
Ici Thalmann
Isolde Thalmann
Isolde Thalmann, or as she is called by her friends, Ici, holds a PhD and is Professor Emerita of Otolaryngology, Washington University School of Medicine. She has published many academic studies on hearing and deafness, and balance and vestibular dysfunctions.
For some 25 years Ici has been trained in Ballroom/Latin Dancing by the Belarus Champion Vassily Lyashenko, competed nationally, and assisted teaching classes with him. They no longer compete but still dance together (see bottom of this page under Vassily Lyashenko). For the last ten years she spent part of the year in Buenos Aires, where she was trained by masters of Argentine tango, Diego Alvaro, Zoraida Fontclara, Pedro Benavente (“El Indio”), Ivana Smoljanovich, and others. Ballroom dancing provided a valuable foundation for Argentine tango, a dance only recently included in Ballroom/Latin Dance Championships.
Ici is a member of The National Council of America. She is a native of Oberammergau, Germany, and since her retirement, makes her home in the High Desert of New Mexico and St. Louis Missouri.
EriKaLaila Whitney
THE FACILITATOR
Cosmic Navigator, EriKaLaila Whitney weaves 30 + years of multimedia arts and meta-sensibilities which include ‘Heart of the Earth/Sky’ modalities, LoveLight Akasha, ceremonial union of Ritual and Divine Order, shamanism, Living Language of LoveLight, and Divine Movement METAtation which enables her to anchor the quantum wave into Field for the Highest Good of the Collective as ‘She Who Holds Space for Others to Birth Universes’.
As an inter-dimensional Quantum Shamanic Navigator through the Living Languages of LoveLight, she has witnessed the interpretation of over 30 years of Mystery and Spirit.
Her movement background began as a member of Isadora Duncan Dance Troupe and Hubbard Street Dance while studying Authentic Movement with Gena Demos Chgo/NYC in the 1990s. She established a foundation in symbolism and color frequencies while studying the Fine Arts and Photography at The Art Institute of Chicago; and the Interpretation of LightSoundForm while deejaying and producing weekly improvisational interactive performance at NEO: core of Chicago’s legendary underground art and music scene.
EriKaLaila’s practices expand within the spirit-sciences and healing arts of Ontology which are not limited to communication through the Akashic Records, Tarot, Sortilege, Aromatherapy, Green Medicine, Holistic Health Therapies, Dream Analysis, Feng Shui, Shamanism, Paganism, Deities and God/dess ideology, Animal totems/Symbolism, Mythology, I Am, Ritual, the Art of Offering, Devic communication, Bibliomancy, ESP/HSP; ongoing Listening of celestial rhythms, galactic patterns, oscillations of frequencies, Light Languages, Movement METAtation and anchoring The Void.
She has worked with and among healers/practitioners at The Assemblage NYC, The New York Open Center, Tricycle -The Buddhist Review, Kripalu, Holistic Health Practice (Chgo). She is currently understudying with Ascended Masters and benevolent Cosmic/Star Alliances. EriKaLaila recently left her position as quantum shamanic facilitator and advisor for FrequencyMindNYC as her current offerings transform with the signature wavespells yet are mainly synthesized into/through the Akashic Records and oracular communication between people, places and the plant/mineral kingdoms.
She is the happy mother of a Buddha and a Ninja who has recently moved from New York City to New Mexico to continue aligning with New Earth.
*Mission:Mantra
When Working with Higher Intelligence, there is a gap between what is being felt and what is being understood. We are always in the gap between The Word and the words; the words and the realization; the realization and the awareness; and the awareness and the manifest. My mission while moving between the veil is to “hold the charge” while enrolling in our personal and collective transformations. Once choosing to be chosen, Allowing the invitation and connection to our best self and OverSoul to actualize.
“To understand our limitless potential, We must step into the beauty of being a conscious creator.”
/:|:\
There’s Always MORE
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Lucia Vinograd
I am an exhibiting artist, educational consultant, Rites of Passage facilitator, and certified Kundalini Yoga instructor. I first encountered yoga when I was seventeen. A Kundalini Ashram opened in Washington, DC and I was enthralled. It was not unusual for me to skip out of my high school classes to attend the free yoga sessions offered there. After graduation, I left DC to attend Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles. The Kundalini community in California was centered on Sikhism, which was not my calling. So I abandoned Kundalini to investigate other yoga techniques. Much time passed before I once again became enthralled with Kundalini and went on to get my teaching certification at Golden Bridge Yoga Center, studying with Gurmukh, Sada Sat Sing, and Sada Sat Kaur. I began teaching right away at the private high school where I held the position of Visual Arts Department Chair. It should be known that most teens are not so open to the crazy stuff of Kundalini. So I quickly adapted my program, incorporating a variety of other styles and techniques to engage those young minds and bodies. Over the years I’ve developed a yoga mixture that combines movement, breath, postures, and meditation for flexibility, strength, balance, and for inviting the calming spirit of presence on and off the mat. I’m currently stepping in for Sue Dwyer until she returns in May, and ever so grateful to be teaching once again!”
