YAO was born from a simple idea: to make exceptional yoga education more accessible without compromising the depth, integrity, and personal connection that make great teacher trainings transformative.
The project began through a collaboration between Nico Luce and Alma Gudzevic. Their paths first crossed when Alma joined one of Nico's 200-hour Yoga Teacher Trainings nearly five years ago. Since then, they have remained connected through their shared passion for yoga, education, and creating meaningful experiences for practitioners and teachers alike.
Over the years, Alma continued her studies and completed various trainings, both in-person and online. Through her experience as a student, she recognized something unique about the way Nico Luce's teacher trainings were taught and structured. She saw the potential to bring this methodology into an online format, allowing practitioners and teachers from around the world to access teachings that, until now, had only been available through in-person trainings.
Since 2015, Nico Luce's trainings have been offered internationally, guiding hundreds of students through immersive experiences in yoga, anatomy, philosophy, teaching methodology, and personal development. While the platform itself is new, the teachings, curriculum, and educational approach have been refined through years of teaching, practice, and direct interaction with students from diverse backgrounds and cultures.
YAO emerged from a shared vision: preserving the depth, richness, and human connection of a live teacher training while making it accessible to a global community of practitioners and teachers. Through online education, participants can engage with the material from the comfort of their own homes, at their own pace, while still receiving guidance and support throughout their journey. Our vision is to create a home where yoga teachers never stop learning.
We are beginning with modules from the 300-hour Advanced Yoga Teacher Training program, making specialized studies available as individual learning pathways. Over time, the platform will expand to include the complete 200-hour Teacher Training curriculum as well as courses and trainings from other respected teachers whose work aligns with our educational values and commitment to excellence.
Our mission is to provide yoga teachers with exceptional educational resources, thoughtful pedagogy, and learning experiences that deepen understanding, refine teaching skills, and inspire lifelong growth.
At YAO, learning is not designed to be a one-time event. Once enrolled, participants retain access to their courses and can return to the content whenever they wish, revisiting lessons as their practice and teaching continue to evolve.
More than an online course platform, YAO is designed as a living learning ecosystem, a place where education continues long after a certificate is awarded. As the platform grows, participants will have opportunities to connect with fellow teachers and practitioners from around the world, creating a global community united by a shared commitment to learning, inquiry, and growth.
Through discussion forums, mentorship opportunities, assessments, and practicum-based learning, we aim to create an educational environment that is both supportive and inspiring. A place where questions are welcomed, curiosity is encouraged, and growth is nurtured through meaningful interaction with teachers and peers.
We believe that some of the most valuable learning happens not only through studying content, but through dialogue, reflection, feedback, and shared experience. YAO is designed to foster these connections, creating a community of practitioners who continue to learn from one another long after a training has ended.
As YAO evolves, we envision a hybrid model that combines the accessibility of online education with the transformative power of in-person experiences through retreats, workshops, immersions, and gatherings around the world.
At its heart, YAO is about more than delivering content. It is about creating a pathway for growth. A place where teachers can continue learning throughout their careers, deepen their understanding of yoga, and cultivate the skills, confidence, and wisdom needed to share these teachings with others.
Because great teachers never stop being students.
