We are married! Join us and let’s find out what movement is all about.

At its core, my research is fueled by wanting to help people WANT to move and live an active lifestyle. This type of motivation – the type that makes you really want to move – is referred to as autonomous motivation. The type of autonomous motivation that is most likely to sustain long-term physical activity behaviors is intrinsic motivation. When we are intrinsically motivated to move, we do so for the inherent rewards that come from moving such as enjoying the physical sensations or internal feelings of competence that come with engaging in physical challenges. My perspective is that if you are not intrinsically motivated to move, you simply haven’t been exposed to the right activity or the right physical activity environment. This has led to my recent interest in the role of mindfulness during physical activity. Mindfulness refers to open, nonjudgmental attention to the here and now and can include mental (e.g., thoughts) and physical (e.g., exertion, muscular sensations) objects of attention. Conceptually, paying attention to one’s current experience while moving seems a necessary prerequisite to actually enjoying being active. We can’t enjoy what we aren’t paying attention to, right? This is in contrast to many of the strategies individuals use to “get through” a workout such as listening to music or watching TV. Our recent research findings support the positive associations of mindfulness of one’s physical experience to intrinsic motivation for a particular bout of physical activity as well as more internal sources of motivation more generally. We are currently investigating how mindfulness during physical activity not only supports more intrinsic motivation but also contributes to a less objectified view of the self, thus improving body image. Please explore our lab website to learn more about what we are doing including our current projects and research blog. You can also listen to my podcast, Moving Mindfully, to learn more about how the research informs our practice.

MARCO ALTINI ​PhD cum laude in Data Science MSc cum laude in Computer Science Engineering MSc in Human Movement Sciences, High-Performance Coaching (4.0 GPA) Founder of HRV4Training ​ 10+ years of experience modeling physiological data (6+ in Holland, 4 in Silicon Valley) 50+ publications at the intersection between technology, health, and performance

Daniel Aslan is a second year PhD student in the Motor Control Research Lab at the University of Illinois. He is currently researching the neurological underpinnings of motor learning in people with neurological disorders. He has a BS and MS in Kinesiology from Humboldt State University. He is the previous lab manager for the Movement Analysis Lab  Department of Physical Therapy, at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science. And has coached track for Ventura College. He recently published a paper in the Journal of Aging and Physical Activity, Titled 'Bicycling for Exercise Helps Maintain a Youthful Metabolic Cost of Walking in Older Adults" https://journals.humankinetics.com/view/journals/japa/aop/article-10.1123-japa.2019-0327/article-10.1123-japa.2019-0327.xml

Ana Maria Alvarez is skilled dancer, prolific choreographer and masterful teaching artist who has achieved multiple accolades and awards for her dynamic works. Inspired by her upbringing, as a Cuban American, raised mainly in the Southeastern United States and the daughter of two labor union organizers/ educators, her work boldly traverses the world of social dance, political activism, community organizing and art making. She has had the pleasure of studying with and shaping her movement palate with master artists.  Alvarez received a Bachelors of Arts in Dance and Politics from Oberlin College and a Masters in Fine Arts in Choreography from UCLA’s Department of World Arts and Cultures. There her thesis work explored the abstraction of “Latin Dance”, specifically Salsa, as a way to express social resistance within the US immigration battle and became the impetus for founding CONTRA-­‐ TIEMPO Urban Latin Dance Theater in 2005. Alvarez is a two time grantee of NEFA National Dance Project (2014 and 2016), six time grantee of National Association of Latino Arts and Cultures, five time grantee of the Center for Creative Innovation and the recipient of the 2015 Engaging Dance Audiences Grant administered by DanceUSA. She has been awarded and recognized for her work including the prestigious Mujeres Destacadas award in 2012 by LA Opinion, and most recently she earned a 2016 Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Festival Rainbow Award for her work “Agua Furiosa” Alvarez's work has been presented by over 30 venues including The Ordway (MN 2010, 2014), The Adrienne Arsht Center (FL 2015), Dance Place (DC 2008, 2010, 2016), Lincoln Center (NYC 2009), North Carolina State University Live (NC 2016), Jacob's Pillow (2008) Teatro Favorito (Cuba 2009) and University of Southern California's Voices & Visions (2015) among others. Alvarez and CONTRA-­‐TIEMPO were also invited to represent the best of American Contemporary Dance Abroad through DanceMotionUSA, a program of BAM and the US Department of State. Through DanceMotionUSA her work was shared throughout Bolivia, Ecuador and Chile. While in graduate school, (2002-­‐2005) Alvarez taught regularly at UCLA Lab School (then University Elementary School), where she learned about Reggio and developed a project based learning curriculum of ‘hip hop as social resistance’, that is still taught there today (by Jasmine Burgos). After graduating Alvarez was invited to teach as a full time faculty member and worked with researchers and colleagues to develop ideas a practices of integrating dance and poetry into Social Studies, Science, Mathematics. This work became the birth place of CONTRA-­‐TIEMPO’s School Residency Program that reached thousands of students all over Los Angeles in subsequent years. While continuing to build CONTRA-­‐TIEMPO’s School Residency Program, Alvarez was invited to teach and lead workshops for other educators by SmART Schools West, Creativity at the Core and Skirball Teachers Institute among others. By 2007 Alvarez and all of the CONTRA-­‐TIEMPO company members were teaching in over 25 different schools all over Los Angeles County. Alvarez continues to teach adjunct at UCLA's Department of World Arts & Cultures and UCLA Lab School.

