Stephen first encountered yoga in 2007, when he was still a teenager. Ever since discovering Iyengar yoga in 2012, he has embraced it as a lifelong practice, drawn to the discipline’s focus on precise alignment and mindful awareness. Stephen completed his teacher training at the Iyengar Yoga Institute of Amsterdam between 2017 and 2020, earning his Level 1 certification in 2021. In 2023, he deepened his studies with a stay at RIMYI in Pune, under the guidance of the Iyengar family.

Beyond yoga, Stephen is also a filmmaker, and PhD student in the Film and Digital Media program at UC Santa Cruz. His dual life as both an artist-academic and yogi informs his unique teaching style, blending intellectual curiosity with an embodied, experiential approach to learning. His classes focus on cultivating self-awareness, strength, and stillness, creating a thoughtful and supportive space for students to explore the transformative power of Iyengar yoga.