Madrona MindBody Teachers & Faculty
Madrona MindBody has a staff of well-trained and gifted teachers and practitioners, they are all dedicated to helping you create health and well-being for today as well as for the future.
Allison Dey - Co-Founder of Madrona MindBody Institute
Teaching: Nia, Nia-Advanced Series, Nia 5 Stages of Development
Allison Dey loves to explore life in a body; physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. She holds a BA in Social Sciences, after 20 years experience in teaching, training and social work, she is currently doing her life's work teaching Nia and founded Nia Port Townsend in January 2005. Allison is a Nia Black Belt Instructor. Allison has studied Nia, Gabrielle Roth's 5 Rhythms, Soul Motion dance and other movement, meditation, healing arts, and body work modalities over the last 15 years. Allison has 2 boys age 6 and 8. She loves to facilitate transformation in student's bodies using awareness, play, love and joy! She believes, "you were given this body, PLAY IT!"
Aletia A. Alvarez - Co-Founder of Madrona MindBody Institute
Teaching: Soul Motion, SoulFull Sundays, and Soul Motion Series
Aletia is a cultivator of connection and brings a diverse and varied background to her Soul Motion practice. As a Certified Soul Motion Teacher, years as an organizational consultant and non-profit leader, her spark for creative movement has catalyzed dynamic personal and professional changes—allowing for the emergence of SoulFull Dance. SoulFull Dance provides a transformative "foot" bridge between interior life and the conscious understanding of self and relationship to community. Aletia works with groups and individuals that see themselves as cultural creatives... those individuals, innovative businesses, artists, activists, healers, and seekers that understand that it is time to forge new pathways, find the courage to align, and listen to "the call" or "knowing." EmBODYment of this unique landscape and vital information sustains those in transforming their daily and community lives. Thanking Vinn Marti', Zuza Engler, Selah Martha, Judith Alexander, Michael Molin-Skelton, Allison Dey, and the Madrona Dancing Community as her most recent mentors and teachers.
Ann Christiansen - Nia - Sacred Athlete
Ann, born in Sweden, now lives and works in Hamburg Germany. With a 10 year career as a physical therapist/kinesiologist, Ann's history includes representing Sweden in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics as a long distance swimmer, and placing as swimming Masters World Champion in 1998. Ann discovered Nia in 1997 and has never stopped dancing since. She was the first Nia Teacher in Germany and continues to teach and spread the Joy of Nia throughout Europe. In addition to teaching and training Nia students, she has worked with stress management, chakra balancing and sound therapy. Ann is currently a Trainer for White Belt and Blue Belt. She is the first selected "Nia Teacher of The Year" in 2008.
David Conklin - Nia & Nia 5 Stages of Development
David took his first Nia class with Allison over four years ago, and within days, knew that it was going to change his life. Within months, he knew that he wanted to teach, so in April 2007, he did his White Belt training in Portland. In August 2008, he became certified to teach Nia's Five Stages of Self Healing. In April of 2009, he completed his Green Belt training in Nia, his Blue Belt in September 2009, and his Brown Belt in October 2010. A forteen-year resident of Port Townsend, David is a professional photographer by trade, and it has been a blessing to find another activity that ignites his passion as much as photography has over the years.
Judith-Kate Friedman - Sound+Body
Judith-Kate is an award-winning singer, performing songwriter and music catalyst. She teaches and performs internationally. Her sound/movement approach draws upon studies with dancer Anna Halprin, jazz improvisational storyteller Rhiannon, and sound healer Vickie Dodd and in world vocal music at Oberlin Conservatory and 5 Rhythms and Soul Motion dance practice. Performing (music, theater, poetry, radio, film) and coaching musicians for three decades, Judith-Kate is dedicated to bringing out the musical, creative voice in all people. As founder and director of the non-profit Songwriting Works™Educational Foundation she has received honors including a National Endowment for the Arts grant and the Sadler/Society for the Arts in Healthcare International Healing Arts Award.
