SOMATIC YOGA TEACHER, BREATHWORK FACILITATOR & AYURVEDA HEALTH COUNSELOR

Founder of the Sacred Movement Academy and former director at Stanton Street Yoga NYC, Iraimer (Ira) is a 500 E-RYT dance-movement artist, certified trauma-informed holistic coach, and a certified facilitator of Integrative Somatic Trauma Treatment using the modalities of Yoga, Ayurveda and Transformational Sacred Breathwork.

As a Latina woman-of-color raised in marginalized and oppressed communities, her greatest mission is to create safe and inclusive wellness spaces that offer equitable holistic self-integrative tools for all individuals seeking to approach their healing process in a supportive, loving and welcoming environment.

I​raimer's journey into the realm of well-being commenced with a profound understanding that genuine vitality encompasses a harmonious balance between body, mind, heart and spirit.

As a ​devoted practitioner of ​Yoga​ and Ayurveda, I​raimer has found solace and empowerment in these ancient practices, discovering the transformative power of mindfulness and embodied conscious ​living and how it nurtures inner peace and vitality.

Enthusiastic about Somatic healing, ​Iraimer emphasizes the importance of listening to the body's wisdom to unlock its innate capacity for self-healing.

SOMATIC YOGA TEACHER, PELVIC HEALTH SPECIALIST & AYURVEDA EDUCATOR

Chelsea (she/her) believes that creating a safe and sustainable yoga practice through alignment for your unique body can encourage a much deeper mind-body connection. By focusing on mobility, (rather than solely on flexibility) alongside the breath, we can become aware of what’s really going on inside-- we can gather data about and become more connected to the ‘self’ - body, mind, and spirit.

Chelsea adheres to the words by yin yoga teacher Bernie Clark, “we use the pose to get into the body, not the body to get into the pose.”

She has trained in vinyasa yoga, pre and postnatal yoga, pelvic health yoga, as well as trauma informed children’s and teen’s yoga. Understanding anatomy and how it relates to the unique individual and their practice is a passion of Chelsea’s.

She strives to guide people of all ages and stages of life in making the practice of yoga their own in a way that feels safe and supportive for them.

SOUND-MEDITATION FACILITATOR, RESTORATIVE & YIN YOGA TEACHER

Emilie is a 500-RYT and Childbirth Educator based in Brooklyn, NY and trained under The Bhakti Center in New York City. For Emilie yoga is a lifestyle and a constant practice, it's reach goes far beyond the mat. She believes in a holistic and integrative approach to wellness, healing and presence as well as a deep connection to Self and intuition. Her soul is fed by the endless gifts of Mother Nature and connecting with others. The environment she creates is warm, nurturing, supportive and inclusive.

She has a foundation in Ayurveda, Meditation, Restorative Yoga, Prenatal Yoga and Marma therapy, an Ayurvedic bodywork technique, that accesses energy centers and pressure points on the body to promote healing and vitality.

She is a Sound meditation facilitator, encouraging mindful listening while playing overtone emitting instruments that produce frequencies that stimulate brain waves, calm the nervous system and expand consciousness.

She is grateful for the teachings of yoga, its lineage, and grateful for the many teachers she has learned from on this path.

YOGA & MEDITATION TEACHER, BREATHWORK FACILITATOR

Margaryta (Rita)Aleksandrovna Andryushchenko is a Native Ukrainian immigrant living in the United States. She is 99% of Eastern European descent and is fluent in English, Ukrainian and Russian, with conversational fluency in Spanish.

She serves as a certified health and life coach, Prema Breathwork facilitator, and yoga instructor based in Alexandria, Virginia.

Her greatest mission in life is to live in alignment with Love and Truth and to support people as they do the work to heal their trauma and find their way back home to themselves through somatic exploration, shadow work, mindfulness practices, and the transformative power of alignment in community.

Graduating from The Sacred Movement Academy’s 21-day Yoga Teacher Training back in 2022, Rita is now an essential team member of of this collective, and creates a supportive trauma-informed environment that facilitates intimate mentoring, emotional processing, as well as personal and professional development.

TRAUMA-INFORMED YOGA & PRANAYAMA TEACHER

Eric Avilés (he|his) is a recently certified 200HR yoga instructor in New York City. He is a 3rd generation Puerto Rican who grew up in the vibrant Puerto Rican community of Humboldt Park in Chicago.

With a background in theater and video production, Eric is a passionate artist who has spent over twenty years using art to raise consciousness on social justice, race, and class issues, particularly within the black and brown working-class communities. Throughout his artistic journey, Eric recognized the importance of incorporating spirituality into his work. Eric embarked on the path to becoming a certified yoga instructor.

