Yogis Across the Oceans: Tania Kemou Yoga Retreats

Yogis across the oceans - Tania and I originally met at the Elysia Yoga convention on the Greek island of Amorgos in 2018. Since then, we have stayed in touch, sharing thoughts on retreat destinations, venues, possible teacher-training courses and our everyday lives across the oceans.

Tania Kemou was born in Athens, Greece, and has practised Yoga for 15 years.

Her first Ashtanga yoga class took place in Athens in 2004 and was taught by Savvas Giantsis. Tania was drawn to every aspect of Ashtanga: its origins and history, as well as the commitment and dedication the practice demands.

After completing a 200hr Teacher Training in Thailand, Tania began travelling regularly to Mysore, India. During every visit, she studies at KPJAYI with Sharath Jois, grandson of Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, the late founder of Ashtanga vinyasa yoga.

Following her first visit to India, Tania chose to leave her career as a lawyer and teach Yoga full time.

Tania teaches with an exceptionally kind, calm approach. Her adjustments are gentle yet strong, allowing students to investigate the full benefits of every posture. This is accompanied by a quiet, assured confidence that makes you feel comfortable attempting poses you may normally avoid.

Her enthusiasm for Yoga, and Ashtanga in particular, is evident from the instant you step on to the mat in one of her classes.

Tania has taught in Greece, Paris and, most recently, Berlin.

Having spent many years working as a personal trainer, I too soon understood the benefits Yoga could bring to my own practice. I completed my first 200hr teacher training in London, followed by an advanced teacher training in Johannesburg.

I am now a registered Yoga teacher and teacher trainer with Yoga Alliance, practising from my studio in Johannesburg. I teach a blend of Hatha, Vinyasa and Yin, while also lecturing on subjects including Yoga anatomy and the fundamentals of Traditional Chinese Medicine within Yin Teacher Training courses.

We both lead local and international retreats each year.

I have been fortunate to teach in Corsica, Croatia, Mauritius and Greece, which is among my favourite places.

Our paths crossed again in Athens this May, while we were both in Greece hosting separate retreats. Tania was in Mykonos, while I was in Kythnos with my fellow South African, Catherine.

As we watched a magical sunset from a rooftop bar and restaurant in Monastiraki, with the Acropolis nearby in the distance, we asked ourselves: why not run retreats together?

A Greek Ashtanga and Vinyasa teacher collaborating with a South African Hatha and Yin teacher!

What more could you ask for from a collaboration?

Our first retreat together will take place in Kythnos, Greece, 23-29th May, 2020.

During my previous visit to Kythnos, I was lucky enough to meet Natasha and Dimitri from K4Kythnos. Their villa and Yoga Shala, looking out over secluded Kastellas beach, provide the ideal location.

To book this retreat or find out more information, click here.

It gets even better!

In October 2020, Tania will join me in South Africa to teach at the annual Honeywood Farm Yoga retreat, and we will also co-host a Yoga Safari retreat together.

Quite literally, Yogis across the oceans are coming together!

Whether you join us in Greece or South Africa, you can look forward to idyllic settings, meticulous attention to detail and a welcoming environment in which to explore and challenge your current practice. You will enjoy delicious, healthy meals to complement the Yoga classes, alongside plenty of time to discover the hidden treasures of these two extraordinary countries.

There will be two daily Yoga sessions. Morning practice will be Ashtanga or vinyasa, while evening sessions will offer Yin or Hatha practices. Every retreat will include both an opening and a closing ceremony.

Classes are suitable for every level of practice, whether you travel alone or with a friend or partner.

Perhaps it is the peaceful oceans around the Greek islands that are calling to you, or the vast openness of the African landscape.

Either way, Tania and I look forward to hosting retreats across the ocean and, through the practice of Yoga, creating enduring memories and lifelong friendships.