Sue Dwyer
Hi, I’m Sue Dwyer, philosopher, yogini, writer, and aspiring barrel racer. I am honored to have the opportunity to teach at Dancing in the Desert and to share the wonders of yoga with all people. If you’re a complete newbie, if you have a regular home practice, it doesn’t matter — everyone is welcome. Yoga is many things — a gentle form of exercise, a way to get and stay limber, a great stress reliever — and it is also one of the world’s most ancient practical philosophies aimed at answering our deepest questions about human life and existence. As a teacher, I aim to bring the philosophy of yoga to life on the mat. Please email me with any questions you might have about my classes at susandwyernm@gmail.com
Gurukirin
Hi, I’m Gurukiren Ramos. I am a certified Nia teacher that is passionate about sharing the joy of movement in the body’s natural way. I discovered Nia after a long and painfully slow recovery from several sports-related injuries and surgery. From starting Nia with a severe frozen shoulder barely able to lift my arms, I noticed in a couple of weeks incredible improvement in my overall movement and overall well being.
I believe the physical body is a magnificent gift and exquisite vehicle, designed beautifully to heal through movement and to experience deep joy while moving your body’s way. Nia helped me bring awareness to my body’s unique way and wisdom. I’d like to invite you to come experience the same through the Nia lens.
Please feel free to ask me any questions you might have about my Nia classes at gurukiren@gmail.com
Joy Nagle at-large Teacher
Joy of Soulfire Yoga with Joy is an Ayurveda Yoga Specialist (AYS) offering private lessons, classes, retreats and Ayurvedic Lifestyle consultations in northern New Mexico. Her passion is being able to teach and share the rich transformative power of these two ancient wisdoms with others.
Joy’s yogic foundation is rooted in the Raja (Royal) Yoga path and greatly influenced by the teachings of the Kripalu School of Yoga and The Himalayan Institute. She is also a devotee of the spiritual teacher, Amma, and has been attending her annual retreats since 2013.
Joy has over 20 years of personal experience in both Yoga and Ayurveda. She is certified as an Ayurveda Yoga Specialist, through the Himalayan Institute and Lotus Garden Yoga School, a comparative theory yoga teacher training. She has also completed various advanced teaching courses with The PranaKriya School of Yoga and Healing Arts. And has level one training in Mindful Resilience for Trauma Recovery, through the Veterans Yoga Project. Joy is a lifelong student, always wanting to expand her teaching skills and knowledge, is continuing her education in Ayurveda and Yoga at the New Mexico School of Yoga.
Joy lives in Ojo Caliente with her husband, Peter, a Spiritual Director (Soulwork Spiritual Direction), Abby, their Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, and two aging Himalayan cats, Theo and Clare. When Joy is not immersed in a yoga book or practice, she can be found hiking or cooking up nourishing meals for her family.
Contact Joy www.soulfireyogawithjoy.com or call 505-747-0002
Anastacia Kaser 
Anastacia is an advanced practitioner and senior teacher of Dancemeditation ™. Anastacia has been teaching embodied dance and movement meditation classes, as well as Hatha Yoga, since the early 1990’s. With a B.S. degree in Biology, M. A. in Education, certifications in Yoga and multiple massage techniques, and as a certified Ayurvedic Practitioner, she has a profound understanding of the body. As long-time meditator with over 30 years experience, Anastacia understands the link between body, breath, mind and spirit and is well-equipped to guide participants into a deep, rich state of embodied presence. She creates a safe environment in which to explore movement and to express our inner beauty. Feel free to contact her if you have questions: anastaciaconsulting@gmail.com, or at 685-0055.
Vassily Lyashenko
Vassily Lyashenko is an International Ballroom/Latin Dance Champion and Teacher with over 35 Years of experience. He ranks in the top five teachers in the USA “Dance Cup Tour” since 2002. He is an eight times USA National Pro-Am Champion. For over 25 years he has been adjudicating International Dance Competitions. Vassily holds a PhD in Computer Sciences from the Belarus National University. Vassily is shown here with Ici at a Dance Competition.

A more recent picture shows Ici and Vassily at a Ball in Vienna, Austria where they danced until four in the morning!