ODESSA AVIANNA PEREZ

Odessa is a trauma-informed somatic, movement and social justice educator who helps people have more easeful, connected and meaningful relationships through trauma-informed somatics, dance and movement and resilience-building self-care practices.

She holds an MA in Somatic Psychology from California Institute of Integral Studies and triple bachelor degrees in Dance, Theater Arts, and Sociology from Rutgers University. She is a ThetaHealing practitioner and instructor, and has a background in massage and bodywork. She has over 2 decades of movement and dance performance experience, and has been practicing and teaching Contact Improvisation as a form of self inquiry and relationship alchemy for over ten years.

Odessa is a cis gender, able-bodied, biracial white-presenting latina currently residing in the lands traditionally belonging to the Kizh and Tongva peoples – aka Los Angeles, CA. Odessa is deeply curious about the intersection of personal and collective trauma, collective nervous system states and expression, and how we can use somatics and dance to integrate our trauma for better relationship, community and planet.  She has facilitated workshops at dozens of retreats and festivals using somatics, movement, and contact improvisation as the platform through which to explore safety, relationship, building capacity for discomfort, interdependence and inclusion. 

In her psychotherapeutic private practice, she weaves somatics, movement, interpersonal neurobiology, polyvagal theory, attachment work, and social and racial justice frameworks. She is part of the Healer’s Collective for the Decolonizing Wealth Project, and the Inclusion and Belonging co-lead for SoulPlay festivals.

WREN LAFEET

Wren is celebrating entering his 24th year dancing in partnership and loves serving humanity as a somatic permissionary. Teaching partner dance internationally as a practice for mindful, authentic living, and enlivening communities by facilitating his signature modality, Cocréa, has been his joy for over a decade. Using this potent synthesis, Wren provides navigational assistance to humans nurturing a curiosity in gaining more access to the power and potential of their bodies. Using movement as a vehicle, he guides people towards right-relationship through listening and responding to, as well as inviting, allowing and embracing change. He is a celebrated TEDx speaker, featured author in “ReInhabiting the Village” and ardent proponent of pioneering a new renaissance through authentic connection and consensual touch. 

Wren is a cis-gender, able bodied white male residing on the traditional ancestral lands of the Muwekma Ohlone people (Los Gatos, CA). As a non-binary identified, 11th generation American descended most recently from artist and blue collar working class parents, Wren is in a deep reckoning with the numerous and nuanced aspects of self that influence how we navigate interpersonal relationships and cultural identity on the journey into right relationship.

As a Danyasa trained facilitator, former Awake at Work program facilitator, certified Attunement Therapy practitioner, Do Good Things with Power program graduate, and holder of a BA in Drama and Dance from the University of Washington, Wren promotes dance and connection as an embodied approach to spirituality and medicinal salve for our modern ailments of disconnection and dislocation.