Co-founders of Wellness Playground, retreat organizers and leaders, Laura and Anastasia have been teaching together for about 15 years! Both certified massage therapists, Thai therapists, aerialists, performers and instructors, they share a passion for playful movement practices. They also love to travel!  Leading their first wellness festival in Lake Tahoe in 2014, they decided to take it internationally, from Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Greece, Bali, Mexico, Spain, Thailand, Fiji and now Dominican Republic this year. They have so much excitement for leading Wellness Playground Retreats and love bringing the tribe together in joyful movement in breathtaking locations. Classes: AcroYoga & Thai Massage

WERQ is the wildly addictive cardio dance fitness class based on trending pop and hip hop music. WERQ is a pre-choreographed workout with routines designed to be easy to follow and bring the fun! Classes are made up of unique playlists based on routines designed by high-caliber WERQ choreographers.  Movements are repeated in ways that students can easily master for all levels of fitness and dance background. Classes are a judgement free zone: we WERQ, Twerk, and leave it all on the dance floor!!

Shari Beard was introduced to yoga in 1996, took the leap to start teaching in Truckee,CA in 2003 and has been teaching and serving the bodies, minds and hearts of her beloved community ever since. She is a meditator, yogi, climber, skier, art dabbler and nature enthusiast. She is a mama, lover, daughter, sister, teacher and friend. Her greatest teachers have been her 17 year old daughter Tessa and her wonderful pets. And she has trained with the BEST in Ashtanga, Iyengar, Maya and Anusara Yoga. She was so blessed to assist the Wanderlust Teacher Training for 6 years. She also completed Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach's Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Training in 2022. Shari teaches to the life that is presenting itself. She loves asana for everything it does for the body and being, but it is not the main focus of what she likes to share.  She intends to nurture the connection to ones own heart. She is a lover. People come to her classes, workshops and trainings to learn how to love, be loved and remember they are love. She encourages vulnerability, imperfection, getting messy and falling apart. She strives to embrace with her students the tougher emotions such as shame, guilt, anger, grief and doubt.  She walks alongside students where they support each other in this school of life, where life is continuing to experience itself. Shari has been a friend/co-league of Laura Green for many years and is so delighted and honored to be asked to teach sunrise yoga for The Wellness Playground Community in Fiji. You can expect an all levels, heart opening and connecting time together with somatic movement, asana and meditation. We are going to have so much fun with each other!

Invite the transformative power of sound healing into your home for a deeply personal and vibrational healing experience. Whether you seek a private session to relax and align your energy or wish to share this sacred journey with friends or family, sound healing offers a profound way to connect and rejuvenate together. We bring all the instruments needed to create a rich, immersive soundscape that promotes relaxation, balance, and healing in your home. These soothing tones of crystal bowls, chimes, gongs, and other sacred instruments wash over you, creating space for harmony and renewal, all in the comfort of your chosen environment. This is more than an experience—it's a gift of healing and connection for yourself and/or your loved ones.

John is thrilled to be a part of this years wellness festival. As an energetic exercise instructor, dancer and performing artist, he is honored to bring the energy of movement and dance to our special event.

GROOVE is a dynamically interactive and creative group dance experience. With great music, your facilitator will UNITE everyone in a simple movement or rhythm but you get to DANCE it in your own UNIQUE way. While exploring a variety of styles and genres, you will experience everything from slow, delicious, meditative grooves to heart thumping and strength building cardio beats. The perfect recipe to nurture your body, mind, heart and soul.  No SHOES - No Fancy Clothes needed - No Experience Necessary - FUN for everyBODY! Sabrina is a videographer by trade as well as offers weekly DANCE classes such a GROOVE and Fusion Bellydance in the Reno/Tahoe area. She believes in the power and necessity of creative movement for every BODY. GROOVE DANCEfloor is the perfect class blending functional training, creative movement, simple combos, self expression and radical inclusion. She has been GROOVING for over 2 decades and a certified instructor for over 10 years. It’s really the best excuse for a party in your body! She loves performance art in all it’s forms but especially dance and plans to continue to share her love of the art for years to come! We can build the best community through DANCE!

