KAIAKO • TEACHERS
-

SAM • NUKU KAITIAKI & STUDIO CO-OWNER
VINYASA • REO MĀORI FLOW • SURF CLUB CLASSES
Yoga for me is like a common thread in a story, one that moves with us through life's many chapters. Sometimes showing up as a creative outlet, a discipline, a refuge, and often, pure joy. A practice that gives way to embodiment, to presence.
Vinyasa and trauma-informed yoga shape the way I teach, I am interested not just in how the body moves, but in how it holds, what it holds. For me, much of that release, the stilling of the mind, comes through a strong practice. Movement as the path inward.
Te reo Māori and yogic philosophy are woven gently through my classes, both living lineages I am still learning, still growing into. I share them not as an authority but as a fellow student, with humility and care.
I still wobble in balancing āsana. I forget my left and right. I believe in a wonderfully imperfect, curious practice, one where movement facilitates presence, not performance, and where showing up as you are is genuinely enough.
-

GLENN • STUDIO CO-OWNER
IYENGAR • BEGINNER’S IYENGAR
Glenn has been practising Iyengar Yoga since the mid-90s, deepening his commitment around 2010 and commencing his teacher training in 2012. He achieved his Introductory Level certification in 2015 and advanced to Junior Intermediate Level 1 in 2019.Glenn is currently a Level 2 Certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher, a qualification that reflects years of dedicated study and a rigorous assessment process. He is working toward Level 3 certification at the next assessment in 2028.
Glenn is also an architectural designer and the founder of Tui Architecture, whose practice shares the Brougham Street space, making Nuku possible in the way it is.
-

BIANCA ASSOUAD
HATHA • SUNDAY MARKET FLOW
Originally from Italy, Bianca's journey into yoga began after five years in the corporate world, when she chose to follow a deeper calling: reconnecting with herself and the world around her. This path led her to Rishikesh, India, where she completed her 200-hour yoga teacher training, followed by a 10-day silent Vipassana meditation retreat in Nepal.
Bianca shares a classical Hatha practice inspired by the Sivananda tradition. Her classes weave together pranayama, sun salutations, traditional āsana and inversion exploration. Bianca returns to the same sequence every class so that over time, you find strength and meditation in the repetition. Expect challenge, and notice how it shifts each time you return.
Off the mat, Bianca teaches Italian language classes and runs The Kindness Supper Club, community gatherings sharing her passion for plant-based cooking and connection. You can follow her journey @lapetite_bianca and the supper club @the_ksclub.
-

LULI KERBER
ASHTANGA FLOW • TERRA SOMA
Luli draws her classes from the rhythms of everyday life, something noticed during the day, the pull of the moon, a thought or feeling that sparks creativity and asks to be explored and shared.
Trained in Ashtanga Vinyasa and Terra Soma Awakening Arts, Luli's practice is rooted in full presence, connecting with the body as a whole, including the mind and emotions, through awareness of breath and movement. Her classes move through slow mindful sequences, repeated flows to build awareness, balance work and moments of meditation and pranayama woven throughout.
What Luli loves most about yoga is the connection it creates, to yourself, and to each other.
You can also find Luli teaching Monday 6pm at Dawn and Wednesday 6:45pm at Peeps.
-

CATHERINE SILVESTER
VINYASA • PILATES FLOW
Originally from the UK, Catherine found yoga at the age of 21 while navigating anxiety. She began her formal training in Melbourne in 2022, before recently relocating to Aotearoa, and also holds certificates in Yin, Reiki (Level 1 & 2) and Pilates.
Catherine's classes are vibrant, intentionally sequenced and layered, with an emphasis on music and carefully curated playlists. She builds her classes thoughtfully, supporting the physical body first and foremost, an invitation to move at a steady pace and, above all, to have fun. She's here to remind us that yoga doesn't have to be so serious.
“Yoga to me is freedom. A chance to align my body, mind and heart to find a certain coherence in the way that I feel. Sometimes that feeling may not be easeful, but neither are some moments in life. How I move on the mat on any particular day is a beautiful reflection of my outer and inner world. I love the feeling of connecting to something higher than myself, letting go of any masks I wear, and using this practice as a way to integrate what I'm learning about myself and others.”
-

JESS CHILDS
VINYASA • SLOW FLOW
Finding inspiration in the beauty of nature, human connection and the simple everyday experiences that shape us, Jess blends intentional and fluid movement into her classes. Drawing on trauma-informed practices, she offers plenty of choice and accessibility, encouraging exploration rather than perfection.
Jess invites an extension past asana alone, contemplating that real flexibility isn’t about touching your toes, it’s about expanding your capacity for the uncertainty of life that happens off your yoga mat.
Completing her training in Costa Rica, Jess guides you to connect your body and mind in meaningful ways. Expect the occasional laugh, plenty of ‘aha’ moments, and a practice designed to meet you exactly where you are.
-
DAN FANTHORPE
SELF-PRACTICE WORKSHOP
Dan holds a Bachelor of Health Science and a Master of Osteopathy, alongside Level 2 KPJAYRI certification from Mysore, India (Ashtanga, 2012), with further training through Yoga Arts (2003) and IYTA (1998).
He teaches from a traditional, individual approach to yoga, adapting the practice to the needs of each student rather than teaching solely to the group. This personalised philosophy recognises that every practitioner is unique, and that yoga should evolve to support the individual, not the other way around.
"Yoga is not about fitting yourself into a practice, but allowing the practice to be shaped around you."
Dan facilitates Nuku's monthly Self-Practice Workshop, a space for students with an established home or class practice seeking ongoing guidance, inspiration and support.
-

RIA SIMMONS
YOGA FOR YOU • VINYASA
Ria's own journey with yoga began at 17, while training at the NZ School of Dance. Immersed in the intensity of full-time dance training, she found the spaciousness and slowing of yoga to be exactly the tonic she needed, and what started as a complementary practice soon became an essential grounding force in her everyday life.
After relocating to New Plymouth, Ria founded Yoga Club NZ, creating a welcoming space for community, movement and connection, currently held at the Tasman Club. Ria has hosted classes and welcomed a diverse range of teachers through Yoga Club for eight years.
Now a mother to two young boys, her teaching continues to morph as she does. Her classes offer an immersive flow experience, thoughtfully woven with mindfulness, intention and insights from yoga philosophy. Ria is delighted to be returning from maternity leave to share her practice with the Nuku community.
-
BELINDA GOODWIN • Photo coming soon 🤎
NIA DANCE
Belinda discovered the Nia Technique 10 years ago and instantly fell in love with its unique blend of music, movement, mindfulness and joy.
As a qualified Nia instructor and Havening Practitioner, Belinda creates a welcoming space where people of all ages, abilities and fitness levels can move in ways that feel natural, comfortable and nourishing for their own bodies. Her classes are uplifting, playful and deeply restorative.
There are no steps to perfect and no pressure to keep up, just the freedom to explore movement at your own pace, while improving balance, mobility, strength, coordination and overall wellbeing.
Belinda believes movement is a celebration rather than a performance. Every class encourages participants to listen to their bodies, adapt movements to suit their individual needs, and enjoy the freedom of moving in their own unique way.
Through inspiring music and mindful movement, her hope is that everyone leaves feeling more connected to themselves, more energised, and filled with a greater sense of joy.

