iyaKIN is on a mission to shift western yoga culture!
Non-performative 200hr Yoga Teacher Training
current cohort: Spring 2023
next cohort: TBA
2 month virtual intensive
schedule: fri, sat, sun | 9am-4pm pt
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Welcome to iyaKIN! Our Bipoc-led, Non-performative Yoga Teacher Training for yogis looking to liberate their practice from western fitness, and find the yoga that aligns with their values.
Our program is rooted in the Indian origins of yoga and offers modern approaches to the practice. We inform the practice based on the needs of people of color and focus on regenerative teachings that cultivate rest and self discovery.
Here we de-prioritize perfecting poses, and educate modern yogis on the historical traditions to deepen their personal practice, while teaching adaptable classes that support different bodies in all aspects of yoga, besides just the physical poses.
We invite you into a space of collective restoration to expand your perceptions, thought patterns and lived experiences into higher states of being and acceptance with the tools of yoga. It’s here that we begin to remove the veils of performance and toxic productivity to find liberation on and off our mats.
What is Non-performative Yoga?
Non-performative yoga is the study of the practice beyond the poses, which are heavily influenced by western fitness and Eurocentric beauty standards.
Instead, here at iya, we inform the practice based on the Indian origins and needs of people of color, while providing education on regenerative yoga teachings that focuses on rest and self discovery.
In this teacher training you will learn how to facilitate mindful yoga spaces from a non-performative lens with expert educators with over 2 decades of experience!
This training is ideal for yogis and wellness professionals of color looking to deepen their yoga studies and/or grow there business with non-performative yoga practices that align with their core values!
our curriculum
tuition: $2999
learn
learn as students to grow as practitioners
Indian origins & history of yoga
+ Kemetic Yoga origins
Philosophy
Boundaries + Ethics
Sanskrit Basics
Paths of yoga
Yoga, Race & Identity
+more
live
live out the practice in our physical & emotional bodies
Asana as Embodied Movement
Energetic Anatomy
Kinesiology
Pranayama
Sutras & Self Study
Teaching Methodology
Elements of Non-performative Yoga
+more
teach
create the container for our teachings
Sequencing Infrastructure
Art of Sequencing
Business of Yoga
Teaching Methodology
+more
2.5 month live immersive
This ytt is a 2.5 month journey and commitment. All modules are delivered LIVE alongside additional pre-recorded lectures and practices, weekly homework and study. This program is fully virtual.
attendance
Yoga training requires a deep commitment, and optimal attendance is required. On the rare occasion we must miss a module, recordings are offered at a rate of $99 per module. This fee is to encourage showing up to your commitment unless an absence cannot be avoided. Recordings are not offered for late arrivals. Please provide prior notice of absences and/or tardies. The maximum time missed can be no more than 10 hours. If you miss more than 10 hours of this training you will be subject to ineligibility for your 200 hour certification.
office hours
Weekly online office hours will be offered with our iyaKIN advisor as a support for trainees to ask any questions that arise.
live classes
Enjoy live weekly classes with your facilitators to explore different teaching styles and practices!
This training may be an emotional and mental undertaking, which is why we suggest taking time to reflect and read this page in its entirety before you apply.
As a result, this program will bump up against your identity to potentially uncover what holds it together and keeps us performing. If that does not resonate, we encourage you to continue your search. No hard feelings.
testimonials:
hear from our graduates
who you are
A yogi and/or wellness provider with an established yoga practice of at least 1 year or more. You are a humble student and learner, ready to steep yourself in the historical and modern practices of yoga in an effort to to deepen your practice and hold space as a skilled instructor.
We welcome yoga students/professionals, service providers, therapists, doulas, artists, DEI facilitators and more looking to incorporate Non-performative yoga into their practices to deepen their study. This is not for new students looking to ‘explore’ yoga, who don’t have an experience with the practice beyond minimal asana. If you’re just venturing into yoga and don’t wish to steep yourself in the practice beyond the poses, this may not be the training for you.
