Parastoo amaNzadeh

Teacher, Toronto

Parastoo (she/her) is an Iranian actor, dancer and a yoga instructor based in Toronto. Her love for physical theatre and body movement got Parastoo into dancing when she was 17 years old. Her passion for dancing and physical theatre moved her towards yoga. She then decided to follow her dream of becoming a yoga instructor during the pandemic. Parastoo has always been so interested and passionate about working with children of all ages and she wants to bring yoga/movement into kids' life from an early age, so they can build a solid foundation and grow freely from there. Parastoo’s goal is to help children get familiar with their bodies and emotions, so that they are able to express themselves freely and with a better understanding of their needs, and know that their voice and opinion matters more than anything. Parastoo loves to incorporate her background in theatre and dancing in her classes which consist of dancing, movements, puppet shows, singing, games, relaxation, meditation and lots of fun!

faith jones

Teacher, Toronto

Faith (she/her) is a Toronto-based Yoga Instructor, Personal Trainer, and Thai Massage Practitioner with over 15 years experience in wellness spaces. She has worked with athletes as young as 3 years old, clients in their 90's, weekend warriors, clients healing from injuries, and everything in between. Her love for movement started at a very young age; at 18 months her mom took her to a parent & tot gymnastics class because she was literally climbing up the walls, and the rest is history! A decade of being a competitive gymnast and making it on the Canadian National Gymnastics Team sparked her joy for movement. She has worked with children and youth since she was 13 years old when she started coaching gymnastics to a variety of ages from toddlers to teens. In her early 20's she received her personal training certificate and continued to coach gymnastics and started teaching acrobatics to children,. Faith also started a Teen Girls Fitness Program specifically to encourage self-esteem and empowerment in a movement-based space. After receiving her Yoga Certification in 2013 she started to teach yoga to children, youth, and families in a variety of spaces, including schools, studios, and with other youth organizations. She has comprehensive knowledge of trauma-informed and anti-oppressive frameworks as all of her services are rooted in accessibility and inclusion. Faith is thrilled to be a part of the Appleseed Team!

Faith’s Fun Facts: Most of my childhood birthdays were spent at the circus (my uncle was the manager of a travelling circus!), I’ve climbed to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro and my favourite place to be is at the Ocean.

Sarah hill

Teacher, York Region

Sarah (she/her) is an Indigenous (First Nations) person born and raised on a reserve in Southern Ontario. She moved from her community to pursue her education, having graduated in 2017 with an Honours BA in Child and Youth Studies. It was during her undergraduate studies that she sought out yoga, for the first time, as a way to manage stress. Since then it has been a constant in her life. She felt firsthand how yoga can transform one's mental and physical well-being and decided to become a certified yoga teacher in 2020 to inspire others to embrace this practice. Through her work in childcare settings, she’s realized it’s never too early to introduce the power of mindfulness and movement to young minds! Some fun facts about her: She’s a Gemini-Cancer cusp who loves vintage fashion, fantasy novels, travel, animated movies and relaxing on the beach. We can’t wait for the Appleseed Community to experience Sarah’s heart-felt classes!

Shannon De shaies

Teacher, York Region

Shannon (she/her) is a mama to two amazing little humans and lives in the York Region area. Her background as an ECE and love of yoga meant that Kids Yoga was the puzzle piece that fit just right! You’ll often see lots of singing, silly movements, and relaxation in her kids' yoga classes, and a genuine, lasting connection with her students. Those who have worked with her already know her magic, and are always excited for the next “yoga day” at school!

We are so happy to have Shannon’s kind and gentle soul join the York Region Team, and can’t wait for the community to meet her!

Daphné Bourbonnais

Conteuse d’histoire imaginative, Classe en langue française
Teacher, English and French-Speaking Classes, Toronto

Violoniste de formation, la pression et la compétition du milieu musical classique ont vite pris une grande ampleur dans le quotidien de Daphné (she/her). Ayant tout le soutien de son enseignante de violon, elle a vite été menée par cette dernière vers le yoga comme source de reconnection au « grand Tout ». Elle complète sa formation d'enseignante de yoga de 250 heures à Montréal en 2020 et commence immédiatement à enseigner.

Originaire du Québec, Daphné est venue conclure ses études en musique à l'École Glenn Gould à Toronto. Elle s'est intéressée à l'enseignement du yoga aux enfants lorsqu'elle a réalisé que le mouvement associé à la musique pouvait aider ses élèves au-delà de leurs leçons de musique. Maintenant, chaque fois que Daphné entre dans la salle pour enseigner,elle se demande : "comment puis-je le mieux servir ces enfants ?"
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Daphné (she/her) is a classical violinist with a lifelong passion for the instrument of 20 years.  Down the line, the intensity and pressure of competing in violin took over her day-to-day life and yoga became the remedy.  Daphné found yoga as a place to meet herself and went on to complete her 250-hour yoga teacher training in Montrél in 2020 and immediately began teaching.

Originally from Québec, Daphné studied music at the Glenn Gould School in Toronto. Following the ebb & flow of a musical career, she also spends her days teaching yoga.  Daphné became interested in teaching kids yoga when she realized that movement combined with music could help her students beyond their music lessons.  Now every time Daphné steps into the room to teach yoga to children, she asks herself: “ how can I serve these kids as best as I can?”

