Michaela Brooks

Meet Michela Brooks. Michela has been with Basma Dance & Fitness since the very beginning. She is the most positive and loving person you will meet and her energy shines through in everything she does. Michela teaches Kukuwá & Toning on Tuesdays at 6:00pm and Kukuwá on Fridays at 5:30pm. Starting in October she will teach Pop-Fitness every Saturday at 11:00am.

Q. Tell us about yourself, how long have you been at Basma Dance & Fitness?
A. I am a lover of music, dance, a Colorado native, marketing strategist/client relations professional and group fitness instructor for 19+ years. I am happily married to my 28-year-old son, Philly, who lives in LA. I graduated from Howard University and University of Denver respectively.

I strive to lead with love in all areas of my life. I’m blessed to have family and friends that mean the world to me and I mean the world to them. I live through a prism of positivity and possibility and am always up for an adventure or side quest (probably the Gemini in me). I’ve been part of Basma for about 15 years.

 

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Q. How did you start your journey in dance and fitness?
A. Dance has always been a part of life as I remember dancing to all of my favorite music videos with my sister, watching ballet classes from the aisles in my grandma’s basement for her dance classes. My first formal dance was ballet when I was 5 years old. From there I moved on to modern dance at Cleo Parker Robinson where my cousin was a principal dancer. Once I got to high school I joined the dance/flag team which was another push to stay in dance. As an adult I’ve taken many dance classes focusing mostly on belly dance and then moving more into dance fitness.

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Q. When did you know you wanted to become an instructor?
A. I always revolved in the fitness in some way, shape, or form since I was 10 years old in middle school. I wasn’t an athlete per se, but loved watching “The 20-Minute Workout” show in the early 80s. I thought the women were so beautiful, fit and I wanted to be like them. As an adult, I took multiple formal fitness and dance classes, but I didn’t last long in the studios. I always loved music and dance and wanted to teach dance fitness but I didn’t follow through. Then during the pandemic I started doing Kukuwá African Dance Fitness online to stay active, I loved the classes. Once I eventually could get certified, I reached out to Basma and Michela to start teaching locally, and became a certified Kukuwá instructor in Colorado.

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Q. What has been the most meaningful experience since you started practicing/teaching?
A. There have always been amazing experiences. I love when my participants show up with so much love and energy, dancing with me and sharing genuinely happy and connected moments. It’s the best part of my life. Teaching Kukuwá has also led to some unexpected achievements such as being invited to perform at African dance festivals and company events. From this I started the D3Positv3 brand, which has now added a social component, dancing and wellness classes. Big thanks for that idea to Basma and Michela for encouraging me to go for it when I wasn’t necessarily sure why that was a space I wanted to be in.

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Q. Do you have a favorite genre of music?

A. I love so many genres of music! I have become known as the resident DJ (DJ M’Chelfit) for Basma’s class sharing a playlist of my favorite heavy beats to pick just one. Does Prince count as a genre? Because if so, then Prince and all artists he’s written for would be my favorite.

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Q. What is one thing we would be surprised to know about you?
A. I am a certified crystal and elemental healer.