Our Instructors

Vic Mehta - Director of Yoga

You'll have fun in Vic's classes. They are energetic with a focus on correct alignment, relaxation, rejuvenation and developing self-awareness. Vic has been practising yoga for over 15 years and enjoys sharing his love of yoga with all students.

He is passionate about learning and teaching yoga and has had a keen interest in yoga and yoga philosophy since childhood.

Lynne Swenson

Vic Mehta - Director of Yoga

Yoga Studio College of Canada - 2007, Iyengar Certification - Intro II - 2016

Lynne has been a ‘student of yoga’ for 20+ years, a teacher since 2007, and is currently working toward her next level of Iyengar certification. She enjoys Iyengar 's balance of proper alignment with strength, stability, and flexibility; allowing students to just "be" in the posture and enjoy. She is appreciated for her passion for teaching, precise instruction and knowledge. She teaches many classes including our Intro Workshops and Yoga for the visually impaired.

Lynne's Moto - "When one teaches, two learn"

Martha Affleck

Vic Mehta - Director of Yoga

Martha Affleck

Martha began her yoga journey when she was 12 years old and has been teaching since 2013. She is certified in Relax & Renew Restorative Yoga and working on her Masters in Science in Physiotherapy. When Martha isn’t studying biomechanics she likes to garden, travel, ride her horses, try new things, and of course hang out with her cats Bob & Doug.

Martha’s teaching principles are observation, support, and compassion.

Sherry Norman

Melanie Batychy

Sherry Norman

Sherry completed her teacher training at The Yoga Studio College of Canada after first rolling out the matt more than 15 years ago. She is a certified Rest and Renew® Trainer, and loves the on-going learning experience of being a teacher and regularly attend workshops and intensives both locally and internationally.

Sherry enjoys integrating postures that tone and strengthen the body along with deep relaxation and stillness to rejuvenate and heal mind, body and spirit. Her intention as a teacher is to provide a safe and nourishing environment where students can reconnect with their own inner wisdom.

Barb Lee

Melanie Batychy

Sherry Norman

Barb started her journey on the path of Iyengar yoga in 1999, and continues her studies with Canada's senior teachers.

Come and share Barb’s love of yoga in classes that blend all elements of traditional practice: mobility, stability, strength and alignment while maintaining awareness of the breath. Iyengar certified: Introductory II.

Melanie Batychy

Yoga Studio College of Canada - 2012, Iyengar Certification - Intro II - 2018

Melanie discovered yoga as a way to gain strength and flexibility while managing stress during her 17 year career as a professional ballet dancer. She loves Iyengar Yoga for its accessibility to everyone, regardless of physical limitations; and its transformative effect on the mind, body and spirit.

She loves when her students observe changes in their practice that stay with them "off the mat". When not doing Yoga, Melanie can be found on her bike or in the mountains with her family.

Sandy Martino

Suzanne Boucher-Chen

Sandy Martino

Sandy has been teaching at Yoga Sarana since 2001. Iyengar yoga has strongly influenced her practice and enjoys the infinite creative possibilities for practice and teaching.

Sandy loves teaching, witnessing student experiences, and understands that an Intelligent and consistent practice keeps one holistically well.

Aaron Patrick

Suzanne Boucher-Chen

Sandy Martino

Aaron has been teaching for nearly a decade. During his multiple trips to India, Europe and Asia, he has studied with teachers of various Tantric and Taoist traditions, as well as Zhan Zhuang - a powerful form of Qigong.

Aaron is also a certified Critical Alignment Yoga Therapist, but credentials aside - with his harmonium, beat box and his undeniable passion and unique teaching methods, Aaron's classes can't be missed !

Suzanne Boucher-Chen

Iyengar Certification - Interm.Junior 1

Suzanne is new to Yoga Sarana and we are so excited to have her. She holds her Iyengar Yoga Intermediate Junior 1 certificate and is devoted to Iyengar yoga for its healing powers, precision, dynamism and peacefulness.

Mario Argento - Qigong

Mario has emerged as one of Calgary’s most accessible and accomplished teachers of Qigong. He presents easy-to-learn practices that will help you relieve pain, clear stress and tension, and harness your body's unequaled capacity for self-restoration.

He developed his passion for Qigong in 2001 when he turned to the practice as an alternative health treatment to heal his back injury. Since then Mario has studied various schools of Medical Qigong.

Adonia Tsakalakis

Mario Argento - Qigong

Adonia guides her yoga classes through presence, and believes that a committed daily practice, makes that happen.

Adonia immigrated to Canada from Greece as a child and is an active participant in the Hellenic community of Calgary. The ability to connect the mind, body and spirit has been something very enlightening and is a continuous journey of learning.

