Instructors

Our yoga and Pilates instructors

Five teachers who share one way of working: clear cues, plenty of options and time to rest. Each profile lists the styles and languages they teach, with a link to their classes.

Illustration of a figure standing in tree pose with hands together overhead

Aino Rautio

Founder · hatha and yin

Aino opened Hiljaa after years of teaching in community halls and gyms around Helsinki, where classes often felt rushed. Her hatha classes move slowly, with long holds and plenty of time to notice the breath.

In yin she uses props generously, so every body can rest into the shapes instead of forcing them. She teaches most of the beginners’ classes and likes nothing better than a room full of first-timers.

Teaches: Hatha, Yin
Languages: Finnish and English
Classes a week: 7

Off the mat: sea swimming all year round, and far too many houseplants.

See Aino’s classes

Illustration of a figure in downward-facing dog

Noora Kivelä

Vinyasa

Noora teaches vinyasa as a moving meditation: steady breath first, shapes second. A former dancer, she builds sequences that feel musical, and she always shows a softer and a stronger option.

Her Thursday Vinyasa Basics class breaks the sun salutation into small, clear steps, so newcomers can join the faster flows with confidence.

Teaches: Vinyasa
Languages: Finnish and English
Classes a week: 4

Off the mat: long cycling trips and a slightly competitive sourdough habit.

See Noora’s classes

Illustration of a figure in warrior two with arms stretched wide

Elias Harju

Vinyasa and hatha

Elias came to yoga for a stiff back after long days at a desk, and he still teaches with that student in mind. Expect clear cues, practical alignment and humour that never takes over the room.

He teaches the morning and weekend vinyasa classes and the Wednesday Hatha Flow, and he protects the final rest of every class: those last quiet minutes are not optional.

Teaches: Vinyasa, Hatha
Languages: Finnish and English
Classes a week: 5

Off the mat: cross-country skiing whenever there is snow, board games when there is not.

See Elias’s classes

We would rather you leave a class feeling rested than feeling that you kept up.

The Hiljaa teachers

Illustration of a figure balancing in the Pilates teaser, arms and legs reaching up

Marta Solís

Pilates mat

Marta moved to Helsinki from Valencia and teaches Pilates mat in English. Her classes are precise and friendly: small movements, deep core work and close attention to how you breathe through each one.

She teaches the Tuesday and Sunday intermediate classes, Pilates Basics on Wednesdays and the Thursday lunch class. She is learning Finnish and is always happy to be corrected.

Teaches: Pilates mat
Languages: English (and Spanish)
Classes a week: 4

Off the mat: Finnish lessons, archipelago ferries and the January hunt for a proper orange.

See Marta’s classes

Illustration of a figure sitting cross-legged with hands resting in the lap

Kaisa Mäntylä

Pilates mat and yin

Kaisa teaches both ends of the week’s rhythm: focused Pilates mat at lunchtime and long, quiet yin in the evening. She is especially good with people coming back to exercise after a break.

Her yin classes are slow and well supported, with props for every shape and short pieces of guidance between long silences. Her Pilates is calm, steady and surprisingly hard work.

Teaches: Pilates mat, Yin
Languages: Finnish and English
Classes a week: 5

Off the mat: forest walks, mushroom picking in autumn and a growing collection of wool socks.

See Kaisa’s classes

The teachers on this demo site are fictional, and their portraits are illustrations of each teacher’s favourite pose.

Practise with us

Tell us which teacher or style you are curious about, and we will suggest a class that fits your week.

Book an intro class