Many of you know my dance story begins back in the 1980s in Waco, Texas! As a young girl (with a lot of alone time), I taught myself dance routines in my living room by rewinding MTV videos on VHS. At 12 years old, with no dance training, I won a school talent show, then went on to become captain of the freshman drill team, varsity cheerleader and choreographer, and performed ballet folklorico from middle school to the University of Texas. HOOK 'EM HORNS!
As a young adult, I had to work harder at finding and creating opportunities for my dance expression, but I enrolled in formal classes, coached middle school cheer and hip hop dance, taught Zumba, joined a salsa team, and performed whenever I had the opportunity.
Today at 45, I'm a Certified Group Fitness Instructor and enjoy sharing my love of rhythmic movement with others. This past summer I resumed teaching my originally choreographed Cardio Dance Fitness classes at City of Austin recreation centers and I encourage anyone who is interested to join me for an upcoming class which you can view on the calendar or Linktree.
This class is perfect for those of you who enjoy moving to the rhythm (aka dancing), but feel dance fitness classes, like Zumba or TurnUp, are too advanced or fast-paced. No dance experience is needed as I will guide you through repetitive, rhythmic movement sequences with a focus on mind-body connection, coordination, balance, and strength. It's a workout and it's a social so come alone or bring a friend! Advance registration is kindly requested, but not required.

Register for upcoming classes HERE. Email Melissa with questions.
​October 2024 - Reggaeton Lento | Tambourine | Get Your Freak On

KEEP DANCING, SIGUE BAILANDO!
And stay bold, mama!

We know you don't need more to do, but here's a little secret you might have forgotten (or never realized)—you have a *purpose* in this world that goes way beyond the chaos of daily life. And guess what? The community around you needs it! Read more and comment with your thoughts.

When I started mama wears pants, I was interested in expanding on the community of bad ass women I already knew, but with a focus on supporting one another through motherhood. Maybe it's because I was 36 when I had my first son (shoutout to all the geriatic mamas!) and/ or because I was raising my family without the support of family (I lost my mama years before and had no family in Austin), but in an attempt to create community I figured I'd start a blog.
Fast forward to years of not blogging and I can assure you the blog may have been helpful, but not nearly as helpful in creating community as other actions, which is where I chose to focus my efforts. 
Now more than ever women need one another, so if you're interested in meaningful connections and deeper conversations, you're in the right place. Read more and comment with your thoughts, mama!

This is not news coverage of the tragedy that occurred on May 24th at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. We are two mamas, raising school-aged children and we are completely fed up with these senseless tragedies, which are far too common in this country. We cannot fathom the pain experienced by the parents, families, relatives, and loved ones who lost their children yesterday. Because those parents have to focus on themselves and their lives in the face of such immense loss, I am committed to use my voice and my vote so they know they are not alone in this fight. HERE is a list of organizations working in our country on gun reform. HERE is one article on how to speak to your children, of any age, on such tragedies. As you are able, please speak up on this issue, and any issues you care about. You are welcome to listen, comment, and share this episode, and we welcome your thoughts and questions at [email protected].

​A few years ago, I decided it was time for me to serve on the board of directors of a local non-profit, but I wasn’t sure where to start. I knew I could put my skills and passion to good use, but it wasn’t easy to determine which non-profit might be the best fit for me. And the question remained - would they want me? Was I about to embark on a daunting task only to be rejected? Maybe, but I chose to move forward with my inquiry. One thing I knew for certain was that I wanted to serve on a working board with an organization in their first ten years. I expected to get into the nitty gritty of the organization to learn about operations, finances, and development among other things. As with all opportunities, I approached the prospect of board service as an opportunity to learn. I knew I could make an impact if given the chance, so I set off to find the non-profit of my dreams.

Fast forward to today and I have served for nearly two years on the Board of Directors of Todos Juntos Learning Center. In my search to serve on a board, Todos Juntos was immediately on my shortlist of possible non-profits after learning about the organization through Mission Capital’s Board Summit. After meeting with the founders and/ or executive directors of four awesome non-profits, I was honored to know each expressed interest in me serving on their board, but I ultimately felt Todos Juntos was the best fit for a number of reasons. I'll never forget meeting with the Board Chair, with my 4-year old in tow. We met at a La Madeleine and I spent half my time redirecting my son while trying to respond articulately to questions related to my experience and interests. Thankfully the board chair was a mama, too, so she got it.

In the first two years of my board service, again - the only board I have served on to date, I have chaired the organization’s signature annual fundraising gala, which was held virtually in February 2021 (days before the disastrous winter storm Uri) and raised over $100k. Last month, I was nominated by board leadership to serve as board co-chair and will officially be stepping into that role in the coming month. I knew back in 2019 Todos Juntos was a great fit for me, and I'm thankful they saw my potential despite not having deep pockets, fancy degrees, or an impressive title. In my opinion, more boards need to focus on diversity in every sense of the word because those of who want to serve, will always deliver.

If you are interested in serving on a board - start brainstorming, and stay tuned for an upcoming post on why I think a non-profit board needs YOU.