about us
AUMBIENCE IS THE
yoga studio for everyone
At our Yoga Studio in Halifax our philosophy is to combine the traditional aspects of the East with modern demands of the West – a wonderful reason to combine Yoga and Wellness. In our beautiful light-filled studio we will help you master your Yoga, from Vinyasa through to Shavasana and post-practice cups of herbal tea. Whether you’re a seasoned Yogi or can barely touch your toes we have something for you.
WELCOME TO
aumbience yoga & wellness
When you walk into our studio, we invite you to feel welcome, accepted and comfortable as you are. Whether that’s in your PJ’s, hand-me-downs or newly purchased Lulu’s Aumbience Yoga & Wellness is a space where can feel safe and supported to laugh or cry, quietly sit and reflect on your day or turn up the music and awkwardly dance to the song in your heart. Our studio is an extension of the home in our heart, the space of inter-connectedness that unites us all.
Community & Connection
Our supportive community welcomes you as you are and invites you to create or reconnect with your health and wellness initiative.
Whole Body Wellness
With a growing team of holistic therapists and practitioners, we offer a wide range of services to support your whole body wellness.
Inspirations for Life
More than just postures on a yoga mat, our classes and workshops guide you to lasting and sustainable change for healthy living.
MEET OUR
fully qualified instructors
All of our instructors are highly qualified and experienced and will guide you through your class of choice whether you are a beginner, or one of our most advanced regulars. They are there to support you throughout the class and challenge you to be your best self and get the most out of your practice.
Michelle Robinson
Founder/Lead Instructor, mother, cancer warrior, adventure racer, crafter
About Michelle Robinson
In early 2001, I stumbled across the Breathing Space Yoga television series. Teacher Dianne Bruni was guiding a multi-levels Ashtanga practice that I watched with curiosity and awe. For the next couple of days, I sat on the couch and just watched and listened to her cues on the breath and the alignment practice. Before I knew it, I got off the couch, pushed the coffee table back and started to follow along. I had no mat, no props and just enough space between my coffee table and tv stand.
For the next couple of years, I followed along with her teachings and various other televised yoga practices. I eventually traded in the rusty orange high pile carpet of my living room for a yoga mat. (Funnily enough, my sister gave me my first mat. It was rusty orange). In 2007 I attended my first in-studio class at a quaint little yoga studio in Halifax. And the rest is history.
Over the last decade, I’ve explored and studied various styles of the practice including Vinyasa, Ashtanga, Sivananda, Yin & Kundalini yoga along with Chakra, Vipassana and Ayurveda methods for whole mind and body healing. In each class, I offer a translation of my understandings to these teaching in a free-flowing and powerful Vinyasa practice that will leave you feeling strong, calm and at peace.
eRYT 200, 500, RYS
Andrea Giles
Instructor, runner, champion climber, health nut, foodie, mighty mouse
About Andrea Giles
After completing her YTT in Ontario a number of years ago, Andrea boldly left high stress and demanding career in the financial services industry to explore and challenge herself through her yoga and climbing practices. Moving to NS by way of Montreal, Andrea continues to flourish in both dialects (she’s been at the top of the podium 4 out of 5 times in climbing events here in Halifax!!)
Although they seem like opposite ends of the spectrum, yoga and climbing are much of the same. Both demand a level of intense focus and concentration while at the same time remind you to dig deep, push your comfort zone and trust the innate wisdom within. Andrea’s complimentary studies of Anusara and Restorative yoga methods take you on a simple, yet purposeful practice of strength and surrender.
RYT 200
Barbie Leggett
Senior Instructor, mentor, nurse, karma yogi extraordinaire
About Barbie Leggett
Barbie has been teaching yoga for more than a decade and has completed teacher trainings in Sivananda, Vinyasa, Ashtanga, and Yin Yoga. She has studied with Master teachers all over the world, including Manju Jois, David Williams, Rod Stryker, and Nancy Gilgoff. Barbie’s teaching style focuses on the breath and the energy of the practice. Her intention is to lead classes that will leave you feeling connected and centred.
Barbie has experience leading a mentor program for yoga teachers with a focus on mindfulness meditation, trauma-informed yoga, the art of assisting, and yoga philosophy. She is a Reiki Master, skilled at reading the energy of a room, and is passionate about providing a safe and nurturing space for her students.
Barbie is also a Registered Nurse with over 25 years of experience working with pre/postnatal women, babies, children and their families. She has completed various leadership programs, including the Canadian Health Executive course and a Master of Health Studies. She currently works as a consultant with the Canadian Association of Midwives on Strengthening Midwifery Services in South Sudan.
e-RYT 200, 500
Denise Mader
Instructor, nurturer, runner, life-student, dynamo, ray of sunshine
About Denise Mader
With modern-day technology, we can watch a time-lapse video of Mother Nature come to life. In a matter of seconds, we watch as seedling sprouts, thickening and expanding as it grows a perfectly protected bud just waiting to flower. Then, in the most majestic and noblest of ways, the petals unfold and we are awed by soft, rich and vibrant colour as the truth of the seed is revealed.
