Meet Our Inspiring Yoga Instructors at Pure Yoga Studio
Experience Yoga Excellence with our Expert Teaching Team.
With our passionate, experienced, and dedicated instructors who are committed to your growth, we hope to help you discover the joy of Yoga and self-care.
Irene Bobocel
Something happens when we practice yoga. Whether we are in a room, in a field, on a beach, or on a mountain.... something shakes us and brings us to the understanding that yoga feels like 'home.' As my practice deepened, I became certified in Level 1 and 2 Baptiste Power Yoga and Art of Assisting ( June 2015). I softened the edges with Yin training, Sattva Kids yoga and as many workshops and festivals that I could sink into. I am also AFLCA certified and instruct many forms of fitness. I encourage you to take your practice to another level on and off the mat. Be brave. Be bold. Create Space and see that yoga is already in you.
Krystal Prout
Krystal's journey with yoga began as a physical practice but quickly evolved into something deeper and more meaningful. Drawn to the spiritual aspect and experiencing healing and inner strength, she found her passion in yoga. After two years of practice, encouraged by others, she completed her 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training at Yogalife Studios in April 2018 and began teaching in October of the same year, specializing in Vinyasa flow. As an eternal student of the practice, Krystal remains dedicated to continuous learning as an instructor. Her teaching style is authentic, fun, and nurturing, creating a safe space for students of all levels to explore their body, mind, and spirit.
Alyssa Retzlaff
Alyssa's journey with yoga began as a complement to her technical dance training. After retiring from dance, she found solace and passion in yoga, recognizing it as much more than just postures. Yoga became a way of living and breathing, encompassing calmness, serenity, and fiery passion. Alyssa's love for healing led her to become a Registered Massage Therapist in 2015 and a 200hr Yoga Instructor with Empowered Yoga in December 2016. Her purpose now revolves around self-care and caring for others. She believes in making yoga accessible to everyone through modifications and variations, creating a safe space for all ages and levels to practice, cultivate self-love, and grow. Alyssa's mission is to empower others through self-care and bodywork, providing a platform for healing, growth, and transformation.
Christina Mohr
I started yoga back in university after leaving competitive sports. I will never forget my first class and how a posture as simple as child's pose gave me relief from chronic pain I was experiencing. I practiced for many years gaining back mobility and freedom from pain. I decided that I wanted to help others to heal as well and decided to take my 200hr training with YogaWorks. After I started teaching I realized I wanted to take a step further and took my 500hr training in Yoga therapy. Using breath work, Thai massage, Asana, Ayurveda, and meditation to weave an individual practice to wellness. Yoga is just not an hour on the mat everyday, I am here to offer tools to extend your practice to your life.
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Roxanne Vanhecke
My whole life I have been into fitness and competitive sports. I am trained in various disciplines and have been teaching for just over 15 years. I am currently teaching cycling classes, barbell classes, core classes, non heated yoga, hot yoga, and yin.
My journey with hot yoga began 8 years ago with a little yoga studio in Fort Saskatchewan that you may have heard of; Pure Yoga Studio and I quickly fell in love.
I used yoga as a way of stretching and disconnecting. I like the way my mind can wander and be at peace all at the same time. I took my 200 hour yoga training in 2022 and the rest is history. In my free time I love to watch my kids play sports, bike, hike, paddle, and travel.
Brayanna Retzlaff
My yoga journey began like many others. I started attending hot yoga classes in 2010, mainly as a workout. As a former dancer, the poses and alignment felt natural to me. It wasn’t until I developed a more dedicated practice that I realized yoga is so much more than the postures. I began to experience all that yoga offers — physically, mentally, and emotionally.
I try to let my practice be guided by what my body needs each day, knowing that those needs can change. With a full-time career as a NICU nurse, life can be both mentally and physically demanding. Yoga has become a grounding place I return to, helping me stay balanced and present.
I completed my 200-hour yoga teacher training with Empowered Yoga in the fall of 2016. As an instructor, my intention is to guide you through a practice where you can come exactly as you are — to move, explore, deepen your alignment, and listen to your body. I’m grateful for the community Pure Yoga has created and for the opportunity to practice and teach in a space that truly feels like home.
