Center for Yoga & the Healing Arts

TEACHER BIOS

Gaia Budhai
Gaia is the Founder of Synergy Center for Yoga and the Healing Arts. She is a Teacher Training Director and a Transformational Breath Work practitioner trained by Judith Kravitz, the developer and founder of Transformational Breath therapy. Gaia is also a Trance Dance instructor certified by the Natale Institute, the creators of Trance Dance. She has achieved proficiency in the practice and teaching of Yoga, Primal Theatre, and meditation. Gaia's effervescent personality, combined with her heartfelt warmth and conscious leadership, make spending time with her a truly joyous and healing experience.

Victoria Brunacci
Victoria Brunacci was raised in Brazil in a mountain town where since little she learned to understand and respect the laws of nature and Divinity.

She has been on the path of yoga for many years, and got certified in Argentina with Yogakai, which is part of the National Organization of Yoga teachers - AAPY, and international through http://www.wooyt.org/. She recently returned from an extended journey across India where she studied the Ashtanga system, at Sri K. Pattabhi Jois Yoga Shala, got certified as a Reiki Master level III, trained in Acupressure and Emotional Freedom therapy in Mysore, India. In Thailand she got certified on Thai Massage and Reflexology. She just completed her training in the Radiant Child Level III with Shakta Kaur Khalsa and aspires to teach children the gift of yoga.

Today, she experiments with Jivamukti and Ashtanga yoga, but she is committed to sharing her love of Bhakti yoga with her students, bringing them closer to the awareness of their supreme higher selves. She is also an animal activist vegetarian, by honoring Ahimsa, encouraging the actions of non-violence to all sentient beings.

As one of Synergy Yoga South Beach's new partnering managers, she feels an immense gratitude and blessed to take on this role in her life, as it has become an amazing opportunity to develop a sacred space where all healers, students, teachers and Gurus can come together with the community and share something that goes beyond the mat. Victoria's vision for Synergy is to provide all with an inspiring center where her community can grow through with teachings, lessons and experiences that will allow members to transcend and receive benefits throughout all aspects of their personal and spiritual lives.

Victoria is passionate about yoga and believes that the most important truth to remember is to be aware of the energy that surrounds us, always in connection with the Heart center.

Eliane Carotta
Forever a student with a thirst for knowledge, Eliane studied with Shiva Rea, Seane Corn and Mark Whitwell, her greatest inspiration. She is certified in Ashtanga Vinyasa (Reed Taylor, It’s Yoga Miami), Iyengar (Bobbi Goldin, Yoga Institute of Miami), Yogic Arts (Duncan Wong) and recently Radiant Child Yoga (Shakta Khalsa).
Her classes have a strong influence from her healing experiences with indians in Brazil (her home country), as well healing studies in Aromatherapy, Ayurveda, Chromotherapy, Sound therapies, Magnified Healing (Certified) and Reiki (Level II).
As an avid animal lover, she is always connected with environmental, social projects and has an incessant desire to facilitate positive change and help those around her.
Eli's classes are open to all that would like to experience a combination of flowing vinyasa asana, guided meditation, visualization and pranayama..

Mateo Lizarazo
Chakra Flow & Vinyasa-Inspired yoga teacher & RYT 200, Mateo Lizarazo currently resides in Miami Beach, teaching at venues all around the Miami area. Deeply rooted in the eastern folk & culture, his primary inspirations include teachers of the Jivamukti & Ashtanga tradition. His love & studies in music, dance & devotional chanting also influence his teachings. His classes are celebration of life, kindness and self-acceptance.

Arianne
Arianne strives to change people’s lives in a positive manner through the practice of yoga. Sharing her years of practice & knowledge allows her to influence the community & be an ambassador for healthy living all around the world. Yoga affects us in everything we do, with the main principle of ahimsa, non-violence as the focus of her teachings.
With 2 teacher trainings both in Hatha Vinyasa Yoga with Wayne Krassner & AcroYoga®, international teaching, and Advanced Thai Massage training, Arianne is always searching for new modalities to infuse into her classes. As a henna artist and graphic designer, she weaves art and playfulness in her teaching, calling for all to smile and enjoy their breath.

Maria Elena
Maria Elena has practicing yoga for 8 years mastering different stiles until she found her one with power yoga and vinyasa flow.She started studying Asthanga in Italy with the master Lino Miele for several years then she improved her skills taking classes and workshops with Daren Fraisen and Jim Bennit at Moskha yoga centre of Chicago and with Jody Blumstein at Yoga Works studio of Los Angeles. She has been certified yoga teacher by Miami Yogashala in 2008.
Maria Elena sees the practice as a highly transformative experience; yoga has served as a bridge between her mind and body and has become both a life style and personal journey. Yoga has brought her to listen to her intuition and to trust in the Universe's loving grace.

Cristiane (Cris)
Cristiane Ramos Silva has an extensive background in classical ballet, jazz, contemporary modern (Lester Horton technique), modern-afro (mix Brazilian culture- samba and capoeira) and musical theatre dance studies with the finest teachers of her native country, Brazil.. Ms. Silva has also toured internationally as a lead dancer throughout Japan, Korea, USA in the very popular " Brazilian Follies Tour " and "Brazilian Show". Currently, Cristiane resides in South Florida where she continues to perform professionally with the Brazarte Dance Company as well as teaching classes to children and adults in ballet, jazz and modern. Prana Yoga teacher training taught her balance of spiritual activism and physical action.

