Astanga Yoga School started in 2000 with the aim to practise and teach Astanga yoga in the tradition of Sri K. Pattabhi Jois. Focusing on the Mysore-style the school has always supported all students in building up their practice and helped establish a group of practitioners who wish yoga in their lives.

The school aims to develop so that teachers and students can continue to discover new challenges and develop their practice in physical, ethical, emotional, mental and spiritual ways.

For the next years AYS wishes to enhance it's efforts by:

- presenting and supporting the students to discover all limbs of Astanga yoga.

- actively contributing to further develop and strenghten the community of astangies in Copenhagen and Denmark in and around the school.

- actively contributing and seeking inspiration in the international astanga yoga community originating at KPJAYI in Mysore.

- supporting the teachers in their development and skills to teach beginners and advanced students with a high international standard.

Approved by the committee Saturday December 13th 2008 and the general assembly Friday May 29th 2009

The school was founded as an association on 27th of July 2000 by 5 enthusiastic practitioners on suggestion from the yoga teacher Lino Miele and we had a close contact to the Ashtanga Yoga Schools in Helsinki and Rome.

Today the school has been blessed by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois and Sri R. Sharath Jois with their visits in 2006 and 2009.
Susanna and Jens are both authorised by them and teach daily in the school and we are part of an international network of yoga schools and centres with direct contact to KPJ Ashtanga Yoga Institute in Mysore.

The committee of the school are Michael Heino Christensen, Lene Rask, Tine Pind Jørum, Susanna Finocchi and Jens Bache and they are carefully managing the wellbeing of the school.

We opened up in August 2000 on Østerbro in Copenhagen and in the first seasons Gwendoline Hunt from New Zealand was the main force of the teaching. She turned 70 the same year and gave us a flying start with a rapid growing number of practitioners.

Susanna Finocchi also came and taught us from the beginning and she has since 2002 been the residing teacher. Susanna is the main teacher of the school and teaches the mysore students.

In 2001 we moved to Vesterbrogade for our own space and we have new build up a broad group of teachers, instructors and practitioners, so the school is now able to offer teaching on all levels and in several limbs of Ashtanga yoga.
Susanna and Jens, who is one of the founders of the schools, are both authorised by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois and Sri R. Sharath and they teach daily in the yogashala.

After many years of preparations and our travels to Mysore Sri K. Pattabhi Jois and his family visited us in August 2006 and gave a workshop to more than 350 yogies, who had come from all over Europe. This was an fantastic experience for all of us to host Guruji and his family in Copenhagen and in this way be recognised by the highest authority within Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga. The workshop is documented and you can see the trailer here.

And this summer August 2009 we had Sri R. Sharath giving a 5-days workshop to all of us here in Copenhagen. He showed a deep insight into the practise after many years of apprenticeship with his grandfather, Guruji and every morning he led us through the practise with focus and energy that was impressive.

Sharath in Copenhagen August 2009
with Susanna and Jens