Courtenay has been teaching yoga in Atlanta since 2016. He has taught full-time since 2017 and can’t imagine doing anything else. If you asked him what his job is he’d have to chuckle a bit and tell you he doesn’t have one. They say it’s not work if you do what you love and that’s the best way he can explain it. Yoga found Courtenay as a way for him to deal with chronic back pain. Recently, Courtenay’s journey came full circle as he stepped into the role of Studio Owner at Element. To prepare for this new chapter, he traveled to India to complete an intensive 500-hour Yoga Teacher Training. This immersive experience did more than just sharpen his skills—it completely reignited his passion for every facet of the practice, from the physical asana to the deep philosophical roots of yoga.

Several years ago Nancy left the corporate world in the midst of life transitions. “God picked me up and threw me on my yoga mat” Thus began Nancy’s physical yoga practice and my spiritual reawakening. The rewards have been endless. For more than a decade, she has been blessed and enriched by guiding beautiful souls in their practice. Things that bring her joy: movement and a strong body; shaking and sharing her soul; expanding her mind and exploring the world. She welcomes the opportunity to raise your vibrational energy and inspire you to jump to the next level life is offering. As an accomplished instructor, Nancy is further inspired by leading yoga retreats around the world.

With well over 1000 hours of training under his belt Douglas Johnson – E-RYT 500, YACEP has led a countless number of classes, meditations, yoga nidras, kirtans, retreats, workshops, and teacher-trainings in his more than two decades of teaching. Douglas has had the privilege to study with some of the best that modern yoga has to offer like Paul Grilley (Yin Yoga), Amrit and Kamini Desai (Amrit Yoga), Andrey Lappa (Universal Yoga), Deva Parnell (Kripalu), Rod Stryker (Para Yoga), ‘Yoganand’ Michael Carroll (Pranakriya, Kripalu). Expect new and challenging postures in his flow classes and to learn about subtle energy, anatomy, and yoga philosophy in his Yin classes

Craig has been teaching yoga since 2016. He received his 200hr at CorePower Yoga and a 100hr at YogaWorks. Craig has also received additional certifications throughout his career including restorative yoga and advanced power yoga training. He got really interested in yoga after suffering from a back injury. Yoga helped Craig avoid getting surgery and helped heal himself both physically and mentally. He stated “I never thought I would become a yoga teacher myself. But, I thought if I can bring the healing benefits of yoga to others, I’m in.”

In February 2017, Sumayya completed her 200-hour yoga teacher training in Athletic Power Yoga at Hotlanta Yoga. She subsequently taught full-time and even offered workshops on handstands and arm balances, co-taught teacher trainings, and led yoga retreats up until the pandemic. Post pandemic, she focuses on her aromatherapy candle business, Wild Earth Mama, and is back in the studio teaching!
Sumayya draws inspiration from her love of yoga, handstands, and her personal journey. She aims to motivate her students to listen to their bodies and recognize any self-imposed mental limits that hinder their progress in yoga. Her classes are characterized by intention, creativity, playfulness, and challenge.

Kate is a yoga teacher who emphasizes the importance of being present and aware during practice. She offers gentle Vinyasa Flow classes that nourish both the body and mind, and believes that yoga is a complementary practice that enhances sensitivity, proprioception, discipline, and release. For Kate, yoga is a way of life that empowers individuals to become their own healer and guides them to their truest form. During college, Kate grew committed to her yoga practice, connecting with it spiritually and experiencing significant personal growth through consistency. This led her to become a yoga teacher and share her love of yoga with others. She began teaching in 2018 as part of REI’s outdoor program, and completed her RYT-200 at Asheville Yoga Center in January 2020.
Kate’s all levels classes are designed to balance and refresh, with a focus on breath-to-movement, low-impact warm-ups, rejuvenating standing sequences, and a restorative wind down, all set to a vibin’ playlist.

Miji is a certified yoga teacher and has been a dedicated practitioner since she first met yoga in her 20s in Seoul, South Korea. Struggling with burnout from graduate school and work, she found great solace in yoga, and yoga has been her sanctuary ever since. She leads intentionally sequenced, mindful movement with attention to breath, set to an artfully curated playlist. She hopes to encourage her students to explore and engage into deep conversation with their body, mind and soul—and ultimately life itself. She is devoted to making every person step off the mat feeling connected to their Higher Self, community and the universe from a place of abundance and stillness.

With a 200hr yoga certification, Coco has been teaching Vinyasa power classes since 2020. She continued her yoga education in Prenatal and Postnatal Yoga. Previously a competitive dancer, Coco assembles unique sequences focusing on alignment and breath that will challenge and develop your physical and mental yoga practice. She’s an early bird, so look for her in the morning classes!

Kathleen has always had an interest in self-awareness practices and what it means to know oneself. When she discovered yoga asana, she was excited to learn a new way to be in her body, and even more curious about the teachings of yoga philosophy centering around union by integrating mind, body, and spirit. This curiosity led her on an ever-unfolding journey to get acquainted with the infinite nature of consciousness and inspired her to share byway of teaching. She received her 200 HR YTT in 2020 and has continued advanced training in yin, restorative, and trauma-informed yoga. Kathleen loves self-expression through somatic movement. In a class with her you can expect creative transitions, self-inquiry, and encouragement to follow your intuitive urges.

I have been teaching yoga since 2022 and am a 500 HR RYT. Yoga for me has given me a foundation for growth and stability that inspires me to share it with the world. I am originally from Colombia and have been living in Atlanta since I was five. I also speak Spanish, Portuguese and love to travel. Within my class you can expect a mixture of powerful flows that focus on alignment and breath but also leave room to have fun. With a passion for arm balances and inversions, there will always be opportunities to challenge yourself and learn something new.

Ally’s teaching style focuses on flowing with the body and breath, fostering gratitude and joy in movement. She creates a positive, safe space for students, ending each class with affirmations to inspire positive thinking. Yoga helps Ally stay present and grateful, balancing life’s stresses while connecting body, mind, and spirit. Her philosophy is that we don’t HAVE to move our bodies, we GET to move our bodies, creating space for transformation. Originally from Queens, New York, Ally has practiced yoga since 2019 and earned her 200-hour certification from Highland Yoga. She’s passionate about sharing the healing and joy yoga has brought her.

Hi, I’m Taylor, a 200-hour certified yoga teacher with a passion for creating an immersive, vibe-setting experience. I found yoga in 2018, though it feels like it found me. At first, I resisted, but over time, I realized its profound impact on my life. During the pandemic, I deepened my practice, leading me to complete my teacher training in 2021. With a background in education, I’ve always been drawn to teaching. Today, I teach yoga across Atlanta, learning from my students and watching them grow on and off the mat. My classes are playful yet challenging, with a focus on alignment, strength, and stillness. Expect great music, a safe space, and the chance to try something new.

Octavia is a certified yoga teacher in Hatha, Vinyasa, Yin, and Yoga Nidra. She is initiated in Vedic chanting and yoga philosophy by Sadhvi Abha Saraswati of Parmarth Niketan Ashram in Rishikesh, India, where she is a regular visiting teacher. She finds peace and growth in reading, meditation, and sharing what she knows with others.