Rachel Kay Brookmire is the founder and director of Sahara Dance. Since 2000, Rachel has taught belly dance to thousands of students throughout the Washington, DC area. She is also the creator of Sahara Dance Foundations, an intensive program for training belly dance teachers.

Her teaching style emphasizes postural alignment, contextual awareness of Arabic music and culture and a celebration of femininity. Recognized for her detailed, structured teaching approach, Rachel’s classes focus on community, quality movement execution, musicality, playfulness and individual expression.

As a longtime student of meditation and mindfulness practices, she seeks to integrate relaxation, body awareness and the cultivation of joyfulness into her dance offerings. At this retreat, her classes will explore playful, heart-centered themes to develop grace and gentleness in your dance practice and deepen awareness through mindfulness and yin yoga.  Rachel has completed Yin Yoga Teacher Training with Sarah Powers and Mindful Schools Teacher Training. She is certified as a mindfulness meditation teacher through Jack Kornfield & Tara Brach’s Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program.

About Cindy Hodgson, PT, PhD

Dr. Cindy Hodgson, PT, PhD, is an internationally known expert in myofascial release, therapeutic exercise, self-care, and energy work with over 25 years’ experience. Dr. Hodgson holds a master’s degree in exercise physiology and a doctoral degree in biomechanics-exercise science and human anatomy; she is also a licensed physical therapist and certified yoga teacher. Cindy is the owner of Essential Therapies, a holistic healing center where myofascial release, physical therapy, exercise, massage, self-care training, and yoga are integrated to improve the lives of patients with chronic pain and mobility issues. Her expansive knowledge of body structure and function enables her to successfully treat a variety of disorders using a person-centered
approach. As a leader in recognizing and understanding the intricacies of the myofascial system as it relates to health and disease, Dr.Hodgson’s expertise in using hands-on myofascial release has made her a highly-sought practitioner. Her healing hands increase body movement and enhance physical fitness, but her remarkable ability to cure, teach, and inspire motivates people who are searching for care beyond
conventional medicine.

What is Myofascial Release?

Fascia is a specialized system of connective tissue within the body that is similar in appearance to a sweater or a spider web. It is densely woven and it covers and penetrates every muscle, bone, artery, nerve, and all of our internal organs and becomes the structure of every cell. It is continuous from the head to the feet. Treatment of
this system is often overlooked but can provide incredible relief, even when other techniques have not been successful. Releasing fascia can help maintain a healthy body, so we can move with ease.

Normally relaxed and wavy, fascia can become a tight, restricted source of tension in the body, in the event of trauma or injury.  With this understanding, we can begin to see that every part of the body is connected to every other part of the body, and therefore pain in one area is often the result of a restriction in another area.

Myofascial release is a hands-on technique that provides sustained pressure into myofascial restrictions throughout the body.  It is very effective at eliminating pain and restoring motion.  Movement and dance are also effective at keeping the fascia mobile throughout the body and preventing restrictions. Yin yoga and myofascial self treatment can help you release your own restrictions, creating a healthier mind, body and spirit.