About Barbara
Yoga teacher. Yoga therapist. Curious mind.
I've been teaching yoga for 26 years and working as a yoga therapist for over 13.
I'm still genuinely fascinated by what changes in our health when yoga is used - what happens when breath, movement, the mind and attention are brought together is bigger than the individual parts.
26 years teaching
13+ years yoga therapy
Viniyoga trained
Science graduate
BCYT Chair 2013–16
How I got here — and why
I'm so glad I did.
I came to yoga the way a lot of people do — as a student, attending classes, finding something that I connected with and that I found worked for me.
What drew me in further was the Viniyoga approach: the idea that yoga should fit the person, not the other way round. That felt important and relevant to me — it still does.
I trained to teach, and then became interested in yoga and the way it is applied to the individual sometimes to meet a therapeutic application — where yoga is adapted to an individual's specific health needs and intentions. Being a science graduate, I was interested in the growing body of evidence around what yoga actually does to the body and mind. The science and the philosophy, it turns out, are fascinating companions.
Over the years I've worked with people dealing with back pain, anxiety, MS, post-surgical recovery, menopause, low mood, sleep difficulties, trauma — and everything in between. What strikes me, again and again, is that yoga can meet people exactly where they are and that somatic experience can be a better way to work than wrestling mentally with a problem. And that no two people are the same - where they are is always somewhere interesting.
"I love the experiential and intensely personal qualities of yoga — qualities that are sometimes hard to convey through words."
After more than a decade of working as a yoga therapist, I became involved in training others — working with highly experienced colleagues to pass on both the theory and the practice. I was also Chair of the British Council for Yoga Therapy (2013–16), the UK's accrediting body for yoga therapy, which consolidates and raises standards across the profession.
I'm based in Chesham, and I teach in person at Chesham Cricket Club and online. I like to teach smaller sized groups where I can pay attention to the people in the room.
At a glance
📅 26 years teaching yoga
🧠 13+ years as a yoga therapist
🎓 Trained in Viniyoga — in the tradition of Krishnamacharya & Desikachar
🔬 Science graduate — brings evidence and curiosity to the mat
🏛️ Chair, British Council for Yoga Therapy 2013–16
📖 Now offering yoga therapy training to other practitioners
📍 Based in Chesham, Buckinghamshire
Why Viniyoga —
and why it matters.
Most yoga traditions want you to fit yourself into a practice or a posture. Viniyoga works the other way: the practice is adapted to you — your body, your health, your life stage, your intentions.
This tradition comes from T. Krishnamacharya — widely considered the father of modern yoga — and was developed by his son TKV Desikachar. I was fortunate to attend training with Desikachar when he came to the UK, and I studied yoga with Paul Harvey, who was a direct student of Desikachar’s. I also studied with other viniyoga teachers, Ranju Roy, Jane Slemeck and Freda Sack
What I love about this approach is that it's simultaneously highly practical, intelligently structured and deeply philosophical.
Posture (Asana)
Movement that's purposeful and adapted — not a fixed sequence, but postures chosen for your body on this particular day.
Breath (Pranayama)
Breath is the thread through everything. Every movement is coordinated with breathing — this is what makes Viniyoga feel different from many other styles.
Awareness & meditation
The practice works the mind as much as the body. Relaxation, meditation and chant are all part of the tradition — used appropriately for each person.
Philosophy & understanding
Barbara loves to explain the why. Understanding what you're doing — and what it's doing — makes the practice considerably more interesting and useful.
Training & credentials
Properly trained. Continuously learning.
Barbara has trained extensively in yoga and yoga therapy over three decades — and is indebted, as she puts it, to the excellent teachers who have inspired her learning.
Viniyoga — core training
Trained in the Viniyoga tradition with Paul Harvey, Ranju Roy, Jane Slemeck and Freda Sack. Also learnt directly with TKV Desikachar at a UK teaching event.
British Council for Yoga Therapy
Committee member and Chair (2013–16) of the BCYT — the UK's accrediting body for yoga therapy, which consolidates and raises standards in the profession.
Yoga for Healthy Lower Backs
Specialist training and extensive clinical experience in yoga for back pain and back health — including the Yoga for Healthy Lower Backs programme.
Mental health & neurological health
Training in yoga for MS, yoga for mental wellbeing (anxiety, depression), and foundational training in trauma-sensitive yoga.
Additional specialist training
Ayurveda, pregnancy yoga, counselling skills, yoga philosophy (Yoga Sutras, Samkhya, Bhakti Yoga), chant practitioner, and introduction to Trauma Centre Trauma Sensitive Yoga.
Barbara now offers training in yoga therapy theory and practice to other practitioners, working with highly experienced colleagues.
Yoga is a beautiful mix of the personal, poetic, intangible, sensory and logical. I look forward to sharing that with you.
— Barbara Dancer
What students say
About Barbara
“I have been practising Yoga with Barbara for many years.
The classes are lovely and very well taught. I use them to help with flexibility, back health and as a stress reliever. Barbara is always ready to share great advice and help with any problems that may be solved through yoga. I highly recommend the classes for the beginner or experienced person.”
“I really enjoy Barbara's yoga classes. I attend once a week but wish I could do more. They are gentle yet effective and I always feel like I've had a good stretch, sometimes even a bit of a workout! And I miss them when I sometimes can't attend for work reasons.”
“I started classes with Barbara online over 4 years ago - and have never looked back! Although I’ve been practising for many years, I’m learning so much in her classes about yoga, and how it can be used to help us live a happy and healthy life. And it also feels like a great online community. Thank you Barbara!”
“Barbara is a fabulous teacher - knowledgeable, experienced, patient and kind - I love her pranayama classes especially, and the Yoga for Healthy Lower Backs course is excellent for people with chronic back pain.”
The best way to know if this is right for you, is to try it.
Barbara teaches accessible, friendly classes on Thursdays in Chesham and online — and offers 1-2-1 and yoga therapy sessions. Drop her a message and she'll help you find the right starting point for you.
Or call/message: 07917 887321
barbaradancer@gmail.com