OUR TEAM
FOUNDER
Annalisa Raghunandan
Annalisa is the principal organizer and retreat planner at Camp Belly Dance. Her mission is to provide each individual, irrespective of age, body type, or exposure to dance and yoga with a truly unique experience wherein creativity and transformation can be unlocked.
Maintaining over a decade of teaching dance in Costa Rica, her fusion dance classes are designed for anyone seeking dance for therapy, fitness, fun, and overall personal development. Her technical training was gained through her ritualistic personal practice and her many gifted teachers at Plaza de Anaya studio in Tempe, Arizona, USA. She holds recognition in Rachel Brice's 8 Elements TM Phase I: Initiation with Recognition. Additionally, she is trained in Iyengar Alignment Based Yoga through City University of New York and Functional Power Yoga under the Pablo Lucero School of Yoga.
MOVEMENT SPECIALIST
Ashley Mendoza’s relationship with movement stems from being a gymnast throughout the majority of her childhood. Ten years ago, she started coaching gymnastics in pursuit of finding passion in her adult life. Teaching others instantly became that passion. When she was introduced to an aerial instructor and the aerial community, she knew right away that she was meant to be in the air. Her aerial arts and fitness program ‘Ashley’s Aerialists’, has been running for over seven years now. Offering aerial classes, parties, and performances including kids and adults alike, with no previous experience required!
YOGA INSTRUCTOR
Alexandra's journey with Yoga began in 2008, after sustaining a neck and heal injury from years of competitive dance. She offers multiple styles of yoga ranging from Nidra, Yin, Vinyasa Flow, and Kundalini. Her classes encourage students to be present within their own practice providing space for healing, growth, and conscious connection to ones true divinity.
In 2013, she was trained under Kamini Desai in Yoga Nidra at the Spirit of Yoga and went on to complete her 200 Hour teaching certification at Inner Vision Yoga. In 2015, she completed her Level 1 Kundalini Yoga teacher training at Anahata Yoga in Scottsdale, Arizona under Sevak Singh and Sangeet Kaur Khalsa. Alexandra is also a trained sound healer and nutritional coach.
PROFESSIONAL SOUND HEALER
Vyola Myst is a professional violist, sound healer, recording artist, Reiki Master, and Music Priestess from Ashland Oregon currently residing in southern Costa Rica. She plays soothing viola and sings angelic healing tones, performing magical improvised Music of the Spheres that inspires and transforms. Vyola teaches and leads sound healing circles with crystal bowls, Tibetan bowls, voice, viola, percussion, and other sound healing instruments. Vyola has performed in numerous sacred music ensembles, including Kirtan bands in West coast festivals such as PranaFest and BhaktiFest.
YOGA INSTRUCTOR
After taking a yoga class in college and realizing the benefits, Justine immediately fell in love and has been an avid practitioner since 2004. Her love for yoga and meditation has continually guided her personal and professional growth, enabling her to tap into her full creative potential. Inspired to share this gift with others, she completed her 200 hour yoga teaching training in Baptiste Power Vinyasa methodology at a Baptiste affiliate Institute in NYC. She has also pursued continued education with Cyndi Lee in Om Restorative Yoga and Yoga Alliance to assist people affected by PTSD and other traumas.
Justine is a a graduate of F.I.T, and a gifted, accomplished painter with numerous sold out art shows. In 2015, she received a generous grant from Staten Island Arts which allowed her to create a piece fusing her love for art with yoga. In the piece, entitled, Connections: Art through Movement, Justine created a 6’ by 10’ painting through the medium of asana, dance, meditation, and personal expression performed at Lumen, an outdoor art festival in NYC.