Hi, I’m Liz.
I am the Founder of the MOVEMENT — a place born from my personal experience with movement, combined with a lifetime of training and education surrounding the body, the nervous system, anatomy, and development.
I am a Chicana, a recovering perfectionist, a lover of music and movement, and someone deeply driven by connection and purpose. I’ve been teaching dance and movement in Long Beach since 1994, and I’m known for my authentic and personal approach. Through somatic practices, I help people make friends with their bodies.
My story
My journey with movement began at the age of eight, when my mom enrolled me in dance classes at a local studio (now known as Studio M). Dance quickly became my portal to self-expression.
In my early years, I studied ballet, tap, jazz, modern, Dunham, Pilates, lyrical, musical theater, and improvisation. As the years unfolded, the harmony I felt with dance began to waver. Struggles with body image, the relentless pursuit of perfection, and the shadows of past trauma followed me into early adulthood.
Even then, movement remained something I leaned on — a way to process and cope — though I didn’t yet understand how deeply those experiences were living in my body.
A different relationship with movement
For the past twenty years, I’ve been learning how to appreciate my body and what it does for me.
As an adult, I continued to seek ways to feel strong and centered, which led me to barre and yoga. It was through the experience of motherhood, however, that I was truly set on a path of healing and profound change.
It wasn’t until I discovered somatic movement that my relationship with movement shifted from external appearance and intensity toward connection and inner strength.
Through this work, it became clear to me that simply understanding things in our minds isn’t enough to create lasting change. Experiences are stored in the body, and they require physical processing in order to be released.
Why I teach the way I do
My approach to movement is rooted in personal experience alongside years of training in dance, barre, yoga, Pilates, and somatic movement.
I firmly believe in using movement as a way to connect with, find strength in, and heal the body — rather than to push, punish, or escape from it. When we honor the body through movement, we can truly thrive.
At the MOVEMENT, I bring this philosophy into everything I teach, whether in strength classes, somatic practices, or private sessions.
Accessibility & care
One of my core values is making movement accessible to everyone, regardless of financial situation.
I am committed to removing privilege from movement spaces and ensuring that all individuals have the opportunity to connect with their bodies. If you feel called to move but are facing financial barriers, I encourage you to reach out. I have programs in place designed to make movement more accessible, and I would love to support you on your journey.