The vision
WATER IS LIFE
A universal phrase used to respect and care for the waters that give us life, inspiring us to enjoy each class with a deep gratitude for the ocean and to remember our interconnectedness to the Earth and its elements.
find your bliss
It’s important to find moments in your everyday life, where you can step outside of the daily grind and find your bliss. At Island Paddle Bliss, these moments are created by moving the body in sync with the water below you, the sky above you, and the sun shining all around you. In these moments, you’ll find yourself so centered, whole, and at peace. This is your bliss!
with a light and open heart
Practicing yoga out on the water can be unpredictable and totally out of your control. This encourages you to step away from expectation and learn how to let go, let it flow, and enjoy the present moment. The vibe of a yoga class on a paddle board is all about opening the heart and keeping it light. Come ready to play and you will most definitely find your bliss.
Topaz Aleah Davis Founder, Owner, and Lead Instructor
E-RYT® 200, YACEP®, 25hr SUP Yoga, 28hr Children’s & Family Yoga, 14hr Meditation Guide, SUP Specialist, and Certified Lifeguard
Hello everyone and welcome! My name is Topaz and I’m the lead instructor, continuing education provider, founder, and owner of Island Paddle Bliss. As a former professional ballerina, I’ve dedicated the majority of my life to the study of movement coming from a unique background in classical ballet, having graduated at one of the most renowned ballet schools in the country. I then went on to dance professionally into my mid-twenties, before choosing to focus more so on my yoga practice.
I originally found yoga at first as a supplemental practice during the earlier stages of my professional ballet career, as I found it to be extremely supportive during stressful and demanding periods as a dancer. It ended up naturally morphing into my next career path, influencing the start of this very business venture, to open my own floating yoga studio.
My first experience with stand up paddle board yoga was during a solo trip through Europe and a spontaneous decision to join a certification course while traveling through Malta. After my first class, I was stunned by the lightheartedness of the practice and the pure bliss of combining movement with the water.
Island Paddle Bliss was created to bring this one-of-a-kind experience to others so that we may all remember the importance of integrating more with nature, while also allowing our joy and inner bliss to shine through this fun and uplifting practice.
Some more things about me…
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I fortunately spent my childhood training in pre-professional ballet schools around the country and danced professionally for six years with ballet companies in San Diego (California Ballet Company) and Asheville (Terpsicorps Theatre of Dance), before relocating to New York City to freelance in smaller based projects. I decided to officially quit dancing when the pandemic hit in late of 2020. Ballet is a huge part of my life that I will always carry forwards with a deep gratitude. It’s truly an honor to have dedicated so much of my life to this art.
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After a few years of practicing yoga at a local yoga studio in San Diego, I utilized a summer off-season with the ballet company to travel to India to get my yoga teacher training certification. It was an unforgettable experience that truly changed my life and inspired a deeper study of myself and who I am (especially outside of ballet), an interest in other holistic modalities, and solo travel adventures. It really opened my eyes to the world around us and deepened my understanding of the practice of yoga and what a gift it is to share it with others.
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I personally feel that no other form of yoga compares. This is truly a practice that unifies the mind-body-spirit with nature and helps to restore your inner child and heart like no other style of yoga. Combining movement with the water is pure bliss!
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My classes are intended to be vibrant and uplifting-but I do adjust based on the flow of the water. On calmer days, you might experience a more meditative and restorative class and on rockier days you might experience a more challenging and upbeat class. Come ready for a surprise!
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My teacher trainings! These are the most fun for me to lead. I love passing on my own personal curriculum and firsthand experience with opening my own floating yoga studio to other teachers, who like myself, aspire to live a freedom lifestyle.
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I love a good red wine, indie rock concerts, sunrise hikes, solo travel trips, reading and writing, and creating a cute and cozy space in my shoe box style studio by the beach.
10% of Island Paddle Bliss monthly profit is donated to Kupu Hawaii to contribute to the education and contribution of sustainability and conservation for the youth of O’ahu.