Anna Austria
Anna started practicing back in 2006, attending Bikram hot yoga classes. She transitioned to Vinyasa and Ashtanga yoga following a Vipassana meditation retreat in 2010 and maintains a regular Vinyasa flow practice to this day. She received her certification to teach Vinyasa Yoga following a 200hr YTT at Bliss Yoga Manila under Roland Dela Cruz and Isabel Naval in 2012. Anna teaches class the way she likes to practice — equal parts softness and strength, fluid but with ample time to allow students to settle deeply into a pose and with special mindful attention to the breath. She believes yoga should be accessible to all types of people and tries to provide an environment that is welcome, nurturing and healing for all students with each class.
BiancA Torres - Wong
Bianca found Bliss Yoga Manila in 2009 when she started looking for something more to manage the day to day grind of her corporate law practice. It was through Bliss that she deepened her yoga practice and fell in love with Vinyasa Yoga. Her love affair with yoga encouraged her to take some time off from her day job in 2010 to pursue a 200 Hour Vinyasa Yoga Teacher Training with Bliss Co-Founder Roland dela Cruz. In 2014, to diversify her practice, she completed a Rainbow Kids Yoga Teacher Training with Senior Trainer Lei Sadakari. Since then she has dabbled in Bhakti Yoga, Jivamukti and Hatha Yoga, all of which she immensely enjoys and which has enriched her practice. Bianca believes that Yoga is more than a workout, it’s actual soulwork. The asana exists to serve the student and the intention, instead of the other way around. Her style is both structured and playful, always mindful, and in harmony with the ebb and flow of Vinyasa Yoga.
Chloe Alcid
Chloe started practicing yoga in 2011, during her first year of college. In 2014, she underwent her first 200-hour Teacher Training In New York, where Chloe continued training and teaching for 3 years. She completed her 300-hour Advanced Teacher Training in Koh Samui, Thailand when she moved back to Manila in late 2017. Having come from a strong dance background, yoga fulfills Chloe's ever present desire for movement and developing strength and flexibility. But more than that, yoga has allowed her to cultivate a deeper awareness of more subtle processes such as the capacity of the breath, the ability to observe and be in control of reactions and resposes to the world. Building a practice of all these various aspects of yoga both on and off the mat has helped Chloe on the path towards becoming a stronger, kinder and more open-minded person and it is her greatest joy to share this with students on their own journeys.
Chris Ramos
Chris Ramos started practicing yoga when she stopped dancing in 2010. She compares Vinyasa Flow to contemporary dance, but without the pressures of performing, and with the pleasure of moving and breathing. Yoga for her is the balance between stillness and movement, comfort and challenge, being yourself and finding yourself. Chris was certified to teach Kids Yoga back in 2012 and Vinyasa Yoga in 2018. Her sequences can be dynamic, because she likes to “choreograph” poses with arm variations, poses that flow from one to the next. She tries to provide options for poses because she wants to encourage and empower her students to make it their own practice. Chris believes that every class she teaches is an opportunity for her to learn from her students. She always ends her classes by saying, “The teacher in me honors the teacher in each and everyone of you.”
Eleanor Kawsek Wu
Back in 2014, Eleanor started her yoga journey initially in search of a workout that combined both strength and flexibility. Over time, she came to not only appreciate yoga’s physical challenges but its gift of mindfulness as well. In March 2018 she completed her Vinyasa Flow teacher training at Bliss Yoga Manila, and now hopes to inspire others to fall in love with the different aspects of yoga, just as she did. Eleanor likes to challenge the potential of the mind and the body in both her teaching style and personal practice.
Enzo Montaño
Enzo’s experience and influences are of a global nature. Having studied with several teachers in the Philippines and India, along with other yoga-related travels, he has internalized a palette of inspiration from around the world. Enzo’s discovery is the multifaceted and holistic applicability of yoga, having found groundedness as well as continuous growth in the physical, mental and spiritual practices. Since earning his 200hr certificate in 2015 and his 500hr qualification in 2018 in India, his inclination has always been to share the beautiful practice of yoga—with an open mind and a willing heart. His overarching goal is to contribute to a more mindful and compassionate world community.