Jeremy Ann Anderson is a Clinical Ayurvedic Specialist, educator, and retreat leader with over two decades of experience guiding others back into balance through nature. A faculty member for 20 years at the California College of Ayurveda and 5 years at Joyful Belly School of Ayurveda, she brings depth, clarity, and grounded wisdom to her teaching. Jeremy’s work centers on reconnecting people to their bodies and the living world around them. Through immersive retreats, seasonal rituals, and nature-based practices, she helps participants recalibrate through forests, water, sunlight, breath, and rhythm. Her nature immersion experiences blend Ayurveda, meditation, breathwork, and sacred seasonal awareness, offering a space that is both deeply restorative and quietly transformative. Jeremy creates environments where insight feels embodied, healing feels accessible, and balance feels possible.

As a competitive athlete and Freeride Snowboard Coach combined with his friendly demeanor and complete understanding for compassionate communication, he is an extremely supportive teacher. Continuously practicing his artistry as a skilled wood-worker, carpenter & handyman, botanist, mountain biker, slackliner, golfer, snowboarder, surfer, frisbee golfer, AcroYogi, and performer, he is a huge benefit to the Wellness Playground events and retreat.

Kate Leist is a community builder, yoga instructor, sacred space holder, playful spirit, and soulpreneur who helps her students come home to themselves. Since 2013 Kate has been leading her students through yoga, ritual, ceremony, and community gatherings — weaving in permission to feel, rest, and receive. Kate creates safe, grounded spaces that are both spiritual and practical. Real talk. Real tools. Real connection. When she's not teaching or holding a circle, you'll find Kate wandering through the mountains, petting all the dogs, dancing at a festival, or drawing mandalas in the sand.

I started my path of healing over 17 years ago. Since then I have dedicated my life’s purpose (dharma) to bettering myself, and assisting others in their transformational journey. I am dedicated to always learning new techniques to be of service in the best way possible. I am forever a student, and forever a teacher. The wisdom I obtain is meant to be shared, and taught so that others can be self-sufficient and grow on their own. I am merely a spark, a guide, a compass to help point you back towards your true radiance. I teach many different healing modalities including, meditation, movement therapy, therapeutic myofascial release, yin yoga, vinyasa yoga, haha yoga, body awareness counseling, rehabilitation to body imbalances, written healing practices, personalized programs based on my clients needs.

In this immersive and heart-opening workshop, participants are invited to explore the voice as a powerful tool for healing, embodying presence, self-expression and creative play with others. Through a blend of gentle vocal exercises, toning practices, conscious breathwork, and mindful movement, you’ll discover how your own voice can become a source of deep restoration and inner peace. We’ll begin by connecting to the breath—awakening the body’s natural rhythms and calming the nervous system. From there, we’ll move into simple stretching and grounding techniques to release tension and open the body as a resonant instrument. Using accessible vocal toning and guided sound practices, you’ll discover how vibration travels through your body naturally, supporting emotional release, energetic alignment, and overall well-being. Finally, a little levity with some group activity and song reminds us that music is fun and brings community together. You’ll leave class equipped with simple tools you can return to anytime to restore balance and cultivate peace from within. No singing experience is necessary—this is not about perfection or performance, this is about presence. You’ll be gently guided to explore your authentic voice in a safe, supportive space, allowing sound to move through you as a form of self-care and creative bliss.

Lynell Garfield, RYT-200, is a yogi, energy worker, mama, author and scientist. Her practice is inquisitive, humorous, and a blend of active and restful. She encourages all to stretch and find those liminal spaces of discovery, without taking life too seriously. Lynell homesteads in Reno, NV, but has studied with teachers around the world. Making a point of fresh perspectives, Lynell has just started playing the violin and loves to dance with the beginner's mind!

Scott earned his Masters in Physical Therapy from UC San Francisco. He has lived in the Truckee/North Lake Tahoe area since 1996 and in 2002 was one of the first in the Tahoe area to become an Orthopedic Certified Specialist. He has worked around the globe with professional cycling teams including T-Mobile, Team Columbia/High Road and most recently with Garmin/Barracuda. He has also worked as a performance therapist with EXOS/Athletes' Performance in LA and Arizona working the NFL combine, international soccer including Aston Villa in the English Premiere League as well as Al Arabai in Qatar. He also was one of the first PTs to work with the Chinese Olympic Teams in Beijing. He continues to perform physical and performance therapy, bike fitting and other athlete training services in Truckee, CA.