Like this seed of potential, Denise has steeped herself in yoga as a dedicated and wholehearted student for nearly a decade. Now with multiple yoga teacher training reinforcing her truth, she is ready to showcase her understanding of yoga with a powerful and colourfully spirited Vinyasa practice of movement and bliss.
RYT 200
Theresa Caissie
Instructor, fitness guru, mother, mentor, uplifting motivator
About Theresa Caissie
When I first moved to Halifax in 2003, I was fortunate enough to not only meet but also mentor under this incredibly gifted woman. Theresa is a veteran in the fitness industry with over 24 years of teaching experience in Hi/Lo, Step, Strength, Kickboxing, Body Bar, HITT and most recently, Yoga.
As a complement to the busy-ness of her life, her passion for yoga grew over as she found herself really enjoying the slower-paced movements and decompression factors the mindfulness practice provides. Completing her 200hrs certification last year, Theresa brings a wealth of movement knowledge to our studio and is sure to make you smile, sweat and feel blissfully amazing post-practice.
Julie Robichaud
Instructor, life-lover, peace giver, rock solid human, gem
About Julie Robichaud
Julie’s quiet, reserved and intriguing nature takes you on a journey through a beautiful and serene yoga practice that feels truly spectacular in your body. With a few years of experience teaching her colleagues and local community groups, Julie is ready to share her gifts with the Aumbience community. Join her on Sunday afternoons for a simple yet wonderfully blissful Vinyasa practice.
RYT 200
Erica Blackburn
Instructor, spiritual healer & mentor, consciousness explorer, singer, writer
About Erica Blackburn
Erica has been teaching and mentoring clients and students since 2013 and has a wide range of teaching experience including Vinyasa, Yin, Restorative, Kundalini, Yoga Nidra, Meditation, and Trauma-Informed Yoga. Erica is filled with energy and is a gifted communicator. She offers space for self-awareness, healing, and growth in her classes. She integrates her passion for consciousness-based energy medicine into her teaching so that her students and clients can rediscover their own inner peace and wholeness.
Erica’s academic background includes a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Business Administration. She is a holistic and alternative health entrepreneur certified as a: Yoga Life Coach, Reiki Master/Teacher, BodyTalk Practitioner, and is a Conscious Living Investigation (CLI), Agent. Erica leads to personal growth coaching programs and retreats locally, internationally, and online.
As multi-passionate creative, Erica enjoys travelling, hiking, singing, and songwriting. Erica has climbed the mountains of Peru, California and Mount Kilimanjaro, in Tanzania, and has performed her original songs live.
Heather Reynolds
Senior Instructor, climber, mother, life-student, ParaYoga® Certified Instructor
About Heather Reynolds
Heather holds a Masters in Kinesiology and is a licensed kinesiologist and teacher. Heather holds certifications as a certified Four Desires teacher, a certified ParaYoga Level 1 teacher, and is recognized by Yoga Alliance as an eRYT 500-hour teacher. Heather continues to publish a blog and is the author of a book and many articles on performance.
Heather’s unique background grounds her in the knowledge of how the body works and, incorporating the tools of Yoga, how to engage the energetics and the mind to create the experience and performance that supports growth. Coupling her knowledge with her intuition and skill to articulate, Heather is a skilled teacher and coach.
eRYT 200, 500
Andrea Gracia
Instructor, foodie, nature lover, life enthusiast, Spanish teacher extraordinaire
About Andrea Gracia
Raised in Mexico City, Andrea discovered yoga while juggling a delicate career and personal life challenge. Her practice remained a constant support tool not only while in Mexico but also when she and her husband uprooted to Canada 4 years ago.
Her dream to explore the yoga practice deeper became a reality in the fall of 2019 when she travelled to the beautiful and inspiring Himalayas of India to study and graduate as an accredited Yoga Teacher. Trained in the Ashtanga and traditional Hatha yoga styles, she brings a quiet strength to each of her classes and offerings. And she continues to hone her skills every day through personal and guided practices and inquiry study.
Laura Swim
Nutrition nerd, nature lover, dog mom and mindfulness advocate
About Laura Swim
Laura began practicing yoga as a way to both navigate and cope with increased stress and anxiety in her life. After feeling the immediate benefits of more calm, acceptance and peace, there was no looking back. She has since completed multiple yoga teacher training include Hatha Yoga, Sivananda Yoga, and BEology Mindfulness-Based Wellness, and is a certified Holistic Nutrition Consultant.
Laura offers a beautiful blend of all these disciplines in her classes by cultivating and educating students on the union of healthy eating, moving and connecting.
