Amanda Hitz | Founder & Instructor
After moving to Denver in 2011, Amanda discovered and instantly fell in love with both cannabis and yoga. With a background teaching dance, yoga instruction wasn’t a huge step into the unknown. She has a World Yoga Alliance certification in Hatha yoga and a 200 hour in Hot and Hot-Power Fusion with CorePower. Not long after her first certification, Bend & Blaze was born. Using music and cannabis as her tool, she is able to create space for yogis to mold their practice. Amanda’s classes marry breath and flow with clear alignment direction and strength building to produce a well-rounded experience. She strives to make her classes dynamic- incorporating deep melts and strong, energetic holds. Amanda believes in the healing powers of cannabis and daily movement and uncovers more each day that inspires her to share the practice.
Follow her on Instagram HERE
Steph Lindsey, The Black Unicorn Collective | Instructor
Steph has always relied on medicine from nature, so naturally turned to cannabis to manage her migraine headaches. When she began using cannabis for her home yoga practice as well, a more devoted yoga practice emerged that led her to complete both a 200hr and 300hr yoga teacher training. Cannabis allows her to shift her awareness to calming and quieting the mind-stuff or citta vrtti...it became a tool she could use to drop deeper into the practice truly experiencing the connection of breath to movement. While Steph’s classes focus on the essentials of a yoga class, breath and alignment, MUSIC is another important thread that connects the components of her classes together. You can find her here and follow her at The Black Unicorn Collective
Brianna Janae | Instructor
BJ is an artist and spaceholder based in Denver, CO. She was introduced to yoga, meditation, and other spiritual practices in her childhood.Yoga, dance, and breathwork have been essentials in building her tools for patience, play, and self-exploration. Over the last ten years they have advocated for the benefits of the use of plant medicine. They bring similar sentiments to their teaching style by providing a fluid, shame-free environment with ease, movement, and comfort. She completed her 200-hour teacher training through Courageous Yoga’s Sacred Activism program under the teachings of Jordan Smiley. Her classes create space for all-levels with a flow accompanied by elements of sound and guided meditations. They are deeply committed to offering somatic practices that are accessible on and off the mat.
Follow BJ on IG HERE
Maria Rojas | Instructor
Maria is a 200 hour yoga instructor based in Colorado. Her love of Yoga started when she first began experiencing anxiety and panic attacks. She turned to yoga and meditation to help. It wasn’t until she moved to Colorado that she began exploring the different recreational activities Denver has to offer and fell in love with the combination of yoga and cannabis through bend & blaze. She knew she wanted to help others explore the different avenues and ways yoga help. Cannabis, for her, is a medicine for the physical, emotional, and spiritual body - and when paired with yoga, occasionally, it can be magical. Maria brings a mindful practice to help you focus on the moment through yoga, breath practice, meditation and music. She loves a good slow flow to help relax and bring a sense of calm. Maria believes in the natural and holistic healing powers of cannabis and yoga - separate or combined. Today, Maria still turns to cannabis and yoga when her monkey mind is occupying her mind - for her anxiety and panic attacks - and to enhance her yoga practice.
Follow her on IG HERE