OUR STORY

Teaching yoga can feel pretty lonely sometimes. Despite crossing paths with plenty of people on any given day, the hurried pace of London and the rush from studio to studio rarely gives space for any conversations to get past the small-talk phase. 

By chance, coincidence or fate, we kept crossing paths. All the studio classes we taught happened to sit side by side on the schedule and over time, those quick chats about the weather turned into deeper conversations. It was through these exchanges that we came to the same realisation - the most meaningful part of teaching yoga wasn’t the shapes we saw on the mat. The magic is in the people. Their stories. The quiet moments of understanding witnessed between strangers. The shared energy in a full room of people moving in tandem to the beat of their own breath. It is the sense of belonging our students felt. 

We also agreed that running retreats is by far our favourite part of the job, and so after running many of our own successful yoga getaways, we’ve decided to join forces - ELMAR. EL for El, MAR for Maria. It’s simple, and we want the philosophy behind our retreats to also be simple - good people + beautiful spaces. 

We want ELMAR to be a space where you can come as you are. A space for meaningful connections. A space to be joyful. A space where you can keep coming back again and again, year after year. We’ve got exciting plans ahead of us, and we’re so excited for you to join us.

Until next time, 

El + Maria 


  • Co-Founder of Elmar

    I started yoga purely for the physical benefits, but soon fell in love with how it made me feel mentally and emotionally. I became a teacher to help others tap into these benefits too, and my teaching style is fun and upbeat - life is serious enough already - our practice doesn’t have to be.

    My favourite part of teaching yoga is the people I’ve met along the way. Creating a community beyond the mat through retreats and classes is by far the most fulfilling part of this whole journey.

    Teaching specialisms -

    Power Yoga; Yin Yoga; Rocket; Conscious Connected Breathwork; Elemental Flow and the Chakras; Post-Natal.


  • Co-Founder of Elmar

    Whilst navigating the Performing Arts Industry for the past 10 years, there has been one constant. Yoga gave me a safe space where I could strengthen and stretch my body, without ego or judgment, and find a clearer mind through the meditative qualities of the asanas, breath, and movement.

    I was also taken by the philosophies of yoga and how, intertwined with the physical practice, they can be taken off the mat and into everyday life.

    Now, as a teacher, these experiences are what I most aim to give those who attend my classes.

    Teaching specialisms -

    Vinyasa and Power Yoga; Yin Yoga and Traditional Chinese Medicine; Pre and Post-Natal Yoga