Yoga Journal Singapore — December 15, 2017

78

december 2017 / january 2018

yogajournal.com.sg

AMANDA KOH

Shine a light on

your teacher!

Send nominations

to letters@

yogajournal.com.sg

Amanda is a familiar face not only in Singapore but also overseas at large yoga events such as

Bali Spirit Festival and Murfest, among others, where her power sessions are packed with yoga

enthusiasts.

TEACHER SPOTLIGHT

connect

What made you start yoga?

I wanted a hobby to do on weekends and so I joined a gym that had

yoga classes I could attend. I decided I liked it enough to make it a

weekly, and then a daily routine (Singaporean lah, must make good

use of membership fee.!) Along the way I realised I had a body that was

advantageous to yoga and practising was something that never failed to

bring me satisfaction and joy. 

What inspired you to become a yoga

teacher?

I did my first teacher training with Dr. Venky’s Yoga in Singapore,

and subsequently too many courses to list down. I am also certified

and actively teaching Pilates Matwork but my interest and passion

has always centered on Yoga. I was a school teacher prior to this, so

teaching yoga was a very natural transition for me. 

What does your teaching focus on?

My teaching focuses on mindful mobility, stability, strength and

presence. The students who practice with me are body-aware, strong,

informed, focused and self-loving. 

How has the Singapore yoga scene

changed in the last few years?

I think the yoga community in Singapore is becoming more educated

about the practice, and becoming compassionate and open-minded.

What do you enjoy most about attending

yoga festivals?

Yoga festivals allow me to meet teachers from all over the world and to

connect with the international yoga community. I am blessed to call many

awesome and accomplished teachers and musicians my personal friends.

Professionally, collaborations are always awesome, and personally, it’s

good to know someone who is living the same life as you in their own

communities. I love the amazing energy at festivals and to teach students

from all walks of life, and I am blessed to be able to represent Singapore

at international festivals.

in the

DETAILS Some of her favorite things...

What do you do when you’re not

teaching yoga?

What you see of me effortlessly walking

into classes and teaching sessions requires

a lot of background work of logistics,

negotiations, planning, scheduling,

marketing, designing, music management

and administrative work that many people

aren’t aware of. The background work

sometimes takes up more time than

teaching yoga. This is a business and I

am my own brand and there is a lot of

backroom work that goes on to be able to

relax and happily teach a class. 

Fav Meal

I have an avid Kombucha

making hobby, and I

like cranking out green

smoothies and green

juices on my Vitamix

and Hurom. I also like

all kinds of cheese. Yes,

bring me cheese! 

Fav Pose

I enjoy poses that activate

core stability and work with

vinyasa flows that are non-

linear and organic. I like

being precise and exact. I

am naturally flexible so I

don’t get much challenge or

satisfaction from flexibility-

related poses. I get bored

with practices that put too

much emphasis on flexibility

or are sloppy in form and

alignment. 

Fav TV Show

I don’t have a

TV at home! 

If you weren’t a

yoga teacher,

you’d be?

Teaching Global

Politics and

Literature in Junior

College. 

You can reach Amanda Koh at [email protected]

Instagram @amandakohkalariyoga

ART DIRECTION : ANUJA BAGADE, PHOTO CREDIT : JANA YAR