Madira Gregurek

FOUNDER OF NOMAD YOGA DUNDEE

Bringing the energy of the sunshine with her to Dundee from her motherland, Croatia, Madira exudes warmth and brightness.

She founded Hot Yoga Dundee in 2011 and following on from its growing success, opened Nomad Yoga in 2019, a dedicated studio offering hot yoga and pilates in the centre of Dundee.

Her yoga journey started in 1994 in Jaganath Puri, India, where she dedicated 4 years to living, breathing, and dreaming Yoga in all its limbs within Yoga Baladeva Ashram.

“My classical training has provided me with a lifetime of respect and dedication towards Yoga as a spiritual, physical and healing practice. I have been passionate about Yoga, dance and the arts all my life and I believe in the transformative potential of these mediums for personal and social change.”

Madira has additionally trained in Pilates (Alexander Technique & Pilates, Ireland) and Dance (MA Dance Performance, University of Limerick), enriching her teaching and allowing her to confidently work with people with spine, shoulder and hip injuries, as well as bringing a unique flow and softness to her Yoga practice. A nomad at heart, she has taught communities of sportspeople, dancers and students all over the world, including Sweden, Austria, Belgium, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Scotland, England, Croatia and India.

Madira seeks to empower her students to be strong, flexible, and easy in their bodies, peaceful and clear in their minds, and playful in spirit.

“Being a teacher here at Nomad Yoga Dundee gives me the opportunity to contribute and to share my experience, knowledge and passion for yoga with you. My teachers and I understand that every student has their individual reasons and needs for practicing, and whether it’s physical, emotional or spiritual, we will provide a welcoming, supportive environment for you to have the most positive experience.”

Evy koutzas

Seeking a method to release stress from work and studies, and incorporate fitness into her lifestyle, Evy discovered yoga whilst in graduate school. Her interest in yoga emerged slowly at first; however, upon experiencing heated vinyasa, she eagerly created a consistent practice, finding unexpected and powerful mindfulness connections on her mat that were far beyond her initial fitness hopes.

Evy completed her 200-hour vinyasa teacher training in her hometown of Chicago in 2012 and has furthered her knowledge with a restorative yoga course, a 50-hour Yin and Myofascial release training, and continued education workshops.

Evy moved to Dundee in 2016, and she’s been enjoying scaling Munro’s and adventuring around Scotland ever since.

As a teacher, Evy strives to provide an inclusive and inspiring environment where her students feel challenged yet supported- empowered through a practice that is strengthening and meditative. Each class will connect breath to movement, explore strength, and cultivate self-acceptance.

Sofia arnaouteli

Kevin Briggs, Msc

Heralding from Texas, Kevin is a Pilates instructor with an impressive teaching background. Qualifying in 2004, he was soon recruited by a Pilates studio in Paris, France, joining the first wave of teachers bringing the value of the Pilates Method to the country.

While working in Paris, Kevin had the opportunity to work with a group of instructors from numerous Pilates backgrounds, teaching a wide range of clientele, including several international celebrities.

Kevin first discovered Pilates while pursuing a university degree, alongside dancing professionally in Texas. His teaching style is rooted in the integrity of classical Pilates, but it is also highly influenced by his dance training and his experience with numerous somatic approaches to movement.

Relocating to Scotland in 2015 for a Masters of Science in Dance Science and Education at the University of Edinburgh,  Kevin is now happy to call Scotland, and more recently Dundee, home.

He is also currently training training to become a fully certified GYROTONIC instructor in London at Kings Cross Studio with master trainer Cherie DeHaven.

Ailsa Gow

Ailsa has been exploring Yoga for quite some time now and finally took the plunge to complete her 200-hour Ashtanga Yoga Teacher Training course at Meadowlark, Edinburgh.

With 10 years instructor experience she loves to bring her energy and fresh ideas to her classes. Based at the University of St Andrews she teaches a range of other classes including Spin, Zumba and various bodyweight/strength classes along with personal training giving her a versatile skill set.

Her infectious smile will put you at ease as she welcomes you through the doors to Nomad.

Savanna Gude

Savanna is a yoga teacher and outdoor instructor, living in Perth.

Yoga is a big part of her life, and she’s been teaching for 5 years now. She completed her  teacher training in 2017 at Kranti yoga in Goa India. Since then she’s traveled and taught around the world.

