Michelle Mendonca Estrada is from Santa Fe, NM where she was born and raised and solely owns and operates Glomedicine, Yoga, Fitness, Dance, Music, & Art Studio. Michelle comes from a lifetime of fitness. Growing up in the gym with her parents, both fitness instructors, Michelle began her movement journey when she began to walk at 6 months old. As she learned to walk, she also learned alongside her mother, to swim, do yoga, and tumble. These early movement tools took Michelle to become a competitive cheerleader, Karate Ka, bodybuilder, and power lifter, from elementary through her high school years. When Michelle was 12 she started working at a local gym where she received personal training in weightlifting, aerobics, and ShotoKan Karate, and by the time she was 17 became a personal trainer herself and began to lead movement classes. In 1996 Michelle met her dance teacher Catalina Rio-Fernandez and fell in love with the art of Flamenco. Michelle has been studying flamenco with her Maestra for 25 years. In 2010 Michelle met her Yoga Teacher
Shea Rollins. Michelle studied and trained with her teacher and other local Master Yogi’s in Santa Fe for 8 years. In those years, Michelle completely immersed herself in yoga and the world of healing; working, observing, studying, learning, and practicing. Here she gained knowledge of various yoga styles such as Vinyasa Yoga, Hatha Yoga, Restorative Yoga, HIIT Yoga, Nadi Yoga, Primordial Yoga, and Bowspring. In 2015 after 5 years with her teacher, Shea gave her permission, ‘the old way,’ to start teaching; saying, ‘your ready to teach, now go and teach.’
Michelle’s gift is being able to take a class, interpret and integrate it into her body and turn around and teach it in a way for others to do the same. Today, Michelle shares the gifts she has manifested from her life long studies in yoga, fitness, dance, gymnastics, and martial arts through her classes and workshops at her studio Glomedicine in Santa Fe, Quail Run in Santa Fe, and Vortex Pole Fitness in Taos, NM. She teaches traditional Vinyasa Yoga, and also a variety of 'new' yoga incorporating dance, martial arts, and core strengthening and has developed her own style of teaching Vinyasa Yoga, Yoga Barre, Restorative Yoga, and Chair Yoga. Her fitness classes include, Kickboxing, Resistance Training, and HIIT. She shares dance classes in Flamenco, Belly-dancing, and Burlesque, and she is currently studying to be a Certified Beginner Pole Master Trainer. All Classes incorporate her tools in yoga as she believes yoga; the unity of movement and breath, IS LIFE.
Michelle loves to teach and mostly learn as she approaches every class with a beginners mind, not so much to teach, but to learn! ‘It is through my students, who teach me everything, that I may come to know them and myself. May we continue to walk and grow in beauty together! I love this journey with you! Namaste, the light in me honors the light in you.... Mitakuye Oyasin, a prayer for All My Relations.…’
Catalina Rio Fernandez, Director of Flamenco Nuevo Mexico, lived in Spain for 13 years from the age of 18 and has been dancing, training dancers, and performing for over 40 years! She Studied with many flamenco legends in her years in Spain and at the University of New Mexico. She is presently based out of Santa Fe and teaches Flamenco classes at Glomedicine; yoga fitness dance & art studio. Catalina also started the Flamenco Program in the Taos Schools and has been teaching the children of Taos for over 20 years.
Michelle Mendonca Estrada, the owner of Glomedicine met Catalina
Rio-Fernandez in 1996 and fell in love with the art of Flamenco. Michelle has been studying and performing flamenco with her Maestra Catalina for over 25 years and has recently become Catalina's apprentice to teach classes and to resume the Flamenco program in Taos schools as Catalina steps down to pursue her dream of archiving and documenting her life and The Art of Flamenco. Catalina and Michelle teach group classes, private group classes, and individual private sessions at Glomedicine in Santa Fe, NM and in Taos, NM. Catalina and Michelle are available to book performances and perform around the globe.
'Yogini Glo' Gloria Paloma Estrada is 15 years old. Glo has been nurtured by yoga, dance, music, and art since she was in the womb. She has cultivated an amazing love of Spirit, yoga, dance, music, and martial arts through the guidance of her parents, teachers, and professors. Glo has practiced yoga with her mother since she was a baby and also with her teacher Emily Branden at The Railyard Performance Center over the past 12 years.
Glo also studies Jujitsu and Muy Thai at Santa Fe Brazilian Jujitsu Academy under the guidance of her professors, Thomas Pless, Mario Sandoval, and Angelo Sanchez. She is an artist and athlete who participates in many other activities such as The Santa Fe Seals Swim Team, The Taos Tigers Swim Team, Taos High School Swim Team, volleyball, band, and choir. Glo also is a long time student at The Tarnoff Art Center, where she has been a part of many group shows. She is an amazing artist and she participated in her 7th Santa Fe Indian Market; she creates amazing Native Art and Jewelry. Glo is a blossoming Flamenco dancer as well, under the instruction of Catalina Rio Fernandez, and has been practicing dance for 12 years.
Glo has an enchanting connection to Creator and Mother Earth passed down to her by her parents and ancestors that she shares through her practice, words, music, and art… #Glomedicine #Soulmedicine