Jo first stepped into a Bikram studio in 2013 and that first class immediately turned into a 30 day challenge! She was hooked from the start!
Fast forward 11 years and Jo has seen how yoga can support so many different challenges. Put simply, Jo just can’t live her best life without it! But, like for so many people, it’s not been a straightforward journey. After overcoming long term illness and then having a baby, Jo appreciates how every person’s body and mind changes over their life time. But your practise and your yoga community will aways be there. Patience and acceptance are at the heart of Jo’s practise and teaching. Jo believes that the yoga mat is a precious space and if you let it, change will happen! It’s amazing that the same yoga creates a unique experience for the student, class after class!
Outside of teaching yoga, Jo works in theatre, creating arts projects which support vulnerable people’s wellbeing, building communities and creating aspiration.
I’m so grateful for the amazing privilege to be passionate about all the different work I do! Teaching the yoga I love practising, feels like the next step that I’ve simply got to take! I’ve received so much from this yoga, now it’s my time to give back and help others to find this gift… But I can’t pretend I don’t get yoga fomo in every class I teach, wishing I was practising alongside the students!
Q&A Time:
1) How did you discover yoga?
I used to be a gym fanatic and thought it would he an ‘easy way’ to stretch out after… And soon it replaced the gym entirely!
2) How long have you been teaching at BYC/What year did you start teaching at BYC?
since 2024 (Jan)
3) How long have you been practising at BYC?
since 2024 (Jan)
4) What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given in yoga or life?
“what is meant for you will find you- just stay open to it”
5) If you could only choose one word to describe your teaching style, what would it be?
fulfilment
6) If you could give one piece of advice to a fellow yogi just starting out on their yoga journey what would ut be?
no matter how it went, there is always tomorrow, so try to be humble, hopeful and patient in equal measure.
7) If you could only eat one meal for the rest of you life what would it be?
(meal) My husband’s pea pesto pasta, my daughter’s peanut butter cookies, or anything made by my nan!
8) Do you have a favourite BYC memory and if so what is it?
(memory) when someone asked for advice on how to improve their camel toe! (They meant Camel posture!)
9) As well as being a yoga teacher what else would you love to do?
(outside of yoga). I am an Artistic Director of a theatre company. I specialise in working with children and adults who wouldn’t ordinarily access the arts for lots of different reasons. I have a repertoire of over 200 drama games- which comes in useful at parties!
I also write and direct shows for young audiences. I often test out new ideas on my own young daughter! And fun fact: In 2017, I supported a group of young people from my theatre groups, to create a song for BBC Children in Need alongside a group of celebrities- and the single made number 1 in the charts!