Hey there! I am Becky Powers. I chose to become a Yoga Teacher because I love the inherent ability for the body to heal itself and I believe in the power of movement. My teaching is science based and backed by 12 years of experience within an orthopedic healthcare setting. I am an Occupational Therapist and Certified Hand Therapist by trade and have perfected over the years how to properly utilize movement and exercise to facilitate healing for the body. My healthcare training has taught me the science of stretching, biomechanics of body movement, and exercise dosing. My yoga career began 2 years ago when I completed a 200 hour YTT from the oldest Yoga training institute in San Antonio, Texas. I love combining the art of creating a beautiful yoga sequence with the science of exercise and movement. I believe in the inherent capacity of our bodies to heal through movement. I believe in the interconnectedness of the mind, body, and spirit. For these reasons, I am passionate and grateful for the gift of teaching yoga. My areas of interest include yoga to address chronic pain and arthritis; ergonomics for prevention of cumulative trauma; yoga for balance and fall prevention; neurorecovery including Parkinson’s disease, stroke, head trauma, and spinal cord injury; chair and wheelchair yoga; yoga for kids, yoga for kids with special needs, family yoga for parents and kids, pelvic health, and prenatal yoga.

Leah Bueno is the owner of The Pilates Dancer and an Instructor Trainer for STOTT Pilates. Leah uses Pilates and the latest in movement science to help dancers prevent injuries and return to dance post injuries. As a former professional dancer who suffered many injuries, she is very passionate about finding the healthiest way to increase mobility and improve technique for dancers.  The Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/thepilatesdancer/ Facebook: www.facebook.com/thepilatesdancer YouTube account: The Pilates Dancer

Originally from San Salvador, El Salvador, is a principal dancer with Compañía Ballet de El Salvador since 2014. She is best known for her leading roles in the ballets of Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, Romeo and Juliet, Carmen, and The Nutcracker. Last year she worked with Pasodos Dance Company in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, starring in two of the company's original works, Tango Woman Ballet and BaRock Ballet, which were taken on tour throughout the Balearic Islands. Lucia has performed in numerous International Ballet Galas as a guest artist in San Francisco, México, Nicaragua, Connecticut, and Ohio. She consolidated her dance education as a trainee with the Joffrey Academy of Dance in Chicago, and The Washington Ballet, among with other Summer Programs with some of the most prestigious ballet schools in the US, such as the American Ballet Theatre and Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre. Lucia is the first Central American dancer to obtain the Solo Seal Award, the highest vocational examination of the Royal Academy of Dance from London.

Currently specializing in men’s pelvic and sexual health, Susie Gronski, DPT is a licensed doctor of physical therapy, board-certified pelvic rehabilitation practitioner, international teacher, and creator of online and in-person health programs that help men with pelvic pain become experts in treating themselves. Her passion is making you feel comfortable about taboo subjects like sex and private parts. Social stigmas aren’t her thing and neither is medical fluff. She provides real advice, just like a friend who knows the lowdown down below. She’s determined to make sure you know you can get help for: painful ejaculation problems with the joystick discomfort or pain during sex controlling your pee Without being embarrassed… So, if you’re having some trouble ‘down there’, she’s the person to get to know. Learn more by visiting drsusieg.com.

A wife, a doctor, and a baker.  @cakebytherapyk