www.judithkate.com and www.songwritingworks.org
Ashera Serfaty - Yoga
Ashera is a creative, spirited teacher and healer integrating Yoga, Ayurveda, Dance, Energy Medicine and Shamanic Healing. She blends the insights of yoga with mindfulness and subtle energy practices and draws wisdom from 18 years of study and experience leading classes and retreats. Some of her Yoga and Ayurveda teachers include Aadil Palkhivala, The Ayurvedic Institute, and Sarah Powers. Ashera has also trained with Alberto Villoldo of the Healing the Light Body School, and was initiated as a healer by the indigenous “wisdom keeper” shamans in Peru. She passionately honors student’s individual needs, and believes it is in connecting to our deep soul energy that our original true nature return to us.
Vinn Martí - Soul Motion
An award-winning performer, choreographer, and Designer of Soul Motion™. Vinn has been assisting individuals to realize their potential in creative movement and dance since 1976 when he established the innovative moving arts studio—Body Moves. Vinn now leads workshops and seminars internationally teaching Soul Motion™, his design for experiencing movement as meditation. He is also a chaplain at the Living Enrichment Center and a certified prayer practitioner in New Thought Ministries.
www.soulmotion.com
Martin Mellish - Tai Chi
I fell in love with Tai Chi the moment I first saw it, and have been practicing it half my life. I have studied with many of the most famous teachers in the world, contribute regularly to ‘Tai Chi’ magazine, and have won several Tai Chi championships both in the U.S. and in Canada. I taught both Karate and Yoga for many years, and for several years was personal bodyguard to one of India’s most famous and controversial gurus. I am fluent in Chinese and have translated for several famous Chinese Tai Chi masters on their visits to the U.S. My book, ‘Tai Chi Imagery’, is being published this fall by JKP/Singing Dragon Publications. I am just back from my fourth trip to China.
Ingrid Musson - Awareness Through Movement®
Ingrid Musson, PT, GCFP, LMP, has been teaching group classes for 29 years and weekly Awareness Through Movement® Feldenkrais classes locally for the last 9 years. She graduated from a professional Feldenkrais® training over 12 years ago. She is a physical therapist, licensed massage and Feldenkrais practitioner, and certified fitness trainer, with 29 years of work experience in the healthcare industry. She has a private practice in Port Townsend.
"Trust yourself to work out what is right for you." Moshe Feldenkrais
Benjy and Heather Wertheimer - Kirtan
Benjy and Heather lead kirtan (sacred chanting) worldwide as the duo Shantala, with soul-stirring vocals, sacred lyrics and exotic instrumentation. The weaving of Benjy’s Indian classical singing and instrumentation with Heather’s soaring vocals is freshly original and profoundly moving. Together they create music with beauty, passion, and reverence. Kirtan is a celebration of spirit through the chanting of sacred names, carrying the audience into a state of heightened awareness, bliss, and devotion. The audience is invited to participate fully through call-and-response chanting, dance, and meditation.
Michelle Hensel - Nia
Michelle Hensel is a certified Blue Belt Nia Instructor with a lifetime of theater and dance experience. Coming from a movement background of ballet, jazz, and modern dance she was thrilled to discover Nia, which allowed her to dance her heart out, feel great, and be able to get up and dance again. Staying safe, bringing awareness to her body, and embracing the here and now are a few of the many gifts Nia has brought her. Being a theater and improvisational artist, Michelle may invite you to shout, laugh, be a trombone, or shiver like a bowl of jelly. Come join her in love and laughter and Nia!
Zorina Wolf - TaKeTiNa, Whole Person Drumming
Zorina has been playing the drum for more than 20 years and teaching introductory classes in the Bay Area the NW in drum music for the last 17. She began drumming when she met and became the student of with her longtime mentor, the late Nigerian master drummer, Baba Olatunji. Zorina studied with Baba for 15 years. In 1996, Zorina met Reinhard Flatischler, the developer of the TaKeTiNa process. She saw the potential to take her rhythm training deeper. Zorina completed her three-year basic level TaKeTiNa training under Reinhard Flatischler in 2001 and in 2003, she completed her advanced level exam. She has also completed four other "post-certificate" trainings in TaKeTiNa.
