Emerge: Dragonfly’s 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training

Embark on an illuminating journey of personal transformation and professional growth with our unique 200-Hour Yoga Teaching Training program, guided by teachers Joe Simek and Alexis Ridge-Simek. Seamlessly integrating the dynamism of class engagement, a comprehensive 12-month immersion experience, and the individualized support of a private mentorship, this program is designed to shape confident and skilled yoga instructors under the expertise of Joe and Alexis. Beyond conventional training, our program transcends boundaries, inviting you to deepen your practice, amplify your teaching prowess, and emerge as an inspiring beacon in the realm of yoga instruction. This isn’t simply a training; it’s a holistic journey that nurtures both your personal and professional evolution. Join the program In-Person or Virtually!

Immerse: 100 Yoga Classes + 12 3-Hour Satsangs (136 Hours) – $108/month via Unlimited Community Membership

We know the best education comes from learning from a diverse line up of awesome teachers. That’s why half of our training is about being IN class with Dragonfly teachers, developing a consistent practice and seeing yoga taught from various perspectives. If you love yoga, you would be attending these classes anyway, so why not get credit towards your certification AND save money?

In addition to weekly classes, you’ll attend Immerse: Dragonfly’s Monthly Satsang. These twelve 3-hour sessions happen once per month and offer a rich experience designed to take you deeper than weekly classes. Led by Alexis and Joe, each session encourages open dialogue and community interaction. From the “10 Non-Commandments of Yoga” to “Surrendering to the Infinite”, you’ll explore diverse topics and put yoga philosophy into action through self-inquiry and felt experiences. This immersive journey promises to deepen your understanding of all things yoga.

Learn More About Immerse

Emerge: Private Teacher Mentorship (64 Hours) – $500

Once you’ve successfully completed our classes and immersive satsangs, you’ll continue your journey of growth through our Private Teacher Mentorship program. Honoring the long tradition of the teacher-student relationship in yoga, this personalized mentorship offers a one-on-one approach to honing your teaching skills. As a trainee, you’ll have the exceptional opportunity to craft your own niche yoga class based on your passions and needs. Want to teach trauma-sensitive yoga? Yoga for runners? Anxiety? Whatever you choose, you can do it!

From conception to sequencing to marketing, Joe and Alexis will guide you every step of the way. This experience culminates in teaching your unique class at our yoga studio, while ongoing expert guidance ensures your growth both as a teacher and an individual. Through assignments, we’ll help fine-tune your skills and support your journey to reach your fullest potential. This mentorship is a transformative space where your teaching aspirations align with your vision, marking the beginning of your yoga teaching journey.

Program Outline:

Identify Your Niche Audience: Understanding your target audience is key. You’ll delve into the demographics, interests, and needs of your potential students. This step helps you tailor your class to meet their specific requirements.
Research Contraindications: Safety first! You’ll learn about potential health issues or limitations your students might have. Understanding contraindications ensures you can adapt your class to accommodate different bodies and conditions.
Build Your Class:
- Opening and Closing Scripts: Crafting engaging and meaningful introductions and conclusions for your class sets the tone and leaves a lasting impression on your students.
- Asana – Sequence Of Poses: Designing a coherent sequence of poses is an art. You’ll learn how to create sequences that have intention and cater to your niche audience’s needs.
- Pranayama/Meditation: Depending on your niche, you’ll teach various pranayama and meditation techniques, which allows you to enrich your students’ experience and often bring them balance that asana alone cannot achieve.
- Philosophy: You’ll explore philosophy and additional yogic and lifestyle techniques that can enhance your class, making it more holistic and insightful.
- Savasana Script: Savasana is the ultimate relaxation, and having an original script helps guide your students into a deep and rejuvenating state.
Market Your Class:
- Write A Biography: Crafting a compelling biography helps potential students get to know you better. It’s your chance to showcase your personality and expertise.
- Social Media, Website, Email Marketing or Video: You’ll explore various marketing channels like social media, websites, email campaigns, or video content. These platforms will help you reach your audience effectively.
- Learn to Use AI: Dive into the world of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to leverage data-driven insights for targeted marketing. AI can help optimize your marketing strategies and connect with potential students.
Rehearse Your Class With Joe and Alexis: Practice makes perfect! Rehearsing your class with experienced mentors like Joe and Alexis allows you to receive valuable feedback and fine-tune your teaching style. These sessions will be invaluable!
Teach Your Class: You’ll have the opportunity to teach your class to real students. What makes this even more special is that 100% of the proceeds from your class will go to charity, adding a beautiful layer of karma yoga to your teaching journey.

