I’m excited and honored to join the Yoga in Del Ray community. In 2014, I finished my 200-hour teacher training with Tranquil Space and have been teaching at various studios and groups in the area ever since, including Ease in Del Ray, YogaWorks in Old Town, Yoga with Friends, City of Alexandria rec, and Tranquil Space in Arlington. I teach traditional vinyasa flow offering hands-on assists. In my class, I hope you listen to your body and feel safe and free to express yourself. I’m grateful for this community and I look forward to practicing with you.

Elena Velasco found yoga through her work as a theatre and movement artist. For over 25 years she has worked in the performing arts industry as a director, choreographer, performer, and professor in the DMV and Greater Boston regions. Through such companies as Synetic Theatre and Convergence Theatre, she found that the fullest creative expression and connection was the result of the synthesis of the mind-body-consciousness. Yoga has helped her craft choreography that is more sustainable and gives performers greater agency over their bodies. Yoga informs her work in all disciplines, whether leading a vinyasa class at Bowie State University where she is an associate professor of theatre and movement, or establishing a healthy, mindful rehearsal process for movement-based performance. She completed her 200-hour teacher certification at Rising Sol Yoga School and is a member of Yoga Alliance. She believes yoga and the arts must be accessible and is passionate about holding space for a range of students from diverse backgrounds, cultures, genders, and lived experiences. Along with her active professional life, she enjoys biking, hiking, and meditating, and is the proud mother of seven children, all who have various paths and passions.

Elena Velasco found yoga through her work as a theatre and movement artist. For over 25 years she has worked in the performing arts industry as a director, choreographer, performer, and professor in the DMV and Greater Boston regions. Through such companies as Synetic Theatre and Convergence Theatre, she found that the fullest creative expression and connection was the result of the synthesis of the mind-body-consciousness. Yoga has helped her craft choreography that is more sustainable and gives performers greater agency over their bodies. Yoga informs her work in all disciplines, whether leading a vinyasa class at Bowie State University where she is an associate professor of theatre and movement, or establishing a healthy, mindful rehearsal process for movement-based performance. She completed her 200-hour teacher certification at Rising Sol Yoga School and is a member of Yoga Alliance. She believes yoga and the arts must be accessible and is passionate about holding space for a range of students from diverse backgrounds, cultures, genders, and lived experiences. Along with her active professional life, she enjoys biking, hiking, and meditating, and is the proud mother of seven children, all who have various paths and passions.

Elena Velasco found yoga through her work as a theatre and movement artist. For over 25 years she has worked in the performing arts industry as a director, choreographer, performer, and professor in the DMV and Greater Boston regions. Through such companies as Synetic Theatre and Convergence Theatre, she found that the fullest creative expression and connection was the result of the synthesis of the mind-body-consciousness. Yoga has helped her craft choreography that is more sustainable and gives performers greater agency over their bodies. Yoga informs her work in all disciplines, whether leading a vinyasa class at Bowie State University where she is an associate professor of theatre and movement, or establishing a healthy, mindful rehearsal process for movement-based performance. She completed her 200-hour teacher certification at Rising Sol Yoga School and is a member of Yoga Alliance. She believes yoga and the arts must be accessible and is passionate about holding space for a range of students from diverse backgrounds, cultures, genders, and lived experiences. Along with her active professional life, she enjoys biking, hiking, and meditating, and is the proud mother of seven children, all who have various paths and passions.

Elena Velasco found yoga through her work as a theatre and movement artist. For over 25 years she has worked in the performing arts industry as a director, choreographer, performer, and professor in the DMV and Greater Boston regions. Through such companies as Synetic Theatre and Convergence Theatre, she found that the fullest creative expression and connection was the result of the synthesis of the mind-body-consciousness. Yoga has helped her craft choreography that is more sustainable and gives performers greater agency over their bodies. Yoga informs her work in all disciplines, whether leading a vinyasa class at Bowie State University where she is an associate professor of theatre and movement, or establishing a healthy, mindful rehearsal process for movement-based performance. She completed her 200-hour teacher certification at Rising Sol Yoga School and is a member of Yoga Alliance. She believes yoga and the arts must be accessible and is passionate about holding space for a range of students from diverse backgrounds, cultures, genders, and lived experiences. Along with her active professional life, she enjoys biking, hiking, and meditating, and is the proud mother of seven children, all who have various paths and passions.

