YTTP Cologne
18. - 22. June 2025
5-Day Intensive Workshop Series
with David Robson & Jelena Vesic
We are excited to welcome David Robson and Jelena Vesic, two of the world's most recognized Ashtanga Yoga teachers, to Germany for the first time – exclusively at Yoga to the People in Cologne!
From June 18 to 22, 2025, we are offering you an intensive 5-day Ashtanga Yoga workshop series that includes Mysore style classes, a led primary series with traditional Sanskrit count, daily afternoon workshops, and much more.
Program
from 8h: MYSORE STYLE
BREAK
14.30 - 15.15 Pranayama & Meditation – 45min
David will begin the session by leading you through some gentle pranayama, seated breathing exercises. Jelena will then guide you through a seated Mindfulness Meditation practice.
15.30 - 17.00 Breathing/Moving System - 1.5h
David and Jelena will provide an overview of the Ashtanga Sadhana and provide in-depth teaching on how to optimize the vinyasa technique in practice.
from 7h: MYSORE STYLE
BREAK
14.30h → 15.15h – Pranayama & Meditation – 45min
15.30 - 17.00 Ashtanga Fundamentals - 1.5h
This workshop will help you sharpen your focus by defining the coordinates and alignment conditions of Ashtanga’s opening sequence of Fundamental Postures.
from 7h: MYSORE STYLE
BREAK
14.30h → 15.15h – Pranayama & Meditation – 45min
15.30 - 17.00 Knees, Hips & Forward Bends – 1.5h
Ashtanga is full of forward folds and knee bends. Correct technique and alignment is important in order to avoid injuring the hamstrings, lower back, or knees.
from 8h: MYSORE STYLE
BREAK
14.30h → 15.15h – Pranayama & Meditation – 45min
15.30 - 17.00 Jump Backs & Jump Throughs - 1.5h
These vinyasas provide a bridge to carry our focus between asanas, and also build a purifying heat in the body that is said to boil the blood. This workshop will go over the actions and movements of the jump-back and jump-through in close detail, and provide invaluable instruction useful for all levels of practitioners.
from 8h: Pranayama & Meditation – 45min
9:00 Led Full Primary – 1.5 h
David and Jelena will lead you through Ashtanga's Primary Series with the traditional Sanskrit count, and include some detailed instructions along the way.
13:00 - 14.30 Backbending – 1.5h
Backbends don’t have to hurt. By learning the correct technique for the poses, you can take the pain out of backbending and allow your body to safely go deeper into the postures.
The Teachers
Jelena Vesić
After four years of doing her PhD (Political Science, York University, Toronto), Jelena decided to walk away and dedicate herself to teaching Ashtanga Yoga full time. She’s been teaching since 2014, and is now leading the evening Mysore program at AYCT. Alongside her husband, David Robson, Jelena teaches workshops and retreats in Toronto and around the world.
Jelena first came to yoga through dance. As a former ballet dancer of 16 years, the structure and rigour of the Ashtanga Yoga practice felt like home. Drawn to the discipline, mindfulness of the movement and emphasis on the breath, Jelena made the Ashtanga practice her sole focus in 2009.
Jelena has maintained a daily Ashtanga practice for over a decade. She’s made many trips to Mysore, India to study with her teacher, Sharath Jois. In addition, Jelena also considers herself to be a student of Jack Kornfield, a Buddhist teacher and clinical psychologist. She’s completed his and Tara Brach’s “The Power of Awareness” course and their two-year Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program.
Lastly, Jelena’s true passion lies in promoting rescue and adoption of (street) dogs. You can often find her sharing her love for #adoptdontshop on her IG, and sharing the joys of living with her two fur-babies, Goku and Khani, both celebrities in their own right.
David Robson
David Robson is a practitioner and teacher of Ashtanga Yoga, in the tradition of Sharath Yoga Centre (SYC). David is the director of the Ashtanga Yoga Centre of Toronto, where he leads one of the world’s largest Mysore programs outside of India.
David began a daily practice in 1998 while at university studying Comparative Religion. After graduating, David made his first trip to Mysore, India in 2002, where he initiated studies with his teacher Sharath Jois. Since then he has returned to Mysore annually to deepen and enrich his practice and teaching.
In 2007, David was Authorized to teach Ashtanga and now holds a level 2 authorization.
David has become well-known on social media for his educational and entertaining yes/no tutorials. Through these videos he's become one of the most recognized and respected Ashtanga Yoga teachers worldwide.
David teaches the morning mysore program at Ashtanga Toronto, and leads workshops and retreats around the world with his wife Jelena.
