BURST
Get ready to ride: Peloton has named a B.C. woman its first Canadian instructor.
Greta Dopp, who was born in Thailand, raised in Ontario and has called Squamish her home for the last five years, was announced Friday as the latest addition to Peloton’s crew of instructors.
Dopp will lead her first class on the Peloton platform on Dec. 6 but before then, she chatted with Postmedia about sliding into DMs, representing Canada, how Squamish “changed everything” for her.
Read on for more about Peloton’s first-ever Canadian instructor, Greta Dopp.
How did the role with Peloton come about?
Actually, like any good modern love story, Peloton slid into my DMs. Thankfully, I check my message requests often. They reached out saying they were looking to grow their incredible team of instructors and asked if I had time for a call.
Later in the process, I learned they had found me through my signature class in Vancouver, which blends yoga asana and philosophy, Pilates, functional strength, and music-driven sequencing. That’s the style I’m bringing to the Peloton platform, called Sculpt Flow, and I’m so excited to share it with a bigger community.
What does it mean to you to be the first Canadian instructor?
It means more than I can even say honestly. The support from Canadians who’ve been moving with Peloton for years has already been overwhelming in the best way. It feels really special to represent from the mat.
Canada is this beautiful mix of cultures and backgrounds, and as someone who’s half Thai and half Canadian, I feel very proud to hopefully reflect that. Being able to hold space for the Canadian crew and bring a bit of that spirit to Peloton means everything to me.
What role does fitness play in your life?
Movement has always been my anchor. I’ve dealt with my share of mental-health ups and downs, and being able to physically move energy through my body has been a huge part of how I cope, reset, and reconnect to myself.
Living in B.C. has really amplified that. My life is built around being strong enough and stable enough to do the things I love — climbing mountains, snowboarding with friends, exploring outside, and even just walking my dog. Fitness is both how I stay grounded and how I stay joyful.
How has living in Squamish impacted your fitness?
Squamish changed everything for me. Previously I was an Ontario girly — and don’t get me wrong, I love Ontario too, but being surrounded by mountains, trails, and water turns movement into a lifestyle instead of a “workout.” You can’t help but want to be outside.
Living in Squamish pushed me to train for function. Strength for hiking steep trails, stability for snowboarding, endurance for long days out in nature. It makes fitness feel less like checking a box and more like preparing my body to fully participate in the place I live.
Favourite outdoor spots in or around Vancouver and Whistler?
Tough question. So many, but for sure Whistler Blackcomb — it’s iconic, obviously. Snowboarding is my happy place, even though it’s definitely a pricier sport, which is why I came to it later in life. So acknowledging that, here are some alternative and totally free outdoor options I love:
The Grouse Grind: An absolute burner, but so rewarding, and taking the gondola down is a lifesaver because the descent is always the worst part for me. My knees are a bit moody from a high school basketball injury.
Murrin Lake Lookout Trail (in Squamish): Steep but quick and the view over Howe Sound is gorgeous. On hot days I’ll hike in a swimsuit and jump straight into the lake after. It’s usually a pretty solid temp and what’s better than a sweaty swim?
On the days that I’m feeling a little more chill, but still want to get outside and enjoy the beautiful old growth, then Alice Lake for mellow walks and swims.