Melissa Diaz

Melissa always had a passion for dancing and was drawn to Nia over a decade ago. Soon after discovering Nia, Melissa was in a car accident which led to chiropractic treatment and physical therapy. During this time, she continued Nia and realized the holistic healing it could bring. Melissa was determined to learn more, taking her White Belt in 2015 and continuing her education, graduating with a BS in Kinesiology. Melissa’s desire is to share the holistic benefits that movement and music can bring. 

Facebook: @ Move with Melissa Diaz 
Instagram: @movewithmelissadiaz

Sarah Nickerson

Sarah Nickerson is a movement alchemist that has been inspiring humans to listen to their body sensations through movement for over a decade. 

She began as an Ashtanga Yoga devotee and then discovered Nia, a movement art practice that combines the martial arts, healing arts, and dance arts and is rooted in moving from sensation. She progressed to become a second-degree Nia Black Belt Instructor and Nia Technique Trainer. 

In addition to her time with Nia, Sarah also holds an Embodied Social Justice certificate from The Embody Lab and is certified in Steel Mace Vinyasa. Using her many years and experience in somatic guiding, Sarah is now creating her own movement offering and her mission is to help humans feel empowered, seen, and fully alive as they are.

Christy Cantrell

Christy Cantrell lives in Ventura where she was born.  She’s been guiding movement since the ‘80’s when she taught sailing and windsurfing and Christy lead seated exercise in care homes for the aging.

In 2005 she was introduced to functional fusion fitness and began sharing mindful movement in 2016. It’s important to Christy because it has helped her to be more comfortable with/in her body and to pursue the sensations of conditioning. 

Vanessa Lowe

Vanessa Lowe joins us from Rio Vista, California. She’s been guiding movement for almost 10 years. Before retirement, while working in the Information Technology field, managing stress had become quite challenging. Vanessa began to take movement classes and found that movement helped relieve the stress.  It also helped release stuck emotion, brought focus and clarity to her mind, inspired creativity and self-expression while providing many physical health benefits. Movement, guiding and sharing it with others is important because it offers holistic self-care.  And Vanessa has found sharing it in community and the many connections that have come with sharing it, have enhanced the benefits for herself and others.