Meet the Team
Oliver Francis
Oli is the founder of TYA. He’s a highly regarded yoga teacher based in Perth Western Australia. He also keeps busy as a musician, artist and BJJ enthusiast. The Yoga Alternative is the culmination of everything he has come to love about yoga and the movement arts.
He is a skilled and practical teacher who brings the ethos of tangible and mindful movement to his regular studio classes, trainings and retreats. Known for his clear and articulate teaching style, with a knack for anatomical queuing - his classes are always challenging but easy to follow.
He’s taught thousands of classes in the years he has been teaching - including many special events, workshops, retreats and teaching yoga teacher trainees.
Yoga should be simple and something you can understand not only how - but why. With Oli you get practical know-how and an understanding of why we do things the way we do them and how to apply that understanding.
On his training courses, private classes and yoga retreats, you get the time to really break down the fundamentals of postures and explore them safely and in a personalised manner.
Check out our training opportunities or book a private class with Oli. Or for more info contact us directly at info@theyogaalternative.com
Daz Mokaraka
Daz is a Brazilian Jiujitsu black belt with over seven years of training and coaching experience but one of the gentlest people you would ever meet.
You’ll meet Daz on our Brazilian Jiujitsu retreats running BJJ seminars, meditation and breathwork.
As a coach, he encourages a very open and personalised process. He appreciates the fun side of training and helps students find their own direction.
He has eight black belts -as he began training in martial arts at the age of seven. So, Daz has a massive wealth of knowledge and experience to draw from.
Daz is also a consistent competitor. Over the years he has racked up multiple state titles all over the country, had regular podium finishes at the Pan Pacific Masters, gained multiple international gold medals and even had several superfight wins. He is the current no-gi state champion in BJJ in his division.
He is a passionate advocate for mental health and runs regular breathwork workshops.
Encouraging and knowledgeable, Daz has so much to bring from his years of experience and is an absolute pleasure to be around. All of us here at TYA feel lucky to have Daz on board and we can’t wait for the next retreat!
Rob Douglas
Meet Rob!
Rob runs our mindful drawing workshops on the TYA Yoga Retreats. He's an artist studying to be an educator and an absolute spark of creativity!
A practicing artist who specializes in painting, Rob has worked within the wider Perth Arts community in both leadership and creative roles. During his time at ECU, he simultaneously undertook a mentorship role at Canning Vale College, was nominated President of the Contemporary Arts Club and was awarded the 2020 Volunteer of the Year. In his final year at ECU, Rob proposed, developed and constructed the student-run gallery and project space Meanwhile.
Experienced in all facets of the artistic world, Rob has a unique and informed take on art and the process of creating.
His workshops are an essential element for our beautiful escapes. We break out of our comfort zone and into the unknown. A combination of unbridled expression and focus, our retreat would not be the same without our arty afternoons.
As an educator, Rob is supportive and fun - but he knows his stuff. He runs a drawing workshop you won’t forget. Join us on our next retreat for the full experience.