​Ann Marie moved to Truckee in 2002 to begin her full-time career as a yoga teacher and massage therapist. From working at various clinics, wellness centers and hospitals, Ann Marie learned about the impact of injuries, and was continually inspired to discover how massage techniques and yoga could help reestablish a healthy and balanced lifestyle for her clients. Ann Marie is the heart behind Namaste Holistic Healing and Yoga Center. In 2010, Namaste opened its doors. Her dream of creating an affordable and educational hub for the community has continued to grow year after year. Over time, she has brought in practitioners from various health and wellness services. The group of practitioners at Namaste cater to the local mountain community as well as visitors and create a space that is both non-intimidating and welcoming. She and the team look forward to helping you on your journey to wellness.

Polly has been working as a massage therapist for 35 years. She graduated from the Boulder School of Massage in 1991 with over 1,000 hours of training in several modalities of bodywork including Swedish Massage, Sports Massage, Deep Tissue Massage, Neuromuscular Therapy, and Reflexology. More Info at: https://www.soulwisehealingarts.com/ She has worked in the Lake Tahoe and Truckee area since 1993. Polly managed and was a therapist at Lighthouse Massage Therapy in Tahoe City for 7 years. During that time she attended the Feldenkrais Method® training through the Movement Studies Institute, and became a practitioner in 1999. Polly opened her private massage practice, Bodywise Movement and Massage in Tahoe City in 2000. She began studying Visionary Craniosacral Work® through The Milne Institute in 2003, and finished her certification in 2007. She continues to offer her time as a teacher’s assistant for the Milne Institute. Polly became a Reiki Master in 2000, participating in many years of advanced healing circles in the Lake Tahoe area. She works with Aromatherapy, using Young Living Essential Oils. Polly is a trained Doula, and is an experienced Pregnancy Massage Therapist. Polly works with Earth-Centered healing practices, including Vision Quest and Rites of Passage. She incorporates her experience and knowledge of Shamanic Healing with ritual and ceremony. She has trained as a Vision Quest guide through The School of Lost Borders and Wilderness Reflections, is an active member of the Wilderness Guides Council, and is a Wilderness First Responder. Her passion for movement lead her into the world of conscious dance. She is an Nia White Belt and has been inspired by Soul Motion and 5Rhythms. She spent several years working towards her certification as an Open Floor teacher and graduated in 2019 from the teacher's program. ​ Her vision is to facilitate consciousness and well-being within individuals, leading to a more conscious community and world.

I fell in love with HENNA in 2007 while visiting India. I purchased two boxes of henna cones & started drawing designs on people a week after I returned! Soon I became a vendor at our local street fair, festivals, private events & I also teach classes. HENNA designs often create themselves while the energies flow between 2 humans. Sometimes small and simple, other times intricate or free-flowing. Mehndi, as it is often called, is instant art that you can wear ❤️ I invite you to experience the magic & fall in love with HENNA as I have. Designs last 7-14 days depending on body location and aftercare. i mix my own henna paste & can guarantee it's quality! the 4 ingredients are: henna powder,lavender essential oil, sugar & water.

Master bodyworker and founder of Gravity Bodywork in Bridgeport, Connecticut, Kerstin has more than 25 years of hands-on experience. She specializes in Deep Bodywork™, a slow, presence-based approach rooted in the traditions of the Esalen Institute that combines precise therapeutic touch with deep nervous system regulation. Her work invites clients into a profound experience of embodiment, helping restore ease, resilience, and a felt sense of home within the body. She is currently expanding her offerings to include equine massage. Read more at kerstinsanta.com or gravitybodywork.com.

