Private instruction in the Gyrotonic® Expansion System in Olympia, WA.

Susan Gresia

With a lifelong foundation in movement, Susan has been immersed in dance since the age of eight. Her early years as a competitive gymnast through middle and high school, along with her time as a Seattle Seahawks cheerleader, cultivated a deep understanding of athleticism, precision, and performance. She studied dance at the University of Washington and holds a certification in Laban/Bartenieff Movement Studies. Her training also includes studies at Cornish College of the Arts and Western Washington University. In 1999, she co-founded Random Acts of Dance Collective, a community-based modern dance company dedicated to producing original works and collaborating with artists across disciplines. For 15 years, she taught creative dance to children, nurturing imagination, body awareness, and a joyful relationship to movement. This experience deepened her understanding of developmental movement patterns and the importance of meeting each body where it is. She completed her Gyrotonic® certification in 2013 and has continued to expand her training with Gyrotonic® for Dancers and Gyrotonic® for Osteoporosis. As her own body evolves with time, she finds Gyrotonic® to be a powerful system that supports strength, mobility, and integration of mind and body. She brings decades of embodied experience to her teaching, guiding clients toward greater awareness, resilience, and freedom in movement.

Melissa Rocca

Melissa has been a mover for as long as she can remember. One of her earliest memories is setting a personal challenge to walk the entire 30-foot hallway of her childhood home in a handstand—just to see if she could. Growing up alongside her siblings, she was rarely still: riding bikes, climbing trees, swimming, and constantly exploring what her body could do. In middle school, she discovered ballet—and never looked back. She went on to perform as a soloist with Ballet Northwest and later taught ballet to children as part of Evansville Dance Theatre's outreach program while attending college. In her early twenties, she was introduced to the Gyrotonic® Expansion System by Rachel Friedman—an experience that would shape the next chapter of her career. While living in Rome, she had the opportunity to study Gyrotonic with Monica Benedette, an exceptional teacher who was then completing a master’s thesis on using the Gyrotonic® Method to increase arabesque in dancers. The studio was filled with professional dancers, and the advanced, dynamic work deepened her understanding of movement in a profound way. Inspired by that experience, she committed to becoming a Certified Instructor herself. She completed her initial certification in 2019, followed by Applications for Golfers in 2021, Pre- and Post-Natal training in 2023, and Applications for Dancers in January 2026. What she loves most about the Gyrotonic system is that it feels like play. Sessions are designed to leave clients feeling lengthened, calm, and energized—perhaps just a little pleasantly sore—the kind that reminds you your body is alive, capable, and evolving.