Meet Our Teachers
Ashley Patchen Ashley, owner of Alchemy of Movement, has been teaching Zumba for over 9 years throughout multiple locations on the front range. She started teaching Zumba after falling in love with world rhythms while performing and competing in Salsa, Bachata, and Bollywood. Her classes have elements of hip hop, samba, bachata, bollywood, bhangra, zouk, kizomba, and of course the Latin rhythms normally encountered in a Zumba class (salsa, cumbia, merengue, reggaeton). She has a MA in Applied mathematics from CU Boulder and a BA in mathematics and Spanish from Nazareth College in Rochester, NY.
Maria Cooper’s background as a musician has given way to a new exploration of music and movement through SoulSweat. Maria brings an earthy, grounded foundation to her classes while also creating a fiery, high-energy fiery experience that is a great workout. Maria adds a sacred element, focusing on a devoted connection to the body. Her soulful routines allow you to sink into rhythm-driven music, ranging from Arabic, Latin, and Trip-Hop, to African, Pop and Electronica.
Hannah Kinderlehrer is an embodied meditation teacher in the Shambhala Buddhist community. She is a dance teacher, workshop facilitator, chronic illness coach through Rise and Thrive Coaching, and choreographer. She is a graduate of the Peacemaker Institute, Naropa University and the Hakomi Institute for Mindfulness Centered Somatic Psychotherapy. She lives in Boulder with her composer husband and their breakdancing son. Her passion is supporting people on their journey to embodiment and loving their lives from the inside out.
Tori Sherman is welcoming and brings a wide variety of dance experience to her classes. She includes African, hip hop, jazz and and umistakable cheerfulness to her choreography, which is inviting and attainable for people at all levels. Tori started teaching in June of 2013 after years of attending classes at Alchemy. She left corporate life to pursue the more creative and expressive aspects of her life and is grateful to share the dance!
Ayla Satten has been dancing since she was (literally) in the womb. Raised by a dance-teacher mom, she grew up in dance studios and on performance teams, learning, expressing, and training as an integral part of her everyday life. Upon moving to Chicago in her 20s and diving into the hip hop scene, she discovered an even deeper joy of dance that changed the entire trajectory of her world. Since then, all she’s about is bringing this same freedom, self-expression, and fun to as many people as she can reach. Ayla teaches Hip Hop and WERQ at Alchemy using awesome, upbeat music and setting a tone of radiant positivity and joy. Anyone who knows her can tell you that Ayla (a) loves rainbows and (b) WILL get you to smile (in spite of yourself). She values feeling good over getting things ‘perfect’ .. and REALLY loves watching the amazing sense of self-esteem and belonging that dancing brings with it.
Jill Emich is the founder of Shine Restaurant & Potion Bar, Shine Potions, author of lifestyle cookbook, Eat Drink Shine, and has led wellness workshops, retreats, and events for almost 20 years, guiding participants to Shine from the inside out. She brings a dynamic class with uplifting music and themes. Dance has always been a way to stoke her inner fire and through her work with Shine and her dances classes, she invites others to do the same. She uses a wide variety of styles that are a blend of playful, sassy, and high energy moves that invites you tap into your inner Magic and get a great workout. Her strengthening and lengthening cool downs leave you feeling balanced and empowered. She believes in transformation and healing through movement and community and is thrilled to be part of the Alchemy family.
Chayenne Theberge has been trained in a variety of dance techniques, ranging from West African to Ballet. Using her eclectic background to inspire her choreography, Chayenne has a range of Latin styles such as Brazilian Funk, Reggaeton, and Bachata Trap. After instructing high school mathematics, Chayenne teaches Zumba to inspire strength and confidence within dancers from all experience levels.
Nancy Linsley was introduced to The Feldenkrais Method® of Movement Education after many years of searching for someone/something that could help her with her chronic back pain. After few sessions with the Feldenkrais practitioner, her pain was gone. With the practitioner’s help, Nancy discovered unconscious habits she had of holding muscles tight, learned to release them, which relieved her pain. Inspired, she completed the 4-year training course and has been teaching clients in the practice for over 16 years. Her hope is to empower people, giving them the tools to improve their bodies, their brains and their life. Nancy is also a ceramic artist and works with her husband in their business – Art Drenched Life.
Cindy Brandle is the Artistic Director of the Cindy Brandle Dance Company. Cindy danced for ten years with the Chicago Moving Company and served as Co-Artistic Director with founder Nana Shineflug for five of those years. Her work has been presented all over Chicago, The Dance Center of Columbia College, throughout Illinois, the Midwest and in Rio de Janeiro and Salvador, Brazil. Since relocating to Boulder, Brandle’s work has been produced at the University of Colorado, Boulder department of Dance, The Denver Independent Choreographer’s Project, twice in the Boulder International Fringe Festival and numerous self-produced dance events. Cindy lives with her beautiful family, Ashay and Akasha, and their little Shih Tzu Sami.
