Charise Hoge is an accomplished dancer, teacher, therapist, author and poet. She has a master’s in Dance Movement Therapy from NYU and a master’s in social work from the University of Georgia. She is certified as a dance/movement therapist (BC-DMT), polarity practitioner (RPP), Professional Coach (CPC), and SynergyYoga/SynergyDance instructor. Based on her experience counseling other expatriates living in Thailand, Charise co-authored the book A Portable Identity: A Woman’s Guide to Maintaining a Sense of Self While Moving Overseas. Her poetry has been published in various journals, the book Next Line Please: Prompts to Inspire Poets and Writers, as well as her book Striking Light from Ashes. She has brought SynergyYoga classes to staff of the National Zoo, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, the National Gallery of Art, and to gyms and studios throughout the Washington, DC area. As she writes on her web site, charisehoge.com:
"At heart, I'm a dancer who began dancing and performing before learning to read. My long history as a professional performing artist (with PATH Dance, Room to Move, Ancient Rhythms,and AVAdance), and as a dance therapist, has given me an understanding of: commitment; motivation; change; flexibility; partnering; nuance; expressiveness; presentation; connection; freedom; and an appreciation of beauty and excellence (my top VIA-IS signature strength). As a social worker and coach, I can add advocacy to this list. Yoga is a practice I dedicate to my students. Writing, particularly poetry, is a practice I dedicate to my muse (and my kind audience)."