Julie Pellissier-Lush is a Mi’kmaq storyteller, photographer, actor, drummer, best-selling author, and the first Indigenous Poet Laureate for PEI. Through her books, songs, poetry, and other creative pursuits, Julie celebrates and shares the powerful stories of the Mi’kmaq on PEI. Amongst her many accomplishments, Julie helped script the play ‘Mi’kmaq Legends’, which has been performed countless times over the past 12 years across the Island. At her essence, Julie is a cultural teacher and knowledge keeper. She finds inspiration from her elders, as they bravely share their stories, and from today’s courageous youth who are embracing and celebrating their rich culture. Her five children serve as her greatest inspiration and enduring reason for getting up each day to teach, sing, and create in celebration of her Mi’kmaw roots. The multi-talented, heart-centred artist’s contributions to the Mi’kmaw community and PEI have not gone unnoticed. She is the recipient of the Queens Diamond and Platinum Jubilee Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, and the Senators 150 Medal. Her plays continue to grow in popularity and are featured in various festivals and stand-alone productions across Atlantic Canada. Julie is currently writing a new ghost storybook with the Elders of PEI as well as two children’s books.

Before moving to PEI in 2015, Ouma was inducted as a Meditator Facilitator by Lama Catherine Rathburn in Toronto. She is a long time practitioner of Vajrayana and Vipassana meditation, after initiation in India, England and Canada. She is a Sanskrit tutor and a lifelong student of Vedic traditions and Advaita philosophy. She teaches yoga at the Charlottetown Yoga Space and UPEI.

As many do, Matt Stumbled upon yoga during a difficult time in his life and found much solace in the practice and the beautiful community that surrounds it. He found meditation first, then yoga, and was both hooked and humbled with the mind/body/breath connection. Matt was part of the Energy Exchange team at Modo Yoga Charlottetown for a couple years and eventually with some encouragement decided to take his teacher training in Kelowna, BC in July 2019 and has since completed the Modo flow training in 2021. Matt’s new role as a yoga teacher coincided with another big shift in his life, as he was also leaving his Civil Engineer career behind and beginning a new journey as a Nursing student. Matt’s lighthearted classes are filled with good tunes, a few laughs, down to earth vibes, and a focus on smooth mindful movement with emphasis placed on quality of breath. If you have read this far, and even if you haven’t, Matt hopes you have an awesome day!

Erika again joins the Island Tides Festival as Program Coordinator! This is her 20th year as a full-time yoga instructor and studio manager. She currently is founder of 3eYoga and Director of Operations at Charlottetown Yoga Space. She is a lead trainer with Maritime Yoga College, having helped certify many PEI yoga teachers. This year, she is thrilled to open a second movement Space, this time in Tracadie at Blackbush Beach Resort. Her mission as a yoga instructor is to inspire new “a-ha” moments for the seasoned practitioner and crush any misconceptions a new yoga student might have about yoga being “boring”!

Scott began his journey into yoga in early 2012. Taking his first hot yoga class at MYC, he quickly fell in love with the practice. Finding a place to just let go and breathe became more and more important to him. Working towards a sense of balance, flexibility and grounding on his mat, it was amazing to see how this transformation started to flow into his daily life – and continues to do so. It didn’t take long before falling in love with the Modo community. In 2013, Scott joined the Energy Exchange team at the studio.

The search began for a deeper connection to his practice. In 2014, Scott took a month away from his career in nursing and completed his Modo Yoga Teacher Training in Los Angeles. He describes the training as being one of the best experiences of his life.

Scott hopes to help people find that connection between body, mind, and breath. Encouraging students to find a balance between effort and surrender. To subtly peel away layers to find their whole, individual and awesome selves.

Following a severe car accident 33 years ago, Anita tried yoga to manage her chronic pain. She found not only physical relief, but an inner peace, sense of purpose, meaning and spiritual connection. Once she began, “I felt like yoga would always be in my life.” Anita says. 

In 2021, Anita became a yoga teacher, with the intention to share the blessing yoga has been in her own life with others. Fascinated by healing, she has studied Reiki, Therapeutic Touch and Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction and also completed Energy Medicine Yoga teacher training.

Anita’s classes are rich with compassion, kindness and infectious joy. She especially wants to teach those who yearn to try yoga but feel it’s out of reach, perhaps because they are self-conscious of their body, feel they lack flexibility and balance, or they’re shy about taking a class. “I always saw myself that way too,” Anita says with a smile. “But I pushed past the fear, and yoga changed my life.”

Triona Harrop is the Owner-Operator of Infrared Fitness. She has been teaching all forms of movement from dance, Pilates, yoga, spin, and track & field to rehab and mindfulness movement. Her passion for movement comes across in her style of teaching as she incorporates over 30 years of teaching experience to students of all levels. Triona will help you to tap into your true potential on the Mat and leave you feeling challenged, invigorated and inspired.