Andrea McGinnis :: about

Andrea McGinnis is a certified GYROKINESIS® and GYROTONIC® trainer, licensed massage therapist, former professional ballet dancer, and accomplished somatic movement educator. With over eighteen years of dedicated experience as an instructor and facilitator, Andrea is known for her uniquely creative approach. She combines her expertise in movement with a deep understanding of the body to empower individuals on their journey toward greater physical freedom, vitality, and an overall deeper sense of well-being.

Andrea’s journey in movement began as a young ballet dancer, with early training that took her from the Seattle area to the renowned San Francisco Ballet School. By sixteen, she joined the San Francisco Ballet, performing with the corps de ballet for four years. During this time, she discovered the GYROTONIC EXPANSION SYSTEM® while seeking rehabilitation for a dance-related injury. This experience not only supported her recovery but also opened a new realm of movement, transforming her understanding of physicality and expression, enriching her dance technique, and sparking a lifelong journey in somatic exploration.

Inspired by her own transformative experiences, Andrea pursued teacher training in Gyrotonic and Gyrokineis during her career with the San Francisco Ballet. Although she didn’t immediately transition into teaching, this early foundation enriched her knowledge and set the stage for her future work. She became a certified Gyrokinesis instructor in 2016 and earned her Gyrotonic certification in 2018. Andrea holds additional certifications in various specialized Gyrotonic apparatuses, including the JUMP-STRETCH BOARD® GYROTONER® and ARCHWAY® and is also trained in specialized “Applications for Dancers” and “Pre & Post Natal Applications”.

Over the years, Andrea has trained with renowned master trainers, including Domini Anne, Adrianna Thompson, Nora Heiber, Debra Rose, Magali Messac, and Kathy Van Patten. She has previously taught at respected studios throughout Northern California, including FitWise Pilates in Mill Valley, PhysioFlo Gyrotonic in Oakland, Urban Body San Jose, and Mindful Movement in Carmel.

Continuing her work as both a teacher and performer, Andrea’s approach to movement is shaped by her commitment to creative exploration and disciplined practice. In addition to her time with the San Francisco Ballet, she has danced professionally with companies such as SoulSkin Dance (San Francisco), Soul Fire Productions (Hawaii), and Lu’au Kalamaku (Hawaii). She has also collaborated on numerous live productions and video projects with independent artists. Since 2018, Andrea has performed with Metamorphosis Ballet (SF Bay Area), bringing real-world experience and artistry into her teaching. She also teaches ballet, sharing her depth of experience and passion for the art form with her students.

Profoundly impacted by the practice of Continuum Movement, Andrea has studied this field for over fifteen years with its pioneer, the late Emilie Conrad, as well as master teachers Susan Harper, Mariane Karou, and Cass Phelps. After years of immersion in this work, she draws upon Continuum’s focus on deeply slowed, fluid, nonlinear movement, biological breath work, and vocalization. Sharing from her own deeply rooted experience, she offers guided, exploratory movement workshops that blend the foundations of this practice with the insights of her own creative inquiry.

As a Licensed Massage Therapist since 2012, Andrea draws on her extensive knowledge of the body and a highly developed, intuitive sense of touch to offer a profoundly nourishing and transformative holistic experience for her clients. Each session reflects her belief in the body’s inherent capacity for healing, inviting clients to deepen and relax into the intricate landscapes of their anatomy.