There is something really special about finding people in life and business whose values truly align with your own.

People who aren't simply doing the same work, but who share the same heart behind why they do it.

My collaboration with FLOLO Yoga & Pilates Studios brings me so much joy because at the heart of it is a shared commitment to creating safe, inclusive and welcoming spaces where people can come exactly as they are.

Spaces to move.

To breathe.

To practise.

To learn and grow.

To let go.

And ultimately, to unfold into their own unique expression.

For me, that has always been what yoga, Pilates and teaching are really about.

And it is one of the many reasons I feel so grateful to collaborate with FLOLO and its beautiful owner, Nalini.

Meet Nalini, the Heart Behind FLOLO

Nalini is one of those genuinely kind people who immediately puts you at ease.

Her warm, gentle smile makes people feel welcome, but underneath that softness is an incredibly smart, passionate and hardworking woman with a genuine desire to serve the people in front of her.

She is humble.

She is authentic.

And she leads with heart.

Nalini is the owner and operator of FLOLO Studios, but she is also a mother to two beautiful little ones and is happily married to the love of her life, Jason.

What I admire most about Nalini is that she walks the talk.

She lives by the values of kindness and truth, even when those values are tested. That is something I hold incredibly near and dear to my own heart, both personally and professionally.

Over the years I have learnt that who we choose to work alongside matters.

Shared values matter.

Integrity matters.

How people treat others when nobody is watching matters.

So when I find another heart driven soul who genuinely shares the same commitment to people, community and creating spaces where everyone feels they belong, that is a collaboration worth celebrating.

Why This Collaboration Matters for Our Teacher Training Students

One of the things I have always believed about teacher training is that you cannot learn how to truly teach people simply from a textbook or within the safety of a training room.

You need to be around real people.

Different bodies.

Different ages.

Different abilities.

Different personalities.

Different life experiences.

Different reasons for walking through the door.

Through our collaboration with FLOLO, Essence of Living teacher training students now have access to classes across all three FLOLO studios, alongside the Active & Healthy community classes we already offer throughout the Gold Coast.

Together, our FLOLO and Active & Healthy communities give our teacher training students access to an incredible 153 weekly classes, stretching from Coomera to Coolangatta.

That means 153 opportunities every week to practise, observe, learn and experience different teachers, teaching styles, bodies, ages, abilities and communities.

Students can attend classes, observe experienced teachers and, where appropriate within their training requirements, develop their practical teaching and adjusting skills.

For our emerging teachers, this kind of real world exposure is invaluable.

Because for me, the greatest value isn't simply the number of classes available.

It is the diversity of the people within them.

Check out Flolo Studio classes here.

Learning to Teach the Person in Front of You

When you expose yourself to different teachers, teaching styles, class formats, communities and students, something begins to shift.

You start to understand one of the most important lessons I believe we can learn as teachers:

Our job is to meet each student exactly where they are at.

Not where we think they should be.

Not where a textbook says they should be.

And certainly not by trying to make every person fit into a one size fits all approach to yoga, Pilates or movement.

Great teaching asks us to look up.

To pay attention.

To listen.

To genuinely see the human being standing in front of us.

What does this person need today?

How can I support them?

How can I help them feel safe?

What could I offer that allows them to explore rather than perform?

How can I empower them to find their own relationship with movement instead of asking them to copy mine?

This is where teaching becomes so much more than knowing exercises, poses, sequences or anatomy.

It becomes a relationship.

And that understanding comes through experience.

Through watching.

Listening.

Practising.

Making mistakes.

Asking questions.

Learning from other teachers.

And spending time with lots and lots of different humans.

Taking Teacher Training Into the Real World

This is why our collaboration with FLOLO means so much to me.

It isn't simply about providing our students with more places to complete their teacher training requirements.

It is about creating a bridge between teacher training and the real world of teaching.

Our students can learn the foundations within their training and then step into different environments and witness how those teachings come alive in actual classes.

