TANYA LEE – Facilitator, Performer, Author, Choreographer, and Producer
Tanya Lee is an interdisciplinary artist and movement educator, weaving together over 25 years of experience into a tapestry of fusion bellydance, ritual dance, yoga, and esoteric traditions. As the creator of Conjure Motion, Tanya offers a practice that nurtures not only the body but the soul, inviting deep self-discovery, healing, and transformation.
“I believe we all carry a deep yearning to reconnect with something greater than ourselves—a spiritual essence that elevates us beyond the everyday, yet grounds us in the profound beauty of the present moment. The mysteries of the universe have always called to seekers, martial artists, yogis, and dreamers alike, drawing them towards the unknown.”
Tanya’s work is built upon a foundation of movement and mysticism, spanning many disciplines: from fusion bellydance and transcultural dance to personal training, mixed martial arts, and various forms of yoga. Her life has been a continuous exploration of how the body, mind, and spirit intertwine, leading her to study meditation, healing arts, natural cycles, ritual magick, and ancient astrology.
At the heart of Tanya’s current work is Conjure Motion, a practice born of tarot, the Tree of Life, and the five classical elements: spirit, fire, water, air, and earth. It is both a dance vocabulary and a lifestyle, a sacred movement that invites you to express your soul’s deepest yearnings. For Tanya, it is about creating community—bringing people together through a shared practice of self-knowledge, collaboration, and exploration.
Tanya’s journey has been deeply shaped by the wisdom of numerous mentors, each contributing to her vision of conscious movement and fusion. While countless influences have guided her path, these are the key figures who have had a lasting impact on her work:
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Moira Stott, whose contemporary approach to Pilates integrates modern exercise principles, focusing on spinal rehabilitation, fascial integration, and athletic performance. Her work was a very early influence on Tanya’s practice.
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Bryan Kest, whose Power Yoga reimagines traditional practices
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Rockne White, a pioneer of yoga in Calgary, whose teachings have influenced many local yoga lineages
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Lerrita Rubinoff, whose work with Reiki and energy has transformed her understanding of healing
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Lee Mein, whose role in shaping Mixed Martial Arts in Canada has inspired her approach to discipline and courage
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Gert Van Leeuwen, creator of Critical Alignment Therapy, whose work expanded her knowledge of body alignment and movement pathways
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Danielle Pechie, whose fusion of Rolfing, Ashtanga Yoga, and Critical Alignment influenced her approach to holistic movement
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Jill Parker, Rachel Brice, SamiTe, Zoe Jakes and Mira Betz whose work with fusion bellydance opened new creative doors
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Amy Sigil, whose SIGIL Method for cued group improvisational dance continues to influence her work
TANYA’S STORY
I was born on an island just off the coast of Nova Scotia, called Cape Breton or Unama’ki, part of the ancestral and unceded land of the Mi’kmaq and Wolastoqiyik (Maliseet) Peoples of the Wabanaki Confederacy. When I was young, my father moved our family to Calgary in search of work, following the economic struggles of the Maritimes. I was a sensitive redhead in Grade 5, signing out all the books on ancient Egyptian tombs, organizing a “secret society,” leading séances, and genuinely believing I could move objects with my mind.
In high school, my mom remarried a cattle farmer and we moved to rural Alberta. I traded my black lipstick for wranglers, and my ‘coven’ became the 4H club and volleyball team. I immersed myself in team sports, learned how to run a business, and trained for a career in law enforcement. I was a full-blown muggle, but there was always a quiet pull deep inside, drawing me toward something more—the mysteries and magick of life.
Fast forward to the early 2000s, my mid-twenties. I had opened a Pilates studio, was performing as a national-level bodybuilder, and was helping my then-husband build the Canadian mixed martial arts scene. One day, a client introduced me to a “new style of exercise” called yoga. That moment became my Tower card moment, as I could feel that yoga was far more than just physical exercise—it was a spiritual call I couldn’t ignore. I dove headfirst into the world of yoga and, as tarot readers would say, my life changed in profound ways. When I resurfaced, I was divorced, living in a van in a new country, studying astrology, fusion bellydance, and the structures of ancient secret societies.
In 2007, I returned to Calgary to start anew. Thanks to my previous success publishing a bodybuilding book, my reputation as a personal trainer remained strong, giving me the financial stability I needed to rebuild. At this point, yoga had boomed, and studios were popping up everywhere—people were becoming more open to the spiritual side of things, so I took the risk and began calling myself a Yoga Trainer. I spent the next few years explaining how I wasn’t just a gym trainer but someone who combined yoga techniques, fusion bellydance, and astrology into my practice.
During this time, I worked with corporate companies to design productivity and work-life balance models based on solar and lunar cycles. I adapted these models for professional athletes, successfully using them to optimize performance and prevent overtraining. I also pioneered an idea for a piece of training equipment that eventually received a patent and funding from Dragons’ Den.
By 2014, I had developed Power Align, a fusion movement system based on the moon cycles, and launched a 200-hour yoga teacher training program that ran for 7 years. I started to open up more about the “method behind the madness,” talking openly about astrology, cycles, and energy work. I was amazed at how many “regular people” resonated with the logic and practical application of these ancient arts and sciences.
Today, astrology is more mainstream than ever—whether it’s getting a quick birth chart reading on Snapchat or joining local non-profit witches associations. As the mystic arts have flourished, I’ve expanded and refined my studies, diving deeper into hermetic traditions, tarot, and ceremonial magick. I’m incredibly grateful for all the mentors, grandmothers, occult scholars, and modern mages who have had the courage to share their cultivated wisdom.
It feels like we’re at a pivotal moment in time when the inner arts are finally emerging from the shadows and into the light.
When the 2020 global lockdowns shut my business down, I found myself with no choice but to deepen my connection to source energy. It was in that darkness that Conjure Motion was born. Creating space for this work has been an incredible honor—it feels like the culmination of everything I love, all in one place. Conjure Motion is my legacy, my offering, and my deepest passion. It’s a practice of self-awareness, development, and self-actualization—but it’s also a team sport, growing with the connection between everyone who participates. Thank you for joining me on this adventure!
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"Any magical or spiritual system is the product of a lively dance in which tradition and innovation take the lead by turns. "