Inspired by the ocean, Vivé’s massage sessions weave together ancient wisdom, intuition, and bodywork. Specialties include Hawaiian Lomi Lomi, Esalen, Deep Bodywork and Traditional Thai Massage. Vivé loves facilitating transformative journeys, supporting others to find freedom within. She creates a sacred heart centered space, welcoming in divine healing energy to support your well being on all levels. Her flowing bodywork style encourages relaxation while also aiming to help relieve painful conditions. She is happy to discuss your needs and create a unique healing session for you.

a Reno-based DJ known for hosting "the most fun" sets and mixtapes, often blending funk, soul, and modern beats. Also known as Kicks Modern, he is active in the Nevada music scene, performing at local house parties, venues, and events. He offers energetic DJ sets, often featuring funky and modern music blends!

17 years in, DJ Heidalicious delivers a late-night sound that’s smooth, bassy, and impossible not to move to. Her mix of R&B, hip hop, world, and EDM fusion is all about letting go and losing yourself in the music.

Because the world is a Circus! Drinking with Clowns is a non-stop celebration of life, love, and culture that will get you up and dancing in no time. With a sound that blends Latin rhythms such as cumbia with funky beats, reggae vibes, and more, Drinking with Clowns will take you on a fun musical journey and keep you dancing until the last beat drops! From the infectious drum beats and groovy guitar riffs to the smooth bass lines and catchy lyrics, Drinking with Clowns is a band that knows how to have fun. Their unique blend of cumbia, samba, reggae, and other genres is a musical journey that takes you on a wild ride of emotions and energy. With both Spanish and English lyrics, their songs are a true fusion of cultures and styles that will get your heart pumping and your feet moving. Whether you’re at a club, a festival, or just hanging out with friends, Drinking with Clowns’ music is the perfect soundtrack to a good time. So come on and join the party! Let Drinking with Clowns take you on a musical journey that will make you forget all your worries and just dance. It’s time to raise a glass, let loose, and enjoy the ride!

Randy Gates is a breathwork facilitator and wellness educator. He is a professional firefighter with Truckee Meadows Fire & Rescue in Washoe County. In addition, he is a member of their peer support team and health and wellness committee. He has a master’s degree in education. Randy has a passion for teaching and emphasizes the value of proactive practices/habits to minimize stress, depression, and anxiety. He is a Truckee local and an original member of the community maker space, the Truckee Roundhouse. Randy recognizes the value of creative outlet for his personal growth and happiness. He emphasizes finding your creative outlet as a key component for thriving. Randy is a metal sculptor and a DJ. His passion for electronic music and helping individuals heal is how he came to these unique live DJ transformational breathwork journeys.

Jodi Hubbell is a holistic coach and integration guide who supports people when life feels loud, overwhelming, or strangely disconnected from the inside out. With over 20 years as a massage therapist—and a lived, hard-earned relationship with burnout—Jodi understands that stress doesn’t just live in your thoughts. It settles into your nervous system, your breath, your body, and the patterns you use to keep going long past empty. In breathwork sessions, Jodi supports the energetic and emotional layers of the experience through Reiki and intuitive presence. As the breath opens things up, her role is to help the body feel safe enough to soften, release, and integrate what’s emerging. Her work is subtle but steady—grounding the room, calming the nervous system, and supporting each person’s natural capacity to heal and regulate. Jodi’s approach blends nervous system support, intuitive coaching, breathwork, EFT tapping, flower essences, and Human Design. It’s practical, soulful, and never one-size-fits-all. Whether someone is moving through a major life transition or simply tired of holding it all together with grit and deep sighs, Jodi offers a steady, compassionate presence—a place to land, exhale, and remember who you are beneath the noise.

