New Instructor Spotlight: Suki & April | Dragonfly Hot Yoga Madison WI

New Instructor Spotlight: Suki & April

Dragonfly Hot Yoga is proud to welcome two new yoga instructors to Team Dragonfly. We chatted with Suki Warda and April Wahl about their new relationship with our studio and their love of yoga.

Dragonfly Hot Yoga: What drew you to become a yoga teacher?

Suki Warda: I was inspired to become a yoga teacher through my dear friends Fred and Richard. They pushed me to do something special for myself after having known me for 10+ years. At that time, I had never been away from my husband and children and felt guilty even thinking of going away for just a weekend. With their persistent encouragement, I signed up for Teacher Training in Hawaii with Baron Baptiste. It transformed my thoughts, perceptions, and my life. Whenever I take a full deep breath, I often think of Richard who passed away from lung failure 6 months before I completed my initial training.

April Wahl: Among so many of the great benefits of the practice, yoga helps people to feel more calm, centered, focused, connected, creative, and playful. And through the benefits of a yoga practice, people become more skilled at listening to their own heart and following their bliss in order to live their own lives more authentically. You see people become personally empowered! Seeing people grow into their bliss and discover more happiness and joy in their lives is its own reward. It has completely inspired me to teach!

DHY: How have you found your experience so far at Dragonfly?

AW: My experience at Dragonfly so far has been amazing! I truly feel that Dragonfly is in business to serve its customers, and I sense that many of the students feel the love and support from teachers and staff as well.

SW: Dragonfly made me feel like I was home away from home the moment I stepped through its doors. Friendly staff and teachers welcomed me with such warmth and excitement as if I had been there from its inception. Every time I enter the studio, my heart fills with gratitude for the invitation to become a part of such a supportive team and beautiful studio.

DHY: Talk a little bit about the yoga community in Madison.

SW: Madison/Middleton is such a great city. When I moved here, I felt it was a lot like San Diego in the sense of its hip and healthy lifestyle. The weather, on the other hand, took a while to get used to but Hot Yoga saved me from getting too S.A.D. (seasonal affective disorder). Truly, we are so lucky to have such great yoga studios in this beautiful town. I see the yoga love spreading out like prairie wildflowers in the years to come.

AW: Madison has such a great yoga community, and I’m so grateful to be a part of it. I’ve just enrolled in school again to become a Registered Occupational Therapist, and 5 years from now, I hope to be using yoga with my OTR degree in order to find alternate ways of helping people live their fullest life possible. I hope to find creative ways to blend eastern and western medicine for maximum health and healing. Ten years from now, I’d like to be holding yoga and wellness retreats all around the globe.

DHY: Anything else you’d like to share?

SW: My strengths as a teacher stem from Curiosity. The more I learn, the less I know. As a result, I’m driven to do lots of self study, practice, and I’m always trying to learn something new. The more you understand something, the better you can explain it, simply, and then apply it to your life and teaching. You also see how everything is interconnected and shared. My husband and children inspire me everyday to be my best self. When you are happy, strong and love yourself from the inside, it radiates into your life touching everyone around you.

AW: I’ve been told by students that I’m extremely positive, and they leave my classes feeling like they got a relaxing & “challenging” practice. I’ve also been told that I’m good at addressing all levels in a class, so that everyone, (no matter their experience) can participate fully and feel challenged at their personal level. “Let the beauty of what you love be what you do.” – Rumi