Melanie has been teaching yoga since 2015 after completing her 200-hour YTT through Evolve Yoga & Wellness / Nosara Yoga Institute. She completed Matt Pilates training through Balanced Body and is certified in Reiki level II. Her classes are fluent and feel good. They consistently move using dynamic movements and incorporating some Pilates and qigong. They are accessible for anyone as she offers modifications and detailed ques for structural alignment. In her free time, she is pursuing a degree in psychology, enjoys dancing, hiking, painting, spending time with others and her pup.

Melanie has been teaching yoga since 2015 after completing her 200-hour YTT through Evolve Yoga & Wellness / Nosara Yoga Institute. She completed Matt Pilates training through Balanced Body and is certified in Reiki level II. Her classes are fluent and feel good. They consistently move using dynamic movements and incorporating some Pilates and qigong. They are accessible for anyone as she offers modifications and detailed ques for structural alignment. In her free time, she is pursuing a degree in psychology, enjoys dancing, hiking, painting, spending time with others and her pup.

Delia has been teaching yoga for 14 years and practicing yoga for 18+ years. After practicing and teaching a Vinyasa-style class for many years, her passion for gentle and restorative yoga is now her primary offering. When she experienced the physical and emotional challenges of breast cancer in 2013, she relied on her home practice, Gentle and Restorative classes, during her recovery process. YOGA became an essential part of her healing and strength recovery. Having a steady yoga practice before cancer, she was better prepared to meet her challenge head-on. She is passionate about sharing yoga as a tool to expand one's life and encourage health, wellness, and creativity one pose at a time! She creates a light-hearted environment where she encourages students to think less and feel more! Her 200hr training in 2010 included influences from the Iyengar, Ashtanga, and Viniyoga traditions. Delia is a native Alexandrian and loves practicing yoga outside, surrounded by nature, or on her Standup paddleboard any chance she gets.

Leila is passionate about mindfulness and mindful movement. She is certified with the Yoga Alliance as a 200-hour Interdisciplinary Yoga Teacher (through Evolve Yoga and Wellness, affiliated with the Nosara Institute in Costa Rica). Yoga and mindfulness practices were instrumental in her journey towards regaining balance after experiencing years of chronic stress and burnout. Leila is a firm believer in the mind-body connection and the power of somatic approaches in stress release. Leila is also a Certified Workplace Mindfulness Facilitator and holds certificates in MBSR (Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction) through Mindful Leader, as well as a Wellness Counseling certificate from e-Cornell. Her classes incorporate mindfulness, meditation, and breathwork, along with gentle mindful movement - all meant to still the fluctuations of the mind and restore balance and harmony in the body. Leila is an internal mindfulness and movement champion within her organization and has experienced first hand how mindfulness helped her promote self-regulation, decrease reactivity, and develop a strong sense of equanimity and peace.

Melanie has been teaching yoga since 2015 after completing her 200-hour YTT through Evolve Yoga & Wellness / Nosara Yoga Institute. She completed Matt Pilates training through Balanced Body and is certified in Reiki level II. Her classes are fluent and feel good. They consistently move using dynamic movements and incorporating some Pilates and qigong. They are accessible for anyone as she offers modifications and detailed ques for structural alignment. In her free time, she is pursuing a degree in psychology, enjoys dancing, hiking, painting, spending time with others and her pup.

