Kailey Thiessen:
Owner -
Barre, Minis, Tiny Tots, 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: Studio Director - Pilates, Dance With Me, Minis, Jazz, Hip Hop &
Contemporary Instructor
Known For: Working for Disneyland.
Favourite Move: Frog Stretch
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 parades for 4 years. She finished off her 5th year with the company at sea on the Disney 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 Aura Studio as a dance instructor for their kids’ 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 Winkler community!
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.
Danika Fehr: Spin Instructor
Known For: working in Human Resources, always needing a sweet treat and spreading kindness.
Favourite Move: Ponyflip
Danika attended her first Spin class as a university student and enjoyed the infectious energy and endorphin rush after class. In 2019, she returned to Winkler and began taking classes at Aura Studio, where she was excited to see Spin on the schedule. She started attending classes regularly and couldn’t get enough. In 2025, she decided to elevate her love for Spin by pursuing instructing.
Danika appreciates the warm and inclusive atmosphere that Aura provides for every client. With an emphasis on client safety during classes and an energetic playlist, her sessions promise an intense and enjoyable workout for everyone.
Outside the studio, Danika can be found spending time with her beloved goldendoodle, Leo, and her husband. She is passionate about serving the community as a board member for Genesis House. As an introvert, she enjoys a good thriller book, binge-watching a Netflix series, and baking indulgent desserts.
Laura Reimer: Adult Dance Instructor
Known For: being energetic
Favourite Move: pirouettes
Laura began dancing at the age of 12, specializing in the genre of Jazz.
In 2020, Laura worked for Kiddance Physical Arts for 2 years, teaching ballet, jazz, hip hop, tap, lyrical, and contemporary, including competitive classes.
Laura moved to Winnipeg with her husband in 2021 to start her new career as an optometrist assistant. In 2023, they moved to Altona and continued her career while teaching dance.
Laura currently helps teach ballet and hip hop in Altona at Inspired Movements Studio, alongside teaching at Aura.
You can always catch Laura dancing to the beat, whether in dance class, spin, or simply in her own home.
Laura is thrilled to be a part of the Aura family, as she can continue sharing her love and passion for dance with others.
Indi Fehr: Strength Instructor
Known For: turning “5 more seconds” into 10 seconds & celebrating the little wins.
Favourite Move: RDLs
Indi’s passion for health and fitness began at a young age and has only grown stronger since. Her love for movement developed through the many sports she played over the years. With sports came injuries – and with injuries came the need for rehabilitation through strength training. At the beginning of high school, she was introduced to structured training through group fitness classes and later personal training. This is where she quickly discovered a love for strength training. Since then, Indi has explored a wide variety of fitness styles, but strength training has always remained her favourite.
In the spring of 2024, Indi completed her degree in Athletic Therapy – combining her enthusiasm for fitness with a strong clinical understanding of injury prevention, rehabilitation, and performance. She began working at Pembina Valley Physiotherapy in the summer of 2024, where she is now able to support individuals in their injury recovery and return to activity. In the fall of 2025, Indi expanded her work into the athletic field by joining the Winkler Flyers hockey team, where she helps support athlete health and performance.
Indi brings a balanced, evidence-based approach to training, with a focus on building strength, resilience, and confidence. She believes fitness starts where YOU are – and she is there to support you in every step of your fitness journey. Indi is excited to help you move better, feel stronger, and achieve the goals that matter most to you.
Amanda Unrau: Strength Instructor
Known For: being heard before being seen, short, spunky, tattoos
Favourite Moves: squats, right row
Amanda didn’t grow up playing sports, but did grow up with a love for being active. Whether it was riding a bike, walking with her mom, rollerblading, or swimming, which she ended up becoming a Lifeguard and Swim Instructor for. This developed her passion of helping others through physical activity.
Throughout her three pregnancies, she was a consistent gym goer. After her youngest was born, she started to run (because it was faster than walking and she didn’t have a lot of time). This running turned into seventeen half marathons and two full marathons. Running allowed her time to think and move, as standing still is hard for her.
Amanda earned certifications with M.F.C. as a Fitness Instructor, Aquasize Instructor, and Personal Trainer. Her favourite thing was the connection and transformations of her clients. She worked full-time in fitness up until 2020. At that time, life took over, and she took a break from training. She focused on her mental health, supporting her kids’ dreams (which led to many hours in Winnipeg on a football field) and working full-time.
She is now happily living in Winkler with her boyfriend, Andrew and their mini Dachshund, Beans. Her three children are off pursuing their own passions now in post-secondary education, while she is managing at Appelt’s Diamonds in Morden. Amanda is finding her passion once again in the fitness world and is very excited to share that love F the Aura Studio.
SarahJoy Derksen: In-House Massage Therapist
Known For: Fixing physical ailments that her massage clients love and hate, including the Winkler Flyers Junior Hockey Team.
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.
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.