Jackie Diner is a Black Belt Nia Teacher, previous Nia Training Faculty, a Certified Melt Instructor and an Early Childhood Educator. She worked in Early Childhood for 35 years, has been teaching Nia for 15 years and sharing the healing benefits of the Melt Method for six years. Jackie has spent her life dedicated to the health and well-being to people of all ages and energetically strives to lift everyBody to find a lifetime of strength, joy and peace in every piece of their being.
Sasha Price will be teaching GROOV3, a one hour, high-energy, dance-til-you-drop cardio funk class at Alchemy. She began her dance journey at the age of 9 at Tucson School of Ballet, where she quickly advanced to join their Regional Senior Company. After a few years in advanced ballet, she decided to immerse herself in jazz, contemporary and hip hop and eventually fitness. She eventually worked as a Fitness Instructor and Personal Trainer at world renowned Health Resort, Canyon Ranch. It was there where Sasha was introduced to belly dance, African, Samba and East Indian Bhangra, finding an entirely new passion in the world of dance. Welcome to Sasha!
Chantel IronWing has always been moving to the beat of what surrounds her. She fell in love with Zumba® Fitness when cross-training for her first marathon in 2011. She has been teaching Zumba since 2013 and incorporates the international rhythms that make Zumba unique! She loves that it is accessible to everyone in all stages of fitness and ability. The regggaeton, dance hall, hip-hop and Soca flavors are her favorite. Zumba and dance gives her an outlet to be free, creative, and move in ways she didn’t think possible, and it is her passion to give that permission to her students to just be free in a non-judgement zone and get a great workout at the same time!
Bethany Wilcox teaches D2G Soca Fit and Zumba Fitness at Alchemy. She has trained in Bollywood/Bhangra, Salsa, and uses pole dancing as her strength training throughout the week. She is a full time physics professor at CU, so when she’s not teaching and dancing, she likes to spend her time with her fabulous cats, Duncan and Toothless (yep… inspired by How to Train Your Dragon), her partner, Kyle, and doing arts and crafty-type things.
April Johnson has been dancing for years with Bella Diva Dance Studio and lives in Denver, so we’re super lucky to be able to bring her to Boulder! She’s from Hawaii and loves the rich music, dance, and culture that comes from the region. She teaches Hot Hula, a Hula inspired dance fitness class and a Polynesian dance Troupe.
Gea Franklin’s dance classes are exuberant, energetic, infused with funky beats, soulful vibes, & are a sassy good time! Classes are core & alignment based, while infusing movements with positive, harmonious energy. ”The deeper we go, the more expansive & expressive we can be” is a fundamental tenant of her classes.
A former principal modern dancer, Gea danced professionally with many master choreographers in New York & Seattle before turning her attention to climbing where she enjoyed many years as a professional climber. She returned to dance after becoming a mom & started teaching kids dance, “Pure joy & energy!” From there, Gea discovered Planet Motion, Soul Sweat, & Zumba, got certified & began teaching those styles. “I am so grateful to teach these inspiring, transformative dance styles, & to share my passion for dance in an uplifting, supportive environment”.
Lanea Blackburn was born and raised in Boulder, Colorado and has developed a passion for dancing since she began Hip Hop and Ballet classes in 2009. Lanea has made dance into a lifestyle over the years as a performer, instructor and choreographer with a focus on Contemporary and Jazz. She strives to create a safe space in her classes through trust exercises and guided discussions, establishing a judgment-free zone where students are free to be as silly, honest, creative or quiet as they wish.
Maggi Schultheis (Magnetik Moon), director of Alchemy’s Belly Dance Troupe, has danced passionately through life. She grew up competing with a troop in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina with tap and jazz. She extended her training at The Academy for the Arts in Ballet, Modern and Contemporary. With flare and a funky style, she immersed herself in Hip Hop which drew her to the city life in Atlanta, GA. There she grew as a performer and freestyle dancer and evolved as a teacher. She continues to grow as a flow artist and has added Tribal Bellydance, Fire Spinning and Fans to her repertoire. Magnetik has been teaching dance for 15 years and is currently teaching Tribal Bellydance Flow classes in Boulder, Erie and Denver. She is director of Gold Dust Tribe, a bellydance fusion performance art group. She has taught at local festivals such as Sonic Bloom, Arise, Shamanic Boom, Compound Sound and Blissfall.