Meet Our Teachers
We have several teachers on staff who teach in English, including yogaROCKS founder Leta LaVigne (USA), Emilia Jiminez (USA/COSTA RICA) and Heidi Rasikari (AUS). All of our teachers and staff are comfortable communicating in English. If you attend a class with a teacher other than listed above and don't speak Finnish, just let the teacher know and they will certainly also provide some guidance in English for you.
Leta LaVigne
ERYT-500/YACEP, is a Seattle native and the founder of yogaROCKs along with partner Antti Inkinen.
Teaching has been her life's work since 2008, with a wide ranging background from Hot Yoga to Vinyasa to somatics-based Embodied Flow. She has also studied extensively with Yin Yoga founder Paul Grilly (and other Yin teachers others like Jo Phee that have expanded on Grilley's work), and is currently one of Finland's senior Yin teachers/teacher trainers. She has written several articles for the Yoga Journal on teaching and Yin.
Her intuitive classes range from fiery hot to deeply meditative. Ther's a warmth and realness to her guidance that grounds the practice and inspires authentic exploration for everyone in the room.
”For me yoga is both an anchor and an instrument of flow. It shapes how I relate to myself and connect to the greater cosmos, and this is the yoga I wish to share - yoga that goes beyond posing, that opens pathways of intersection with our most expansive selves. ”
Leta teaches in a combination of English and Finnisha and warmly welcomes you to class!
Jolande Auroila De Cabarcas
My path to yoga started through meditation. I wanted to learn to be more in the moment in my life. This led to a home yoga practice as I wanted movement to accompany meditation.
When I started practicing at the studio, I fell in love with hot yoga. The warmth and the repeated series of movements took me into a deep meditative state. I was able to challenge body and mind, and it just continued to grow deeper the longer I practiced.
Asana practice changes with the seasons of life, and just like that, Vinyasa Flow with its modern, freer wave-like movement has become dear to me. I enjoy seeing how yogis create their own unique trajectory and soul flow.
I hope that through my classes, others would get the same feeling of being in the moment when we combine breath, movement and presence of mind.
In my classes, you can also often challenge yourself with hand balance exercises, which are also my favorite. I also teach face yoga and am currently studying to be a Pilates teacher. See you on the mat :)
Anna-Maija Heikkilä
I started yoga in 2013 and it immediately felt like a very natural way to practice presence and movement.
In 2016 I started teaching yoga and barre. This is absolutely my heart's work. Every student and class is extremely important to me. In my day job, I am a physiotherapist specializing in children.
For me, the perfect workout is a combination of deep, delicious breaths and a curious connection with your body and its sensations, whether in motion or stationary. Slow and strong is my happy place. When my inner child wakes up, I also love to play with inversions, arm balances and creative transitions :D
Barre is another passion of mine. My classes are meticulously planned with love, taking into account functional anatomy and safety, as well as all trainees.
You are warmly welcome to train with me!
Emilia Jimenez
During Emilia's sessions, a sacred space is held where sound and crystal grids are used to empower the individual's energetic field and open a pathway to self-discovery. Each session is a unique and complete experience of expansion.
"Energy flows through us all day long. This energy moves us physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually provoking learning, adjusting and evolving. We have something very precious within. When we actively connect with it and allow it to guide us to a greater understanding of who we are, this will support us to live more fully and with greater awareness."
Lotta Lääveri
I found bikram yoga in 2018. I wanted to bring balance to my everyday life, to learn to relax, strengthen my body and increase mobility.
Yoga and its versatility completely won me over. Over the years, regular training has improved my connection with my body and mind both on and off the mat.
I applied for Yogarocks' RYT 200 yoga teacher training out of an interest in deepening my own practice, and then started teaching here! I currently work as an analyst in the financial sector and am doing a master's degree at the university.
In addition to yoga, in my free time I spend time outdoors, jogging, reading and enjoying the company of my friends. Yoga, barre and pilates seem like meaningful ways to exercise at the moment.
Welcome to practice with me :)
Outi Hätönen
Hot yoga was my first yoga experience. It sparked a yoga journey that has included many different styles of yoga. Of these, aerial yoga has become my passion and an area of expertise.
I bring my inner child to aerial yoga classes and playful challenges for yogis of all levels. During Aerial Yin classes, you'll see a more sensitive side when I guide you to deep, relaxed stretches with the help of a yoga cloth.
As a teacher, I am quite physical, but there is also a softer side which comes out in calmer classes.
The best thing about yoga is learning - new challenges and the ways of connecting to the body always emerge. I hope that everyone finds a new piece of themselves through yoga, and accepts themselves just the way they are.