Savanna teaches creative vinyasa flows and peaceful Hatha flows focusing on the breath. When she’s not on the mat you can find her on the river, or up a munro!

Heidi Dore

Nature, neuroscience and ancient wisdom inspire Heidi’s teaching. She has been practising yoga for 20 years and teaching more than a decade.

Heidi’s qualifications include a 200 hour and 500 hour certificate with Vajrasati Yoga accredited by Yoga Alliance, and she is currently developing her expertise with professional mentoring from a senior teacher at Yoga International.

Her classes blend classical yoga with healing principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Shiatsu.

Heidi’s style is informed by sacred texts such as The Bhagavad Gita, Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, The Tao Te Ching, along with a MA in Religion & Philosophy.

Dominique Newton

Dominique began her yoga journey with a class taught by our very own Madira. After that first class, she fell in love with the practice and how it made her feel.

Yoga instantly became a huge part of her life. Holidays & trips away were planned around her new found love for it, combining her passion for travel and wholefoods with her yoga practice.

Enjoying the immense benefits yoga brought to her life, on and off the mat, in 2018 Dominique travelled to India where she trained in Traditional Hatha Yoga at Ayuryoga Eco Ashram, and immersed herself in the beauty & colourful culture of the country where the lineage began.

Dominique loves experiencing different styles, teachers, and studios around the world, but she favours Hot hatha flow yoga & Ashtanga, and these styles heavily influence her own teaching style.

Through her practice of yoga, Dominique has evolved and grown, finding joy, mindfulness, space & freedom as well as learning to slow down & just breathe in her day-to-day routine.

Scottish born with Italian heritage, Dominique runs a local family-owned Pizzeria, the infamous Luigi’s. You’ll catch her spinning dough and feeding the city when she’s not exploring Scotland in her camper van.

Dominique is continually inspired by the transformational powers of yoga and is excited to share her passion with others in the very studio that she discovered the magic.

IAN HADDEN

Ian’s first contact with yoga was when he attended Madira’s classes and he has been a devoted student ever since.  His passion for yoga grew and led him to undertake his teacher training with Bryony Giboin in Athens, Greece.

Coming from a heavily physical background in sport and physical training he draws on his experience as a personal trainer and ultra athlete to adapt his practice in order to make it appropriate to those with structural and physical considerations.

Following his own treatment for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Ian’s passion is to guide those who may require a more mindful approach, offering trauma sensitive practice to anyone that may wish to try yoga and benefit from this amazing and powerful practise.

Combining breathing, meditation and a quiet, strong physical practise, Ian offers a considerate yet powerful Hatha Yoga to awaken the Yogi that lies within us all.

marc hamilton

Marc has a strong passion for Ashtanga Yoga, and loves to share his enthusiasm for this physical practice with his students. 

Yoga has been a big part of his life for almost 20 years now, first discovering it at his local gym as a supplement to his martial arts practice. It wasn’t until a few years later he tried his first Ashtanga Vinyasa class, but he was immediately hooked. 

Marc graduated from his teacher training course at the Classical School of Yoga Scotland in 2014. Committed to learning all he can, he regularly travels to deepen his practice, and in recent years he has started taking an annual pilgrimage to Crete to practice with and learn from a well established teacher there. He has been working to build an Ashtanga community here in the city of Dundee, much like the ones he enjoys in Edinburgh, Glasgow and London.

Marc is a disciplined devotee, and practices daily. He also still enjoys martial arts, with plans to become a Silat Instructor, which is an Indonesian practice that has strong links with yoga due its understanding of the body moving with the breath. He credits Pranayama as what’s kept him fit and healthy as he’s gotten older!

Indian Philosophy, spirituality and Buddhism are also an important part of his life and practice, which he aims to share in his teaching. To balance out the deep focus and high energy of Ashtanga practice, he believes that a sense of humour is important and uses an open and light hearted approach so that the practice is also fun.

JEN HART

After stumbling across a class at her local leisure centre in Glasgow 2013, yoga quickly became engrained into Jennifer’s routine as she saw the benefits in mind and body.

That first class – a hybrid of Hatha and Restorative yoga practices – sparked her passion for learning the true power of the breath. Pranayama techniques inform Jennifer’s yoga philosophy significantly, and the synchronising flow of breath and movement are central to her practice, owing to their deeply powerful restorative properties.

