Read on to learn about our fabulous team of instructors who are passionate about sharing their knowledge, skills, and talents with our community!
Do you have an idea for a new program? Want to share your skills and talents as an instructor? Have you taken a class and what to share your feedback? Or for anything else related to recreation, call 250-370-9101 ext #3
Complete a Program Proposal Form a with your idea or get in touch.
As a trained pedagogue in the creative arts, I have made a commitment to fitness as a life-long endeavor. My goal is to bring to my group fitness participants the same fun and fulfillment I want for myself. I am passionate about inspiring confidence and encouraging others in their own journey to a healthy and happy body. Providing a safe, respectful and welcoming environment is of great importance to me. I am also the sister of two cancer survivors. To assist individuals and their loved-ones during all stages of the cancer continuum, I have completed specialty training with Thrive Health Services and am committed to improving the quality of their lives.
Cheryl has been dancing Hawaiian and Polynesian dance as far back as she can remember. Born and raised in Montreal, she was born into the dance life with her mother having her own Polynesian dance company growing up. She also has experience dancing ballet, jazz, tap, and Filipino folk-dancing, performing with Victoria's Filipino dance ensemble, the 'Sampaguita Dancers'.
Loving dance and fitness, Cheryl decided to become a certified Hot Hula Fitness instructor in 2020 and has taught Hawaiian dance and fitness online and in studio, teaching students locally, and abroad. She also has experience teaching children as a Zumbini instructor and also as a Hawaiian dance teacher. She loves to share her love and passion for dance through teaching dance and fitness to all different ages, skills, and experience levels. She lives in Victoria and is a mother to a 6 year old girl who is already following her family's dance traditions.
Nicole started her career in the healing arts and this year marks the twentieth year that she is practising Foot and Hand Reflexology and running her small business, Ocean Holistics ~*~ Mind Body Spirt Healing in Fernwood.
Nicole loves and enjoys many forms of therapeutic arts and completed her Yoga Teacher Training at the Salt Spring Centre of Yoga in 2005 and has been teaching Yoga, Pilates and various courses for twelve years. Nicole brings a fresh and fun (and funny) take on all modalities and she loves teaching Yoga-style classes at the community centre closest to her home and business. If you enjoy taking classes that are sweet and lovely then she is the teacher for you. Nicole also brings her thearaputic teachings as a Reiki master with workshops offering knowledge on the Chakra System, Reflexology, Reiki healing, crystals and spiritual readings. One Love to All, Nicole D'Agati.
Nicole offers Rejuvenation Yogalates and various alternative health workshops at Oaklands Community Centre.
Elke is offering an Outdoor Mindful Movement class for OCA at Oaklands Green on Wednesdays from 11AM to 12PM. She believes that breathing, gentle movements, proper alignment, and fun are essential to health and wellness. Elke is originally from Germany and moved to this neighbourhood 24 years ago. She has been practicing various styles of yoga since 1994, and became a certified yoga instructor in 2007. Since then, she has been teaching yoga to many different groups of all ages and abilities in Victoria. When facilities closed in March 2020 due to the pandemic, she decided to take her classes outdoors and combine yoga with her other passions – Qi Gong, Walking Meditation, Meridian Energy Tapping, etc. Elke is convinced that we can support our immune system and increase our physical and emotional oxygen supply with mindful movements to find more space, lightness, freedom, and most importantly peace within ourselves. Elke also teaches German for adults – currently online - at the Victoria German School.
Erica Joelle has been a yoga instructor in Victoria, BC since 2017. Passionate about the holistic healing qualities of yoga, Erica completed her 200-hour teaching certification at Brahmanda School of Yoga in 2017, and is currently completing her Bachelor's degree in Exercise and Wellness at Camosun College. Erica continues to advance her education in Hatha Yoga under the guidance of experienced Yoga Therapist Michelle Rubin.
Erica combines her enthusiasm for yogic philosophy with her education in human anatomy and exercise physiology to create classes focused on student safety, alignment, and a rich mind-body connection. You can expect concise and tangible cues aimed at cultivating body awareness and safe alignment for your practice. Classes are designed to improve strength, mobility, and joint stability in a safe and attentive way. Erica warmly welcomes students of all levels into her Hatha Yoga classes.
