Meet Gisselle "MissG" Mendoza
Artist. Educator. Movement Coach.
For More Than 25 Years, Movement Has Been My World
Many people know me as MissG — the artist name I've carried throughout my career as a street dance artist, educator, choreographer, creative director, and movement coach.
While my work has expanded over the years into yoga, mobility coaching, assisted stretching, meditation, and holistic wellness, dance has never been something I left behind. I continue to teach, perform, create, and contribute to the dance community while helping people discover new ways to move, recover, and thrive.
Today, Alight Movement reflects every chapter of that journey.
Where It All Began
Alight Movement didn't begin as a wellness business. It began in 2004 as Dance Alight — an organization I created to give dancers opportunities to grow through training, performances, bookings, professional development, and exposure. My goal was simple: create opportunities that many artists didn't have access to and help build a stronger community through movement.
In 2008, after becoming deeply involved in the South Florida street dance community, I realized the organization had grown beyond dance opportunities alone. I rebranded as Alight Movement — a name that reflected a broader vision while staying true to the same mission.
During those years I taught dancers, mentored aspiring instructors, hosted street dance competitions, created educational content, and directed a company of eight to ten artists. Together we trained, performed, competed, collaborated, and celebrated the culture that shaped us.
When I relocated to Chicago in 2015, Alight Movement evolved once again. Although I was no longer leading a local company, I continued creating content, teaching, performing, and building the organization as a solo artist. The format changed, but the purpose never did.
2004
Founded Dance Alight in South Florida
2008
Rebranded as Alight Movement
2015
Relocated to Chicago, continued as solo artist
2018
Certified yoga instructor; integrated holistic wellness
2025
Certified in assisted stretching
How Dance Led Me Here
Dance has always been more than choreography to me. It taught me discipline, creativity, resilience, adaptability — and perhaps most importantly, that every body moves differently and deserves to be understood, not forced into a single mold.
As I spent more time teaching dancers, I noticed a pattern: tight hips, recurring injuries, chronic tension, limited mobility, stress, and burnout were incredibly common. Yet many artists couldn't afford or access the resources that might help them recover and continue doing what they loved. I wanted to change that.
In 2018, I became a certified yoga instructor and began integrating restorative movement, mobility, breathwork, and mindfulness into my classes. That journey naturally expanded into Reiki, holistic wellness, and the creation of my crystal jewelry collection — all with the intention of supporting people beyond movement alone.
When I became certified in assisted stretching in 2025, I found another tool that allowed me to help dancers and active individuals move more freely. Each new chapter wasn't a departure from dance. It was another way of giving back to the same communities that inspired me in the first place.
The Alight Movement Method
The Alight Movement Method wasn't created because I learned one new technique. It emerged from years of teaching dancers, coaching private clients, working with hundreds of people through assisted stretching, and navigating my own recovery after a knee injury.
I kept seeing the same cycle:
People would stretch, feel better temporarily, and then return feeling tight again a few days later. Others focused only on strength but struggled with mobility. Some practiced yoga consistently but still experienced instability or recurring injuries.
It became clear that no single practice could solve every movement challenge.
Real, lasting progress happens when mobility, flexibility, strength, body awareness, recovery, nervous system regulation, and movement education work together — instead of existing in separate worlds. That realization became the foundation of the Alight Movement Method.
Mobility + Flexibility
Building range of motion that is functional, sustainable, and yours to keep.
Strength + Stability
Developing the support system your body needs to move freely without breaking down.
Recovery + Nervous System
Helping your body repair, regulate, and reset so progress actually sticks.
Movement Education
Empowering you to understand your body so you can continue growing independently.
Who I Work With
Although my roots will always be in the arts, my work has grown to support people from many different backgrounds.
I work with dancers, athletes, performers, active adults, older adults, and beginners — and anyone who wants to move with greater confidence, freedom, and resilience.
Whether your goal is improving performance, recovering from an injury, reducing pain, increasing flexibility, managing stress, or simply feeling more at home in your body — every session begins with understanding how you move and creating a plan that supports your unique goals.
Beyond the Session
Working with me is about more than what happens during our time together. My goal isn't simply to help you feel better for an hour. It's to help you understand your body so you can continue making progress long after our session ends.
That's why I emphasize education alongside hands-on work. I want you to know why we're doing something, how your body responds, and what you can continue practicing on your own. Whether it's mobility exercises, recovery strategies, movement habits, or simply learning to listen to your body differently — I believe lasting change comes from understanding, not dependency.
Hours that matter most
Real progress isn't measured by what happens during our hour together. It's measured by what happens during the other 167 hours of your week.
Whatever brings you here, my hope is that you leave feeling more connected to your body, more confident in your movement, and equipped with tools you can carry into every stage of life.
When I'm Not Coaching
When I'm not coaching clients or teaching classes, you'll usually find me doing what I've always loved — moving.
I'm still an active teaching dance artist, performer, choreographer, and content creator, continuing to train, create, and contribute to the street dance community under my artist name, MissG. Whether I'm developing choreography, filming educational videos, attending workshops, collaborating with other artists, or performing — I'm always exploring new ways to grow both creatively and professionally.
I'm also someone who genuinely enjoys learning. I love studying movement, exploring new approaches to recovery and wellness, and discovering ideas that can help me better serve the people I work with.
Outside of Movement
Creating jewelry for my holistic company, Alight Healing
Spending time near the water
Finding new coffee shops
Traveling whenever I can
Listening to live music
Embracing experiences that inspire creativity and curiosity
The best teachers never stop being students — and that's a mindset I carry into every part of my life.
What Has Never Changed
Alight Movement has evolved many times since its beginning in 2004.
The tools have changed. The mission hasn't.
I've always believed that high-quality movement education and wellness resources should be accessible to more people — especially the communities that often have the least access to them. Whether I'm teaching a dance class, coaching a private client, leading a yoga practice, or helping someone rebuild confidence after an injury, my purpose remains the same:
To help people move with greater freedom, recover with greater intention, and discover what's possible when movement is approached as an integrated, lifelong practice.
Because movement has never been just what I do. It's how I've always chosen to serve others.
Ready to Begin Your Movement Journey?
Whether you're ready to commit or just curious to explore, there's a path here for you. Discover the membership that fits your goals, or browse classes to find what resonates first.
