Sofia do Mar

“May there always be a place for me behind every ‘no’ and every ‘yes.’”

Sofia do Mar, an eternal learner, honors empirical wisdom and forges her own path in service of what she practices, embodies, and truly is.

Her artistic journey began at the age of five when she joined the National Conservatory Dance School in 2001. Since then, she has developed her career as a professional dancer, with notable experiences including her time at Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company in Israel under Rami Be’er and Lotem Regev; Companhia de Dança de Almada and Companhia de Marta Ataíde in Funchal.

As a freelance dancer, she has collaborated on projects with PesoProducciones, QueTalEstás, and ClapsoProducciones in the Canary Islands, participating in numerous festivals and touring across the archipelago. In the field of dance on film, she highlights projects with Nina Chong in New York and aLaCreme Films in Tenerife. Since 2009, she has also worked as a dance instructor across various disciplines, teaching students aged 3 to 86.

Her training includes prestigious institutions such as the Ecole de Danse Cannes Rosella Hightower (Cannes), Vertigo Dance Company (Israel), BOCATUYA Dance Company, HungDance Taiwan Company, Carmen Werner, and Daniel Abreu (Gran Canaria); Rhiannon Faith: Dancing Theatre’s Company (London); Kompania Primavera (Croatia); and Noord Nederlandse Dans (Amsterdam).

Expanding her performance skills, she completed the Intensive Course in Meisner Acting Technique at The Acting Studio in Manhattan, New York.

Yoga has always been a natural part of her life, even before she recognized it as such. In 2017, she transitioned from student to teacher in Bali, Indonesia, earning certification from Star Alliance at the School of Sacred Arts (SOSA). Her training, which included Nutrition, Ayurveda, and Agni Pujas ceremonies, was guided by esteemed teachers such as Simone MacKay, Randall O’Leary, and Bex Tyrer, with a special focus on Vinyasa, Hatha, and Yin Yoga.

Since then, she has facilitated classes, masterclasses, retreats, and events, including at:

• EcoResort Gem River Edge Home & Safari (Kataragama, Sri Lanka)

• Savoy Saccharum, Resort & Spa Hotel 5****

• Casa Aruna with Erika Aruna

• Clínica de Fisioterapia FisioKorpos

• AIRsystem with Pedro Aku Reis (ANAM)

• Centro MADzen (Funchal, Madeira)

• Fit on Lab (LX Factory), Gym Alive Alfragide, Viva Fit Lumiar, Holmes Place Defensores de Chaves (Lisbon)

• ElementYogaSchool, PowerYogaCanarias, YogaHomeLasPalmas (Las Palmas de Gran Canaria), among others.

She also studied Tantra Yoga with Naomi Pereira in Las Palmas and Altea and pursued Alchemy studies in Funchal.

In 2020, during the pandemic, she launched an online studio platform for her regular students. Afterward, she became an assistant to Master Manu Navarro, advancing to Ashtanga Series II and later guiding Ashtanga Led and Mysore-style classes. In this practice, she highlights the influence of Isa Guitana (Cascais), AshtangaYogaPorto, and Lleonard Escandell (Las Palmas).

Committed to continuous learning, she has trained in Integral PT Yoga at Quinta do Anjo Ashram and DeRose Method with Marcela Vitorino and Momo Coração de Cacau. Online, she has studied with Paloma Bloom, Coral Wan, Ashae Sundara, and Elisa Rose Waters.

She co-created the following retreats:

• Founder of Eco Yoga Retreats - The Art of Living (EcoResort Gem River Edge Home & Safari, Kataragama, Sri Lanka)

• Sangha Yoga Retreat - Kickoff 2022

• Sangha Yoga Retreat III - Empower Your Femininity, co-created with Audrey Kosnar and Aga Piatkowska (Gran Canaria and Lanzarote)

Between her athletic and artistic pursuits, she has explored injury recovery, body somatization, and holistic well-being, leading to a new awareness of health and freedom. Through her work, she aims to support and guide others in their transformations, providing tools that foster self-discovery and personal growth.

“My mission here is to seek a new connection between the dancer’s body and mind—a heart-centered discovery and an energetic discipline that, if embraced, can lead to full balance and spiritual alignment.”