Sami Lea believes in the power of movement to heal, transform, and awaken. A former ballerina, she first turned to yoga for physical relief after undergoing back and hip surgeries at 16 and 21. But it was loss and grief that truly changed her practice. In late 2014, after tragically losing her fiancé, yoga became more than just a discipline—it became a lifeline, a way to breathe through pain and rediscover the possibility of joy.

Now, married and a mother of two, Sami’s deepest lessons come not just from the mat but from the ever-evolving rhythm of motherhood. Her greatest teachers have become her children and the innate wisdom of her own body—its strength, its resilience, and its capacity to transform through every phase of life and womanhood.

Armed with experience and empathy, Sami’s classes weave creatively challenging sequencing with candid rawness. Her flows are lyrical, music-centric, powerful, and deliberately paced—inviting students to move with intention, heart, and surrender.

Sami’s teaching is an intentional fusion of influences. The Baptiste style was the foundation of her teaching, but she has also devoted herself to the steadfast alignment of Anusara and Iyengar, the artistry of Vinyasa, the discipline of Ashtanga, and the meditative depth of Yin. She believes there is great wisdom in each methodology on its own, but they can be beautifully woven together. She also balances her practice with strength training, cycling, Pilates, barre, and other forms of movement.

Sami completed her first 200-hour RYT training in Austin in 2009 with her mentor, Desirae Pierce. She went on to complete Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 trainings with Baron Baptiste, both participating in and assisting his programs. In 2018, she earned her 300-hour certification through Down Under School of Yoga with Natasha Rizopoulos. She has been deeply involved in teacher training and curriculum development for over a decade.

Her work has been featured in national publications, including Origin Magazine, Mantra Yoga & Health, Colorado Yoga Magazine, New York Yoga + Life, Yoga Love Magazine, and the book The Yoga Fix. From leading retreats around the world to teaching at Wanderlust, Burning Man, and even The White House Easter Egg Roll—where she guided children through sun salutations as the President and First Lady looked on—Sami’s journey has been anything but ordinary.

Upon moving to Boston in 2017, she joined Down Under School of Yoga as Director of Marketing, Brand, and Strategic Planning, bringing her background in sports marketing and design into the yoga world. Today, Sami serves as the Managing Director of a nonprofit in the mental health and psychoanalytic field, where she blends her passion for movement and somatic release with the depth of mental health work. This role allows her to bridge the gap between body and mind, helping to shape programs that honor the full spectrum of healing.

In any free moments, Sami’s happiest place is dancing to live music at a festival—embracing life’s rhythm just as she does in her practice.