Ellen Sevy received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theater Arts at the University of California-Santa Cruz in 1981. It was there she met Dancer and Choreographer Tandy Beal whom she worked actively with for the next 30 years, teaching and performing in North America, Europe, Hong Kong and Japan.
Performance highlights include work with Bobby McFerrin (Emmy Award winning PBS special “Voice Dance”; MTV music video “The Garden”), Frank Zappa (“Orchestral Works” puppeteer), Tim Burton (“Nightmare Before Christmas” movement model), The Baroque Dance Ensemble and The Baltimore Opera (“Candide”).
Ellen began studying Yoga in 1978 to augment and improve her dance skills, and soon after began teaching this new discipline at local colleges, in her community and for corporate clients, including 3 years at Apple Computer.
While performing and teaching in Colleges and Universities Ellen developed chronic hip pain, which threatened her career. Traditional clinical treatment offered little or no relief, and after experimenting with various alternative therapies for many years she discovered the Feldenkrais Method. After only three private sessions she was finally able to understand and eliminate her hip pain. The Feldenkrais Method had such a powerful effect on her that she enrolled in a Professional Training program and became a Guild Certified Feldenkrais Practitionercm in 1996.
Ellen maintains private practices in Santa Monica/West LA and Santa Cruz, California and has worked in a number of Physical Therapy offices including Kerlan-Jobe Orthopedic Clinic. She has also taught for the Multiple Sclerosis Society.
Ellen is a certified Gyrotonic® Instructor and is currently offering training sessions using the Gyrotonic Pully Tower.
Ellen has developed several Feldenkrais workshops, including those for Yogis, Gardeners, Dancers, Singers and office workers. She teaches people how to avoid and recover from injury by utilizing her in-depth knowledge of how human bodies are designed to move safely and efficiently. In addition, she takes great pleasure acting as a mentor/coach for her Feldenkrais colleagues.
She is an avid and passionate gardener and has transformed many sites in California from crab grass and ivy to beautiful artistic landscapes.
