Elena Velasco found yoga through her work as a theatre and movement artist. For over 25 years she has worked in the performing arts industry as a director, choreographer, performer, and professor in the DMV and Greater Boston regions. Through such companies as Synetic Theatre and Convergence Theatre, she found that the fullest creative expression and connection was the result of the synthesis of the mind-body-consciousness. Yoga has helped her craft choreography that is more sustainable and gives performers greater agency over their bodies. Yoga informs her work in all disciplines, whether leading a vinyasa class at Bowie State University where she is an associate professor of theatre and movement, or establishing a healthy, mindful rehearsal process for movement-based performance. She completed her 200-hour teacher certification at Rising Sol Yoga School and is a member of Yoga Alliance. She believes yoga and the arts must be accessible and is passionate about holding space for a range of students from diverse backgrounds, cultures, genders, and lived experiences. Along with her active professional life, she enjoys biking, hiking, and meditating, and is the proud mother of seven children, all who have various paths and passions.