Melanie has been teaching yoga since 2015 after completing her 200-hour YTT through Evolve Yoga & Wellness / Nosara Yoga Institute. She completed Matt Pilates training through Balanced Body and is certified in Reiki level II. Her classes are fluent and feel good. They consistently move using dynamic movements and incorporating some Pilates and qigong. They are accessible for anyone as she offers modifications and detailed ques for structural alignment. In her free time, she is pursuing a degree in psychology, enjoys dancing, hiking, painting, spending time with others and her pup.

Tess studied ballet growing up and through college, and was introduced to yoga and Pilates as part of a health and wellness transformation beginning in 2003. She has been teaching yoga and Pilates since then. Her classes focus on functional movement, body awareness, balance, alignment and breath. Tess received her Pilates training with Physical Mind, her yoga training at Tranquil Space and Barre training at Barre Body. She completed her training in biodynamic craniosacral therapy in the fall of 2023 and is currently studying Polarity therapy.

Tess studied ballet growing up and through college, and was introduced to yoga and Pilates as part of a health and wellness transformation beginning in 2003. She has been teaching yoga and Pilates since then. Her classes focus on functional movement, body awareness, balance, alignment and breath. Tess received her Pilates training with Physical Mind, her yoga training at Tranquil Space and Barre training at Barre Body. She completed her training in biodynamic craniosacral therapy in the fall of 2023 and is currently studying Polarity therapy.

Tess studied ballet growing up and through college, and was introduced to yoga and Pilates as part of a health and wellness transformation beginning in 2003. She has been teaching yoga and Pilates since then. Her classes focus on functional movement, body awareness, balance, alignment and breath. Tess received her Pilates training with Physical Mind, her yoga training at Tranquil Space and Barre training at Barre Body. She completed her training in biodynamic craniosacral therapy in the fall of 2023 and is currently studying Polarity therapy.

Tess studied ballet growing up and through college, and was introduced to yoga and Pilates as part of a health and wellness transformation beginning in 2003. She has been teaching yoga and Pilates since then. Her classes focus on functional movement, body awareness, balance, alignment and breath. Tess received her Pilates training with Physical Mind, her yoga training at Tranquil Space and Barre training at Barre Body. She completed her training in biodynamic craniosacral therapy in the fall of 2023 and is currently studying Polarity therapy.

I first discovered yoga as a high school cross country and track runner, and while I occasionally took classes through college, I viewed it as a stretching practice. As an older adult I began to explore the holistic aspects of yoga to supplement my interests in swimming, nature, and contemplative thought. My perspective of yoga continues to evolve over time as an integrated expression of body, mind, and spirit. I believe yoga should feel inclusive, and that we can all discover our own unique and joyful practice. As a teacher, I love slow flow vinyasa and restorative yoga. My inspirations arise from a broad range of traditional beliefs and emerging scientific thought. The teachings and poetry of Pema Chödrön and Thích Nhất Hạnh hold special places in my heart. In addition to my RYT-200, I attuned at the Shinpiden level (III) of the Usui Reiki Ryoho lineage of Reiki in 2014. I enjoy dipping into and playing with traditional and modern energy modalities in my yoga practice.

Leila is passionate about mindfulness and mindful movement. She is certified with the Yoga Alliance as a 200-hour Interdisciplinary Yoga Teacher (through Evolve Yoga and Wellness, affiliated with the Nosara Institute in Costa Rica). Yoga and mindfulness practices were instrumental in her journey towards regaining balance after experiencing years of chronic stress and burnout. Leila is a firm believer in the mind-body connection and the power of somatic approaches in stress release. Leila is also a Certified Workplace Mindfulness Facilitator and holds certificates in MBSR (Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction) through Mindful Leader, as well as a Wellness Counseling certificate from e-Cornell. Her classes incorporate mindfulness, meditation, and breathwork, along with gentle mindful movement - all meant to still the fluctuations of the mind and restore balance and harmony in the body. Leila is an internal mindfulness and movement champion within her organization and has experienced first hand how mindfulness helped her promote self-regulation, decrease reactivity, and develop a strong sense of equanimity and peace.