-
A native of the San Luis Valley, Jesse left to study Anthropology and Spanish Literature at CU Boulder, and then to travel the country studying Permaculture and Regenerative Farming. His study of other cultures gave him a keen interest in various spiritual practices, starting with Zen meditation, followed by Qigong, Sanskrit chanting, and various forms of Shamanic practice. Ten years later he returned to the Valley to manage the Rio Grande Farm Park. There he met his wife, Marlena. After the birth of their daughter he began feeling a call to a new line of work that better integrated his spiritual practice into his public life. After much consultation with trusted friends and many hours of meditation, massage therapy presented itself as the avenue for his new career. He attended the Crestone Healing Arts Center for an intense tutelage under Dan Retuta, delving further into Qigong practice and integrating that into massage therapy. He offers a variety of modalities to work with bodily, emotional, and spiritual health including: Swedish massage, Acupressure, Shiatsu, Foot Reflexology, Facilitated Stretching, Guided Journeywork, and Qigong.
-
I’m Marlena. I attended art school through most of my childhood in Florida, receiving my masters degree in art history from the university of south Florida in 2016. I was skilled at this work, but also felt a deep frustration with how art functions in our world and more specifically the institutions in which we keep our art. You see, I was drawn to objects imbued with spirit (like Doris Salcedo’s Plegaria Muda), but housing such a powerful installation within the sterile walls of a museum puts emphasis on its materiality, removing it’s magic. (at least for me). I could go on for a long time on this subject, but that’s not the point. I felt unsatisfied, so I left that world, but I took a handful of beautiful friendships with me
Naturally, I was called to the San Luis Valley and to Jesse. Being here has taken me out of the primary role of researcher/observer and taught me what I now think Salcedo knew when she made Plegaria Muda, soil is not just a metaphor for life and death, it is alive with its own spirits. Being a chicken farmer, wife, and mother in the SLV has taught me that we are just one expression of life amidst an animate world. This has empowered me to feel magic in the ritual of hand dipping beeswax candles, to intuitively know that the plants share their gifts when I massage plant infused oils into my skin. I get to make these Dancing Badger Bodyworks offerings, manage our communications, all while raising up our sweet daughter, Ida.
My life, my work, and my prayer is to feel the spirit of the world, to make art or objects teeming with that spirit, and share it with my community and my family in hopes that they feel the connection or receive healing or experience joy.
Refund and Return Policy
-
Unopened, unused products may be returned within 30 days of delivery for a full refund to your original payment method.
Contact us at dancingbadgerbodyworks@gmail.com with your order number to start a return.
Once approved, we'll send return instructions.
Return shipping is the customer's responsibility unless the item arrived damaged or incorrect (see below).
Refunds are processed within [5–10] business days of us receiving the returned item.
-
Opened items are final sale — with one exception: allergic or adverse skin reactions.
-
Your skin's safety comes first. If you experience an allergic reaction or adverse response to one of our products:
Stop using the product immediately and consult a healthcare provider if needed.
Contact us at Dancingbadgerbodyworks@gmail.com within 45 days of delivery — even if the product has been opened and used — for a full refund or store credit.
We may ask for a photo of the reaction and a few details about how the product was used. This isn't to make things difficult — it helps us understand what happened and improve our formulas.
-
If your order arrives damaged, defective, or isn't what you ordered, contact us within 14 days of delivery. We'll send a full refund or replacement — no return shipment required.
-
Our herbal skincare is made with a natural often whole-food ingredients rather than synthetic preservatives, so they behave differently than conventional skincare over time. For best quality, we recommend using opened products within 12 months of purchase. The refund and reaction policies above apply to products used within that window; changes in scent, texture, or color after extended time or improper storage (heat, sunlight, humidity) reflect natural aging of the ingredients rather than a product defect.
-
Items marked as final sale or purchased during clearance events are not eligible for refund or exchange, except in cases of an allergic reaction (see above).
-
Email Dancingbadgerbodyworks@gmail.com with your order number and reason for return.
Our team will respond within [1–2] business days with next steps.
Once your return is received (or your reaction claim is reviewed), we'll process your refund or store credit within [5–10] business days.
Questions about this policy? Reach out anytime at Dancingbadgerbodyworks@gmail.com. We're happy to help.