Our Vibe

Our Place

The only boutique studio in Kyneton and surrounds offering a unique blend of Yoga and Pilates classes. A bright, beautiful space with a relaxed vibe, friendly instructors and supportive studio community.

Our mission is to create a place where you can nourish your mind, body & soul and strengthen from the inside out. With a focus on self care, balance and having fun, you’ll look forward to every class and feel energised, empowered and love the skin you’re in.

Our Story

We are a small boutique Yoga, Pilates and Wellbeing studio supported by experienced, enthusiastic instructors and friendly community.

Our maximum class size is 16 so you have space to move and breath. Our aim is to support you to develop strength in both mind and body through our Yoga and Pilates classes.

Join Us!

Our Approach

Our approach to Yoga is grounded in the traditional lineages of Yoga.

We acknowledge all eight limbs of Yoga: Yamas (ethical disciplines), Niyamas (self-observation), Asana (postures), Pranayama (breath control), Pratyahara (sense withdrawal), Dharana (concentration), Dhyana (meditation) and Samadhi (a blissful state of joy and peace).

We offer a range of Yoga styles from Vinyasa to Iyengar.

At Akari we offer a range of in Studio group classes to suit all abilities.

We also offer Private one to one or group Yoga sessions developed just for you.

Regular retreats, workshops, events and courses run throughout the year to further develop your wellbeing journey.

Our Offerings

Our People

Nicky

Nicky is an experienced Yoga facilitator with a passion for holistic well-being. Nicky is an Iyengar Yoga Instructor who also teaches Pilates, Slow Flow, Gentle Yoga, Restorative Yoga, Meditation and Deep Relaxation.

Nicky is a highly experienced instructor who explains and models Yoga postures so students know where they are heading and feel comfortable trying something new. Nicky encourages students to explore all areas of Yoga and includes Yoga Nidra, Pranayama, Meditation and Yogic philosophy in her classes.

Nicky has a passion for creating a positive, inclusive and supportive Yoga environment where you are encouraged to develop your Yoga practice at your own pace.

For the past ten years, Nicky has been at the helm of various Yoga studios, each serving as a hub for wellness and self-discovery. In June 2023, Nicky took the reins of Akari Yoga, a nurturing space that embodies Nicky's commitment to fostering physical, mental, and spiritual balance.

As a Yoga facilitator, Nicky's approach is marked by a blend of expertise, compassion, and a deep understanding of the transformative power of Yoga. Whether guiding students through mindful poses or exploring the breath through Pranayama practice, Nicky is dedicated to creating an environment where individuals can embark on their own unique wellness journeys.

Karina

Karina's yoga classes are fun, challenging and free flowing with the sounds of soft classic 80’s & 90’s tunes. Each week is a different flow, you will never do the same sequence twice. The flowing sequences focus on strength, core and plenty of poses to get the heart rate going. She loves to look at traditional yoga poses and see how many different variants of that pose can be done to challenge the mind and body.

Karina’s Yin classes are relaxing for the mind and body but also can be challenging as some poses are held from 4 to 6 mins to deep stretch the connective tissues. Karina’s classes incorporate poses that help to stimulate the lymphatic system and focus on stretching the fascia. Each week is a totally different sequence targeting different parts of the body and experimenting with props to vary the poses.

Celeste

Celeste is a certified Pilates Instructor in both Mat and Reformer teaching. Celeste loves to support you to feel strong, healthy, and happy through movement while creating an inclusive, positive, and safe space. Celeste has come from a dance and martial arts background and has found her perfect balance with Pilates. This passion for movement paired with Celeste’s love for Pilates, shines through her as a teacher. She is an advocate for the amazing physical and mental health benefits Pilates offers.

Celeste loves that it is possible to participate in a challenging workout without exerting unnecessary stress on the body. Her classes are built on intelligent sequencing, balancing good form and intensity. Celeste is motivating and encouraging and loves to touch base with her clients and see how they are progressing. For Celeste, Pilates is a time for self-care, fun, creativity, letting go of life’s challenges and a chance to connect with your mind and body.

Mary

Mary is a qualified Yoga instructor and a member of Yoga Australia and she has been teaching in the Macedon ranges for nearly ten years. Mary teaches Hatha Yoga, Yin, Flow, restorative, gentle Yoga and meditation.