Inga Norkute

Mario Argento - Qigong

Inga Norkute

Inga's yoga journey began in 1994 in London, England, taking classes to offset a busy work-life schedule as an IT developer.

In 2013 she entered the teacher training program, since then Inga has studied with a number of senior Iyengar yoga teachers worldwide and is certified as an Intermediate Junior I.

Trudy Holder

Usher Fleising

Trudy Holder

200 RYT - 2016

Trudy's yoga passion began when she certified 200RYT in 2016 and started teaching in 2017. But her yoga journey started 20+ years ago when looking for some relief during pregnancy. Yoga was there for her then and it's now the bedrock of Trudy's life.
Trudy finds the creativity she has been seeking when designing classes, the wholehearted sharing of discoveries that deeply connect her to herself and others on and off the mat. As well as the ongoing stability and mobility that yoga provides physically, emotionally and mindfully.

Vandana Vora

Usher Fleising

Trudy Holder

Level 1 - Relax & Renew - 2011

Anxiety, Anger.& Depression - 2014

Vandana invites you to relax, renew your spirit and rediscover yourself – thru the healing practice of Restorative Yoga and Meditative Yogic sleep (Yoga Nidra). She has studied and taught in India and in Calgary; was first certified in 2010, is a Level 1 Relax and Renew Trainer (2011), and Certified in Yoga for Anxiety, Anger and Depression (2014).

When not teaching she loves to listen to spiritual lectures and chanting, reading, and cooking - all with family & friends.

Usher Fleising

Yoga College of Canada - 2013, Iyengar Certification - Intro II -

Yoga is the unexpected new career for Usher after retiring in 2004 from the University of Calgary (Professor of Anthropology). An occasional yoga student since 1995, Iyengar became his focus as it made him feel healthy; and the philosophy resonated with his knowledge of the evolution of human locomotion. Returning to Calgary in 2011, Usher was soon teaching; he participates in Yoga and Writing sessions and assists with Yoga for MS and Yoga for Men in Drug and Alcohol Recovery.

Martina Walsh

Carolyn Badger

Martina Walsh

Yoga Studio College of Canada - 2007, Iyengar Certification - Intro IJ2

Martina started taking yoga classes in 1998 when she was a young mother of three kids - meaning 6:00 AM classes! She started teaching at Yoga Sarana in 2009 - and has trained in Pune, India with the Iyengar family three times - 2014, 2016 and 2018. She loves yoga - there is always a new asana to learn; and finds teaching very rewarding when students see the physical and mental changes that yoga brings.

Martina just started playing golf and has noticed how yoga, especially the twisting asanas, have made her a natural ! Martina is also Yoga Thrive certified - a program for Cancer survivors.

Angela Grace

Carolyn Badger

Martina Walsh

Iyengar Certification - Intro II - 2018

Angela started her Iyengar journey in 2000, and became a certified teacher in 2018. She loves Iyengar Yoga's structure, challenge, and love for the depth and richness the practice and community. She combines two loves - yoga and psychology by creating balanced classes for overall well-being and personal growth. Angela believes there is nothing more important than a balanced nervous system, and Iyengar yoga provides that. Angela loves rolling out her yoga mat each morning and watching her rescue pitbull Mira jump on it and do a perfect downward facing dog!

Carolyn Badger

Iyengar Certification - Intro I

Since 2017, Carolyn has been enrolled in the Iyengar Certification Intro II Teacher Training program. She has been practising Iyengar yoga at Yoga Sarana since 2013 and began teaching at the studio in 2019. The physical aspect of yoga brought Carolyn into the Iyengar studio; the strength, balance and flexibility she gained led to a search for these qualities in her intellectual and spiritual life, with exciting results! Carolyn enjoys sharing accomplishments with students and exploring everything the practice provides. Handstands - a great substitute for 5 o’clock martinis!

Debby Sereda

Santiago Arribas Picon

Yoga Studio of Canada (1000 hrs)- 2006

Advanced Yin Study (300 hrs)

Debby holds a 1000 RYT from The Yoga Studio of Canada as well as a 300 Hour Advanced Yin Yoga Studies Diploma from internationally acclaimed master teacher, scholar and founder of Yin Yoga Paul Grilley. Debby’s understanding of skeletal variations allows her to keep her students safe and inspired. She teaches her students how to interpret the sensations in their bodies both physical and energetic so they can move fluidly with strength and grace during Flow and be still and at peace during Yin. “It is my joy and privilege to be able to teach this beautiful practice that has healed me and transformed my life."

Santiago Arribas Picon

Bio coming Soon !!