Isabel Dulay - Naval
A fortunate twist of fate led Isabel to a yoga studio one day. It was there where she appreciated the beauty of the breath and stillness of the mind. Since her first class years ago, Isabel knew that she would be a lifetime student and hoped that one day, she would be able to teach. In 2009, Isabel completed the PURE Yoga Teacher Training Program in Hong Kong under the guidance of Patrick Creelman. Isabel continues to deepen her practice through regularly attending workshops, conferences and keeping a regular practice with various teachers of differing styles both in Manila and abroad. As a teacher, Isabel aspires to share with her students the lessons that she has learned from her teachers, the guidance to turn inward and to connect with one’s own light and joy. She will encourage you to work hard while focusing on the breath.
Jazz Dinglasan
Jazz started practicing yoga in 2011. Yoga helped her find serenity during the most difficult time of her life. She later on took her first teacher training in 2015 and continue to practice different types of yoga. Her first YTT was a 200hr Classical-Vinyasa course in 2015 at Wise Living Yoga Academy in Chiang Mai, Thailand. In 2016 she completed 200 hours of Ashtanga YTT at AV108 School in Taguig, Manila. She added 100 hrs of Rocket Yoga to her belt in 2018 at It’s Yoga Satellite in Bali, Indonesia. And in 2019 , she completed a 50hr Inside Flow Training at Radiantly Alive in Bali, Indonesia. Jazz’s teaching philosophy is, respecting individual differences, yoga journeys and practices because we all have different body structures, capabilities, limitations and energy level. She believes that in practicing asanas, we can achieve whatever we set our mind on because, Practice with Patience makes Progress. Jazz’s classes are always engaging and sometimes can be challenging yet a lot fun.
Kat Padua
Kat discovered yoga in 2010 when she took her very first class at Bliss Yoga Manila. Since then, she has explored various styles of dynamic yoga, as well as other forms of exercise with the sole aim of moving and strengthening the body. However, after being diagnosed with an autoimmune disease that was primarily caused by stress, she made the commitment to prioritize her mental and emotional well-being. Around this time, she decided to deepen her yoga and mindfulness practice by going back to her roots at Bliss Yoga. In December 2019, she travelled all the way to Rishikesh, India to complete her 200H Ashtanga and Vinyasa Flow teacher training. As a yoga teacher, Kat's intention is to help her students achieve balance, flexibility, strength of mind and body through both movement and stillness on and off the mat.
Kat Salazar - Balanon
It was more for physical reasons that Kat first tried yoga at a fitness gym back in 2007. She took a few classes and stopped going when life got busy. Fast forward to 2011, she accepted a job offer and moved abroad. The first few months were fun until the fast-paced environment started to take a toll on her. She started to look for ways to find personal balance and decided to give yoga another try. All it took was one class and she was hooked. Her regular practice helped her become more centered, grounded and physically strong. It was then that she learned the importance of “breathing” and the true meaning of being “present”. It also inspired her to live a healthier lifestyle. Wanting to deepen her practice and share her passion for yoga, she quit her job and signed up for All Yoga Thailand’s 200-Hour Ashtanga Vinyasa Teacher Training. She completed her training last October 2014 in Koh Samui, Thailand under the guidance of Annie Au, David Lertsin, Vari Morales and Edson Ramos. She still continues to learn from her everyday practice, through other teachers, students and inspirations. In every class, she aspires to share the gift of yoga with others and hopes that it touches their lives the way it did hers.
Lala Vicencio
Lala started practicing yoga around late 2012 for physical reasons. It was an on and off practice at first, trying out different styles and classes. She found herself drawn to Vinyasa the most because of the flow and dynamic aspects of the practice. On March 2018, she finally decided to take Bliss Yoga’s teacher training program. Because yoga changed her life so much, she decided to pursue teaching so that she can share this experience with her students.