Ali Santin

Teacher, Toronto

Ali (she/her) has been a part of the Appleseed community for a long time. As a Mom, Ali loved taking her daughter to Appleseed’s toddler classes and always left feeling extremely inspired and connected with her child.

Ali began her own yoga practice many years ago helping her journey through PTSD and afterwards persued her 200 hour yoga teaching training. After taking Appleseeds kids yoga training in the fall Ali is extremely honoured to now be teaching with the team.

Ali’s classes are vibrant and full of movement. She strives to create a space where children can be true to themselves. Wanting them to know that the brightness of their rainbow will always outshine their grey, but that it’s okay to feel and share their grey too.

Ali is a nurturer by nature. When Ali is not with kids either in class or with her own, Ali is a birth and postpartum doula based in Toronto’s east end.

Deidre-ann Montague

Teacher, Toronto and York Region

Deidre’s journey started with her love for movement. She found dance in her preteens and fell in love with the freeness dance gave to express herself while also finding mind body connection. After a few injuries she found yoga as a way to still feel that mind body connection and expression herself. Her love for yoga led her to pursue her 200-hour yoga certification.

In her childhood, Deidre struggled with social anxiety and finding her sense of belonging in class settings. Through yoga she hopes to create a space for kids to find their truest self. She is passionate about creating a safe space for kids to authentically express their bravest self without fear of rejection.

Lindsey Mcfarlane costard

Teacher, York Region and Simcoe County

Lindsey McFarlane Costard (she/her) is a Registered Trauma-Informed Yoga Teacher, a Certified Kids Yoga Teacher, as well as a Registered Chair Yoga Teacher with over 400 hours of training. 

After practicing yoga for over 15 years, she was inspired to pursue a career in Yoga, and then Kids Yoga, after her own children helped her to see the ways in which she lacked resources for her own self-regulation stemming from childhood. She feels strongly that children should be taught these skills from a young age so they can experience their emotions in healthy ways, and develop strong connections to themselves, others, and nature. She encourages these connections in her classes through music, singing, story, and movement. 

She has a special interest in the ways the brain and body respond to complex traumas experienced in childhood and is currently pursuing a specialization in Brain Longevity.  Lindsey has 3 beautiful children who challenge her daily, and reinforce the positive effects of the work she believes in. 

LAurelle Fullan

Teacher, Virtual

Laurelle (she/her) is a Toronto based yoga and meditation teacher, and she considers herself a forever student, living, learning and exploring through this journey of life. You can almost always find her enrolled in a new movement, meditation or astrology course!

After completing pre and post natal yoga training, Laurelle began to research the importance of starting yoga and mindfulness from a young age, which piqued her interest in expanding her teachings to include....... kids! Her classes place an emphasis on play, how the body feels, and belly breathing to calm the mind. Through her experience teaching young kids she's discovered that not only can she teach these kids something, she is also learning through the young minds of the next generations to come.

viva caillaux

Cuentacuentos de yoga imaginativa, clases virtuales de habla hispana
Teacher, Mar del Plata, Argentina (Virtual)

Viva Caillaux (ella) nació y creció en Perú. Se mudó a Argentina cuando tenía 23 años y vive allí desde entonces. Su mamá es de los EE. UU. y su papá de Perú, por lo que el inglés y el español fueron los dos idiomas con los que creció. Lleva más de 20 años enseñando a niños. Primero fue profesora de danza y artes circenses, pero cuando descubrió el yoga hace unos 6 años, pensó que era la forma más hermosa de conectarse con los niños y también de incorporar un poco de su experiencia a las clases de yoga para niños. Hizo su formación docente de 200 horas en Strala Yoga y ahora enseña a niños y adultos en escuelas y estudios de yoga. ¡Sus clases enfatizan la conexión del movimiento y la respiración, y aprenden mientras se divierten!

Viva Caillaux (she/her) was born and raised in Peru. She moved to Argentina when she was 23 years old and has been living there since. Her Mom is from the USA and her Dad from Peru, so English and Spanish were both the languages she grew up with. She has been teaching kids for more than 20 years. She first was a dance and circus arts teacher, but when she discovered yoga about 6 years ago, she thought it was the most beautiful way of connecting with kids and also incorporating a little bit of her background to the yoga kids classes. She did her 200hr teacher training in Strala Yoga and now teaches kids and adults in schools and yoga studios. Her classes emphasize movement and breath connection, and learning while having lots of fun!

Ganga Tamilmoni

Teacher, Chennai, India (Virtual)

Ganga Tamilmoni (she/her): Yoga is the elixir of my life, which has become inevitable, it’s like the air I breathe and gives me a holy presence of mind. This has become my daily bread – my strength and energy comes from yoga. I have practiced Ashtanga in India and continued learning vinyasa in the USA, I did my 200 hour YTT at The Omlounge Yoga Studio and learned Ashtanga from Ashtanga Toronto by David and Jelena. I have further continued my practise with Paramaguruji Sharath Jois.

Through yoga, I can find my inner peace, forget future which is a mystery, forget past which is history – simply breath in and breath out, and thank every minute of life given to me. I see my training as not only for one individual (myself) but I take this to everyone I come across in my life to help the next generation choose a healthy path.