Michelle Chen
Throughout 8 years of University, Michelle practiced yoga intermittently as a method to relieve stress. She took a break from yoga when she graduated from Pharmacy school and ultimately had a poor work-life-balance. She returned to yoga in 2013 to change her lifestyle and discovered her love for asana.
Finding a regular yoga practice and integrating her life in the community was the ultimate stepping stone for Michelle to blossom out of her shell. She was not athletic growing up and did not have a dance or gymnastics background. This journey of yoga continued to push her out of her comfort zone and allowed her to follow a path that she didn’t quite envision. Michelle had a love for travel which allowed her to experience the power of being present. In 2015, she followed her heart, left her job and decided to travel the world for six months where she attended the Bali Spirit Yoga Festival and other various yoga retreats. Through this experience of meeting various, amazing world renowned instructors, she discovered that Ashtanga yoga was the practice for her. After her travels she returned back home and practiced Ashtanga 6 days a week as a transition to use her body as a tool to find her way into the present. The use of breath and the alignment of the body helped quiet her mind while returning to a busy lifestyle once again.
In January 2017, she attended TattvaaYoga in India and received her 300 RYT Ashtanga yoga certification. Since her YTT, Michelle has travelled to Bali and India to learn from Mark Robberds and Deepika Mehta. During these yoga intensives, Michelle has adopted many strategies into her own practice and teaching methods. In addition to her regular Ashtanga practice, she supplements her physical practice with calisthenics and bodyweight training, HIIT workouts and running. She enjoys teaching a strong Ashtanga influenced vinyasa flow and consistently motivates her students to challenge themselves to see what the body and mind is capable of doing. She will be attending a month-long Ashtanga Yoga Teachers Immersion with Ty Landrum during the summer of 2024 to broaden and enrich her offerings.
When she is not teaching yoga, she is working full time as a community pharmacist and has a side hustle as a home baker.
Janelle Snow
Janelle Snow (she/her) – RYT-200, 50hr KYT
Finding joy in your body through movement and stillness, is how I describe my relationship with yoga.
I’ve never really enjoyed sports and athletics, but yoga changed that. I found joy in movement and after years of practice, I took my teacher training.
So many of us have such a hard time trying new things – especially when it involves movement – and feeling silly or unsure of what to do can stop us from trying.
When teaching, I try to create that space for you to step out of your comfort zone and embrace falling (safely, of course). Through practice, we build so much more than just muscle memory and strength – we create new pathways in our mind, staying mobile and building longevity. As I always say, practice makes progress, not perfection because the only things that are perfect are puppies!
I describe myself as a macabre bohemian swamp witch, meaning I’m a whimsical romantic who doesn’t take myself too seriously.
Along with teaching, I’m a writer by trade. I love animals, a good cup of coffee and connecting with others. I might be the only yoga teacher who hates the beach and sunshine, but don’t hold that against me.
Certifications:
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RYT-200 - 2019 Higher Love Yoga Academy
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30 hr Yin - 2021 Jennifer Raye
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50 hr Kids' Yoga Teacher Training - 2023 Rainbow Kids Yoga
Currently studying:
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300 hours - Yoga Renew
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20 hours Mindfulness Certification - Yoga Renew
Alexa Smith Low
Alexa has been practicing yoga for over ten years and has completed 200 hrs of YTT and 30 hrs of Yin Yoga training. Like many others, she first practiced yoga only for the physical exercise, but soon came to appreciate the benefits fostered by a holistic yoga practice. Part of her goal as an instructor is to reframe the belief that you need to be flexible in order to be “good” at yoga. Improving your flexibility may come as a natural side effect of a consistent yoga practice, but Alexa also wants to inspire the desire to regularly move our bodies so we can feel our best day after day. In her classes, you can expect fun, powerful flows and calming, feel-good stretches that are accessible for all levels.
