DYNAMIC YOGA | YOGA SUSPENSO | AERIAL CONDITIONING | HANDSTAND LAB | FLEXIBILITY

When I started practicing Yoga on a regular basis in 2009, it completely changed my perspective and philosophy of life. I developed my practice and became an instructor of Hatha Yoga, Aerial Yoga and Aerobatics. As an entrepreneur, I know I have to keep my feet on the ground, but it is by dreaming bigger that I have put my ideas into practice. This is what happened when I developed my own line of aerial yoga (Yoga Suspenso). In 2014, the desire to grow this project led me to the creation of a unique space, with unparalleled conditions for the practice of various aerial acrobatics. Thus was born our Jaya Aerial Lab, a space to your level.

FLEXIBILITY | FLOOR BARRE

Maria João has always been connected to physical activity. She started as a federated athlete in competition aerobics, which allowed her to enter the Faculdade de Motricidade Humana (FMH), where she only attended the 1st year of Physical Education. She was trained as an aerobics instructor in the CEF with Alice Rodrigues and as a fitness instructor and personal trainer in XISTARCA. In 2000 she entered the world of dance. She trained as a classical dance teacher with Pedro Carneiro (director of EDCN – National Conservatory Dance School) and Carlos Caldas, renowned dancer and teacher. She trained in contemporary dance in the methods – Graham, Limon, Horton and Cunningham. Her training in flamenco dance was divided between Portugal and Spain. She trained in floor bar in the Russian method.

She is a Gyrokinesis and Gyrotonic instructor, which led her to open up to a new perspective of movement. She discovered Yoga and trained as a yoga prof by Alliance UK in 2018. In 2014 she was trained in Jungian psychology and in 2016 in Caycedian Sophrology in Santarem. In 2018 she took a pedagogical training course and a course in production of shows and events by World Academy.

In order to finish his degree, she swapped sports for osteopathy, having finished the course in 2021 by ESCVP. She joined Jaya to try hanging yoga and ended up training with Rui Oliveira Costa.

Pole Dance

Pole dance came into my life in 2008 and, two years later, I started teaching this modality and taking part in several shows. Since then, I have done workshops with several reputable pole dancers such as Marlo Fisken, Alethea Austin, Bendy Kate, Leign Ann, Marion Crampe, Oona Kivela, Alex Schukin, Daria Che, among others, improving my movements and technical knowledge.

In parallel, I dedicated myself to Yoga. In 2011, I spent a month in Mysore and Goa practicing with two teachers certified by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois. In 2015 I became a certified Yoga instructor by Yoga Alliance. And I have been refining my personal practice, with different Ashtanga and Hatha Yoga teachers.

YOGA SUSPENSO

I have a fascination for body movement. I practiced gymnastics and graduated in physiotherapy at the Escola Superior de Saúde do Alcoitão and at Harper Adams University (UK). I am also a Gyrotonic® and Gyrokinesis® instructor. I started in dance in 2009, pole dance in 2011 and yoga in 2012, participating in several shows and exhibitions. In 2017, I started taking classes at Jaya.

I fell in love with Suspended Yoga, did my training with Rui Oliveira Costa and started teaching this discipline. The following year, I completed yoga teacher training certified by Yoga Alliance UK. Today, I divide my activity between practicing Physiotherapy and Gyrotonic and practicing and teaching aerial modalities.

Aerial Silks | Aerial Sling | Lyra | Jaya Teens | Jaya Kids

Since the year 2000, Angelica acts professionally in the area of performing arts and contemporary circus (specializing in aerial acrobatics) as a creator, performer, director and trainer.

She has a degree in Performing Arts from Universidade Estadual de Campinas (2000) and in Performing Arts from Faculdade de Letras da Universidade de Lisboa (2010), where she also attended the Masters in Theatre Studies.

Over almost two decades she has created numerous partnerships with artists, companies, producers and cultural collectives in Brazil and Portugal, where she has lived since 2006.

In 2018 she completed his yoga instructor training with Marco Peralta , certified by Yoga Alliance.

She participated in the first steps of Jaya Yoga Shala in 2010 and is pleased to continue his partnership with Jaya Aerial Lab since 2017.

In celebrating these many encounters her admiration for art, for the artists, professionals and students with whom she has the pleasure of sharing her daily life fuels her passion and propels her flights to infinity.

BHARATA NATYAM

I graduated in the oldest classical style of dance in India, Bharata Natyam, at Pandanallur School. This heritage has given me artistic recognition in the world of Indian dance, both in India and Europe. Besides being a performer and choreographer, I teach at the Dance Center of Oeiras and at the Center de Danse Alésia (Paris, France). I still conduct dance workshops for children and adults, internships, conferences and intercultural courses all over Europe. I have been at JAYA since 2018 giving classes to young people and adults, beginners and intermediate.