They experience different communities.

Different energies.

Different needs.

And different ways of teaching.

Over time, this helps them become more adaptable, compassionate, confident and intuitive teachers.

Because ultimately, I don't want to create teachers who simply teach the way I teach.

I want to help people discover the teacher they are.

Their voice.

Their strengths.

Their personality.

Their lived experience.

Their unique way of connecting with another human being.

That is where the magic is.

And having access to 153 classes every week across the Gold Coast gives our students an extraordinary opportunity to do exactly that.

But What If You Don't Want to Become a Teacher?

This is something I really want people to understand about our Yoga and Pilates Teacher Training on the Gold Coast.

You don't need to arrive saying:

“I want to be a teacher.”

Our courses are designed just as much for the curious student as they are for the inspiring teacher.

Perhaps you simply love yoga or Pilates and want to understand more.

Perhaps you are fascinated by the human body.

Perhaps you want to deepen your personal practice.

Perhaps you are craving an immersive experience that allows you to step outside your everyday routine and spend time learning, moving and connecting.

Or perhaps there is a quiet little voice inside you wondering whether teaching could become part of your path one day.

You don't need to know yet.

Curiosity is enough.

Teacher training can be an opportunity to explore without having already decided where the journey needs to take you.

Some people arrive knowing they want to teach.

Others discover it along the way.

And some complete their training with no intention of ever standing at the front of a class, but leave with a deeper understanding of themselves, their body and the practice they love.

There is space for all of it.

Perhaps Your Curiosity Is the Beginning

After more than two decades of training, teaching and learning alongside students, one thing I know for certain is that there is no single pathway into this work.

Every person's journey looks different.

And I believe it should.

Our Yoga and Pilates Teacher Training courses are designed to give you knowledge, practical experience and real world exposure, while still leaving enough space for you to discover what the journey uniquely means to you.

Through our collaboration with FLOLO Studios and our Active & Healthy community classes, that learning extends far beyond the training room and into real communities, with real students and real experiences from Coomera to Coolangatta.

And I couldn't be more excited about what that creates for our students.

If you have found yourself curious about teacher training but aren't quite sure whether it is for you, book a call with me.

We can simply have a conversation.

Tell me where you are now, what you are curious about and what you would love to explore, and together we can look at which Yoga or Pilates Teacher Training pathway might feel right for you.

There is no expectation that you need to have it all figured out before we speak.

Sometimes curiosity is enough to begin.

Michelle is an alchemist! 

I walked through the doors of Essence of Living and met Michelle 5 years ago and since then I can honestly say I have changed in the best way. I am honoured to call her a dear friend.

I was immediately hooked by her classes that weaved spiritual teachings into her holistic sequencing. I went from practicing a couple of times a week to almost every day. I knew I had found what I was looking for and everything felt aligned. During my first 200hr teacher training my whole belief system was torn apart and rebuilt from the ground up, with solid foundations, encouraging nudges and lots of love from Michelle. Hard work was now “heart work”, and what scared me now excited me! I enjoyed my YTT so much I decided to continue by enrolling in Pilates teacher training the day it ended.

Immediately after so many opportunities opened up and I began teaching classes through connections made from the studio. I met many of my nearest and dearest friends during the trainings or at Essence. Since then I have gone on to do many other courses with Michelle and my life has enhanced with each and every one!

Michelle’s strength, commitment and discipline is second to none, showing up in her fullest expression each and every day. She is the flame that lights the candles, that are her students, enabling them to glow. They then shine their own light, guiding the way for others. Instead of paving the way for you, she gives you the tools and techniques to pave your own path!

The alchemy begins from the moment you look into her gorgeous, glistening eyes. She sees you, beyond you. She sees your worries and fears and sees your highest self, your fullest potential, the most authentic you.

“This is what we call love. When you are loved, you can do anything in creation. When you are loved, there's no need at all to understand what's happening, because everything happens within you.” -Paulo Coelho

Danny