Mary wants everyone to walk out of her class feeling better than when they arrived.

She encourages you to meet your body and mind where it is today and to make your Yoga practise your own. No two classes are the same and she likes to adapt to suit the energy in the room.

Mary’s classes are relaxed, fun and include all levels of fitness and ability. Mary believes the benefits of Yoga have changed her life and she can’t wait to share them with you.

Alison

Alison Shirley is a Pilates Practitioner of 20 years who loves to journey her clients into revelations and discoveries in their bodies that set them up for life. With a commitment to each individual body, mind and spirit she encounters, Ali focuses on strong foundational excellence to achieve goals safely and reach beyond perceived limitations.

Ali is undertaking her Master of Dance with the Faculty of Fine Arts and Music at Vca, Melbourne University. Her research further develops her improvisational and choreographic practice and prevalent understanding of safe and effective stretch techniques.

Ali's passion for understanding the human body and movement has led to a vast range of teaching experience, from beginners to athletes and dancers and complex pathology and post-injury recovery. She looks forward to meeting you and sharing the next stage of your bodywork journey, wherever you are on that road.

Charlotte

Charlotte is a specialist in the areas of body, movement, voice and rhythm. She is a facilitator of experiential education, creative midwifery and mentorship and is the creator of The Musical Body Process, leading groups nationally and internationally since 2003.. Charlotte is a registered Taketina Rhythm Process™️ Facilitator, ISMETA registered Somatic Movement Educator/Therapist, Qigong facilitator, VIT registered school teacher and a Tamalpa Life/Art Process® Practitioner .

As a vocal improvisational artist, musician and composer; Charlotte co-composed and co-created projects such as ‘Murmuring Walk’ (an audio-guided walk at Sanatorium Lake Mt. Macedon) and ‘In Your Arms’ (a guided experience for carers and their pre-crawling babies). Along with this, she has released two albums and is currently completing a third. Charlotte has performed in vocal improvisational ensembles, has led ‘United Women’s Voices’ (supported by Creative Victoria) and performed seasons such as ‘Vocal Digs’ at La Mama Theatre.

Philippa

Philippa Devine is a registered senior teacher with Yoga Australia who has taught in community, educational, home and bush settings since 2006. Her classes are grounded in Ashtanga (eight limbed) lineage traditions, weaving together physical, philosophical and meditative forms on the thread of the breath. She aims to enable you to begin, enjoy and sustain practise regardless of your condition, age or experience.

An enduring interest is bringing attention to the resonance between direct experiences arising in embodied practice, and possibilities for navigating situations, conversations, creative process and decision making differently. Philippa explored this for seven years teaching movement education at the National Drama School, and through modalities designed with coaching clients in creative, environment and social benefit sectors. She is an accredited coach with the Institute of Executive Coaching and Leadership, and chair of the board at Gasworks Arts Park.

Her connecting focus is how we might nurture continuums of care for nature, creativity, learning and wellbeing through organisations and communities.

Michelle

Michelle is passionate about sharing the ancient wisdom of Traditional Chinese Medicine practices to help re-align body, mind and spirit andreplenish your vital life force.
Discovering Qi Gong (pronounced “chi gong”) nearly 20 years ago changed Michelle’s life. Searching for solutions for chronic pain after a car accident, Qi Gong was like an unexpected magical antidote that has
transformed into a deep journey of exploration of the body, energy dynamics and how a nourishing personal practice might be the key to pain on all levels.

Qi Gong is the powerful ancient Chinese practice of cultivating qi, or life force. Using the power of breath, plus gentle body movements, self-applied massage and meditations, Qi Gong harnesses and directs Qi to promote harmonious flow of energy throughout the body.

Michelle’s Qi Gong classes are suitable for all abilities and many practices can be adapted to a seated position if there are pain or mobility challenges. Often she will explore Qi Gong in relation to current seasonal cycles or the 5 elements of Traditional Chinese
Medicine to optimise flow of qi and offer a holistic connection to your practice. She lovingly brings her personal experience, along with many years of study and clinical experience to guide students into a deeper connection with body, mind and spirit.