Surf, Spanish & Yoga School
Our Team
Owner / Yoga Teacher
Vanessa Lavigne
Vanessa has been teaching yoga classes for ten years and practicing yoga for more than 17 years. She studied under the guidance of Yogi Vishvketu in the style of Akhanda yoga in Canada. Akhanda yoga is intended to offer holistic, integrated yoga. It is balance in a sequencing of asana, pranayama, relaxation, and meditation. This integral approach is intended to give students access to more diverse teaching and techniques that yoga has to offer.
In 2012 she began teaching Yoga Teacher Trainings in the style of Ashtanga Vinyasa Flow and Hatha. Her practise includes more than 4500 hours teaching students from around the world. An accomplished surfer, Vanessa incorporates many poses for surfers that focus on improving balance and toning the body. She integrates philosophical teachings with a balanced asana class allowing students to take their practice to a deeper level.
Vanessa Lavigne
Owner / Surf Instructor
Ryan Lavigne
Ryan grew up snowboarding and skateboarding; it was only natural for him to take to surfing. It has been said Ryan is more comfortable on a board then on the ground. He has taught snowboarding for years and found the transition to teaching surf a smooth one. He has a natural ability of understanding the technique of surfing and explaining it to others. As much as he loves to be out in the surf, he finds so much satisfaction is teaching others.
Ryan loves to be outside, whether surfing, playing with his two children, fixing surf boards or working in the garden, if you pass by Otra Ola you will most likely see him. Ryan speaks both English and Spanish fluently. Whether you are looking for a surf class or just someone to surf with Ryan is always eager to get into the water.
Surf Instructor
Camilo Suarez Velando
Hi I’m Camilo from Uruguay! I’ve been living and surfing in Ayampe for 6 years. I love the
lifestyle in this beautiful town. For me, the simplicity and nature are very important to be in
balance. When I’m not surfing, normally I’m playing guitar or cooking. I love to meet people
from all around the world and try to share my passion for surf and the experience to flow with the waves! I hope we can have fun together!!
Yoga Teacher
Marissa Rykiss
My name is Marissa and I am a yoga teacher from Winnipeg, Canada. Since 2015, I have been teaching Vinyasa, Hatha and Restorative variations of yoga to different communities in North and South America. I could not be more excited to be back here in Ayampe, teaching and practicing with this beautiful community!
Coming from a background in dance, I have always been fascinated by the movement, which has greatly informed my style of teaching. My hope is that, through this practice, you develop a better understanding of your body and how it moves, and that you leave feeling connected to your breathing and to an internal rhythm that is smoother and calmer than when you first arrived.
I am really looking forward to practicing with you!
Spanish Teacher
Margarita Rivadeneira
Margarita was born and raised in the beautiful province of Manabi. She trained for her teaching degree at " Eugenio Espejo" Chone, Manabi Institute of Education. She originally taught education to children but soon realized it was not her calling. Once she began teaching Spanish Classes at Otra Ola in July of 2011, she realized the satisfaction of seeing the progression of her students she knew this is what she wanted to do.
Along with teaching her students Spanish she loves learning about different cultures and ways of life. Although she has never left Ecuador Margarita feels like she has traveled all over the world.
When Margarita is not teaching she enjoys spending time with her family and friends. She feels so blessed to call Ecuador her home. Every opportunity she has, Margarita is by the sea, she finds it so relaxing.
Spanish Teacher
Vanessa Lucas
Vanessa was born in the big city of Guayaquil but grew up in the small coastal town of Salango, Manabi. She studied elementary, junior high and high school in Salango and then finished her degree in food technology in Jipijapa.
After finishing her degree she realized her love to teach and began teaching children the basic skills of reading and writing in the Salango area. As the years went on she continued to teach kids and heard about Otra Ola and to this day teaches tourists Spanish classes in the beautiful coastal town of Ayampe.
She loves teaching and working with tourists from all over the world, learning lots about her self and other cultures and languages to keep growing as a person.
Cinnamon Bun Guru
Jorge Pozo
Jorge has been a part of the Otra Ola team since 2016. He was born and raised in Las Cabanas. Jorge can always be seen wearing a huge smile. His good mood in infectious and its hard not to leave the cafe with a smile on your face. Jorge loves playing futbal and will sometimes be seen in yoga classes. Jorge is the master of cinnamon buns.
Yoga Teacher / Essencial Oil Guru
Stine Graubaek
My name is Stine, I am from Denmark, but live here in beautiful Ayampe with my husband and our son.
I fell in love with yoga years ago. It started as a refuge from a stressfull life and stressfull mind. Slowly, as I went deeper into my yoga practice, I realised that it is also a journey deeper into my own core of being. Yoga is so much more than how we move on the mat. Yoga begins when we step off the mat, yoga is a way of being in this world. The more I learned, the more I felt that the world expanded - both my own inner world but also the world around me. I felt a huge desire to share with others what yoga had done (and keeps doing) for me. This broad me to my first teacher training in 2014 and my second in 2019. I teach a mix of hatha and flow, and pranayama and meditation is always a part of the practice. I can’t wait to share this journey with you