GYROTONIC® Soho at Movement & Beyond

Teachers bios

Young-ah Kim is a Educational Director and Master Trainer of Gyrotonic System at Movement & Beyond (NYC) and at Gyrotonic Association of Seoul (Korea). She is one of a few master trainers who studied and trained privately with Juliu Horvath and was a staff member at the original White Cloud Studio NYC from 1991-99.
Young-ah is a native of South Korea where she received her B.A. and M.A. degrees in Dance Education at Se-Jong University in Seoul. She is a former soloist of The Korea National Ballet Theater and won the Gold Medal in The Korea Ballet Association competition and Silver Medal in The Korea Dance Association competition. She also taught ballet at Seoul Fine Arts High School, one of the best performing arts high schools in Korea. After moving to NY in 1990, she has danced with various American companies, including the Connecticut Ballet and the Michigan Ballet.
With over 15 years of teaching experience, Young-Ah is a master trainer who is highly recognized because of her unique approach helping people through Gyrokinesis and Gyrotonic system to discover and learn their own body and connecting to the mind in harmonious way, including people with injuries and disabilities.

Young-ah conducts Teacher Training Courses for Gyrotonic, Gyrokinesis, and for Specialized Equipments.

Maria Holm is a certified Instructor in Gyrotonic, Gyrokinesis, Jumping/Stretching Board, Gyrotoner and a certified Gyrotonic Pre-Trainer. She started teaching Gyrotonic in 1999 and has been on staff with Movement & Beyond since 2003. Maria is a native of Sweden, where she received her degree in Dance, Dance Education and Fine Arts, in Stockholm, Sweden in 1986. As a professional dancer and teacher, in Sweden and throughout Europe, she has performed and taught extensively. In New York City, besides her work in Gyrotonic, she teaches Ballet. She has also been a Reiki Practitioner (Certified Level 2) since 1994. Interested in the body in motion for over twenty years, she works towards Body/Mind Awareness, with an understanding of the process, to achieve a fluid, kinetic body, which moves through space with functionality, strength, breath, and ease.

Paola Rostagno was born in Italy, Paola soon developed a passion for movements, leading her to extensive studies in classical dance at Il Teatro Nuovo in Truin and Academie du dance classique Princess Grace in Monte-Carlo. Eventually, she broadened her training embracing modern and theatre jazz dance which brought her to New York in 1997. In New York, she joined White Cloud Studio and was certified in 1998-99 in Gyrotonic, Gyrokinesis and Gyrotoner in 2005. She is happy to be a member of the staff at Movement & Beyond since 2003.

Naoko Moriyama Robbins came to New York to further her dance career in 1988. She studied many different styles of dance and performed with several choreographers. She has also been a very successful director of education for Japanese children at Educational Alliance West and Friends Academy in NYC.
Since 1990, she has been an integral part of the Peridance faculty, teaching Ballet and Gyrokinesis as well as serving as foreign student advisor.
Ms. Robbins received certifications in the Montessori method, Dance Education Laboratory and Music Together, increasing her expertise in children's education.
Her Gyrotonic training has inspired and motivated her discipline of both body and mind, expanding her entire outlook on education and life.

Ms. Robbins is a certified pre-trainer of Gyrotonic and Gyrokinesis.

Emi Komatsuzaki is a certified Instructor in Gyrotonic®, Gyrokinesis®, Gyrotoner®, Leg Extension Unit and Jumping/Sliding Board where she was trained under the Master Trainer Young-ah Kim. She received her early training in classical Ballet and Modern Dance since age of 8 at Kanemitsu Ikuko Dance School and Matsuyama Ballet School in Japan. She started to teach Gyrotonic in 2006 at Movement & Beyond while dancing professionally touring nationwide with Parijat Desai Dance Company among others while finishing the Two Year Independent Program at The Alvin Ailey School. She is on the faculty at Ballet Arts teaching Gyrokinesis Class. Emi is always seeking deeper understanding of Gyrotonic System and further education.

Kumiko Nasu is a certified Instructor in Gyrotonic®, Gyrokinesis®, Gyrotoner® and Leg Extension Unit where she was trained under the Master Trainer Young-ah Kim. She started teaching Gyrokinesis in 2003 and has been on the staff at Movement & Beyond since 2005. Kumiko, originally from Japan, received her BA in theater from Drake University in Iowa where she first started to dance. Moving to NYC, she studied at the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance where she received a full scholarship and was asked to join the Martha Graham Dance Ensemble. As a professional dancer, she has performed with numerous companies and venues that include the international tour with the King & I Musical troupe for over 6 months. As a professional teacher, she has taught at different facilities including New School University and Fordham University.

Yasuko Sato is a Certified Gyrotonic Instructor and a Certified Gyrokinesis Apprentice as well as a trained Pilates Mat Instructor. Yasuko discovered Gyrotonic while dancing in NYC, and has completed all her training with Master Trainer Young-ah Kim. Yasuko has been amazed by the body awareness that Gyrotonic has brought to her life, and feels that her dancing has become much better form practicing Gyrotonic. She is thankful for the opportunity to teach at Movement & Beyond.