The plethora of benefits and the transformative power Jen felt from practising yoga inspired her to undertake yoga teaching training. During her training course Jennifer gained extensive knowledge and understanding of Ashtanga Practise, and has since implemented this into part of her weekly personal practise.

Jennifer has recently studied for a postgraduate masters qualification in Sports Science and Nutrition, and is keen to explore and deepen her knowledge of the physical and mental benefits of movement. 

Emma Simpson-Faichney 

Emma has been practicing yoga for almost 20 years – she first started going to classes as a teenager with her mum, discovered she absolutely loved it and has been practicing ever since! 

She finally took the plunge to begin her journey towards becoming a yoga teacher in 2018 and completed her 200hr YTT at Yoga Jo’s in Milngavie last year.

Emma discovered Madira’s classes when she was at Blossom Studio, many moons ago, and has been following her around Dundee since then. She is delighted to be teaching beginners classes at Nomad Yoga –  she says it will be so special to be part of so many yoga journeys. 

sabrina simpson

Sabrina grew up in Canada, where she was involved in many sports from a very young age. She is an outdoor enthusiast, so if she is not in the Pilates Studio helping clients achieve their goals, you will find her on the hills; walking, running, mountain biking, skiing or travelling. Recently she mushed a team of huskies across the Arctic from Tromsø Norway to Kiruna Sweden.

Moving to Scotland in 2002 she has been there ever since. 

She is a Second Generation Master Teacher and Educator trained by Internationally Acclaimed first generation teacher Lolita San Miguel. She completed the Pilates Master Mentorship Programme, in Palm Beach Florida, July 2016. 

Sabrina has a breadth of qualifications, giving her a variety of knowledge surrounding health and fitness, including extensive Pilates training, Personal Training, Sports nutrition and more!

Sabrina’s outlook towards life is always be learning, overcoming fears and look for new challenges.

Debbie Brown

Debbie found yoga later in life, beginning her yoga journey in 2015 whilst she was recovering from injuries and poor health. The holistic and spiritual aspects of yoga played a big part in her recovery and she has never looked back since.

Yoga very quickly led her towards a completely new lifestyle, overhauling her diet, and interest in plant based foods, and later leading her to combine her yoga journey with her professional background in early education and health.

She undertook her first Kids Yoga Teacher Training in 2016, followed by Baby Yoga Teacher Training, Baby Massage Teacher Training and a further Kids Yoga Teacher Training a year later. In 2018 she began a 200 hour adult yoga teacher training which she completed in 2021. She is committed to further developing her skills in both kids and adults yoga with plans already in place to complete Chair Based Yoga Teacher Training.

Debbie is passionate about her work and currently teaches a number of baby, kids and adult yoga classes including teaching kids yoga classes within some Dundee schools, and is excited and honoured to be able to bring her wealth of knowledge in teaching Kids Yoga to Nomad Yoga Dundee.

Off the mat, she enjoys cooking and developing her sourdough bread making skills! 

As a teacher she believes yoga is accessible to all, regardless of any additional needs and she strives to provide a warm and inclusive environment in all her classes, for adults and children alike.

Selena Putri

Selena is mixed Malaysian/Danish, and is a true nomad at heart, who feels most at home on her mat. Selena discovered a love for yoga in 2016, from the very first class she took with Madira at the University of St Andrews gym, where she was studying at the time.

There, she learned of a yoga that moved beyond the boundaries of the physical, and formed an entire discipline, way of life, and mindset on its own. Since then she has never looked back, and along with her love for yoga has come a greater love and appreciation for life and the simple things in life.

For three years, Selena has nurtured her yoga passion, attending a yoga retreat in Turkey summer of 2018, and now enjoying daily morning yoga to the sunrise. For Selena, it has been the flow of asanas, lessons of mind-body connection, balance between control and surrender, and the tuning in to breath, which have been most valuable in training her whole being to face any adversity and find inner peace.

Outside of yoga, Selena has recently completed her final year of undergraduate studies in Art History & International Relations, enjoys outdoor running, gardening, videography, cooking creative plant-based dishes, and hopes to one day open her own plant-based café.

Selena strongly believes that in the noise of today’s world, we can all benefit from taking time to come inwards and develop one’s own relationship with one’s self. Selena now embraces a new chapter in her yoga journey as a teacher, and is committed to daily growth and learning from sharing her practice with fellow nomads.