Meet our Teachers~
meet OUR SANDPOINT DANCE & YOGA TEACHERS
Meet Brietta Leader
Brietta offers dance in its many forms of healing, prayer, play and conditioning. She grew up as a dancer and discovered her passion as a healing artist in 2000, while traveling in Asia. Brietta is the founder of WildCore™ Movement, the Director of Gypsy Diva's Dance Troupe, author or 'Wildcore: 12 Keys to Unlock Your Untamed Expression' and a Massage Therapist. Brietta is based out of her studio Embody and loves to get Sandpoint dancing.
Meet Denise
Denise Faicco Alemañy
One of my greatest passions is guiding people back into their bodies through dance. My movement practice is rooted in Afro-Cuban & Afro-Brazilian traditions, where rhythm, ancestry & expression are inseparable. These forms carry history, spirit & a deep connection to the earth, inviting dancers to move with intention, power & presence.
I began dancing at the age of two & spent my adolescence performing in NYC. It was later on that I felt called toward greater depth, lineage & truly embodied study (outside of my more traditional study of ballet, pointe, tap, jazz). That calling led me to train in Havana, Cuba & in Brasil, studying Cuban social & folkloric forms, Técnica Silvestre, Orixá-based movement & contemporary dance.
Learning continues to be guided by my masters to this day.
Since 2019, I’ve been cultivating my own class style, blending Afro-Cuban & Afro-Brasilian traditions with contemporary expression. My teaching has taken me to Miami, FL, where I worked with 3+2 Cuban Dance Company, as well as to NY & Jackson Hole, WY, where I’ve taught adult classes & also adaptive classes for dancers with developmental disabilities.
I love witnessing students reconnect to themselves, build strength, confidence & experience the joy of moving together in community. My classes are welcoming, grounding & a celebration!They’re open to all levels & abilities.
Come move, sweat, feel your rhythm with us & dance your Essence in Motion!
Meet Julie Wise
One of my greatest passions – teaching Tribal Fusion Belly Dance comes from my biggest obsession, dancing it! A powerful and healing dance form, TFBD is steeped in sensual and ancient traditions and infused with modern, dynamic and creative genres. There is a freedom of feminine expression in this practice that creates an acceptance and a celebration of your body. I Love witnessing the empowerment women feel as they grow in strength, flexibility, confidence and a supportive sisterhood as we dance together.
I have been belly dancing for 13 years and teaching for about 4 years and loving it! I studied with Sabrina Fox who has toured with Belly Dance Superstars, Zoe Jakes and Beats Antique.
Come Shimmy with us!!
Titina van Hoorn
Are you are feeling stuck, confused or in emotional pain in your current life? Energy medicine is a powerful and deep way to release old stories and patterns in order to allow you to create the life you want with grace and ease. As a practitioner, I work energetically and creatively to identify what is unconsciously in the way of expressing your whole and authentic self. Hi, my name is Titina and I am a Shamanic Practitioner and trained Life Coach. I studied with Berta Kuhnel, a former teacher from the internationally known Four Winds Light Body School. I am also a mother of two, dancer, former language teacher (I speak 4 languages), artist and professional jeweler, and graduated from Middlesex University in London, England with a degree in Jewelry Design.
For more information about my work, go to www.titinavanhoorn.com or my Facebook page: Unshakeable Soul Clarity
Testimonials:" With her guidance I was able to break through some energetic blocks that had been hindering me for a very long time. Titina is a gifted and highly intuitive healer!" ~ Karen A.
“I felt safely held by you, almost like a rocking, soothing sensation leading me to my inner world. I felt you with me, present, every step of the way, gently and expertly guiding me. “ Dyanne K.
Elizabeth Ruff
I believe once people learn to love all the parts of themselves, we can then heal the earth.
I have long devoted my life to reminding those around me of the healing powers of love. Before I focused on yoga and bodywork, I sought to better understand and seek connection with the natural world. To that end, I earned a Bachelors of Science in Natural Resources from Colorado State University and served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Philippines.
In 2003 I completed my first Massage and Reiki course at the Gate Key Institute of Mind-Body Therapy. I also completed my first yoga teacher training at Kalani on the Big Island of Hawaii. In Hawaii, I also finished trainings in Polarity Therapy and Thai massage. In the years since I have become an RYT E-500, and completed hundreds of additional hours of trainings and mentorship. Combined with additional extensive training at the Soma Institute of Neuromuscular Integration, I love to consider the whole person through the lines of fascia and the multi-faceted Yogic approach of the persons mind, body and spirit.
Today, I focus on a practice that helps people experience long lasting relief from pain and greater joy in life. I teach online
at www.modernyogatribe.com and live at Embody Studio in Sandpoint, ID.
As much as possible, I play with my two kids and partner outside, enjoying all the mountain biking, hiking and skiing that I can in the wild spaces that I call home.
Meet KJ or Kelly Jeanne
My approach to healing is integrative and holistic, meaning I draw on an array of therapy modalities and wisdom traditions to support the unique needs of the whole person. The sacred container we create together, through mindfulness, ritual and trust, enables us to access our intuition, thus sourcing healing and change from a deep soul level. My primary orientations as a practitioner are somatic (body-based), transpersonal (spiritual), and eco (Earth-based) psychology. The diverse training I have received as a Trauma-Informed Psychotherapist and Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), as well as Dance Teacher (WildCore Movement) and Priestess (Celtic, Rose Lineage), has prepared me for many things. However, I believe it is my own healing journey, my commitment to dying and being reborn again and again, that truly qualifies me to walk this spiritual path with others. Embody has been an important part of my personal wellness journey, providing a safe, sacred container to return to wholeness. I am honored to give back to this community through teaching WildCore classes, holding space for groups, and offering counseling sessions to individuals, couples and families, out of our beloved therapeutic space. For more information about my work visit: www.healyourselfcounseling.com