When did you take your first Qoya class? I took my first Qoya class in 2013 in New York City at a friend's apartment. It was a private class, and it literally woke up my body as though it had been sleeping for years. Hmm... there's something to explore here. Later that year I attended a Qoya class lead by Rochelle in South Beach Miami and became UNLEASHED. Inside the structure of that space I was able to travel to places within my body and Soul that had begged to be felt and released for years. No amount of talking, of reading, of journaling, of therapy, of analyzing and processing could have touched what I understood, healed and accomplished in that one hour of dancing. I knew then that I was going to pursue this journey and become a Qoya Teacher. The process of becoming a Qoya Teacher is another story altogether...

What does it mean for you to teach Qoya? Teaching Qoya is a commitment to holding space for others to dive deeply into their Soul's work as it is expressed in the physical sensation of their body. Teaching Qoya means to be a sacred space holder, so that others have the freedom and space to go deep inside themselves within a safe community. Teaching Qoya means to model feeling everything, to gather communities of support as people create changes that feel good, better, honest and true as they take the practice of Qoya out of the classroom and into their own lives. Teaching Qoya means an invitation to explore and embody the Sacred Feminine, to learn to trust that feeling as your Truth, and follow it to new places of awareness and living. Teaching Qoya means to fall in love with every aspect of life and to honor that in one another. Teaching Qoya means to become a pilgrim of sorts, to seek my Truth inside of me as I walk - or dance - in a community of folks who have that in common. Teaching Qoya means to celebrate it all, own it all, and be delighted by it all. Teaching Qoya means to move in powerful ways... that always lead you to loving yourself and loving others even more deeply.

What is your favorite song to dance to right now? Just one?! There are so many!!! "Home" by Phillip Phillips; "Burn" by Ellie Goulding; "Existence" by Shylah Ray Sunshine and Mother Medicine; ""Beautiful Mess" by Jason Mraz; "I Put My Faith in You" by AwakeningSoul Ensemble; "Moroccan Taxi" by Free Planet Radio; "The Lazy Song" by Bruno Mars; "True Colors" by Phil Collins; "Make You Feel My Love" by Adele; "Best Day of My Life" by American Authors; "Suddenly I See" by KT Tunstall; "Bang Bang" by Jessie J, Ariana Grande & Nicki Minaj; "Beautiful" by India Arie

What book has inspired you on the path to embodying the feminine? "The Red Tent" by Anita Diamant; "Mama Genas School of Womanly Arts: Using the Power of Pleasure to Have Your Way With the World" by Regena Thomashauher; "Broken Open" by Elisabeth Lesser; "Red Hot and Holy" by Sera Beak; "Women Who Run With the Wolves" by Clarissa Pinkola Estes; "Sacred Seduction" by Kitty Cavalier; "Autobiography of an Orgasm" by Betsy Blankenbaker; "The Radiance Sutras" by Lorin Roche; "The Desire Map: A Guide to Creating Goals with Soul" by Danielle LaPorte; "Learning to Walk in the Dark" by Barbara Brown Taylor

What would you tell someone who is thinking of taking a Qoya class for the first time? If you are looking for a way to get out of your head and into your body, Qoya is the fastest way there... If you are looking for fun, perhaps even some laughter or the opportunity to connect with others, then what do you have to lose? If it's already a thought in your head, that is your body's wisdom telling you to GO FOR IT, follow it, and trust THAT. It (your body) has SO MUCH to show you and tell you if you will allow it the time and space to speak. You are BRILLIANT to be listening. If you are feeling awkward about exploring something new and different, that's OK too. We're all awkward and amazing, which makes this class so REAL and authentic. And the playlists are always amazing!