2026 Special Guest Teachers

  • A man yoga practicing in a seated lotus position with hands in prayer pose

    Alan Brown (UK & France)

    https://www.yogaiyengarlimoux.com

    Alan Brown has been teaching Iyengar Yoga for almost 40 years and has been to Pune to study with the Iyengar family many times since his first visit in 1990.  He is currently teaching regular classes from his yoga studio in Limoux in the South of France as well as teaching workshops more widely in France and the UK.  

    In his teaching he seeks fresh perspectives on well trodden pathways; to stimulate interest, cultivate awareness and give students something to take away with them for further study and exploration.

  • Smiling woman with blonde hair and pearl earrings sitting outdoors with blurred trees and sunlight in the background.

    Kirsten Agar (UK)

    https://www.yogawithkirsten.co.uk

    Kirsten Agar began Iyengar Yoga in 1988, qualifying as a teacher in 1997 and gaining her Senior Intermediate Level 3 certificate in 2012. She has studied extensively at the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute in Pune, India, with over 23 visits as well as continuing her studyies online with Prashantji and Abhijata.

    Kirsten was the founder and co-director of the Bath Iyengar Yoga Centre for 21 years and is now based in North Yorkshire from where she teaches interactive online classes as well as local in person classes. She is a experienced mentor and has been an active member of IY(UK) and LOYA, serving as Honorary Secretary, Certification & Assessment Chair, ATC member and Chair, Assessor and Moderator over the years. 

    Kirsten is invited to teach workshops across the UK and internationally - including China, Sweden, Italy, Bermuda. She has been the lead Iyengar Yoga teacher at the Swedish and Norwegian National Iyengar Yoga Convention, Bermuda Yoga Festival and World Yoga Festival. She was recently featured on the On the Light podcast and has written many articles on Yoga.

    She sells Iyengar Yoga study materials through her YogVidya store available on her website www.yogawithkirsten.co.uk

  • Black and white portrait of a smiling woman with glasses, shoulder-length wavy hair, wearing a light-colored top.

    Debbie Bartholomew (UK)

    https://iyengarclasses.co.uk

    Debbie Bartholomew is a Level 3 Iyengar Yoga teacher who has been practising for over 30 years and teaching since 1994. Born and raised in Lancashire, she trained at Manchester and District Iyengar Yoga under Jeanne Maslen and Tricia Booth, both senior students of B.K.S. Iyengar, and has continued her studies through all levels to Intermediate Senior certification.

    Debbie has been teaching for over 30 years and has held a Level III teaching qualification since 2007.
    Her classes are inclusive, fun and relaxed so that everyone is inspired to reach their full potential.

    She teaches regular classes and workshops across the UK, including therapeutic and specialist classes, and has been fortunate to study with B.K.S. Iyengar, Geeta Iyengar, Prashant Iyengar and Abhijata Iyengar in Pune.

    Alongside her teaching, Debbie is an experienced mentor and assessor and is actively involved in teacher training and assessment through Iyengar Yoga (UK).

  • An older woman with blonde hair in a ponytail, wearing a pink t-shirt and black leggings, performs a yoga pose on a pink mat at a class, while wearing a headset.

    Jayne Orton (UK)

    https://www.iyengaryoga.uk.com

    Jayne Orton is an Advanced level Iyengar Yoga teacher and Director of the Iyengar Yoga Institute of Birmingham, which opened in 2002 with the full blessing of B.K.S. Iyengar, who also suggested its name. Jayne was a direct student of Guruji from her teenage years and has studied extensively in Pune, making over 25 visits to the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute. In 2010, she was awarded Advanced level certification by B.K.S. Iyengar—an honour given to only a small number of teachers worldwide.

    With over 45 years of teaching experience, Jayne has taught internationally across Europe, the USA and Canada, including leading national conventions in Belgium, the Netherlands, Scandinavia and Spain, and she will teach the Latvian Iyengar Association Convention in 2026. She is deeply committed to her local students in Birmingham and teaches across all levels, including medical and therapeutic classes, while also training and mentoring teachers through Levels 2 and 3 certification. Alongside her teaching, Jayne has a long-standing role working with Birmingham City Football Club and has a particular interest in Indian philosophy, which she explores through regular study groups.

Previous Years Guest Teachers

  • Older woman wearing a pink shirt and black pants, performing yoga or stretching on a pink mat in a gym, with a headset microphone.

    Jayne Orton (2025 & 2026)

  • Close-up of a smiling middle-aged man with blue eyes, wearing a navy blue v-neck sweater over a white shirt, with a neutral background.

    Garth Mclean (2025)

  • An older woman with blonde hair sitting on a patterned couch, smiling at the camera, with a green wooden wall in the background.

    Hannah Lovegrove (Every Year!)

  • Close-up of a smiling woman with curly hair, wearing sunglasses on her head, a nose ring, a floral shirt, and a backpack, outdoors on a cloudy day.

    Harshini M. Wikramanayake (2025 & 2026)

  • A smiling man with dark hair, a mustache, and a light complexion, wearing a white shirt, against a plain background.

    Uday Bhosale (2024)

  • A smiling woman with blonde, curly hair and glasses taking a selfie indoors.

    Lin Craddock (2024)

  • A man sitting on an orange yoga mat in a yoga pose, with a plain white wall behind him, wearing a light blue t-shirt with a lotus flower graphic and dark shorts.

    Edgar Stringer (2023)

  • Woman practicing yoga indoors, sitting on a blanket, wearing a purple T-shirt and black shorts with white stripes, near a window with green scenery outside.

    Lydia Holmes (2023)

Whether you are a seasoned Iyengar Yoga practitioner or have just started to practice yoga, you will be in very good hands with our invited teachers, all of whom are trained to a high level in Iyengar Yoga and have decades of experience behind them.

IYOGA Fest is all about the yoga! So be prepared to be immersed not just in asana but in the other aspects of yoga such as pranayama, philosophy and group discussions.

If you are new to yoga, we do strongly recommend that you get prepared before you come to the festival - click on any of our teacher links above and you can find access to a whole library of on-demand yoga classes or sign up for a beginners class with any of the teachers featured.

If you are coming with health conditions, injuries or other medical issues, all yoga teachers at IYOGA Fest are trained in Iyengar Yoga Therapy, so they can help you to enjoy your practice safely with modifications as and when necessary. Always check with your medical professional before attending classes and be sure to detail any existing conditions on the section marked on your sign up form.

The Yoga Classes - An Immersion into Iyengar Yoga