My name is Sam Grillo and I have been teaching yoga since 2016 and I am an advanced Breathwork Facilitator since 2022. My yoga journey began with Paula Tursi whose teachings are rooted in conscious living and deep connection to the body. Over the past decade, my approach has evolved into a fusion of movement, breath & exploration! Blending traditional vinyasa with elements that invite you to feel free to express your inner working into a physical form. Breath is at the center of my work, and I integrate breathwork to deepen the experience. I am committed to making movement and breath accessible to everybody. My classes help you feel more balanced, centered and focused, bringing you deeper in a connection with your inner self! More Info at: https://www.vinyasam.com/

Nicole Koch is a nervous system educator, Qigong teacher, and yoga instructor. She is the founder of the Power Restore® Method, a healing framework developed from her lived experience and years of study, blending science and embodiment to support nervous system regulation and resilience. Extensively trained in many modalities — including Vinyasa, Ashtanga, Restorative and Yin yoga, Qigong, and Breathwork — Nicole has also created and facilitated teacher trainings, bringing both depth and accessibility to her teaching. Her classes are rooted in experiential learning, where students not only move through practice but also explore the science and philosophy behind each modality and its direct impact on the nervous system. This unique approach allows students to both learn and feel — walking away with embodied tools and deeper understanding. Her style is lighthearted and supportive, offering deeply restorative practices while also incorporating more strenuous movement when needed — making her classes accessible for both active movers and those seeking rest. Nicole is the co-founder of Two Little Birds Retreats and has been leading local and international retreats for more than a decade. She is a passionate traveler with a global mindset and lived abroad with her family for many years. She loves creating experiences that are transformative for participants while also honoring and supporting the communities she partners with. More info: powerrestoremethod.com

Kellee Rich is a wild soul and a free spirit. As an event curator and wellness guide, she is known for creating transformative experiences that blend nature, mindfulness, and personal growth. As the founder of Wild Soul Events, she is passionate about helping individuals reconnect with themselves and the natural world through immersive event productions, including: festivals, excursions, wellness fairs, workshops, teacher trainings, retreats and weekly classes. Through the cultivation of advanced teacher trainings, Kellee supports the Tahoe and Nor-Cal wellness community and beyond with her vast yogic knowledge. Kellee's unique approach combines spiritual wisdom with dynamic flow sequences, empowering others to explore their inner landscapes while venturing into the wild unknown.

Tara Hostnik moved to California from the east coast in 2009 and fell in love with the ruggedness of the Sierra Nevada mountains, prompting an interest in not only its natural history but its ability to provoke a deeper understanding of Self. She began teaching yoga while working as a park ranger in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks and focused her teaching on connecting students to nature. During her time in both Sequoia and Lake Tahoe she has offered night sky tours, living history, nature walks and talks and other programs. She currently teaches yoga year round at the Blue Granite Climbing Gym and seasonally at Valhalla Historic Estate.

With a deep reverence for the mind–body connection, Tiffany guides her students in reconnecting to their innate wisdom and capacity to heal. Through Yoga, Ayurveda, and Sound Healing, she supports a return to balance—where body, breath, and awareness move in harmony. Serving the Tahoe–Truckee community since 2017, Tiffany continues to explore both ancient teachings and modern nervous system science with an open heart and curiosity. Her classes invite students to meet themselves exactly where they are, weaving together Yoga philosophy, functional alignment, Ayurveda, breathwork, and intuitive, creative sequencing. At the heart of her work is the remembering that we are not separate from nature—we are nature. Through this return to our true nature, we deepen into self-study (svadhyaya) with compassion, curiosity, and trust in the intelligence of the body.

Greg Rex is a Natural Systems Architect and serial entrepreneur with over 30 years of experience scaling disruptive, transformational businesses, including Tony Robbins, Bamboo.com, and OPTAVIA (now TRILIVY), helping build billion-dollar networks from the ground up. An avid surfer, snowboarder, yogi, and author of the Amazon bestseller STOKED, Greg embodies the integrated lifestyle he teaches. He is writing his next book on Network Science while on a national speaking and surfing tour. His most recent impact project is Operly AI, the world's first decentralized agentic workspace for business owners, and part of a broader impact ecosystem that has already done more blockchain transactions than Ethereum. By bridging ancient natural wisdom with cutting-edge technology, he has helped over 250,000 people restore integrity to their health, wellbeing, time, and finances. He is also the founder of Sierra Sanctuary, a 40-acre off-grid community dedicated to men's work with Veterans and First Responders, transformational retreats, and medicine healing near Lake Tahoe. His mission is to free business owners from screen addiction and digital overwhelm by using Network Science to architect thriving, organic communities that scale your mission and reclaim time for family, freedom, and the outdoors.