Ana
Originally from Monterrey, Mexico, Ana took her first yoga class around age 14, same age she began to work with special needs children. Her working with them made her realize the importance and beauty in helping others achieve a better life. She then started to pursue a career in alternative medicine and her research lead her to Chinese Medicine.
She left Mexico to start school and at the same time yoga reappeared in her life. She found yoga as an excellent medicine for different physical and mental ailments, for her patients and herself. Ever since, she became a student of Sri K. Pattabhi Jois method of Ashtanga yoga and her teaching has developed from studies with, Sharath Rangaswami, Lino Miele, Tim Miller, David Keil, Greg Nardi, Tim Feldmann, among others.
As an Acupuncture Physician, she holds a Bachelors Degree in Health Science and a Masters Degree in Oriental Medicine. She has completed 2 yoga teacher training programs and is a dedicated student of the Ashtanga method.
She truly believes yoga is the answer, she keeps studying this ancient philosophy and through her teachers she teaches to others, wishing they feel to some degree what yoga means to her. Her main teachers are and will always be her special needs kids from Mexico.

BB
BB Shabdpreet Kaur is a Certified Kundalini Teacher register with KRI 200 hours. She completed her teacher training with Deva Kaur Khalsa in South Florida. Shabdpreet is also a Certified Radiant Child Yoga Facilitator Trainer for Level 1 & 2 RCYP. She completed her specialty in children’s yoga with Shakta Kaur Khalsa. In addition, has participated in the YogaKids workshop founded by Marsha Wenig. Her passion for yoga serves as her inspiration to teach others the powerful technology of Kundalini Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan. Yoga has been such a blessing in her life and a relief that her love is to share Yoga with adults but also with children.
“Yoga sprouting” a program developed by Shabdpreet to spread awareness and consciousness “Sprouting the Seed to Enlightment”. The program empowers adults and children with yoga, teaching the gift of breath and connecting with their body, mind and spirit. As Yogi Bhajan says “There is a way through every block, happiness is your birthright “Sat Nam (The Truth Is Your Identity).

Laura
Laura Jill Steinig first discovered Yoga in 1998, and became dedicated to her practice in 2002. She has studied many styles of Yoga, including Iyengar, Traditional Hatha, Vinyasa, Anusara, Skanda, and Jivamukti, and she earned her 250-hour teacher certification in 2005. Laura earned her prenatal certification with Janice Clarfield in 2006, and she is passionate about using a combination of asana, pranayama, and meditation to help pregnant women feel well and healthy—body, mind, and spirit—during their pregnancy and as they prepare for labor and delivery. Laura is both invigorated and calmed by her work with her Prenatal Yoga clients, and she is in love with the strength and beauty of their energy.

Olga
Was born and raised in Kazakhstan middle Asia, she's been a Dancer and Performance artist and costume designer since early age.
While finishing her studies in Kazakhstan she directed 2 different dance companies and started her own Dance academy. In 2001 to 2004 Olga was presented a wonderful opportunity to fulfill a long term performance contract in the Kingdom of Thailand .
After arriving in the United States in 2005 she had the pleasure of performing as a dancer (salsa,samba,jazz) with a renown comedian on his international comedy show tour through Mexico and the United States.
During Olga's residency in the U.S. she has performed in New York , Las vegas , Bahamas islands, Philadelphia and Miami with many amazing Dance troupes, Production companies and Circuses.
Presently she's a member of The Bozenka Dance Troop as well as a Dance Teacher in different locations of Miami.

Juliana
I was born and raised in Brazil, and started practicing Yoga in Miami during my recovery from a knee surgery in 2005. I soon met my Guru, Sri Dharma Mittra, which had a huge impact on my life and opened my eyes to a much deeper meaning of the Yoga practice. Three years ago I decided to become a Yoga instructor so that I could share the teachings of my Guru and help my students to develop their practice, both physically and spiritually. Om Shanti.

Michelle Wong
Michelle is currently a registered yoga teacher with Yoga Alliance (RYT 200) having earned her teaching certificate from master instructor, Ruslan Kleytman at the Anahata Yoga Studio in Miami Beach, Florida. Her journey to yoga began about 3 years ago when she first discovered power yoga at the Equinox gym of Great Neck, New York. It was here that she discovered how strong the mind-body connection truly is. Most importantly she learned that the possibilities (both on and off the mat) are endless, and that the limits in life can only be set so far as to where we ourselves place them.

Yogic Arts is a fun and dynamic class playfully integrating the fluidity and purification of Ashtanga Vinyasa with the healing martial arts elements of Buddhist Gung Fu. Michelle, who trains for marathons, brings an athletic warrior spirit to her classes, so come prepared for a moving meditation and get ready to sweat! All levels welcome. It's time to awaken your inner warrior!

"Ease the mind and the body will follow."

Benjamin
Benjamin has been teaching since 2003 and has 200 and 500 hour certification from the Dharma Yoga Center in NY where he was an assistant to Sri Dharma Mittra and the center.

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