Dive deeper into your practice.

Dana Damara is a speaker, published author, Master Yoga Teacher Trainer, healer, and servant of the heart

She began her yoga journey over 20 years ago which has included working with prenatal women and new mothers, owning a successful yoga studio in the Northwest, writing and running Dana Damara Evolution Yoga School, creating Youth and Girls Elevate, facilitating Moon Circles, and leading workshops, trainings and retreats around the world.

She is an activist for women of all ages offering programs that support feminine embodiment, self-love, sisterhood, sacred ceremony and ritual, and a safe space for exploration and curiosity.

As a global leader of deep wisdom and powerful ritual, she traverses the planet, offering her wealth of knowledge and breadth of wisdom through private coaching sessions, global trainings, and a deeply spiritual and physically rigorous vinyasa practice available to everyone.

Peter Walters is a student of life, and a guide to transformative experiences, seamlessly blending the power of Bhakti Flow Yoga with the soul-stirring rhythms of chanting and incredible music. His teachings, deeply rooted in the wisdom of renowned mentors Rusty Wells, Janet Stone, and Jason Crandall, extend beyond the mat, offering a sweaty, powerful journey that speaks to both the body and also the heart. With a presence on platforms like FitOn, Audible, and Headspace, and a history of leading workshops and retreats worldwide, Peter brings yoga to life at festivals like Beloved, Lightning in a Bottle, and Envision. His approach is a playful, celebratory invitation to explore yoga as a pathway to strength, joy and self-discovery.

Yvonne is deeply committed to living wholeheartedly and sharing the timeless teachings of yoga. She approaches the practice from a holistic perspective – weaving together mindful movement, breathwork, meditation and philosophy. With clear intention and thoughtful guidance, Yvonne’s classes bring intimate attention to both physical alignment and subtle body awareness. Holding quiet space, she invites students to tune into the present moment with curiosity, staying open to whatever arises.

For Yvonne, all of life is practice and she continues to walk the path of studentship and personal evolution. Every moment is an opportunity to wake up, to remember what matters, to breathe and begin again.

Gabriel has been sharing the gifts of yoga, energy and sound healing since 2014. His lineage is baptiste vinyasa and ashtanga, but has balanced the fire of his practice through his devotion to chanting and sound healing. Gabriel has been a sponsored yoga brand athlete and his journey has led him from leading handstand workshops to opening a sound healing temple in Seattle. He has also filmed with the likes of Seane Corne and Patrick Beach, taught yoga internationally and it is this culmination of experiences that is the embodiment of his teaching style. He is now a gorge resident and looks forward to the sharing of his perspective of balance, personal peace and joyous living.

Lauren is the founder and curator of the Mount Adams Yoga Festival. Inspired by many years in the yoga world and countless hours spent on Mount Adams, she partnered with Nicole Kaseberg, owner of Cave Creek Farm, to put together this special event. Every teacher and musician on the roster has a personal connection to Lauren in some way, and she is honored to bring such a group together.

As an instructor, Lauren offers a balanced practice that invites deep, intelligent focus and a sense of graceful flow. She has been teaching for thirteen years and loves working with students of all ages, backgrounds and abilities.

My intention is to move through life from an embodied perspective and to passionately co-create meaningful experiences that promote connection and community. I offer classes that organically reflect our bodies' capacity for flow and stillness. My teachings are a blend of human experience mixed with studies in Somatic Psychology, Child Development, Massage Therapy and Yoga. I call on the earth, my ancestors and deep breaths for guidance.

Nika is the founder and creative director of NK STUDIOS. A White Salmon native, Nika learned to dance and paint in the very community that houses NK STUDIOS. Influenced by her Persian heritage, she grew up dancing with her family. She danced at Columbia Gorge Dance Academy and later for the Trojan Dance Force at the University of Southern California. Drawing from her experience performing on the basketball court and instructing Zumba, she creates dance classes and choreography that energize and inspire, teaching at studios locally and abroad over the last decade. She has an undeniable charisma and approachable style that has attracted all ages and skill levels to her classes.

Leah Adams is a yoga teacher trainer, mindfulness facilitator and ongoing student of some of the world’s most masterful carriers of wisdom. She offers retreats and training on Yin Yoga, functional breathwork, pranayama and meditation. When not on the cushion, you might find Leah blending herbs, making decoctions, serving tea or cuddling her fur babes. She offers her boundless gratitude to her teachers Bernie Clark, Sarah Powers and Celeste Young.

Egemen, also known as Ege, is a contemporary dervish who has been on a life-long journey to develop his own unique sound in world music while proudly representing his Turkish heritage.

Ege skillfully blends various world instruments such as the sitar, caglama, saz, santoor, oud, ngoni, kora, the Native American flute, and more to create an enchanting and rejuvenating experience for his listeners. With a mastery of traditional Eastern ragas, he infuses his lively improvisations with beats, loops, and synths to further enhance the hypnotic effect of his music.

Based in Oakland, Ege frequently performs around the California Bay Area and at festivals across the United States. Ege is also a music producer and a certified yoga teacher.

Kirtan, call and response chanting, is considered to be the heartbeat of Bhakti Yoga, the yoga of devotion. Rob and Melissa’s kirtan is a fresh take on an ancient practice as their heart-filled songs blend Sanskrit chants with modern, accessible melodies and lush harmonies. Their music has been described as “heart-opening bliss,” “joyful medicine,” and “love and devotion materialized!” Whether you’re new to kirtan or a life-long devotee, husband and wife duo Rob and Melissa create a fun, accessible and sacred space...the perfect setting for a joy-filled celebration of the divine!

Husband and wife, Rob and Melissa, are from the Seattle area, but they travel extensively, leading kirtans, workshops and retreats around the world. They have shared their music at numerous yoga festivals in the US, including Bhakti Fest, Prana Fest, Samsara Fest, and the Northwest Yoga Feast.

Sara has been in love and practicing the 5Rhythms® for 20 years. She brings all she has to the dance floor, including her total faith in the practice. Sara was magnetized to the 5Rhythms because it is a map that supports the dynamic experience of being human. Since moving to the Columbia River Gorge, 11 years ago, a thriving 5Rhythms community has formed - A community of individuals connected to themselves and each other through this soulful practice and the language of movement. People of all kinds need a place where it is safe to be real, where compassion and connection are valued, and where light and the dark shine equally, dancing all the parts of being human. Sara teaches classes and workshops with clarity, humor, and empowering leadership. 5Rhythms transcends dance. The movement is the medicine, the meditation and the metaphor. Together we peel back layers, lay masks down, and dance till we disappear…Only to rediscover ourselves through it all.

Alejandra Retamales, known to most as Ale, began teaching yoga in her Hood River garage in 2020. Her powerful voice, challenging sequencing, and calm demeanor quickly earned her a loyal following of committed Gorge yogis. When a wood-planked, sun-drenched space became available in the Heights in 2021, Ale hustled to create Machi Yoga, named after the indigenous healers of her native Chile. Slowly and steadily, Ale has knitted together a well-rounded yoga community which welcomes students of every level who desire a safe, sweet space to practice.

To experience Ale’s teaching is to invite a rich physical practice of challenging and unique sequencing onto your mat. However sticky or distracted you feel when you first enter Ale’s heated power flow class, be prepared to leave in a more joyful, sweaty, and mobile state with a clearer sense of presence and gratitude. You may meet a few new friends along the way!

Additional live musicians will be added in the coming weeks