Melissa Michaels, Ed. D.
P.O. Box 7478
Boulder, CO 80306
www.bdanced.com/www.goldenbridge.org
Melissa@bdanced.com
Education
• The Fielding Graduate University, Ed.D., Education Leadership and Change, 2006.
Dissertation: Surfing The Creative® - The Process and Potential Of A Body Centered Rites of Passage Program Serving Youth Development
• University of Colorado, B.S., Environmental Design, Graduated with Honors, 1983.
Certifications
• Registered Somatic Movement Educator (RSME) and Registered Somatic Movement Therapist (RSMT), ISMETA.
• Spiritual Ministry Ordination with Rev. Ron Roth, Full Life Fellowship, 2002.
• Certified Coming of Age Educator, Menstrual Health Foundation and Institute for Renewal of Modern Culture, 1997.
• Certified Pre & Perinatal Fitness Educator, Women’s Health Fitness, DPT™, 1995.
• Certified Movement Educator/ First Generation Teacher of Roth’s Five Rhythms™, 1992.
Expertise and Areas of Interest
• Spirituality in Education
• Youth and Human Development
• Rites of Passage
• International Youth Leadership Training
• Somatic Resourcing
• Universal Languages of Dance, Music, Theater, and Poetics
• Embodied Empathy ™/ Peace Studies
• Divine Union
Professional Experience
• Founder and Director of Educational Programming, Wild Life Productions, LLC.,
Boulder, CO, 1990 - Present.
• Developed and taught SomaSource™ body-centered transformational programs to 100’s of people in numerous life cycles, including pregnant and post – partum families, children K - 12, youth leaders in their 20’s, and adults into old age.
• Conducted SomaSource™ Foundational Trainings - Year long programs conducted 6 times, After school program conducted 1 time (12 weeks).
• Mentored and collaborated with Faculty of 1 - 10 in each session.
• Developed and taught Positive Choices programs for middle and high schools.
• Produced Music CD and Experiential Video/DVD for families in the birthing cycle of life: Dance of Birth™.
• Designed and led student exchange programs taking American students to New Zealand (3 weeks/ 2 times) and South India (5 weeks), 2006, 2005, 2004.
• Founder and Director of Rites of Passage Programming, Golden Bridge, Org., Boulder, CO, 2006 - Present.
• Designed and implemented Surfing The Creative® International Youth Rites of Passage Program - Conducted over 15 times, 1 year, 5 weeks, 2 week intensives.
• Recruited, taught, and mentored 100’s of youth from 18 countries.
• Mentored and collaborated with 30+ faculty, including youth leaders and related professionals.
• Directed youth performances focused on the arts, community and healing.
• Conducted Movement Masses in 4 countries for 1000’s of people.
Additional Public Presentations Conducted
• SomaSource™ Related Workshops
• Numerous Schools and Community Centers - Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Durban, South Africa (3 weeks), 2007.
• Naropa University, Boulder, CO, (Semester Long and Weekend Intensive), 2006, 2005.
• Auroville Community - Tamil Nadu, South India (5 weeks), 2006.
• Tui Community - Aotearoa, New Zealand (3 weeks/ 2 times), 2009, 2005, 2004.
• Spirit and Action: International Youth Conference -- Santa Cruz, CA (Weekend Intensive), 1999.
• Association of Pre and Perinatal Congress - San Francisco, CA, 1999, 1997.
• Individual Body/ Spirit/ Human Development Presentations
• The Erotic: Exploring Critical Issues - Salzburg, Austria, 2009
• Prescott College: Master’s Colloquium & Expressive Arts Therapy Institute – Prescott, AR, 2008, 2009.
• Peace Jam: A Call to Action – Denver, CO, 2009.
• Aotearoa and Australian Creative and Art Therapy Associations: Arts Therapy Symposium – Auckland, New Zealand, 2008
• Institute of Noetic Sciences: AUM Conference - San Rafael, CA, 2007.
• California School of Integral Studies - San Francisco, CA, 2007.
• Colorado College – Colorado Springs, CO, 2005, 2002.
• Whole Family, Whole Child Conference - Fair Oaks, CA (Keynote), 2004.
• Passageways Institute - Boulder, CO, 2002.