Lisa Claire views yoga as a technique to tune-in to the body, create a new habit, heal what ails, and find our own ground. Her teaching style interweaves the therapeutic side of movement with classical hatha postures and techniques inspired by a variety of practices and philosophies. Lisa completed her initial 200hr teacher training in 2015 and recently completed her 700hr teaching certificate with Yoga Therapist Michelle Rubin in 2020. Lisa’s classes promote overall mobility and joint stability while allowing enough time in each pose to attune to the breath and align the body. Expect dynamic classes that are truly accessible and adaptable to all skill levels.Lisa Claire teaches Hatha Yoga.
E-RYT 500; C-IAYTTanya Gita began practicing yoga in 2000 and is a graduate of the 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training at the Salt Spring Centre of Yoga. She has been teaching since 2011. She has completed the 500 hour Teacher Training at Mount Madonna and the 800 hour Yoga Therapy Program at Ajna Yoga College. She is a certified Yoga Therapist (C-IAYT) through the International Association of Yoga Therapists. Tanya Gita is passionate about creating a safe, compassionate, inclusive space that welcomes everybody. Her gentle approach utilizes movement, breath, meditation, and philosophy to cultivate deep inner connection and overall well-being. She facilitates private sessions and public classes in Victoria and online.
Tanya offers Gentle Yoga on Wednesdays and various yoga workshops throughout the year at Oaklands Community Centre.
At age 70, after a 40 year career as a lawyer, author, and child advocacy teacher, Jeffery Wilson paused and wondered. That pause, along with a serendipitous invitation, led him to discover the Feldenkrais method. He began to learn to take care of himself, developing an awareness of listening to his movement, discovering a capacity for a soft chest, a head connected to spine and pelvis, gentle breathing and, best of all, the joy of going slow.
Jeffery is now a Guild Certified Feldenkrais Teacher®. He is passionate about offering Awareness Through Movement® classes to seniors, which he does at four community centres in coastal B.C. where he lives. Jeffery is also a long-time student of tai chi, and a novice grandfather.
Angie has been a professional Teacher/Trainer since 2003 and a dedicated practitioner for 25 years. She has taught over 8000 hours of yoga with appreciation, and attended more than 8000 hours of yoga classes, workshops, and trainings with gratitude. Angie has been training safe, effective, quality instructors since 2005.
Curiosity brought Angie to her first yoga class. It was love at first try. The meditative and spiritual qualities of the practice have kept her dedicated. First and foremost, Angie is a real person who teaches yoga to real people. She was never an athlete, dancer or gymnast.
She also has the pleasure of hosting Yoga Holidays in wonderful warm places. Past trips include Cuba, Dominican Republic, Maui, and Santorini in Greece (heaven on earth).
Angie believes in “practicing what you preach” attending several yoga classes/week and weekend workshops in addition to teaching/training.
Certified L4 Essentrics Instructor
Andrea Fritz is a Coast Salish artist and author from the Lyackson First Nation of the Hul’qumi’num speaking Peoples on the West Coast of Canada. She learned West Coast Native art in the Victoria school district from Victor Newman (Kwagiulth).
Andrea strives to express her people’s history and all our futures using her art. She focuses on animals and scenes of the West Coast of Canada and our intricate relationships with them. Andrea works in the mediums of acrylic on canvas/wood, serigraph, vector art, and multimedia. She has had numerous shows of her work including at Eagle Feather Gallery, the Place Gallery and The Outpost at Ketchikan.
Andrea teaches Coast Salish art to students in the Victoria school district and throughout the province. Andrea has participated in community based art pieces including Oaklands walking signs, Sir James Douglas Elementary mural, and an elder gift from her nation for an Elder’s retreat to Lummi. Andrea plans to continue sharing her knowledge of the art as well as create new art to inspire change. She hopes to show the beauty of the people, places, animals and stories in our corner of the world.
Oaklands Community Centre
Reception Hours: Monday-Friday from 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
#1-2827 Belmont Avenue
Victoria, BC V8R 4B2
T: 250-370-9101 F: 250-370-9102
Oaklands Neighbourhood House
Little Acorn Hours: Monday-Friday from 7:30 am - 5:30 pm
2629 Victor Street
Victoria, BC V8R 4E3
T: 250-370-9101 F: 250-370-9159
Oaklands Hamilton Park
Infant/Toddler Centre Hours: Monday- Friday 7:45am- 5:30pm
1487 Hamilton Rd
Victoria, BC V8R 2Y2
T: 250-370-9101 F: 250-370-9159
BN: 882929946RR0001
Oaklands Community Association