Noe Teachers

Daniela
Rizza

I love to move. I spent more than half of my life dancing, leaping across the floor, spinning til I was dizzy, and trying my hardest to lift my damn leg as high as I could, all while trying to look like I wasn’t lifting more than a finger. Those years spent trying to force my body into shapes that it didn’t really want to be in left me in physical pain. The culmination of injuries, college, and life brought my dancing career to a halt. It took me a few years to realize there was something missing: the freedom that comes from getting lost in movement.

During my last semester of college (the most stressful semester yet), a classmate invited me to her yoga class and I was instantly hooked. Not only did I find my sense of freedom, but I also discovered that THIS was my way of coming back to a place of quiet and calm, far away from the stress of school. It felt good.

Fast forward 10 years, and I’m still here: learning, practicing, and sharing everything that yoga means to me. While I’m big on proper alignment for the safety of our bodies, I also understand that every individual body is different — and that sometimes all we want ti accomplish during our time on the mat is simply to feel good. You can follow along during class, or do something completely different: you do you! What I hope you take from my classes is a reconnection with your intuitive self— an invitation to listen to what you and your body really needs in the moment.

Danimal Padilla

Hi – I’m Danimal,

I am a yoga teacher, mentor and creative lover/adventurer with an intense value for playtime. I feel very passionately that working hard can incorporate just as much playfulness as it does studiousness. As inherently creative creatures, it’s important to cultivate these aspects within our day-to-day’s; our lives and practices can have that balance as long as we continue to seek, observe, and take action toward nurturing our needs.

Take a chance on yourself, and LET’S PLAY!

Jane Austin

Jane Austin has worked with pregnant people and their families since 1990. She is a certified yoga teacher and trainer. Jane is the founder and director of Mama Tree, a prenatal yoga school dedicated to educating yoga teachers, doulas and midwives on how to use the tools of yoga to support pregnant people and new parents in all stages of the childbearing year and beyond. She weaves her experience as a midwife, doula, childbirth educator and mother into her work.

Jane’s teacher training program attracts students from all over the world interested in learning how to utilize the practice of yoga to support pregnant and new parents physically, mentally and emotionally. By training teachers, it is her hope to make yoga accessible to anyone who wants to experience the benefits of this ancient and powerful tradition.

Jane also teaches the Yoga in Pregnancy component of many yoga teacher training schools and served as the perinatal director of Yoga Tree in San Francisco. She currently teaches yoga to over 200 mamas a week, and her mission is to offer pregnant folks and new parents a mindful, supportive and nourishing environment using both humor and compassion to create a sacred but authentic place to connect to themselves and their babes inside and out.

Jane has continued her commitment of supporting mamas and their families by co-creating Mamas Self Care retreats and workshops with Stephanie Forster and Katie Cariffe. It is her goal to help mamas prioritize self care in all its forms as an essential component of motherhood.

Leslie Gleser

Leslie Gleser is a San Francisco-based yoga teacher who teaches a powerful Vinyasa flow. Leslie’s athletic background informs the pace of her classes which are challenging, lighthearted and set to upbeat playlists. She invites students to shake it all up to settle it all down.

Leslie has been a student of yoga since 2002 when she fell in love with the practice — both the freestyle sequencing of vinyasa and the humble heart of Bhakti yoga. The sum of her experience with many styles of yoga — Ashtanga, Baptiste, Iyengar, Hatha — influences her personal practice and creative sequencing. Her deep appreciation for the philosophy, physical benefits and moving meditation are integral to how she approaches sharing the practice and creating an environment for students to find connection.

Leslie received her RYT 200 at Love Story Yoga and has completed two advanced trainings with Rusty Wells. She is grateful for all the generous teachers in her life: Anna Hughes, Kate Holcombe, Rusty Wells, Stephanie Snyder, Susannah Freedman, Nichol Chase, Andrea Maltzer, Tom Lee and every teacher past, present and future.

Breath. Move. Sweat. Focus. Fall out. Come back. Repeat. Find your flow. Come practice.

Martin Scott

I’m Martin & I love yoga. I teach Vinyasa Yoga and every class based on Love, Compassion, Joy & Equanimity, verse 1.33 of The Yoga Sutras. This keeps me open and grounded so that the teaching comes through clearly. My classes are focused, fun and creative. No matter how challenging the practice may be, it only makes us better. Who I am shows in every piece of my teaching. I am traditionally non-traditional. My classes are joyful, purposeful and intentional. I believe in the transformative powers of regular practice and see it as a one-way ticket to freedom and happiness. I love to laugh and play while still maintaining drishti. Yoga makes us happy!

Mary Walsh

“I create classes that play with the duality of yoga- combining playfulness and seriousness, challenge and relaxation, strength and flexibility, and funky transitions with thoughtful movement. I hope to teach my students the power of connecting to your body, breathe, and how awareness can shape your practice and life.

I found yoga at the age of 15 and I’m in awe of how it has served my life throughout the years and life’s many ups and downs. After teaching for 8 years, I continue to get inspiration from seeing yoga influence my students’ lives. Aside from teaching yoga, I love writing, reading, and my pug Chunkie.”

Natalie Donnell

I found yoga as a new mom and thought I was just getting some awesome exercise and tight abs and maybe some mad handstand skills. Little did I know that by stepping onto my mat every day, I practice being a loving and compassionate human being in the world, to myself and to every living being. My teaching style is a sweet blend of physical exercise and a moving meditation. We focus on breath, presence and listening to our inner wisdom as it pertains to healthy movement and strength building. My intention as a teacher and a student is to create a space to discover the body, our habits and tendencies as we move through the practice and stay curious and engaged. To link movement with the breath. To stay soft but strong. My mantra as a teacher/student/human is “peace is this moment without judgement”. My teachers are Lauren Pisano, Yvonne Kingsley and Jason Bowman. Oh, and I still can’t do a handstand :).

Rafaela Bustamante

Hello! My name is Rafaela and I love teaching and practicing yoga! I first found yoga when I was in college 9 years ago and have been in love with the practice ever since. I completed my 200hr training in San Francisco under the study of Caroline Kelly and Matt Champoux.

My favorite styles to teach are Vinyasa flow and Vinyasa power with some ashtanga influences. I also place a strong emphasis on alignment encouraging the use of props with every class regardless of level. I hope to create a fun and safe space with carefully curated music and sequences that allow to you dive deeper into your self and explore your practice, pushing the boundaries of what you are capable of on and off the Matt!

Rebecca Rogers

I am an experienced yoga instructor who has been teaching for 12+ years and whose classes are often described as fun, sweaty and soulful. My teaching style combines a strong Vinyasa Flow intended to build strength, flexibility and body awareness with creative sequencing and precise alignment.

Sheana O'Sullivan

Wynne Darden

Wynne is a graduate of Yoga Flow San Francisco’s 200-hour Teacher Training after being a student at the studio for two years. Wynne has a background of 15+ years as a competitive gymnast, competing through college. She transitioned to yoga, hoping to find a more sustainable way to keep her body in shape, but quickly fell in love with the physical and mental benefits. In addition, she has a passion for bringing people together and is an event planner outside the yoga studio.

Wynne’s class style is upbeat and warm, encouraging students to listen to their bodies and do what feels right. She finds joy in small but powerful pose modifications and strives to help each student unlock their unique potential.