Meghan Gillis
My yoga journey began in 2016 when I attended a hot yin class at a local studio. After that first class, I knew that yoga was something I needed in my life to support my mental health. As time went on, I continued to attend many different classes and workshops. In 2021 I decided I wanted to dig even deeper. I signed up for my yoga teacher's training in Edmonton. I completed that session in July 2022. I enjoy pushing myself physically with yoga, but more importantly, I feel it is so beneficial for mental health, and I love sharing that experience with my students. I look forward to seeing you on the mat! Namaste!
Brittney Brophy - Studio Owner
Meet the passionate owner of our hot yoga studio! With a deep love for wellness and a strong commitment to promoting a balanced lifestyle, she embarked on a journey to create a space where individuals could experience the transformative power of hot yoga. Her vision is to inspire and empower practitioners of all levels to embrace the benefits of this rejuvenating practice.
Lacey Vanderleek
I have been practicing yoga for over 10 years, but in 2021 I began to really dedicate to my practice while working in the oil and gas industry. Yoga was my anchor to my feminine and to keeping a connection with my mind and my body. During my time working in the oil field I sustained an injury that inspired a career switch. Fast forward to November 2023 I completed my 200 hour Ashtanga YTT in Bali! Following my training I spent 4 months traveling, teaching every chance I got and absorbing all the knowledge I could before coming back home and joining the Pure Yoga Community as an Instructor! I like to keep my classes creative and fun, providing a safe and supportive space for you to connect and move your body.
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Jill Galick
Jill’s yoga journey began with the physical practice, but it quickly evolved into something much deeper — a moving meditation that created space to slow down, breathe, and reconnect. With over 15 years of experience, her classes blend strength, intention, and awareness. She teaches intuitively, building each class around the energy in the room, and aims to make every practice feel motivating rather than mechanical. Her hope is that students leave feeling shifted — not just in their bodies, but in how they meet themselves off the mat.
When she’s not teaching, Jill is usually at the farm — the Ponderosa — fishing, four-wheeling, or attempting a skeet shoot (with much better results when she remembers her glasses). She also loves baking, paddling the river with her dog, spending time with her kids, and relaxing at home with her two cats. At the heart of her teaching is a simple reminder she comes back to again and again: even on the days you do nothing but lie on your mat and breathe, you’ve practiced yoga — and you’ve practiced it well.
HALEY SMART
My passion for movement began over 10 years ago as a dancer, where training in various styles deepened my understanding of the body's anatomy and the importance of wellness. After 5 years in the fitness industry I grew to love the supportive community it fosters. When my competitive dancing years ended, I discovered Pilates and quickly grew to appreciate how its core principles balance fundamental exercise with mindfulness. I trained with Pilates FX, drawn to their inclusive and uplifting approach to mat pilates that truly makes pilates accessible for all. I’m excited to begin my journey at Pure!
Jenna King
I first started practicing yoga casually during my business undergrad and early corporate career. I was drawn to the heat and fluidity of the movement, but it wasn’t until I committed to a more regular practice that I truly noticed its impact. Over time, yoga became my anchor, helping to ease my anxiety and stress. It shifted the way I viewed myself, others, and the world around me in ways I never expected.
I completed my Yoga Teacher Training at Higher Love Yoga Academy in December 2024, and it gave me far more than I could’ve imagined. I’ve become so fascinated by the rich history and ethical foundation of yoga, and I’m constantly inspired by the ancient wisdom that continues to guide modern practices.
When I guide a class, my focus is on creating an inclusive environment where everyone can enjoy themselves—whether we’re flowing through a fun sequence or slowing down with a relaxing yin practice. Above all, I want to help you feel grounded and centered. I look forward to flowing with you soon!
Alanna Drews
Alanna has always had a love and a safe place for movement. With an athletic background that includes over 20 years of competitive ringette, she now works with young athletes to help them build confidence- both in movement and in themselves. Alanna is a certified personal trainer, group fitness instructor, nutrition coach and certified Mat Pilates instructor. She’s so excited to be teaching hot mat Pilates at Pure, bringing joy, fun, and learning into every class.