January Teacher Feature: Rosie D'Ercole

Our yoga teachers and studios have been adaptable and ingenious, finding new ways to connect and continue to teach and support their students. Through lockdowns, technical issues and learning to make adjustments virtually over Zoom. This month we're shining a light on them! In January, we'll be offering studios and chatting with teachers here on the blog to celebrate those who have kept us grounded over the past year. Meet yoga instructor Rosie D’Ercole below.

Can you tell us something about yourself?

I am a 200 hour Vinyasa Flow teacher based in Greater London. My teaching style ranges from slow flow to more dynamic Vinyasa classes and I hope to begin my Yin training in 2021. My career for the last seven years has been in fashion design, which has been an amazingly fulfilling journey. This year I decided to take a step back to recognize and confront some things that no longer served me the way they once did. I still work at the same company but with a different focus on my role and time. This allows me to spend more time on my teaching, which has brought me immense joy since I started my practice five years ago.

What challenges did you face as a yoga teacher in a very different year in 2020?

The biggest challenge for me this year was not being able to teach as many in person. It's nice to teach in person and it feels so much more personal to be in the room with students and create a safe space to practice. At the same time, I am very happy to be able to offer my courses on Zoom, even if the technical side was a struggle at first!

What did 2020 teach you and can you find a silver lining in everything?

To say that 2020 was an eventful year is a drastic understatement because there were struggles for everyone and the worst for me was the uncertainty. As someone who finds calm in organization, it's been a year of re-learning to focus when things don't go according to plan and allowing myself to let go and realize that it's okay for things to change because sometimes things balance out better than planned.

Things that seemed like giant storm clouds this year have become silver linings, and I think we've all learned to step back and connect with our loved ones on a deeper level.

Where do you find inspiration and motivation?

My main source of inspiration is the people around me and the gratitude I have for my friends and family as we all navigate through the year. I find a lot of motivation in nature, whatever happens the world continues to evolve and if I ever feel unproductive I try to go for a walk outside and enjoy the beauty of the space around me. It is constantly growing and changing and reminds me that we are too.

Any words of wisdom for someone struggling to stay positive and inspired right now?

I think my wisdom is pretty small but hopefully will be helpful. I firmly believe that we all have the ability to create a safe place in our minds. Somewhere where we can retreat and recalibrate when needed. Even when things seem extremely dark, there is always light somewhere. My hope as a teacher is that I can continue to help my students create this safe space by providing the tools they need to find it.

To keep up with Rosie, keep following herInstagramor visit her websiteInformation about classes and events.