What is Iyengar Yoga Virginia?

Hi, I’m Leanne Cusumano Roque. I founded Yoga 4 All Bodies and am a Certified Iyengar Yoga teacher.

I began practicing yoga in 2006 when a friend suggested I try out yoga. I had no idea what to expect, but a book I read suggested starting when I could practice every day for 6 months. I waited until I could make that commitment, and started. At the end of 6 months of daily practice, I knew yoga was an incredible gift. I found yoga addresses the entire person—physical, mental, and spiritual. A regular practice grounded me, and made me stronger and healthier than I had ever been in my life. For several years, I explored different yoga traditions—from Bikram to Vinyasa to Hatha to Anusaura. When I discovered Iyengar yoga, I knew I had found a tradition and practice that would change my life.

After practicing Iyengar yoga for a few years, I embarked on the journey to become a certified Iyengar yoga teacher. Teacher training in the Iyengar tradition is one of the most rigorous and precise trainings for yoga teachers. Trainees are required to have a minimum of three years of practice experience, significant training, and must be recommended by two senior teachers. To become a fully certified Iyengar yoga teacher, I passed two assessments, each of which included a written exam, demonstrated practice, and teaching assessment. This process takes three years.

I began teaching yoga in 2012. I passed my Iyengar yoga Introductory I teaching assessment in 2013 and my Introductory II assessment in 2014. I have more than 500 hours of training, and I continue to study so as to improve what I can offer you, my students, through practice, privates with my mentoring teacher, and workshops.

Through my years of practice, I have seen how yoga can transform a person’s health, regardless of any physical conditions they have. I have worked with students who have had multiple back surgeries and cannot bend forward, people with scoliosis who need special modifications, and people with a range of medical issues. I love working with people who are struggling with a physical limitation, and who may be apprehensive about taking yoga. Together, we build their strength and flexibility, and watch the intelligence grow.

I believe yoga is for every body, but sometimes a body needs special attention and help. It is my purpose to provide a safe and supportive environment to grow through yoga.

In addition to teaching yoga, I am also a professional Coach. I use my coaching competencies in my teaching to help students grow their practice. I ask questions to help students internalize their learnings and progress. I like to draw connections between things, so I might discuss how poses are related: “Do you remember how you felt when you did that pose? You want to feel that here too.” It’s about re-creating that feeling for yourself to keep bringing the experiences together in a way that allows students to recognize them. This accelerates the learning and awareness growth process.