Start Here: Sign Up For An Unlimited Community Membership

About Your Instructors

Alexis Ridge-Simek

Alexis opened Dragonfly in 2005 with the vision of making yoga accessible for all. She brings two decades of teaching experience, including many years leading Dragonfly’s original teacher training program.

Joe Simek

Certified by the International Association Of Yoga Therapists, Joe offers a therapeutic lens to this program. Joe has taught for over a decade at Dragonfly, and has lead multiple teacher trainings for the Breathing Deeply Yoga Therapy School.

A Few Of Our Past Graduates…

Adi Strigl

Owner, Yoga Gnome

Sam Barrett

Owner, Saroba Wellness

Juli Eckmeier

Lead Teacher, Yogamazia

Kate Wilcox Tarr

Owner, Yoga Yalla

Frequently Asked Questions:

How does this all work with both the Immerse and Emerge programs?

The two programs together make up the full 200-Hour Teacher Training Certification. When you sign up for the Unlimited Community Membership you can start to attend your 100 yoga classes and Immerse: Dragonfly’s Monthly Satsang. Once you finish both of those, you are eligible to sign up for Emerge, which is the private teacher training and mentorship. The training culminates in you teaching a class at Dragonfly.

I’ve been taking yoga at Dragonfly for years. Do I have to start over with my 100 classes?

No. Your class attendance is tracked in our system, and you can use previous attendance.

Is this teacher training affiliated with the Yoga Alliance? Will I become a certified yoga teacher?

Dragonfly’s program is NOT affiliated with the Yoga Alliance. You will not be a registered yoga teacher (RYT) with Yoga Alliance; however, you will receive a certificate of completion from Dragonfly. Although the Yoga Alliance is well intentioned, it is neither a licensing nor a certifying organization, and we have found it provides no practical benefit to studios or teachers for the associated cost and limiting curriculum standards.

How much is the total cost of the training?

The Unlimited Community Membership ($108/month recurring) gives you access to yoga classes at the studio and the monthly satsang, along with a number of other benefits. Other studios’ teacher training fees are often in addition to weekly class packages. Additionally, because you are paying $108/month (for 12 months) and then $500 for the private teacher training and mentorship, you don’t pay all of the $1796 total at once. It is like a built-in payment plan. You can also quit your membership anytime after three months.

When can I start the program and how long will it take to finish?

You can start anytime. The content of our monthly satsang repeats every year. So, you could start in May and end in May of the following year, for example. Immerse is designed to be finished in 12 months and Emerge is designed to be finished in 3 to 6 months. So, 18 months total is a good range to think about.

But I want to finish quickly so I can add this to my resume along with reiki master and life coach and start my business. Why can’t I do it faster?

It’s awesome that you want to learn so much. Here’s to your growing wisdom and desire to help others! However, you just learned your first lesson of our training: becoming a yoga teacher is about the journey, not the destination.

Can I miss any of the monthly satsang sessions?

We understand that life gets in the way and sometimes you can’t make every satsang. However, at a minimum, you must attend 10 of the 12 months. Additional work may be assigned to make up for missed sessions or you may wait until your missing satsang comes around the following year.

How much homework is there?

Not really any until you get to Emerge. There will be short monthly readings to prepare for each monthly satsang. We encourage you to read the full books that we reference. Once you get to Emerge, you’ll be creating and marketing your own yoga class, so plan on approximately five hours of work per week if you plan to finish in 3 months.

Will this teacher training prepare me to be a yoga teacher?

Yes! Not only will you grow personally, you’ll be a professional yoga teacher when you finish our program. Many yoga teachers find teaching yoga a great part-time job, and helping others as a yoga teacher is a highly-rewarding life experience! So, let’s go!

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Alexis Ridge-Simek

Joe Simek

Sam Barrett

Juli Eckmeier

Kate Wilcox Tarr

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