Meet the Teachers Monday: Candace Cihocki-Ahern

Up next for #meettheteachermonday for Yoga Lee!

Each week we will be featuring one of the fabulous members of our yoga teacher team so you can better get to know them and find connection on AND off the mat.

This week we are so excited to share more about your favorite yoga teacher— Candace!

Candace is one of our most experienced teachers at Yoga Lee— not only in yoga but in a variety of forms of movement and more. She has a background in dance, theater, pilates, barre, yoga and so much more. Candace is one of those teachers who not only kicks your butt but also makes you feel like a total badass while doing it. She approaches her classes in a way that each class is fun and creative while also being informative and incredibly intelligently sequenced. She is truly a gift to this community and we are so grateful to share her magic with you. Candace is also a toddler mom who gets that the chaos of life can be … a LOT at times and creates a safe space for you to feel supported and empowered.

Let’s dive into the interview…

Tell us about your first yoga class- did you love it? hate it? what kind of class was it? 

I think my first official yoga class was at NY sports club in Queens many, many, years ago. I don't remember much about the class other than the lights were dim and the instructor was probably in her late 60's and I do remember thinking how cool it was that she was teaching yoga at a trendy gym.

What made you want to take your first 200 hour YTT?

I love to learn and I was deep into my practice as well as working at a yoga studio running the energy exchange program and it seemed like a natural fit. I was already teaching pilates / dance for many years but I wanted to explore and expand my teaching. I was also craving more knowledge about the other parts of yoga beyond asana, as I was studying ayurveda through the nutritional program I was completing at the time. 

What made you want to teach yoga?

Yoga gave me a place to unpack my day into a physical practice. It has helped me move through the many cycles of my life, given me solace in times of greif, calmed me in times of anxiety and been an outlet for my pain and a blank canvas to pour my creativity into. I wanted to help other people to feel at home on their mat, like many teachers have made me feel . I wanted people to be able to find a safe place that was inside their own bodies so  they can find peace and a sense of grounding within a community and within themselves.  In many ways I teach yoga in order to heal and to express myself as a creative mover. 

What is your FAVORITE class to teach at Yoga Lee? What is your favorite class to take at Yoga Lee?

Hmmmm... All of them! But in all seriousness, it might be Feel powerful mostly for the fun music I play.  Although my mood shifts, so ask me next week and it might be Feel Grounded. 

As far as taking classes, I enjoy them all , but as a toddler mama I appreciate the still quiet of Feel Nourished or Feel Grounded.

What is something that Yoga has taught you?

To be ok with slow progress. To enjoy each step and find muditā (joy) in my own process and others. 

What is something you wish you could tell every yoga student that walked into your class?

Asana is just shapes, it's patterns woven together. The yoga of it is how you feel and how you react to what life throws at you off the mat. Simply yoga is more than asana, asana is just a small part of it, yoga is a way of life. 

What other forms of movement and exercise do you love?

Pilates, dance, walking, swimming acro and barre! 

If you aren't in a yoga class, where can you be found?

These days home with my son Everett. Usually chasing him or my two dogs. I do enjoy the outdoors, gardening, swimming, cooking and throwing a good party. 

Drop your favorite playlist/musicians/songs below.

I'm on YouTube music. Sorry Spotify friends. But I'm always happy to link you my playlist 

Tell us one fun fact about you!

I ran a successful Acrobatics festival for 6 years in Philadelphia called Philadelphia Phlight Festival 

What's your favorite snack? 

Savory things. The perfect balance or sweet and salt. Rosemary toast with jam or dark chocolate.

Last but not least, what's the best way to your heart?

A good meal by candle light, a beautiful arrangement of flowers, well thought out tokens or gifts and the fuzziest blanket you could find.