Brianna Taylor is a yoga teacher, body worker, multidisciplinary movement artist, choreographer, and performer. She holds over 17 years of experience teaching yoga and dance to people of all ages and abilities, 9 years of practicing Thai bodywork, along with a wealth of experiences facilitating creative performance events, classes and workshops.
Her on-going study of various dance styles, tai chi, somatic practices, Thai massage and Reiki inform her yoga practice and teaching, and she blends these sensibilities into an alignment-based vinyasa class, quiet deep stretch and restore, or a creative vinyasa and writing experience. She holds an MFA in Choreography from the University of North Carolina, Greensboro, as well yoga teaching certifications from the Laughing Lotus in San Francisco, and the Eldorado Mountain Yoga Ashram in Colorado, totaling over 500 hours. Brianna’s intention as a teacher is to hold space for her students to find openness and joy in their bodies, through movement, breath, alignment, and sound, and she encourages an environment of listening and nurturing, playfulness and love. She currently teaches at Loom Yoga, Usha Veda Yoga, Shambhala Yoga and Dance in Brooklyn, and leads creative movement experiences around NYC and beyond.
Brianna trained in traditional Thai Massage at the Naga Center in Portland, OR with Nephyr Jacobsen in 2007, and integrates her knowledge of the body and somatic practices gleaned from yoga and dance into her sessions. She studied Reiki under master teacher Sky Bradshaw in 2016, and is a level three attuned practitioner. Brianna practices a traditional Thai massage session, but also integrates reiki and intuitive somatic movement practices to support each person through assisted stretches, gentle pressure, and mobilization of limbs, offering unique healing sessions to listen and support individual needs.
Brianna was also an adjunct professor at Elon University, UNCG, UNCC, and Salem College, instructing courses in Yoga, Contemporary and West African Dance, and choreography, and has taught yoga in studios around Greensboro, Boulder, CO, and San Francisco, CA. She is also the founder and artistic director of Confluence Performance Project, a multi-disciplinary performance group, and a member of the experimental ensemble Collapss based in Greensboro. Her work has been showcased around NYC, as well as in the San Francisco Bay area; Greensboro, NC; Boulder, CO; Portland, OR; Washington, DC; Paris, France; and Lausanne, Switzerland.
What some happy yoga students say:
"I love Brianna's class. I always get really warm and drop in to a deep, listening place. Her hands-on adjustments are sensitive and precise, the pacing is great (a steady churning forward), and the playlist is on point. What I most appreciate about her class is the tone she sets– there is a seriousness but also a beautiful levity." Ethan Meigs
"I jump at any chance to take Brianna’s classes and highly recommend it. As a dancer myself, I find this class offers me a lot in terms of conditioning, restoration, peace of mind, and inspiration. I would also recommend Brianna’s classes for beginners or others who are looking for specific guidance on alignment and modifications. Brianna is very knowledgeable about the body. Her dance training makes her classes flow with elegant sequencing, while the pacing is quite calming and engaging for all levels (even when the poses are challenging). Brianna is a thoughtful and generous teacher. She creates a warm and welcoming atmosphere in class. Brianna is also an excellent resource since she knows a lot about the philosophy of yoga. Her classes include a nice balance of breathing, meditation, and asana practice. I can't think of a better way to introduce yourself to yoga or deepen your current practice."
Suzanne Beahrs
All too often when attending movement classes, I feel forced into a style or way of being that asks me to be something or someone I am not. Conversely, each time I attend Brianna’s movement classes, both yoga and dance, I feel invited into a space of sharing what Brianna has to offer while also having my personal freedoms and experiences acknowledged and honored. As a mover who has a voice, I crave spaces where my voice and lived experience are also welcome, while equally being guided and challenged to deepen my practice. I feel that this is the kind of facilitation that Brianna has to offer to the world: a safe space to explore movement fully and also fully be authentic to who I am when I walk through the door.
Emily Aiken