Cover of Ms. Fitness

 

Shiva has been dancing since she was 9 years old. She began as a gymnast with SCAT's acrobatic team. This use to be and maybe still the number one acrobatic team in the country. The rigorous gymnastics training at SCAT's included ballet instruction five days a week for an hour a day. Shiva later gravitated towards ballet. She ultimately quit gymnastics to concentrate on dance. At age 13 Shiva and her mom decided she would be home schooled so that she could study under professional dance instructors in ballet, tap, jazz, and lyrical. During this tender period, many well-known choreographers and instructors molded Shiva's skills. Shiva spent up to 7 hours daily educating her self in these forms of dance . The hard work paid off. She got her first professional gig as a chorus dancer at The LA Music Center for an opera called, "Orpheus In The Underworld," at the age of 15. Also, about the same time she appeared on Star Search with a group called, "The Vibes." Marguerite Derricks, an active choreographer in LA, choreographed their routine. Shiva also had interest in acting. She has been on such shows as: "Mr. Belevedere," "Doogie Howser," "Army of Darkness," and a Coke, McDonalds, and Disneyland commercials. Throughout this time Shiva also started teaching dance. Shiva now has taught at numerous dance schools while training over 10,000 students. Today, she teaches Ballet, Jazz, Hip-Hop, Tumbling, & Fitness Strength classes. In 1999, Shiva decided to venture in the fitness world and compete in the Ms. Fitness organization. She has won such titles as Ms. Fitness Enland Empire, Nothern California, California, Las Vegas, and Nationals 1999. That year she got 5th place in the Ms. Fitness USA competition and 8th in Ms. Fitness World competition. In 2000 she got 6th place in Ms. Fitness USA and 9th place in the Fitness America Pageant. Shiva won 1st place in both of the ESPN series competitons. Her competitions has been televised on Fox Sports Net and ESPN and ESPN 2. Shiva has done fitness modeling for such magazines as Ironman, Oxogen, Fit Mag, and Ms. Fitness. Shiva is also certified personal trainer with PTA. She trains only women. Shiva enjoys teaching dance and and training women whom want to change their lives by becoming healthier. She hopes to be a positive role model to her students and clients.