QOYA

Intuitive Movement for Women

Celebrate who you are.
Love your body.
Honor your desires.

Join the dance

We are born with dancing in our bones. 

We are born with dancing in our bones, every one of us.
 
 Just look at any two year old: put on bouncy music and she starts to dance.
 
Wildly, freely, exuberantly.  

Spin the years forward a bit though and
that dancer has learned to sit still, to be quiet,

to be a good girl.

She learned to ignore the music.

She learned to squash the part of herself that danced,
once upon a time.

You learned that lesson very well 

For as long as you can remember, the only time you danced was a single slow dance with your husband at each wedding you attended over the years.  

And, of course, the mother’s dance: that instinctual swaying from side to side whenever your babies were in your arms.

But you didn't dance like you did as a child: for the sheer joy of movement.

With the delight of joining your body with music to be more than your everyday self.

But you looked at other dancers with envy

You felt out of balance. You knew you desired more.

I know I did.

Eventually, after years (decades) of not dancing,
I stumbled across an embodiment practice called Qoya (pronounced COY-uh)
that both scared and intrigued me.

Join the dance

Introducing...

Qoya: Intuitive Movement for Every Woman

Qoya combines intuitive movement with feeling your feelings, and being aware of how you experience emotions in your body.

It’s about moving your body in a way that feels good to you.

It includes some yoga and some stretching, some guided movement and some free movement.

It’s all done to music.

It's... dancing.

Qoya was exactly what I needed to get out of my head and into my body.

And it will help you too.

Join the dance

How does a live, virtual class work?

We will be gathering on Zoom, a video meeting app, for about 90 minutes. There will be opportunities to share your thoughts and experiences with others and the group. You can decide whether to have your camera on or off while you dance. You can decide whether to share or not. You have complete control over your experience.

You will need a phone or computer with a good strong internet connection and video camera, as well as a space to dance in with minimal interruptions, and speakers or cordless headphones so that you can hear the music while away from your computer.

Dress comfortably, in clothes you can move in. A yoga mat, a blanket for the final relaxation, a journal for reflections or notes, and a glass of water are all helpful but not required.

Adrienne Wood

Owner of Soil and Sunshine Wellness, Nutritionist, Qoya Teacher

Adrienne Wood earned a bachelor's degree in biology from Kalamazoo College, studied feminist theology at the Pacific School of Religion, and was awarded certificates as a nutritionist from the Nutritional Therapy Association and a Qoya instructor from Rochelle Schieck.She founded Soil and Sunshine Wellness to weave together science and spirituality for body-positive weight-loss and wellness.
In her work as a nutritionist and Qoya instructor, she helps women celebrate who they are, love their bodies, and honor their desires for more joy and less weight

Frequently Asked Questions

We will be gathering on Zoom, a video meeting app, for about 90 minutes. There will be opportunities to share your thoughts and experiences with others and the group (but it's certainly not required). You can decide whether to have your camera on or off while you dance. You can decide whether to share or not. You have complete control over your experience. You will need a phone or computer with a good strong internet connection and video camera, as well as a space to dance in with minimal interruptions, and speakers or cordless headphones so that you can hear the music while away from your computer.

I do not record our Qoya classes to allow all of us dancers to be free to express ourselves as authentically as possible.

No one is required to turn their camera on while they're dancing. Because of the nature of the internet and to preserve the sacred space for our dance, I ask that everyone take a moment be present in our circle with their camera on so we can all know that there are real faces behind the Zoom squares and connect with each other. Many people choose to dance with their cameras on, but it is absolutely not a requirement.

Wear whatever feels comfortable for you to move in, whether it's workout clothes, a comfy t-shirt with leggings, or your pajamas!

A yoga mat, a blanket and pillow for the final relaxation, a journal for reflections or notes, and a glass of water are all helpful but not required.

Dearest, you CAN dance. You ARE a good dancer.

When we dance Qoya together, it doesn't matter what it looks like, what matters is how it feels. Everyone can dance. We evolved over millennia dancing around our fires, dancing under the moon, dancing through our lives. We've been dancers as long as we've been humans. You were born a dancer, and even though you may have forgotten, you are a dancer still.  

When we dance Qoya together, each one of us is focused on the feelings of our own body, and allowing that feeling to lead us: there's not space to worry about what the women around us are doing. We all understand that every one of us will dance differently, dance in her own way, dance beautifully and perfectly as an expression of her own body.

There is, truly, no way to do Qoya wrong, no way to dance wrong. The only thing that matters is that you dance the truth of how you feel. That you be your authentic self. That you dance.

There are no levels in Qoya: no beginners, no experts. Every dancer adapts the movements to her own body so there's no one way to move, no right or wrong. If you body wants to move fast and wild, move fast and while. If your body wants to dance while sitting, dance while sitting. If you want to lay down and take a nap during class, take a nap! Your body is perfect: dance in your own perfect way.

© 2025 Soil and Sunshine Wellness