About Ella Frances Yoga

My name is Ella Waite and I imperfectly lead and empower others to move their bodies and believe in themselves through life, pregnancy, birth and motherhood with the power of yoga.

I never thought I was going to be a mother. In college I always thought that I would live in London or New York City and work for some big hot shot design firm. The stressful 8:00am to 8:00pm work life ended up not being my jam. Yoga was the one part of my day I looked forward to. The part of my day that made me feel like I belong and made life worth living. It healed so many wounds and saved my life. I soon quit fighting for my life in an industry that saw me as replaceable. Every decision I made came back to what yoga continued to teach me. My life changed and I met my dreamboat husband. We fell in love fast, got married and now have two babies.

When I first became a yoga teacher, I had no idea what it was like to be pregnant nor did I know anyone pregnant. It was an intimidating and daunting task to guide a pregnant woman through a vinyasa class. It was a long list of things a mama couldn’t do. When I became pregnant, it was the first time I had felt like I didn’t belong in the yoga room. I felt like the elephant in the room, unsupported and different. I hope to change and shift our perspective so yoga teachers come from an empowering and supportive place and feel ready and up to the task to support these students.

I truly believe that our primary responsibility as humans is to caretake life and we can do that by supporting our life givers and care givers to move, breathe and feel free in the yoga studio and beyond.

Ella Frances Yoga Family

I am most likely making someone a meal, holding one of my babies, or dreaming up how I can better serve my clients and community. I am a Minnesotan girl who loves hot coffee, yoga pants and eating plants (sorry plants). 

I love being a mom, but it can be really hard. The job is never “done”, you don’t get sick days or PTO. I know first hand what it feels like to feel burnt out, isolated and alone. I have been there, I get it mama. I remember being scared and filled with fear anticipating what pregnancy and birth would be like. Some days I can not find more than fifteen minutes for myself, let alone take an hour long yoga class in a studio. We need more accessible resources and tools, and my hope is that this community and space can be that for you!

I am a certified yoga teacher (E-RYT 200, RPYS), educator (YACEP) and mentor.

Photographs on website are by Jessica Holleque

"Ella is a knowledgeable instructor, especially when it comes to prenatal and postnatal yoga.  I was lucky enough to go through both of my pregnancies at the same time as her so she was one of my go-to instructors.  I knew Ella could relate to my changing shape and needs with no judgement.  Over the years she has gained more knowledge through her training and she is always willing to share with me.  I've experienced growth and empowerment through Ella's classes.  She is an asset to the yoga community and we are lucky to have her!"
ELLA FRANCES YOGA
2020-06-10T02:43:59+00:00

- Maria W

"Ella is a knowledgeable instructor, especially when it comes to prenatal and postnatal yoga.  I was lucky enough to go through both of my pregnancies at the same time as her so she was one of my go-to instructors.  I knew Ella could relate to my changing shape and needs with no judgement.  Over the years she has gained more knowledge through her training and she is always willing to share with me.  I've experienced growth and empowerment through Ella's classes.  She is an asset to the yoga community and we are lucky to have her!"

"Ella guided me through my first pregnancy with weekly yoga classes that were a safe, warm and reassuring touch point. She always checked in with me with such kindness and genuine care. I completely trusted her to lead class with the poses and adjustments that would keep me and my baby safe, and prepare me for birth. I felt strong and empowered approaching my due date, enjoyed a class with Ella the day before going into labor, and was lucky to have an uncomplicated and amazing birth."
ELLA FRANCES YOGA
2020-06-05T04:13:41+00:00

- Julia J

"Ella guided me through my first pregnancy with weekly yoga classes that were a safe, warm and reassuring touch point. She always checked in with me with such kindness and genuine care. I completely trusted her to lead class with the poses and adjustments that would keep me and my baby safe, and prepare me for birth. I felt strong and empowered approaching my due date, enjoyed a class with Ella the day before going into labor, and was lucky to have an uncomplicated and amazing birth."

"I liked how you stayed on track and asked to save questions until the end. Our group was so large and there were a lot of different minds and thoughts, so we had a tendency to get off track throughout training. My favorite part was the interactive exercise with the balloons. It really helped to simulate pregnancy, and I felt able to understand the “issues” much better."
ELLA FRANCES YOGA
2020-06-05T03:57:38+00:00

- Anonymous

"I liked how you stayed on track and asked to save questions until the end. Our group was so large and there were a lot of different minds and thoughts, so we had a tendency to get off track throughout training. My favorite part was the interactive exercise with the balloons. It really helped to simulate pregnancy, and I felt able to understand the “issues” much better."

"I enjoyed the kindness of the teacher most about this training."
ELLA FRANCES YOGA
2020-06-05T03:56:47+00:00

- Anonymous

"I enjoyed the kindness of the teacher most about this training."

"I loved how I have come to be more accepting of my yoga practice and comfortable enough to focus on what my body needs and wants, rather than powering through everything. The restorative part of yoga has come into my practice."
ELLA FRANCES YOGA
2020-06-05T03:56:24+00:00

- Anonymous

"I loved how I have come to be more accepting of my yoga practice and comfortable enough to focus on what my body needs and wants, rather than powering through everything. The restorative part of yoga has come into my practice."

"With my experience level and mobility limits, I was nervous not having 1-1 instruction and also not being in person. But Ella was so great at walking through everything, continuously offering modifications to poses and movements. ..things like zoom classes and recordings will make it so much easier to work around both my work and mama schedule. 10/10 recommend checking out Ella's classes!"
ELLA FRANCES YOGA
2020-06-05T03:55:42+00:00

- Anonymous

"With my experience level and mobility limits, I was nervous not having 1-1 instruction and also not being in person. But Ella was so great at walking through everything, continuously offering modifications to poses and movements. ..things like zoom classes and recordings will make it so much easier to work around both my work and mama schedule. 10/10 recommend checking out Ella's classes!"

Ella’s prenatal lecture was a part of our yoga teacher training and it was my favorite part of the 200-hour training. I am not a mother myself, and she completely transformed my thoughts around pregnancy and birth. I now feel ready to support these students in my yoga classes.
ELLA FRANCES YOGA
2020-06-05T03:55:12+00:00

- Anonymous

Ella’s prenatal lecture was a part of our yoga teacher training and it was my favorite part of the 200-hour training. I am not a mother myself, and she completely transformed my thoughts around pregnancy and birth. I now feel ready to support these students in my yoga classes.
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ELLA FRANCES YOGA