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Aimée Kelley - Sound+Body
Aimee gets great joy sharing her lifelong explorations in movement, sound and healing. She has been a practicing bodyworker for over 17 years, an actress (award winning!), singer and dancer since birth. Also trained as a mediator, Dynamic Facilitator and Intrinisic Coach, Aimée is most interested in how we cultivate the full expression of our essence - learning to trust and bring our authentic insight and wisdom to all aspects of our lives with creative juice and contagious joy!
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Kristina Mayer - Soul Motion
Kristina's love for Soul Motion began at Esalen in 2007. Since, she has danced with reverence for the practice frequently at Madrona, Esalen, Sky Studio in Berkeley and with Spiritweaves in L.A. She is currently an apprentice in the 2010/11 Soul Motion Leadership program with Vinn Marti and Zuza Engler. Kristina is a seasoned world traveler with a passion for photography. She has traveled the world combining adventure and cultural learning with her professional practices in philanthropy and education. Close to home, she directs the Jefferson County Community Foundation and is a gubernatorial appointee to the State Board of Education.
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Annon Cala - Let it Flow
In the past five decades Annon has explored in depth several traditional and non-traditional paths to deepen awareness of Divine Presence, and has as much as possible shared the fruits of that exploration—deep peace, inner knowing, and joy—in professional work as a massage therapist and hospice caregiver. In the last few years she has renewed a long-lost love of dance as a vehicle for Spirit. Besides teaching her class, Annon gives Divine Openings in one-on-one coaching or massage sessions. She assists at Divine Opening retreats led by spiritual teacher Lola Jones. She continues to explore expanded consciousness, opening of the heart, and creating reality.
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Renee Klein-Yoga
Renee invites you to explore the magnificent world of yoga, where bodies, minds, hearts and spirits can be healed and enriched. Yoga has changed her life, and she feels honored to share the practice with you. Her initial training was in the therapeutic Viniyoga lineage with Anne Basco. Additional studies have included numerous workshops with notable yogis such as Gary Kraftsow, Angela Farmer, Richard Miller, and Mikunda Stiles. Subsequently she earned her Yoga Therapist credentials (RYT 500) through Ananda Seva Mission. In Port Townsend she studies with Terry Wagner and others. She is indebted to all these yogis, but mostly she is indebted to her students. Namaste._____________________________________________________
Guest Teachers
Nala Walla - Contact Improvisation
Nala has been working on integration of mind, body and earth for most of her lifetime. She studied dance, theater and ecology at Dartmouth College, The University of Washington, and continuing somatic/bodybased education programs such as Bodyresearch and Moving On Center. Nala has performed with with several dancetheater companies, including Seattle's BQDanza, and currently co-directs The Bcollective. Major influences in Nala's work include breath and release techniques, improvisation practice and physical theater, as well as the disciplines of permaculture, deep ecology and ecopsychology. Currently, Nala is pursuing a graduate degree which merges mindbody practices with the developing field of sustainability education.
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Heather Duffy - Yoga
Heather Duffy was first introduced to yoga in 1986 and began teaching yoga in 1990. She has had the privilege of studying at the Iyengar Yoga Institute in India as well as Anusara Yoga with Denise Benitz and John Friend. Heather's approach to teaching the art of yoga is to find a balance between strength, flexibility, effort, and surrender. She strongly believes that yoga is a way to connect deeply with oneself and the universal life force - and to integrate body, mind and spirit in a loving and nurturing way.
Amy Priest- Ecstatic Dance
Amy Lynn Priest has enjoyed and practiced ecstatic dance since 1995. She has her Bachelor's degree in Dance, has toured as a professional dance performer, and is currently working on her Master of Fine Arts degree in dance and spirituality. She brings grounded experience with Contact Improvisation, Skinner Releasing Technique, DanceMeditation, and Continuum Movement to her ecstatic dance facilitation and is thrilled to hold space for cultivating authentic expression, divine connection, loving community, and juicy embodiment!