Team CCY
Get to know the teaching team at CCY Studio
Casey Chiang
Founder & Owner and Head Teacher
The meaning of my life is to define it and the purpose of my life is to share it. My mission around yoga has been to share it with as many people as I can. Share the endless health benefits it has brought to my life and the incredible friends I have connected with over the years and to create a clearing for the community of yogins.
The new yoga studio is a place where you are not alone and where we can all come together and connect as one.
To me Yoga is about balance and harmony.
It is the practice of recognizing dualities: Ha (Sun) and Tha (Moon); masculine and feminine; Yin and Yang; Sthira (effort) and Sukha (ease); create space and to find depth. Balance is to find the centre where the opposites meet. Harmony, is where the dualities work together to find oneness of the universe.
I hope the new studio will bring harmony into each of your lives.
One of my favorite quotes:
My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor and some style. ~ Maya Angelou
Renelle Rampersad
Teacher & Photographer
Yoga is my constant.
My ‘return to factory settings’
It helps keep me balanced, strong, fit - always excited when I have ‘that Goldilocks feeling’ after class.
I hope to share this with my students when they step on to their mats.
My first teacher training was with ISHTA - 500 hours, then I proceeded to join Ana Forrest for her advanced training course in Cape Town.
I have completed over 200 hours with Forrest mentor Sandra Robinson- this includes workshops, CET - continued education for teachers - as well as 5 yoga retreats in the beautiful town of Prince Albert where all my passions combine - yoga, exquisite food and my love for travel and photography.
I currently teach vinyasa, yin and Forrest inspired classes.
I have two amazing cats that keep me on my toes and who love playing on mine and my husband's mats during home or online practices.
My favourite quote : Keep your face towards the sunshine and the shadows will fall behind you- Walt Whitman
Sydney King
Teacher & Marketing
As an 'A-type' personality, yoga has helped me gravitate closer to my centre. I have gained so much self-acceptance and so much room to just be... Be still. Be present. Be content. Be me.
This practice is utterly rewarding as it is a truly life-long journey an there is ALWAYS room to grow; it is so exciting that there is always more to uncover, about yourself and the practice.
It has truly been a privilege for me to guide students through asana classes and I continuosly learn from my students too.
My style is a mixed bag - some days I focus of strength, the next flexibilty and slowing it down completley; more often than not, I aspire to try out the 'weird and wonderful' this practice has to offer. I am a firm believer in intuitive movement and meeting yourself where you may find yourself each and every time you step onto the mat; what you have to bring to your practice in that exact moment is enough, more than enough.
While I have been practising since 2015, I received my 200 hour certification in Rishikesh, India in 2017 and completed my Forrest Yoga CET with Sandra Robinson in 2019.
My practice has been strongly shaped by mentors including Casey Chiang and Dale Guthrie.
Outside of yoga, I am a lover of History (so much so that I even teach it to teens!), a sucker for delicious food and I love exploring new countries and cultures.
I do hope to see you on the mat very soon.
Yushan Wu
Teacher
This life is mine alone. So I have stopped asking people for directions to places they've never been – Glennon Doyle
I became a yoga student in 2008 & have not stopped exploring the practice since; this includes during my pregnancy and as a balance to my professional life.
I'm deeply inspired by the teachers & personalities that have guided my practice - this led me to complete a 200-hour YTT (Casey Chiang Yoga), while I was finishing-up my doctoral studies. I continue to explore my journey through courses such as: pregnancy yoga, self mastery & yoga philosophy and Forrest Yoga CET (Sandra Robinson as mentor).
I hope that those who join my vinyasa-style classes are able to explore a sense of play, and more importantly, find a deeper understanding of themselves & their individual power.
Sam Hedley
Teacher
I had the opportunity to complete my 500 hour teacher training course with the Ishta School of Yoga and since then I have developed my yoga journey offering a vinyasa flow style practice.
Yoga allows me to grow, learning to understand the connection between breath, mind and body and to develop a journey of ongoing full awareness.
I create imaginative sequences as my style combines both a full body workout with an aim to find calmess to the mind to remove the noise of the world, to connect to the moment.
My classes contain traditional asanas with fun transitions, hoping to inspire both beginners and seasoned yogins. My students feel energised practising in a safe yet playful atmosphere, while giving their minds and bodies the attention they need.
I am first and foremost student of yoga, continuously learning from my teachers and students, journeying together. I aim to understand who my students are and how they can benefit the most from yoga and develop their own personal growth.
Cara Karsas
Teacher
I am Cara, a dog mom, graphic designer and a 500-hour vinyasa Casey Chiang qualified yoga teacher. I have a burning passion for yoga and love sharing this beautiful practice with others with the intention of facilitating personal growth and learning.
My yoga classes encompass Asana (physical practice and alignment), Pranayama (breath work), Anatomy, and Mindfulness. My goal is to create a safe space where students can express themselves, feel comfortable, safe and discover their own potential as they grow their yoga practice.
I believe there is a deep rooted connection between what’s happening on your mat and what’s going on in your life. Yoga is a mind and body practice, it’s movement with intention, it’s about being present, focused on the breath, the sensations in the body, and the stillness of the mind. The beautiful thing about yoga is that there are so many different approaches. What that looks like is going to be vastly different for each person, but what is most important is how it feels.
My style of yoga is strong and explorative. I teach students to connect with their bodies and their minds on this beautiful journey of self-discovery. I am with you every step of the way. I break down complex poses so that they are easy to understand and learn. You will progress at your own pace as your body and mind open and your strength and flexibility improve. I look forward to welcoming, teaching you and learning from you.
“Yoga is the ultimate practice. It simultaneously stimulates our inner light and quiets our overactive minds. It is both energy and rest. Yin and Yang. We feel the burn and find our bliss.” — Elise Joan
Diana Fu
Teacher
My first yoga experience was in 2017. I was very athletic but I had zero flexibility and upper body strength - I could not touch my knees without rounding my back and I could not do ladies' pushups. My initial intention of doing yoga was purely for the physical health benefits, until I realised that yoga is not just about the physical practice, it is a way of life. My teachers inspired me to practise yoga consistently, which led me to complete my 200 hour teacher training with Living Yoga in 2019. I continued to explore the different styles and aspects of yoga and further completed 300 hour advanced teacher training course with Casey Chiang Yoga in 2022.
Yoga for me is a self-discovery journey. I am fortunate to have incredible teachers and mentors, Sarah Bentz and Casey Chiang, who have guided me through my yoga journey. Through the yoga practice, it shows me how my perception, preference, resistance and fear affects my mind, emotions and body, on and off the mat. Yoga keeps me grounded, calm and at ease during hard and difficult times and at the same time it offers me opportunity to heal, grow and overcome obstacles. Other times, yoga makes me feel happy, inspired and determined.
Yoga is for everyone and I hope to share what I have gained and learned with you.