Brasil In Motion/Balance Studio

Did a capoeira class and it was an extremely rewarding experience. The instruction was excellent, the pace was intense, but there was room to slow down the movements to figure things out, and everyone there gave the atmosphere of a return trip home to family and friends. Highly recommended.

So happy I found this gem in Seattle. This studio has provided so much joy through these hard times. The quality of instruction is top notch and the community of people is wonderful. I also appreciate that this studio takes covid precautions seriously. It's impossible not to leave the studio happier, wiser, and very sweaty! :) If you want to learn the real roots of Brazilian art plus make awesome new friends, you need to come here.

I love dancing with Daniel and Aileen. They bring such positivity to every class and I always feel better after shaking it out with them.

Bahia in Motion was my solace and anchor during the pandemic. I had been dancing there on Sundays for almost 2 years pre pandemic. Those uplifting Sundays took on an entirely new and more intense importance with the quarantine shut down of everything not “essential”. Since I was one of those “essential workers” in the medical field, I continued to have to work…and to expose myself to the at that point unknown transmissibility of the virus and risk infection daily. I thought of working at that time as putting my head in the nuclear reactor, since that’s how I viewed the toxic potential of Covid. I literally had to put my head in that mouth of the unknown and risk every time I did my medically related job.

With that type of stress and uncertainty, I needed community, and a source of stability and joy. The weekly Sunday dance classes via Zoom with Daniel and Aileen and Bahia in Motion gave me all that I needed, that I couldn’t get during lockdown. A sense of community with the regular weekly classes and familiar faces. A source of joy and uplift with the primal and ecstatic connection that only dance can provide. Most of all, in a very isolating time, the classes and teachers provided tangible, regular evidence that YOU ARE NOT ALONE; WE SUPPORT YOU. I tell Daniel and Aileen frequently that ‘You two and the Zoom classes are the reason I made it through pandemic with my mental health in a good space’. It is my absolute joy and honor to be able to write the same sentiment and review here. Bahia In Motion is a one in a million treasure.

I love this studio, Daniel and Aileen not only create amazing, full body workouts that will whip you into shape in no time, but they make is FUN. The community they create, and the high energy, makes going to any of their classes awesome!
-Jena Peterson, Naturopathic Physician in Seattle

The Nia classes at Balance are wonderful and taught by a variety of skilled teachers who welcome students of every level of athletic ability. In particular, look for Jag's regular workshops that provide a deeper dive into elements of Nia that are wonderful for students and teachers alike. Jen Kraft's Moving to Heal classes are also wonderful and inclusive, great for people who are easing their way back into their fitness practice after an injury -- or just a long time away from movement.

This capoeira studio has the most wonderful and welcoming teachers and community. My children have been taking classes here for 3 years and watching them grow in their strength, flexibility, confidence, and cultural awareness has been a joy. Lucky for Seattle that we have them!