Kailey Thiessen:
Owner -
Barre, Minis, Tap & Ballet Instructor
Known For: Getting hyped up, stumbling over her words & pushing you to the max.
Favourite Move: 2nd Position Pliés
Originally from Saskatchewan, Kailey moved to her husband’s hometown - Winkler - in 2016. Kailey has a background in various dance disciplines, including Ballet (following the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) curriculum), Tap, Jazz, Musical Theatre and Pointe, teaching Ballet at KiDDance Physical Arts dance studio in Carman for three years, and several years as a barre instructor.
In July of 2019, Kailey Thiessen took over The Carman Barre (started by Michelle Carrillo (Kidd) in 2017) and turned it into what it is today - Aura Studio. She is a fully certified barre instructor through the International Barre Fitness Association (IBBFA), Merrithew Total Barre, Barre Above, and Barre Intensity. She is also trained in IBBFA’s Ballerobica, Pre/Postnatal Barre and Barre Intensity. She is now a Barre Fitness Alliance-recognized instructor (the 2nd in Canada).
In the summer of 2021, Kailey welcomed her beautiful baby girl and most recently in June of 2024 her second beautiful baby girl! You may see her little mini-me’s with her in class from time to time.
Kailey is currently working on her Pregnancy and Postpartum Corrective Exercise Specialist training.
Amanda Zacharias: Director - Pilates, Dance With Me, Minis, Tiny Tots, Jazz, Contemporary, &
Hip-Hop Instructor
Known For: Working for Disney and being from California.
Favourite Move: Frog Stretch & Child’s Pose
From California, Amanda began dancing at the age of 3 and continued competitively over the next 16 years. In 2005, she started teaching dance and began working for the Disneyland Resort a few years later. She worked at the parks dancing in their parades for 4 years. Then, she finished off her 5th year with the company at sea on their cruise line, where she met her husband.
From 2011 to 2014, Amanda taught at a competitive dance studio in Orange County. In 2015, she relocated to Northern California with her husband and began coaching High School Cheer and Dance in Napa till her son was born in 2018.
In 2020, Amanda and her family moved to Winkler to be closer to her husband’s family. The following year, she joined the Aura Studio as a dance instructor for their kid’s dance program. In 2023, she welcomed a baby girl to her family and became the studio’s first certified Pilates Instructor and Studio Director.
With her background in dance and fitness, she is thrilled to share her passion with the community!
Abby Cornelson: Spin & Barre Instructor
Known For: Saying “that’s it that’s all” and “second half better half”.
Favourite Move: 4 Corners, Hovers & Red Ball Fire Hydrants
Abby began her group fitness journey in Winnipeg, trying out all different styles, she became hooked on the feeling she got right after an amazing workout. That is when she discovered her newfound motivation to reignite her own fitness journey through teaching! She became a Spin instructor and taught for 9 months before Covid hit. During that time, Abby and her husband Luke moved back to her hometown in Altona, with their sled dog Koda, and was thrilled to find Aura Studio in Winkler!
Abby took her personal training course to become certified with Canfitpro and MFC. Teaching rowing, HIIT & Strength, CrossFit, Yoga, and Pilates. Shortly after teaching Spin at Aura, she became a Barre instructor and has been loving finding her new (maybe extra spicy 😉) style of teaching during Barre. Nothing excites her more than Spin choreo lining up with an epic beat drop, riders pushing themselves harder than they thought they could, or when those Plies start to get a little shaky and clients surprise themselves with their strength.
Abby is thrilled to be a part of training Spin instructors at Aura, as well as taking on the role of Lead Fitness Instructor. It’s so fun and honouring to be apart of someone’s fitness journey. She feels lucky to call something she’s so passionate about her “job.” She is thrilled to be a part of Aura Studio the last 2 years and the solid community we have here.
SarahJoy Derksen: Dance Fusion Instructor
Known For: Fixing physical ailments that her massage clients love and hate, including the Winkler Flyers Junior Hockey Team.
She is also known for making you sweat to the beats in Dance Fusion with a grin on her face.
Favourite Move: The Reggaeton 2-Step Bounce.
Growing up playing competitive sports, Sarah developed a deep appreciation for how the body works. This led her to her full-time career as a Registered Massage Therapist.
She began her own company, Kneaded Treatment, in 2018 and moved into the building in 2022 to further her career.
While recovering from an injury, Sarah found joy in a new passion, Zumba. It was the perfect blend of upbeat cardio that also spoke to her love of music. She completed her Zumba instructor training in 2021 and has been instructing since.
During her free time, she is an all-star mom and wife to her two boys and husband. She is also the Winkler Flyers’ trainer and RMT and coaches competitive volleyball for the Aztec’s Volleyball Club.
Kirstin Hoeppner: Spin Instructor
Kirstin Hoeppner: Spin Instructor
Known For: Radiating positivity and various choreo combinations.
Favourite Move: Travelbacks
Kirstin’s fitness journey began in September 2023 when she first discovered Aura Studio. After attending her first class, she fell in love with everything Spin! She began attending weekly classes, dragging any family members with her when she could. When she discovered the Studio was expanding its instructor roster, she felt there was no better way to share her passion with others than applying for the position. Her month-long training began in February of 2024, gaining the knowledge and confidence to thrive in all her classes.
Her goal as an instructor is to provide an inclusive space where everyone feels welcome and clients leave feeling proud of their accomplishments in class. “As long as your pedals are moving, you are part of this workout!”
Natalya Wyton: Barre Instructor
Known For: Her Hyped up playlists and saying “little pulse”.
Favourite Move: Side Barre Lunges & Bridges.
Born and raised in Southern Manitoba, Natalya has always been inspired by adventure and trying new things. She strived to maintain an active lifestyle but felt she hadn’t found the best way to move her body just yet. That all changed when she discovered Aura Studio.
She began her fitness journey in October 2023, starting with Spin. She quickly fell in love with the vibrant energy and supportive community, so in January 2024, she decided to give Barre a try and quickly became obsessed.
The opportunity to step out of her comfort zone with the unique blend of movements inspired by Ballet resonated deeply for her. Barre’s low-impact nature makes it accessible to everyone, which is one of the aspects she appreciates most.
Now, as an instructor, she enjoys inspiring others to move their bodies by discovering what makes them feel most confident. She is passionate about helping others find joy in fitness and build a positive relationship with themselves.
Natalya is dedicated to creating a welcoming environment in her classes where everyone can feel strong and empowered. She looks forward to sharing her passion and the transformative power of Barre with the Aura community.