Your Retreat Facilitators bring decades of experience in the dance and healing arts. They are inspired to help you rejuvenate your spirit and connect with peace, love and joy.

 

Marie McKay

Marie is a Minneapolis based Black Belt Certified Nia instructor. In 1999 she stepped into a Nia class while living in Boulder, CO and knew in an instant she had found the missing piece to her purpose. Nia magically shifted her mindset from the perspective that exercise needed to “hurt” to be effective to the feeling of pure joy through movement.

Marie is a dynamic, seasoned instructor who shares her love for holistic fitness through classes, workshops and retreats to help people connect to joy, awareness and ease in their body through movement, breath, and stillness. Her unique gift is creating emotional connections and experiences that transform and inspire.

 

Rachel Soffer

Rachel  is an enthusiastic health and fitness leader who loves inspiring people to enjoy exercising body, mind and spirit.

Rachel has over 25 years of experience teaching mindful dance fitness and yoga-inspired classes in numerous Twin Cities locations including The Marsh, LifeTime Fitness, YWCA-Uptown, Saint Catherine University, and a variety of retreat centers.

Rachel’s classes are infused with a rich variety of music and moves from around the world that uplifts body, mind and spirit. She is passionate about sharing the joy and healing power of dance and exercise to support health and wellness.

 

Jody Polson

Jody is a classically trained Pilates teacher who brings a holistic approach to her practice. Currently she is guiding her classes online, and by appointment, in her in home studio located in Lakeville, MN. When you take a class with Jody you can expect her to intuitively create a grounding and energizing movement experience.

Jody has built a loyal following as her students love her warm-spirit and natural ability to connect with them in the present moment. For over 15 years, Jody has been facilitating various mindfulness and movement modalities in addition to Pilates, including goddess dance and the Nia technique.

Dawn Brunn MEd.

Dawn is an Education Consultant for Optum Women’s Health in Eden Prairie, MN.  In 2009, Dawn attended her first Nia class, with Marie McKay. Marie’s Nia invitation to “move your body’s way,” was Dawn’s first introduction to healing through movement. Though she had been teaching Group Fitness classes, like Jazzercise and Step Aerobics, since 1996 this newfound “moving with intention” was improving her life personally and professionally. She wanted to bring this gift out to the world, and in 2011 she began her quest to learn how to lead mindful movement classes.  From there, she pursued her certifications in Nia White Belt and Chakra Healing and Chakra Dance.

Her favorite quote is “dancing, singing, storytelling, and silence are the four universal healing salves” by Gabrielle Roth