AERIAL SILKS | LYRA | FLEXIBILITY

Anthropologist by the National University of Colombia, she begins her circus training in conjunction with her professional training. She takes several workshops in aerial circus techniques in La Gata Cirko and Aerial Dance Live (2010-2016), in which she learns the basics of flat rope, aerial fabric, lyra, straps, and facade dance. She continues her circus training in different workshops by renowned artists from Circo do Sol (2018-2019) and subsequently works as an artist and trainer in aerial circus techniques.

She does a year of training at INAC (National Institute of Circus Arts) (2019-2020) with a specialty in lyra and later she trains as a yoga teacher in AETO (European Association of Oriental Therapies) (2020-2021).

Rope

Serena Tassone discovered aerial acrobatics in Brazil, at the dance school where she worked as an assistant to the acrobatics teacher in a social project that consisted of classes for young people. This experience in Brazil gave her a clear idea that she wanted to start a training path in aerial acrobatics and, back in Portugal, she attended the circus techniques course at Chapitô. Before dedicating herself solely to circus, she managed to combine her work in social intervention projects with the practice of aerial disciplines, taking part in different workshops and masterclasses between Portugal and Italy. With a strong interest in exploring the limits of the body, she started to investigate different aerial devices that led her to the discovery of the rope. Currently, she continues in a personal research investigating and creating new uses, knots and transitions in this apparatus. She teaches aerial acrobatics, works as a performer, and continues in a constant discovery of the expressions of the body between dance, pins and ground acrobatics.

Pole Dance | Pole Dance COMBOS | Pole Dance Choreo

João Afonso was born in 1990, in Lisbon (Portugal).
Throughout his childhood he played several types of sport (trampoline, triathlon, hokei on skates…), but it was in swimming that he won more titles. He abandoned his career as a professional athlete when he entered university.
In 2012 he finished his Degree in Physical Education and Wellness and, given his natural appetite for working with the elderly or people with special educational needs, he decided to deepen his knowledge by doing a Postgraduate Course – “Training for Special Populations”, which he completed in 2013.
After 4 years of experience as a teacher and exercise room instructor, as well as group class instructor, an interest in Pole Dance emerged.
In 2014, he graduated as a Pole Dance instructor in Rome (Italy) through the Polexgym by Tamantini Program, where he taught Pole Dance levels 1 and 2 in several schools and gyms until 2016.
Returning to Lisbon in 2016, she decided to focus on spreading the modality, little known in Portugal, giving classes and participating in Pole Dance events, in Portugal and abroad:
– Got Talent 2016 – Golden Button;
– Shows or championships IPAF (international pole art festival);
– Shows and 1st National championship (1st place) APVD (Portuguese Pole Association);
– World Championship Terragona 2018;
– World Championship 2021 (virtual) – IPSF (International Pole Sports Federation)
– Pole Art Switzerland (Geneve) (2nd place / 3rd place)
– Pole Art Italy – Milan / Turin

He currently works as a Room and Group Class Instructor at the Fitness Hut in Almada, and teaches Pole Dance at the Jaya Aerial Lab.

YOGA SUSPENSO

Neus was born in the Mediterranean, is an architect by profession and a yoga practitioner since 2011. She likes to have her roots firmly planted in the earth, but also to defy gravity. That’s what led her to fall in love with Suspension Yoga, when in 2016 she came into contact with the modality, at Jaya. After practicing a lot and participating in classes as a student, she decided to take the course for instructors. Since 2021, she has been part of the Jaya team of instructors, where “she is lucky enough to be able to share what she has learnt in her classes”. She also has a degree in aquatic therapy.

POLE DANCE

Moana’s journey in Pole Dance began 9 years ago when she entered the University of Exeter in the UK. There, she joined the university’s Pole dance society AND began participating in demonstrations, shows, and competitions.
In the year 2016/2017, she co-organised the South West University Pole Competition.
She trained with artists and instructors such as Lorna Walker, Sarah Blackmilk, and Kassia Portas, who had a great influence on her dance style.

Four years ago Moana became certified as a Pole dance instructor.
Today she teaches Indie Pole dance classes, various choreography styles (contemporary, floorwork, exotic and chair dance), and Pole Tricks classes.
Her motivation as an instructor is for students to have as much fun as possible, help them find their individual dance styles, and build a strong foundation of pole acrobatics.