‘It’s more than just a yoga studio’
Dannevirke local opening own space to offer mind and body wellness service
Rebekah Charlton was 15 when she became interested in learning the benefits of fitness. “I was riding horses competitively and I was getting a sore back when I was doing cross-country,” the Dannevirke resident said.
Deciding that she needed to strengthen her core, she went to classes and that led her to teaching fitness classes herself.
Now she has decided to open up a space in Dannevirke where she can continue working with others to show them the benefits of fitness.
Called Halcyon, it would be a space that focused on wellness in a holistic sense, rather than just focusing on one aspect of it. “I didn’t want it to be a yoga studio because it’s more than that,” Charlton said. “Halcyon represents a kind of calm, relaxed state, hence the name.”
When she first started teaching, she followed choreographed programmes by Les Mills.
Then she did a qualification in personal training and active living and wellness coaching as well as personal coaching. From there she upskilled in courses such as traumainformed yin yoga facilitation training.
While she had been teaching off and on for some years this was the first time she had moved to doing it in her own space.
Charlton said she had been teaching yoga in town since she returned to Dannevirke more than three years ago but in a different space.
“For me having a space for yoga — I’ve been doing an entry-level yoga where anybody can come in and join the class — has been great. I think if you can have a space where it’s a bit more designed, you can get so much more of it.”
Charlton not only taught yoga, she also taught SuperCue, which was an exercise programme designed to help seniors keeping active as well as falls prevention.
She wanted to continue the SuperCue classes and develop the coaching side of fitness.
While Dannevirke had a lot to offer in terms of fitness with the local gym, and Box Fit, Charlton felt that what she taught was an area that hadn’t been tapped into yet.
She also felt it was the right time for wellness coaching.
“I think people are pretty down — they’re a bit shaken up from the last few years. And unless you’ve got something that helps to keep that stability in your emotional and mental wellbeing it can be hard for people to cope.
“I feel that what I do gives people an opportunity in their own lives to come back to themselves, come back to a space that’s going to help them feel better, and learn tools to actually be able to cope when they’re feeling a bit down.”
There will be some yoga classes as well as SuperCue taught at Halcyon, 36 High St, Dannevirke. Wellness coaching and personal training would also be offered.
For more information or to register go to supercue.nz