Teachers
Josephine Vittoria
Yoga Teacher, Founder and Director of Institut Yoga Essentiel, Yoga Teacher Trainer, Jeweller
Josephine began her yoga journey in 2009. Since then, she has studied under the guidance of numerous senior Iyengar yoga teachers and influencers, including François Raoult (Open Sky Yoga, author of My Lifeāsana), Judith Lasater (Restorative Yoga, Relax and Renew®), Elise Miller (Yoga for Scoliosis), and others who have shaped her understanding of yoga’s therapeutic and transformative potential.
Josephine completed her initial Hatha Yoga teacher training in 2012 at École Satyam in Montreal with Hervé Blondon. She continued her studies with François Raoult at Open Sky Yoga—who remains her mentor—completing over 500 hours in Pranayama, Back Care Therapy, Essential Yoga Teacher Training, and Advanced Teacher Training programs. Josephine is continuously studying with Chiara Travisi (Iyengar Yoga Institute Milano) and Tim Ruddy (Planet Yoga), deepening her commitment to ongoing learning, dedication, and integrity in her teaching and practice.
Her work as a yoga practitioner bestows her with discoveries about the human body and spirit. These experiences have influenced the way she understands herself and the world as well as the way she expresses herself creatively through her jewelry brand Inherstudy. Creating space, discovering self-awareness, and learning to let go are the fundamentals of her teachings.
Josephine has been teaching yoga since 2012. She directs Institut Yoga Essentiel in Montreal and its 200h Yoga Teacher Training program.
Andrea Shepherd
Yoga & Argentine Tango Teacher, Writer
Andrea Shepherd has been teaching yoga since 2017. A longtime dancer, tango teacher and co-owner of the MonTango Argentine tango school, she took up yoga over a decade ago with the goal of increasing her flexibility. Little did she expect the extent to which yoga would work its way into, and benefit, her life.
Flexibility, stability, strength, improved posture, body awareness, self-awareness and a new connection to her spiritual self are just a few of the benefits she has reaped and now aims to share with her students.
In 2015 she began studying with Josephine Vittoria, who became Andrea’s teacher of choice and also encouraged her to pursue teacher training. In 2017, Andrea completed her first teacher training with Hervé Blondon at École Satyam, and did continuing education in Anatomy and Postural Pathologies. She later completed an extensive teacher training program at Open Sky Yoga with François Raoult. She has completed over 500 hours in yoga studies and continues to explore with curiosity the vast subject of Yoga.
Andrea is also a writer. She published a collection of essays on life and dance titled 25 Tango Lessons in 2021, and her first novel will be released in summer 2023.
Andrea is a dedicated teacher appreciated for her patience and clear, detailed instruction.
Shelley Ruth Butler
Yoga Teacher, Museum Researcher, Consultant, Writer
Shelley has practiced yoga for over thirty years and completed her teacher training with Josephine Vittoria in 2023. Shelley teaches well-rounded classes with a focus on safety, which are accessible to beginners and engaging for those with experience.
She appreciates how yoga promotes community, care, and resilience in relation to aging. Shelley enjoys working with small groups and uses props to support postures and balance effort and ease.
She taught in Canadian Studies at McGill and is a researcher, writer, and facilitator in the museum field. She founded Curatorial Dreams.
Shelley appreciates evocative language, integrating yoga ethics into class and daily life, and creating an atmosphere of being alone together.
Rodrigo Sergio
Yoga Teacher, Art Director, Creative Consultant
Rodrigo first stepped onto a yoga mat in 2010, initially drawn by the physical aspects of the practice. Over time, he found that yoga wove its way into every area of life.
Rodrigo immersed himself in yoga studies at Institut Yoga Essentiel under the guidance of Josephine Vittoria, exploring asana, the art of teaching, anatomy and biomechanics, pranayama and meditation, Ayurveda, and the philosophical roots of yoga. This foundation allows him to share yoga in a way that feels welcoming to new students.
In his beginner classes, Rodrigo offers a warm and approachable style. He finds it deeply rewarding to support students as they begin their practice, providing clear guidance and simple ways to explore movement and breath at their own pace. With a background in art and creative direction, he brings clarity and a fresh perspective to his teaching. For him, sharing yoga is one of life’s most meaningful gifts, and he is excited to accompany each student on their path.