Louie Pilapil
Louie’s journey towards the path of yoga began in 2004, when she attended Elita Salgado’s class for the first time with her mother and her mother’s friends. It wasn’t love at first practice but she found herself coming back for more and eventually becoming a regular student. And whenever Elita was unavailable, she’d go to Sandy Carmona’s classes in Makati. After two years of finding yoga, she moved to another country for a job, which disrupted the regularity of her practice. Still, she did what she could despite the lack of access to English classes. She practiced on her own and got together with like-minded yogis in that country, who organized their own classes by inviting teachers from Hong Kong. It was upon her return to the Philippines in 2009 that she seriously considered teaching yoga. Life and work got in the way, however, and that goal took a backseat. She continued her search for fantastic teachers to learn from and eventually found them. Her dream of becoming a yoga teacher was realized in 2012 when she trained under Bliss Yoga Manila’s Roland dela Cruz and Isabel Dulay. It was a decision that changed her life. She continues to learn from her fellow teachers and her students, whose dedication to the practice never fails to inspire her. She found her bliss and wishes to share what she has learned with anyone who’s seeking a more peaceful existence, a stronger body and a calmer mind.
Matty Roxas Chua - Roque
Like almost everyone else, Matty first found her way to a mat for physical reasons. She wanted to explore and add variety to her already active lifestyle. She enjoys Vinyasa and Power classes but through the influence of her best friend, fell in love with Ashtanga. She was going through the most challenging and depressing time of her life that led her to discover the path of yoga. She realized then that there is more to yoga than the Asanas. Matty found refuge, peace, hope and inspiration through daily practice, gurus and yogis surrounding her. With a reborn spirit, she took her journey further by enrolling to the Bliss Yoga Teacher Training Program with Roland Dela Cruz. What started as a simple physical regimen, turned out to be a life changing source of energy. Matty's journey doesn’t end there, everyday she is awakened to reap and apply the full benefits of yoga to her life. Equipped with her personal experience, a loving family, supportive friends and gurus, Matty shares the gift of yoga to others.
Mich Ramos
Michele started her yoga journey in February 2015 when she first stepped on Oliver's class at Bliss Yoga. One week subscription turned into a month, and months turned into years. She became a regular practitioner of the studio's morning classes. In March 2017, she took Bliss Yoga's 200hr Vinyasa Yoga Teacher Training under Roland Dela Cruz, co-facilitated by Isabel Naval and Jill Kobza. She started teaching for Bliss Yoga May of the same year. And on January 2019, she took a 50 Hour Yin Yoga Mindfulness Teacher Training under Chris Su. She is still a familiar face on the morning classes as a student, balancing it with her regular job and teaching.
Oliver Loyola
Oliver didn't really plan to do yoga, but after his very first class at Yoga For Life, and he immediately fell in love. It was 2010 - not a very good time for this would-be yoga teacher who was feeling lost in a downward spiral. Finding Yoga was like finally having a lifeline. To him, Yoga was, and still is, a big sigh of relief - a place to find grounding and clarity. At the recommendation of his teachers then Paulo Leonido and Charmaine Cu-Unjieng, he took the Bliss Yoga Manila 200hr Vinyasa Flow Teacher Training under Roland Dela Cruz, Isabel Naval, and Jill Kobza. The following year, he went to Singapore to get his 70hr Yin Yoga Teacher Training under Victor Chng of Yin Yoga in Asia. Since then he has never stopped teaching as well as expanding his knowledge and experience of yoga - he has taken workshops and classes on Anatomy w/ David Keil, AcroYoga w/ Lissa-Marie Nilsson, Asana Workshops w/ Briohny Smith & Dice Ida-Klein, Meditation Workshops w/ Sarah Powers, Teaching Method Workshops, 10-day Vpassana Meditation Courses, to name a few. He's also been actively participating in the local Yoga Community, learning and sharing through different styles of Yoga Classes with different Yoga Teachers. Oliver likes a challenge, whether in his personal practice or his classes. He believes that the way to grow is to keep on adapting and changing with the challenges of the times and this is especially true for his Yoga Classes - always expect something different.