• Dance Therapy Association - Denver, CO, 2002.
• Colorado School Mediation Project: Peace Leadership Conference - Denver, CO, 2002, 2001.
• Women’s Theological Center - Boston, MA, 2001.
• Safehouse: Art Triumphs Over Domestic Violence - Boulder, CO, 2001.
• Girl Scouts of America - Boulder, CO, 2001.
• Colorado Dance Festival - Boulder, CO, 1999.
• Shining Mountain Waldorf School - Boulder, CO, 2000, 1998, 1997.
Other Employment
• Co – Founder, Global Passageways: Coming of Age in the 21st Century - 2008.
• Director, After School Program, Friends School - Boulder, CO, 1991 - 1992.
• Counselor, Small World Summer Camps - Boulder, CO, 1989, 1988.
• Administrative Assistant, Creative Arts and Photography Company - Boulder, CO, 1984 - 1988.
• Research Assistant, Dr. Elise Boulding, University of Colorado - Boulder, CO, 1985 - 1986.
Awards
• Colorado Dance Alliance: Service to the Field Award, 2006.
• Colorado School Mediation Project: Peacebuilder of the Year Nominee, 2001.
• University of Colorado: Dana Giffen Soper Memorial Scholarship Award, 1982.
Associations, Memberships, and Affiliations
• Auroville International, USA
• American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD)
• American Counseling Association (ACA)
• Celebrating Life Ministries
• Colorado Association of Psychotherapists (CAP)
• Colorado Dance Alliance (CDA)
• Dance and The Child International (daCi)
• Five Rhythms™ Teachers Association
• IDEA Health and Fitness Association
• International Somatic Movement and Therapy Association (ISMETA)
• National Dance Association (NDA)
• National Dance Education Organization (NDEO)
• Sacred Dance Guild
• United States Association for Body Psychotherapy (USABP)
Educational Publications and Creative Products
• Paper, “Youth: Self, Sex, and Spirit,” in The Erotic: Exploring Critical Issues, Inter – Disciplinary.Net. 2009.
• Chapter, “Dancing For Our Lives,” in Finding the Flow: True Stories of Finding Strength and Healing Through Adversity, New Page, Ltd., New Zealand, 2006.
• Interview in Diamonds, Pearl & Stones: Jewels of Wisdom for Young Women from Extraordinary Women of the World, Health Communications, Inc. 2004.
• Article, “Navigating The Edge From Center: International Youth Work,” in Evolve. Auroville International. Winter 2003/2004.
• Article, “Surfing The Creative Edge with Youth,” in Wild Heart Journal: Art, Creativity & Spiritual Life. Volume 6, Issue 2, 2003.
• Video, “The Dance of Birth, An Invitation to Move with Melissa Michaels & Friends” Wild Life Productions, LLC. 1999.
• CD, “Birth, A Moving Journey From the Longing of the Spirit to the Ecstasy of the Ordinary” Wild Life Productions, LLC. 1997.
Selected Youth Initiatives Mentored
• African Lions: Youth arts program with and for youth living in the townships, Durban, South Africa.
• Mohanam Project: Cultural Center for children in the villages focused on the interface between traditional and modern, Kottakarai, South India.
• Women’s Fertility Educational Programs: Providing youth and adults information about their creative cycles, healthy sexual practices, and self - care in general, Boulder, CO and Cape Town, South Africa.
• Voice Of Youth: International Music and Arts Tour bringing the sounds and practices of positive creative expression to youth across the globe, India and New Zealand.
• Positive Hip Hop: Positive Youth Development: Self - discovery and empowerment groups and classes serving young women from diverse cultures, Boulder, CO.
• Peace Village Project in Israel: Creating home, community, and educational center for diverse groups from the Middle East.
Personal
• I adore tending to my 2 daughters ~ one an adolescent, one a young adult, the 3 other young people I have adopted, and all of their contemporaries.
• I am committed to bringing people together for transformational experiences from as many cultures, ages, classes, and countries as possible.
• I am a Dancer, trained in The Five Rhythms™, Pilates, Mime, Eurythmy, Yoga, Tai Chi, African Dance, Sacred Dance, and Ritual Theatre.
References
• Professional and Personal References are available upon request.