He completed the rigorous 200HR training program with The Sacred Movement Academy in 2022, deepening his knowledge of yoga. Having dedicated his life's work to communities of color, particularly the working class and poor, Eric understands the importance of addressing past traumas and empowering individuals through yoga and art. As a certified instructor, he aims to bring the benefits of yoga to these communities, providing them with the necessary skills and tools for personal growth, physical well-being, and spiritual development. As a passionate artist and dedicated yoga instructor, Eric is committed to positively impacting his own life and the lives of others through the transformative power of yoga.

TRAUMA-INFORMED YOGA TEACHER, ARTIST, AND COMMUNICATIONS PROFESSIONAL

Samantha’s yoga journey began as a personal quest to soothe her anxiety and stress which sparked a deeper exploration of her true self and a lasting commitment to personal growth. A proud second-generation Puerto Rican from the Bronx, she wears many hats: a trauma-informed yoga practitioner, an artist and a communications professional.

Her yoga practice is grounded in the nourishing and calming nature of Yin and Restorative Yoga, with a focus on nervous system regulation. Inspired by the teachers and mentors at The Sacred Movement Academy, Samantha’s mission is to help others gently reconnect with their inner peace and uncover the light that always resides within.

After receiving a scholarship to complete her 200-hour yoga teacher training at The Sacred Movement Academy in 2023, Samantha has also embraced her new role as an Apprentice diving deeper into the rich, healing traditions of yoga, Ayurveda, and Breathwork. 

Over the years, her work across marginalized communities in Peru, New Orleans, India, and Puerto Rico has reinforced her belief in the transformative power of service. These experiences continue to inspire her approach to wellness, emphasizing compassion and the importance of community.

In addition to her yoga practice, Samantha has a background in public relations, working with clients in the non-profit, tech, fashion, and higher education sectors. This experience has strengthened her skills in storytelling and connection. She also has a background in commercial modeling, which has served as a form of artistic self-expression.

AYURVEDA EDUCATOR, CHEF & MARMA THERAPIST

Born and raised in New York City, Kaleigh is an Ayurvedic Practitioner specializing in the ancient techniques of Ayurvedic Bodywork, Marma Therapy along with Abhyanga, Ayurvedic Postpartum Doula Care and Ayurvedic food preparation.

As a Marma Therapist, 200hr Yoga Certified teacher within the Bhakti Yoga Lineage, Certified Postpartum Doula Care Specialist, Kaleigh's path has been illuminated by her own experiences of resilience and transformation.

Born with Hip Dysplasia, Kaleigh intimately understands the journey of navigating physical and emotional discomfort, pain and ultimately dis-ease, undergoing multiple reconstructive hip surgeries and ultimately a hip replacement. Yet, within these challenges, she discovered the radiant potential of healing through the practices of Yoga, Ayurveda, Marma and Mother Earth. These ancient modalities became her guiding light, leading her on a profound journey of deep healing and cultivating nourishment within her mind and body.

Driven by her own experiences, Kaleigh's heart brims with a passionate desire to share these healing modalities with others, serving as a compassionate guide on their personal healing journeys. With a deep understanding and knowing of what living in dis-ease feels like whilst being blessed with the humbling experience of transmuting dis-ease she humbly extends her hand to offer support and companionship along the path to wellness and nourishment. 

LICENSED MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELOR, BREATHWORK FACILITATOR, TRAUMA-INFORMED YOGA TEACHER

Ruby is a licensed Mental Health Counselor, Breathwork facilitator and trauma-informed yoga teacher, originally from Nottingham, England, she has now lived in NYC for the past ten years. She gained her Masters in Mental Health Counseling in 2020 and from there completed her 200 hour trauma-informed YTT and Breathwork Facilitator certification under Sacred Movement Academy in 2021.

Learning from her teacher Iraimer Ruiz and the community of teachers and students at The Sacred Movement Academy changed her life. The experience opened her heart and soul to the sacred path of Bhakti yoga, for this she is eternally grateful!

Yoga has allowed Ruby to learn how to befriend her nervous system and build a toolbox that supports her through life’s ups and downs- she now feels deeply passionate about sharing what she has learned and supporting others along their journey. Ruby’s foundations lie in somatic psychology, nervous system regulation and self compassion. Her mission is to create spaces where people feel welcomed exactly as they are and feel supported in finding their own unique route to embodied safety and a connection to their inner peace.

TRAUMA-INFORMED YOGA & PRANAYAMA TEACHER

Native Puerto Rican, based in California, Wilmarí is a forward-thinking individual who cherishes envisioning the future, drawing wisdom from the past, and embracing the present moment.

She believes deeply in the transformative power of community and self-care, advocating for both personal and collective wellbeing.

With over 800 hours of education in philosophy, anatomy, breathwork, and movement, Wilmarí offers an inclusive and revitalizing yoga experience.

Her teaching style is inspired by the principles of Hatha, Vinyasa and Yin Yogha, infused with creative sequencing, harmonious soundscapes, restorative practices, and the profound power of Breath-regulation (pranayama).

Join her on a journey of exploration and rejuvenation, where each session is an invitation to deepen your connection with yourself and the world around you.