Creative Director

Melissa began her training as a dancer at Raskin Dance Studio at age 9. At age 18 she was hired as a backup dancer to Aretha Franklin for a charity ball in New York City. During her time in college she was a rehearsal coach with Hard Drive Productions for Celebrity Cruise Lines, and began to learn the art of silks. Melissa’s dancing has taken her worldwide, beginning in New York where she danced and toured with Push Factory Dance Company, Contemporary Dance Company, and assisted with A Few Good Men Dancin’. She was also an assistant to Jeff Amsden, as well as an assistant to choreographers for Broadway Bears and taught at Broadway Dance Center. Melissa’s teaching and performing has taken her around the world from New York through Ireland and Australia.

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Through the study of pedagogy, kinesiology, and being a “movement educator” while instructing and choreographing at Raskin Dance Studio, Melissa found a renewed love for the body through massage therapy. She has now spent the last five years focusing on releasing the everyday tension, emotional, and physical injuries through the healing power of touch and breath.

Melissa had been suffering with back pain for years and turned to practicing yoga for relief, however a few years ago one of her closest friends began losing flexibility, range of motion, and experiencing extreme pain in her right hip. Melissa was determined to find a way to help alleviate her friend’s pain other than just massage. Having had the silk training in the past, Melissa came across AntiGravity® Yoga and signed up to return to New York and become certified to instruct aerial yoga.

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The last six years Melissa has worked with the hammock and the techniques taught by AntiGravity Fitness®  to release stress, improve flexibility, decompress the spine, and lengthen & tone the body. Through one on one private sessions, performances with Voci Dance Company, and now in a class setting at Studio Zero G; Melissa has realized that AntiGravity® Yoga is a great new way to heal and condition the body using breath, meditation/prayer, and visualizations while most importantly having FUN.

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“Be Still, and Know that I am God.”

                                                   -Psalms 46:10

2-Star  Instructor Trainer
FUNdamentals I/II Instructor & Trainer
Aerial Yoga Instructor & Trainer
Suspension Fitness Instructor & Trainer 
Restorative Yoga Instructor & Trainer
AIRBarre Instructor
Instructor Trainer
Physio-Alignment Instructor
Booty Pump Instructor
Flexibility/Body Firm Instructor

Patricia Thomas

Patricia Thomas is the founder of Utopia Yoga Retreats and Art for the heart ❤️. Born in Germany and Resides in Saint Cloud Fl. Patricia has been teaching in Polk, Osceola and Brevard counties teaching beginner, intermediate yogi practices. Patricia is certified in Nidra, Vinyasa, Restorative, and prenatal yoga. She also incorporates Sound therapy in the practices. Patricia has been teaching dance for over 30 years and  has branch off into teaching yoga from the heart with a holistic approach. Patricia has now developed a worship yoga practice witch combines a flow and restorative method while being surrounded by worship, and God centered and God's Word. This class lifts your soul and spirit to the Heavens.  Her goal is to help others reduce stress, rebuild strength, and feel refreshed with an overall sense of well-being and balance. Namaste!

Vinyasa Flow
Gentle Roll & Release
Worship Yoga
Floating Nidra with Sound Bath

FUNdamentals I/II Instructor
Instructor
Power Aerial Instructor
Flexibility/Body Firm Instructor
Booty Pump
Physio-Alignment Instructor
Instructor