Meet Your Coaches
Budokon's World Class Instructors
Kancho Cameron Shayne
Budokon Founder
Born in 1971 in Charlotte NC, Budokon Founder & Director Cameron Shayne is considered the father of the Mixed Movement Arts culture. Cameron pioneered the phrase and concept of Budokon Mixed Movement Arts in 2001 by combining the combat arts of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts together with Yoga, Crawling Patterns, Mobility, Calisthenics, and Cognitive Studies into a single black belt system known as Budokon (BU warrior, DO way, KON spirit).
Based in Los Angeles, CA, during the 90s, at the time the mecca for yoga in the West, Cameron established himself as one of the pioneering voices and transmitters of contemporary yoga, martial arts, and the movement culture. Known as a teacher of teachers, he is responsible for the creation of Budokon Yoga, Budokon Mobility For Jiu-Jitsu, the Budokon Mixed Movement Arts Black Belt System, Budokon University, BDK Online Academy, and for his provocative writings and podcast influencing the contemporary movement scene. His radically honest and transparent style of teaching through critical self-analysis has established him as a guiding voice for modern yoga, martial arts, and the movement culture worldwide.
Melayne Shayne
VP & Global Brand Director Budokon University & Academy
Melayne Shayne is a Budokon Mixed Movement Athlete and founder of the Warrior Women Tribe. She is the VP of the Mixed Movement Arts System Budokon and Director of the Budokon Yoga Program and Teacher Training.
For Melayne, moving is more than creating forms and shapes with the body: it is a lifelong commitment to self-reflection and personal development.
Before finding a fully authentic expression through the empowering practice of martial arts in Budokon, Melayne sought to practice and learn from teachers around the globe within various lineages and styles such as Shiva Rea’s Prana Flow, and ballet.
Melayne’s love for practicing and sharing mixed-movement and living her philosophy is reflected in her grounded teaching style, commitment to her Budokon black belt, and most notably, in the passion she has for bringing women together through her Warrior Women events and global network. Always a student before a teacher, she seeks to be inspired and inspire others; challenge herself, and challenge others.
Melayne’s Warrior Women events create and hold a space of empowerment, accountability and leadership for women who are on this journey as well. Her events, workshops, and retreats create a unique opportunity for women to discover themselves and hold space for real, honest, yet connected and co-creative growth.
Prof. Donato Helbling
Budokon Ambassador - Miami
After decades of Yoga and Martial Arts practice, Donato was looking for a way to integrate what he loved learning. In 2006 he found the mix of movement and philosophy of our style to be exactly what he was searching for and immediately decided to commit to the Budokon Black Belt Journey. Since then, he has toured the world with Kancho Cameron Shayne, learning directly from him and serving as an assistant in workshops, conferences and Teacher Trainings. As he worked diligently on his personal practice he always played a role in building our community, serving as the Director of Budokon Miami and Latin America and teaching regular classes and establishing our first Budokon Academy. He achieved his Black Belt in 2012 and continues to be a contributor to our system and a loved and respected founding member of our University.
In addition to being a Professor at Budokon University, Donato leads seminars as a certified instructor of the Wim Hof Method, and lectures on Integrative Living, as well as work as a private and corporate coach. Whether teaching people to control their nervous systems, their bodies, or their minds, his passion is helping those seeking performance enhancing techniques with a healthy dose of fun. When not teaching, Donato spends time in the mountains of North Carolina, building Six Fields, an INtegrative Living Wellness Resort and Village or enjoys his hobbies of building furniture and restoring vintage motorcycles.
Kemba Quinn
Budokon Ambassador & Online Academy Director
Born in 1992 in Durban, South Africa, Kemba has emerged as one of Budokon's foremost ambassadors. Since 2019, he has been closely collaborating with Cameron and Melayne Shayne, becoming an indispensable part of the organization. Currently, Kemba oversees the Online Academy and spearheads the development and production of new programs, classes, and online experiences.
Prior to his tenure with Budokon, Kemba spent a decade as a yachtsman, traversing the globe in pursuit of truth and exploration. His journey into yoga began at the age of 18, fostering a profound love for inversions, advanced arm balances, and deep meditation and inquiry.
Today, Kemba is at the forefront of developing a comprehensive black belt matrix encompassing the three core pillars of Budokon: Martial Arts, Movement Arts, and Living Arts. His passion extends to pioneering contemporary living models that aspire to achieve a greater harmony than what is found in the present day.
Emily Quinn
Budokon Ambassador & Online Satisfaction Director
Born & Raised in Texas, Emily Quinn's love for movement began with dance lessons as a child and transitioned into the world of yoga as an adult. In 2018, Emily fell in love with the strength and meditative qualities of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga & ventured to Thailand to become a 200HR certified instructor. After a couple of years of practicing and teaching solely Ashtanga, she sensed her body was over-stretching, felt mentally rigid & bored of the repetition, and ultimately was craving diversity in her offering.
In 2020, Emily discovered the ultimate movement methodology that required precision & accuracy while cueing, invited athleticism to balance out the body, and challenged her ways of thinking & being. She fell head over heels and became certified in Budokon Yoga & Mobility in 2021, immediately quit her Quality Assurance job at a brewery in MD and moved to MT to fully commit to a life of The Way of The Warrior Spirit. She has since taken on various roles within the organization such as lead fulfillment for Guru Killer Clothing, Budokon Yoga Teacher Training Moderator, Budokon Online & IG Communications, and Creator of BDK Online material.
Nelson Leon
Budokon Ambassador - Miami
Born in 1982 in Venezuela, Nelson is passionate about Calisthenics, Yoga and Mixed Movement Arts, and has been a student of movement since he was 5 years old. Throughout his life, he's been involved in different sports, including Track and Field, Baseball, and Rugby, which taught him the values of teamwork, camaraderie, perseverance, hard work, modesty, and courage.
After experiencing injuries, Nelson transitioned from Rugby to Calisthenics to improve his mobility and strength. It was during this time that he discovered Mixed Movement Arts at the Budokon Academy in Miami, which was a turning point in his career. It taught him that hard physical training isn't just about winning a game but is also about allowing yourself to grow as an individual and become a better version of yourself. The competition isn't against the other team; it is always against yourself.
For the past 8+ years, he's been teaching Mixed Movement, and has helped hundreds of individuals reconnect with their inner warrior while simultaneously working on their strength and flexibility. Nelson runs classes and private training out of his home in Miami, Florida.
Rachel Kramer
Budokon Ambassador & Social Media Manager
Rachel started her movement journey as a semi-professional soccer player for 20 years & continued her collegiate career until experiencing 2 back to back knee injuries that forced her to step away from the game. During her training as a soccer player & rehabilitation she was introduced to the world of Kettlebells for its ability to improve stabilization, coordination, explosiveness & speed as well as core strength. As she searched for a practice that promoted longevity, athletic application, and restorative qualities Budokon immediately ignited her commitment towards the Guru Killer journey. Rachel joined us in Montana for our Yoga, Mobility & Yobility Teacher Training in 2021 and knew she wanted to make Budokon her life. After returning home, she quit her job & minimized all her belongings and moved to Montana to dedicate herself to assisting the behind the scenes while learning the BDK Mixed Movement Arts System & the Way of the Warrior Spirit.