Instead, we encourage you to start your practice via our online studio library!
requirements:
- 1 year minimum experience of a consistent yoga practice
- A completed iyaKIN application
- Satisfactory ytt interview and acceptance into program
- Responsive to emails and able to complete homework and pre-recordings on time
- Participate in all asana curriculum
- Engage and contribute to group discussions
- Fulfill tuition payment
- Attend all sessions
- Completion of required readings, weekly pre-recordings, homework and practicum
- Complete final exam
- Complete non-contact observation and practice hours
- Uphold brave space agreements
- Display safe teaching and space holding skills during final practicum
you will receive:
- Receive a thorough education of the origins, philosophies, practices and how they connect to your lived experience
- Deepen your understanding of your energetic body and identity
- Uphold equitable practices within the yoga space
- Develop skills that advocate for the well-being of different bodies
- Learn intuitive asana in the form of Vinyasa, Hatha, and other styles of yoga
- Develop a beginner knowledge of the human anatomy via kinesiology
- Cultivate a strong personal practice while defining your teaching style
- Lead inclusive yoga classes with clarity, confidence and skill
- Join a lifelong yoga collective committed to agency, education and self study
a note from our Director:
Hey! My name is Abiola Akanni. I’m the Director of the iyaKIN ytt and founder of iya. I’m an e-ryt certified yoga instructor with 7+ years of experience. I’ve created yoga programs and retreats such as Trap Flow (previously known as Trap Vinyasa) and the Divine Feminine Yoga Workshop, as well as taught as an Alo Moves coach and built programs for several institutions, including the Institute of Functional Medicine, Stanford, Hulu, Nordstrom Corporate, Boeing, and Nike.
Over the years I’ve noticed how teacher training standards have decreased. Offering a performative perspective that focuses solely on asana and Eurocentric values. This provides a mediocre understanding of the practice that results in biased instructors unable to support different bodies.
This inspired me to create a Non-performative yoga space that taught the facets of yoga beyond asana. Participants in this training are breaking the mold of performative yoga with critical thinking, adaptability, and deep self study.
FAQ
How do I know if I’m ready to become a yoga teacher?
Take our free quiz HERE to find out! It takes less than 2 minutes.
What is non-performative yoga?
While performative or fitness-based yoga focuses on postures, non-performative yoga extends beyond just asana (poses), which lends itself to learning the other facets of the practice, including yoga philosophy, pranayama, meditation, chanting and more. Here, we also approach the practice from an inclusive lens so students never have to abandon their body to experience this practice. This style focuses on compassion, education beyond the poses, non-hierarchical language, adaptability, representation of different bodies, self inquiry, and enlightenment.
Is this a trauma healing yoga teacher training?
While it is expected that we will personally process elements of trauma through the deeper studies of yoga held within this training, it is not a trauma-healing focused ytt.
Our facilitators utilize trauma-sensitive language although we are not trauma-informed and recommend that you integrate support systems in place during the training to help you process what arises within the container we create.
As a 200hr yoga teacher training we will be teaching you the foundational skills necessary to facilitate non-performative yoga classes while deepening your personal study. We highly recommend you pursue trauma-informed trainings to further bolster your wellness practice after you graduate from this ytt.
I’m new to yoga and have only practiced a few YouTube videos, should I take this training?
This teacher training is geared towards seasoned yoga students and wellness professionals with at least 1 year of consistent yoga experience beyond online practices.
If you have no to minimal experience and aren’t sure about applying, we encourage you to expand your practice via our online studio library, your local yoga community or with our facilitators to meet our requirements.
Can I take this training if I’m pregnant?
Although prenatal yoga is taught in this training, we also teach several other styles of yoga that are intensive and not recommended for individuals who are pregnant.
We recommend keeping up with your personal practice and joining us in the future.
Is iyaKIN affiliated with Yoga Alliance?
We have chosen not to be affiliated with Yoga Alliance. Upon completion of our program students will receive a 200hr yoga certification from iyaKIN.
What does YTT mean?
YTT stands for Yoga Teacher Training. It is a certification that students must complete in order to safely teach the practice of yoga to others as a certified yoga instructor.
How do I become a yoga teacher?
Before you become a yoga teacher it’s important that you have a personal practice for at least a year to begin to experience the practice within your body while becoming acquainted with the different styles of yoga. It’s within your personal practice that your yoga journey begins.
Our focus is non-performative yoga, which explores the facets of yoga beyond just the postures. This approach welcomes different bodies and lived experience. Once you’ve committed to a personal practice and chosen your path, you will be led to complete a Yoga Teacher Training program like the iyaKIN 200hr ytt to formally teach.
Are their payment plans available?
Yes, payment plans are offered once you are accepted into our program.
Are scholarships available?
Yes, we offer a select number of scholarships for each yoga teacher training cohort. Please note scholarship deadlines.
What can I do after my training?
After graduating from iyaKIN you can teach and facilitate yoga classes for your community in the style of your choosing.
