoga in 2004 when she enrolled in an 8-lesson Introductory Yoga course. She went on to complete the teacher training program at our centre, achieved certification and since then has continued to be a student and a teacher at our centre. Kitty says she started Iyengar Yoga to help her manage hypertension (high blood pressure), but finds that it helps her general health and wellbeing — the outer layers and inner layers too. Prior to this, Kitty worked in administration for a Swedish multinational clothing-retail company. Kitty is also working at IYCHK as the Centre Administrator, working behind the scenes to ensure that the the class schedules are organised. She is a committee member of the Iyengar Yoga Association of Hong Kong (IYAHK) and an assessor-in-training.

Polina Logunova

Polina grew up in Russia, and at the age of 6 years old started a career in dancing. For 25 years she was learning dance from the best teachers, practicing and taking part in international competitions around the world. Dancing was her passion. Later, she moved to China where she was running a dancing studio for a few years. It was here she attended her first Iyengar yoga class with a senior Iyengar Yoga teacher from India. She says “I was fortunate” and “I was touched, moved and inspired. From that moment my yoga path began.” After moving to Hong Kong she continued her studies with the Iyengar Yoga Centre of Hong Kong. Soon after she fell pregnant, continued the practice to help her through the pregnancy and gave birth to her son. It was at this point, she says, that her life and yoga became like one. Following the birth of her son, Polina completed a teacher apprenticeship with the Iyengar Yoga Centre of Hong Kong. She believes that a peaceful mind and healthy body can make ourselves and the world around us a better place.

Ruby Yeung

Ruby began her yoga studies in Hong Kong in 2007, encountering confusion and numerous problems. In 2013, she took her first class of Iyengar yoga where she immediately appreciated the clear guidance she received in this class. Gradually, Iyengar yoga inspired her to embark on a path of change in her life.R uby understands that Yoga involves acquiring knowledge, unearthing problems, understanding the problems, searching for answers, and using different methods to solve them. Accepting failures and being willing to restart something is not unlike encountering life. Yoga has helped Ruby to have a positive attitude in the face of difficulties, to think from multiple perspectives, to have the courage to solve problems. Yoga enables Ruby to open up her heart so that she could be more sensitive in feeling her body, feel the world, feel the people and things around her. Ruby is full of enthusiasm for people and the world. Yoga has completed her internal and external needs and life. From a person who never exercised, she discovered the potential of the body through yoga, and began to learn a variety of sports, including horse riding, kung fu, swimming, hoop dance, pole dance (and also began to teach pole dance). She found that yoga can help all sports, but at the same time all sports affect yoga. In 2017, wanting to share the beauty brought by Iyengar yoga, Ruby joined the Iyengar yoga teacher training course and later attained certification as an Iyengar Yoga teacher. In addition to teaching yoga, Ruby is a commercial production house Creative Director and freelance graphic designer. She is also a servant to four cats which requires her to constantly be shopping for groceries, cooking and attending to the household chores!

Sapna Devarmane

Sapna Devarmane started Yoga in India early in her childhood. Years later, in 2012, in Hong Kong, she started learning Iyengar Yoga. She went on to complete a 3-year apprenticeship program program at our centre after which she achieved certification. In her working life, she develops interior textile products. She says “it is both a creative and technical process involving textures and colours, and I like this combination of two different aspects in my job.”

Shobhna Chellaram

Shobhna Chellaram has been a student of B.K.S. Iyengar for the last 22 years. Annually she spends months at a time in Pune to study at the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute (RIMYI) and be in Guruji's presence and under Geetaji's tutelage. She has lived and taught Iyengar Yoga in London, Hong Kong and Spain where she currently resides. Shobhna is also a trustee for Chellaram Charities, a group that works with diverse projects to support the less fortunate. Shobhna says that Guruji's practice has been evolving as have his techniques and that she would like to share with the students in Hong Kong many of the recent practices that Guruji has been teaching.

Susie Chen

Susie started practicing Iyengar Yoga in Beijing in 2008. Although challenged by the practice, she persisted, and soon found that the practice relieved her chronic neck and back pain. As her neck and back pain subsided, she also gained a better understanding of the role of precision and alignment in bringing balance to all areas of the person. Through this process she realised that this holistic perspective of the Iyengar method of Yoga was exactly what she was seeking. After moving to Hong Kong, she completed her teacher training at the Iyengar Yoga Centre of Hong Kong and became certified. Along with Yoga, she works for a charity foundation and is responsible for the investments of the fund. As a native Mandarin speaker, you will also see working as an interpreter at Iyengar Yoga events.

Vanessa Liu

Like most of the people, Vanessa started yoga to improve her health, and approached yoga as a stretching exercise. It was not until she discovered Iyengar Yoga in 2015, her health began to improve. Most importantly, after attending classes, she felt comfort and peace of mind. She had not founds this mind, body and spirit connection in her previous experiences. She says “I feel fortunate and grateful that in 2017 I undertook studies to become a teacher, and to deepen my understanding and knowledge of the vastness that is Iyengar yoga.” BKS Iyengar said yoga is for everyone. With a stiff body, she needed to spend more time in her practice and study the asanas (postures). This taught her humbleness and she came to understand the difficulties that other students encounter when learning Yoga. Now, as a teacher, she is able to share her experience and knows how to help the students. There’s a saying in spirituality, “the imperfect world is perfect as it is right now”. For Vanessa, the most precious thing about Iyengar yoga is not to achieve the perfect asanas, but it opens the doorway to a journey of healing, and ultimately leads to a spiritual journey. Formerly, Vanessa ran an online fashion shop. Vanessa was trained and in 2022 became a certified Iyengar Yoga teacher. Vanessa believes yoga is a transformative journey, in all aspects: mentally, physically and spiritually. She wishes to share her experience and continue sharing BKS Iyengar’s valuable work and his unconditional love with her students.

Victoria Fouladi

Victoria started studying Iyengar yoga in 2001 in New York City. After her first class, she felt strongly pulled towards this subject and was inspired by the asanas. She couldn’t put down Mr. Iyengar’s book “Light on Yoga”. At the time, Victoria was teaching in a primary school in the South Bronx. Some years later, after the birth of her first child, she moved to Japan where she developed a small home practice of Yoga and had her second child. When she moved to Hong Kong, she began to study yoga in greater depth at the Iyengar Yoga Centre of Hong Kong. She entered the teacher training program and began teaching once more! Victoria loves teaching people of all ages. But more than anything, Iyengar yoga has shown her how this practice is for anyone, at any age, and any level of health. Yoga is a way to connect us all. Victoria speaks Farsi, Spanish, French, some Italian and would love to start learning Cantonese!

Wen Jing Bao

Wenjing discovered Yoga in 2004 in Shanghai, and started a regular practice from 2007. Initially she was studying Hatha Yoga before moving to Hong Kong in 2011, where she experienced Iyengar Yoga at IYCHK. She immediately realised the difference between Iyengar Yoga and the other methods that she was practicing. She says “it took me up to one year to deeply understand the profundity, systematic approach and precision of Iyengar Yoga, not only as a tool for physical health, but as a path to connect to inner peace”. She attended the initial stages of teacher training at IYCHK at the beginning of 2014. After moving to France she completed a 3-year teacher apprenticeship program in Iyengar Yoga. Wenjing moved back to Hong Kong in 2018, and loves sharing her experience of Iyengar Yoga with others during her class.