Teaching Team
Welcome to Studio Po, a pillar of Toronto’s Iyengar Yoga community since 2014. Our Certified Iyengar Yoga Teachers are known for their skilled teaching, warm demeanour, & gentle encouragement, all of which contributes to students feeling confident and supported in their Iyengar Yoga practice.
Stephanie Tencer
Stephanie is the Director and Principal Teacher at Studio Po, a Toronto-based Iyengar Yoga studio. She holds a Level 3 teaching certificate and currently co-leads the Education Roundtable for the national association. She mentors new teachers, serves as an assessor and is among a small group of Canadian teachers qualified to teach the therapeutic aspects of Iyengar Yoga.
Stephanie travels annually to India to study with her teachers at the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute. These trips serve as a well of inspiration and fodder for her ongoing study.
Explore Stephanie’s collection of free Iyengar Yoga resources on YouTube and Substack, and learn more about how Iyengar Yoga was instrumental in helping her cope with and overcome debilitating back pain here.
Jane Kruse
Jane (she/her) came to Iyengar Yoga on a friend’s recommendation. Though new to yoga, she immediately felt connected to the practice. From the start, she found the classes challenging, grounding, and deeply rewarding—especially as a way to release the stresses of her demanding work life.
Jane is continually inspired by the precision and integrity of B.K.S. Iyengar’s teachings. In that spirit, she approaches each class as an opportunity to share wholeheartedly what she has learned.
She holds a Level 2 Iyengar Yoga teaching certificate and brings clarity, care, and enthusiasm to her classes.
Shreya Shah
During Shreya’s (she/her) demanding career as a bond trader, she couldn’t shake her craving for something deeper. With the guidance of Marlene Mawhinney and the encouragement of B.K.S. lyengar's teachings, she found the clarity and perspective she was seeking. Shreya credits lyengar Yoga, and teaching in particular, with nurturing gratitude and compassion in all areas of her life.
Shreya holds a Level 2 teaching certificate, studies regularly with teachers across Canada, & serves on the Board of Directors for the national association.
As a queer Indian woman, serving on the Board of Directors for Rainbow Railroad, an organization helping LGBTQI+ people from across the globe who face violence and oppression, get to safety, is also close to her heart.
Maia Visentin
Maia (she/her) discovered Iyengar Yoga in 2014, during a friend’s invitation to a class in Argentina. From the first session, she felt an immediate connection to the practice, turning to yoga regularly to ease daily stresses and support her overall well-being.
After moving to Toronto and studying at Studio Po, Maia recognized how the lessons of Iyengar Yoga extend both on and off the mat. This insight deepened her respect and love for the practice and inspired her to pursue certification as a teacher.
Maia studies with Stephanie Tencer and holds a Level 1 Iyengar Yoga teaching certificate, bringing warmth, clarity, and attentiveness to every class.
Sarah Bertucci
Sarah first experienced the healing aspects of yoga during her recovery from a neck injury and concussion. This affected Sarah profoundly and inspired her to ultimately become a teacher and share with others, her knowledge and experience of the therapeutic aspects of Iyengar Yoga.
Sarah holds a Level 3 teaching certificate and has visited India multiple times to study with the Iyengar family. She has been a mentor to aspiring teachers for many years and is also an assessor for the national association.
Sarah’s teaching style is passionate and energetic. She encourages her students to find balance by exploring both strengths and weaknesses. She reminds them of B.K.S. Iyengar’s words: “Balance in the body is the foundation for balance in life.