Poi Desiderio
Poi started his practice back in 2015. After seeing the benefits of yoga in kids with special needs he has work with in his clinical practice, he started his own journey on the mat. He completed his 200-hour Hatha-based Vinyasa Yoga Teacher Training in General Santos City, Philippines; and a total of 100 hours Yin Yoga Teacher Training in Makati City, Philippines. His passion for teaching - both in the clinic and between the four corners of the mat - is greatly influenced by 3 things: the power of inspiration, the potential of consistent practice, and strength manifested both physically and that of the heart. Seeing one’s self in the light of being of service to others has, and will always bring contentment to the heart. Yoga has been a great platform allowing him to experience that same sense of contentment. It allows Poi to look deeply within; discover the things he can do; share and see how these things can make a positive influence to others.
Roland Dela Cruz
Roland Dela Cruz is a celebrated Yoga Teacher with over 1,500 hours of formal training and over 15 years of teaching experience. Roland took his first yoga class in 2001 and was instantly hooked. He took his his first Power Yoga Teacher Training with Baron Baptiste in Tulum, Mexico in 2002. He completed his 200 hour Teacher Training in Santa Monica, California with Bryan Kest in 2005. In 2007, he trained under Rusty Wells from San Francisco, California who introduced Bhakti Yoga and Kirtan to his teaching. He completed his 300 hour Jivamukti Yoga Teacher Training at the Omega Institute (Rhinebeck, New York) in April 2014. And he completed his 800 hour Apprenticeship Program in August 2015 with Advanced Certified Jivamukti Yoga Teacher, Keith Kempis in Sydney, Australia. He passed the Jivamukti Yoga Advanced Certification Board on January 10, 2016, in New York City, and now an Advanced Certified Jivamukti Yoga Teacher.
Ross Morales
Ross started her yoga practice in January 2012 at Bliss Yoga Manila as a way to manage the challenges of work and of life. As her practice became more consistent, she saw the positive impact that Yoga brought to one’s overall physical and mental health. To deepen her knowledge and to serve others, she enrolled and became certified as a Vinyasa Flow Yoga Teacher in Bliss Yoga Manila’s 200-Hour Vinyasa Flow Teacher Training Program in 2014. Ross’s classes are often reflections of different themes about Life. She likes to lead students in a flow that is nurturing, challenging, and empowering.
Sharone King
Sharone began her yoga practice in 2014. In 2017, she completed her Vinyasa Flow Teacher Training at Bliss Yoga. Each of her classes starts out with aknowledging where you are at that present moment. Part of her teaching philosophy is using several rounds of full vinyasas to find more focus by linking breath with movement. Poses are chosen to strengthen both the mind and the body. Yoga is a tool for a balanced and wholistic well being. It as a practice we can take with us through all the stages of our lives.
Val Delos Santos
Val’s love affair with yoga began in 2006, but it was only in the past few years that her passion to deepen her practice has really grown. She knew that becoming a teacher would be the best way for her to share this passion with others. She completed her Vinyasa Flow training at YogaUnion in Bali in August 2019 under the guidance of Ionas Vellas, Spyros Kapitsinos, Ourania Bouzouki and Vasso Kalabouki. She also enriched her knowledge and practice by attending special workshops by Savvas Giantsis (House of Yoga, Greece) and Himanshu Bahuguna (India). Through yoga, Val learned that there is no grace and flexibility without strength and focus, no strength and focus without grace and flexibility. This is something she hopes to share with her students through every class she teaches. Her classes are dynamic, challenging, fun and usually infused with core drills.