Our yoga team at Atlas Studio consists of a passionate group of individuals dedicated to sharing the power of yoga. Guided by our director Denise Davis-Gains, our team includes experienced teachers that bring their unique personalities and experiences to our yoga classes. Together, we’re committed to creating a supportive, inclusive community where everyone can grow in their yoga practice!
Meet the Yoga Team
Denise Davis-Gains
Founding Director and long time lover of yoga, the movement arts and family. Denise teaches yoga, provides yoga therapy, trains yoga teachers and therapists and serves her community in many diverse ways.
Liv Gains
Yoga Teacher, artist, musician and serial entrepreneur (the Transient Turtle) and the proud person of Rilo the wonder dog. Liv is a passionate activist standing up for animal rights, cleaning up the Grand River and making local music accessible. She brings a little humour to all that she touches.
Conor Gains
Award winning singer/songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer and proud papa of Raven. Conor created the inspiring music for our recorded classes and continues to influence our musical direction. If you are lucky you might end up in the yoga class with the musical stylings of Conor Gains.
Crystal Thagard
Yoga Teacher, grief support person and a Master Yoga Teacher in training. Crystal brings a quiet insight and thoughtful caring approach to all that she touches. Crystal teaches chair yoga and Kundalini Yoga classes, supports in the Yoga for Parkinson’s Program and one of her super powers is helping us to figure out technology and explain it to others.
Danielle Hughes
Yoga teacher, Master Yoga Teacher in training and intuitive inspired shamanic healer. Danielle is an expert in sleep, the art of Indian Head Massage and bringing together ancient wisdom in a modern context. Danielle has also helped us to improve our communication skills and focus on what is important as a contributing member of our community at large.
Elisabeth Kolenko
Master Yoga Teacher trained in the Modo Style of yoga and currently enrolled in the Atlas 1000hr Yoga Therapy Certificate Program. Elisabeth teaches the Yoga for Parkinson’s and Their CareGivers Program and is specializing in working with older adults and those who are living with neuro-musculoskeletal conditions.
Brigitte Bourque
Yoga Teacher, EA for the littles, lives in New Brunswick and is currently enrolled in the Atlas 500hr Master Yoga Teacher Program. Brigitte teaches from a place of heart centred awareness and shares many stories that help us to tap into fundamental consciousness and realize own own potential. Brigitte teaches many styles of yoga and recently specialized in Kundalini Yoga.
Yoga Teachers in Training
In the Atlas 200hr Yoga Teacher Training Program we believe that it is important to teach in order to become a certified yoga teacher. We require our teachers to teach a minimum of 20 classes to graduate and get their certification. They start teaching during modules 1 and 2 and by the end of module 2 are invited to start teaching other yoga teachers in training and eventually as the direct observe that they are ready and they have met the standards and done the work to be knowledgeable about keeping participants safe they are invited to teach to the public. There is usually a certified teacher with them in the beginning and eventually they are trusted to teach independently and with peers. They receive feedback from advanced teachers, peers and the public on an ongoing basis. We will share the photos and bios of these teachers soon - come out and take classes with them and give them and us feedback on the quality of their teaching and the atmosphere that they create.