Healthy Pursuits
OFFICE HOURS: Monday – Thursday: 8:00am to 5:00pm • Friday: 8:00am to 3:00pm
AFTER-HOURS CRISIS SUPPORT & VICTIM ASSISTANCE: 303-615-9911
Healthy Pursuits
As part of the Healthy Pursuits program, Mind Body Fitness classes including Pilates, Yoga and Zumba, aim to support your health through a connection from the inside out. The goal of the classes is to enable students, faculty and staff of the Auraria Campus to lead a healthier and less stressful lifestyle. There is no charge to attend the Mind Body Fitness classes and no prior registration is required.
Fall ’23 Schedule*
Additional Information
There is no charge for all Mind Body Fitness classes for all Auraria Campus Members, including AHEC, CCD, MSU Denver and CU Denver students, faculty and staff.
For in-person classes, equipment is provided and, with the exception of Zumba, no shoes are required for the classes. It’s ideal to wear clothing that you can move and stretch in.
You do not need to sign up in advance to attend the classes. When you arrive, you will sign in before taking the class.
If campus is closed for any reason, there will be no Healthy Pursuits Mind Body Fitness classes.
For additional fitness offerings you can visit the MSU Denver Campus Recreation or the CU Denver Wellness Center websites.
Mind Body Fitness Class Descriptions
Flow Yoga
Calm the mind and tone the body with this active style of yoga. Build internal heat as you link yoga poses together with deep breathing and creative movement sequences that will leave you feeling restored for the week.
Mat Pilates
Strengthen your core while you tone and stretch the muscles in your entire body. Turn your focus inward with concentration on linking a rhythmic breathing pattern to each exercise while you flow through a total body Pilates workout on a mat.
Power Yoga
Build heat in the body by warming up with basic stretching and strengthening, and a breath-to-movement flow. Progress to a flowing class interspersed with yoga pose holds to keep up the intensity while you work towards a final flow or posture.
Zumba®
This class will relieve stress while you sweat and dance the class away. Zumba® is a combination of international dance rhythms combined with dance and fitness exercises for a dynamic, fun and engaging workout.
Mind Body Fitness Instructors
Cathy Phelps
Zumba Instructor
Cathy is a licensed Zumba® Instructor (2010). She is a former member of Joda & Friends, African Dance and Drumming. Participants will dance to a variety of rhythms: merengue, salsa, cumbia, reggaeton, bollywood and pop. Cathy encourages people to find their own expression of dance in her class.
Katie Polce
Yoga Instructor | Sound Healthing and Meditation Guide
Katie began practicing yoga during college as a different way to stay active. After exploring the practice she noticed some physical benefits, but also a way toward a positive inner “shift”. She completed her 200-hour teacher training at The Samadhi Center for Yoga in Denver in 2006 and has continued to study and teach since.
She encourages to breathe and move in a way that is energizing, but mindful. She enjoys leading classes with a range of options and styles- from slower, more restorative and grounding poses- to more physical and challenging sequences. She also offers meditation and sound healing as a way to help students center, connect and be more present. Her intention is for students to leave class feeling refreshed, aligned and at ease.
Carissa Fernandez
Pilates Instructor
Carissa’s journey with yoga and Pilates started over ten years ago. She feels everyone can benefit either mentally, physically, emotionally, or a combination of all three from these practices. The challenge comes in simply finding a way to integrate these movement philosophies and practices into your life.
Carissa is a 200 hour Registered Yoga Teacher who received her certification from Yandara Yoga Institute in Todos Santos, Mexico. She is a Balanced Body Certified Comprehensive Pilates Instructor who trained at EHS Pilates in San Francisco and San Mateo College. In 2020 she became a certified Master Pilates Instructor through the National Pilates Certification Program and began to host teacher trainings through various host studios. She is constantly learning new modalities of movement and healing and integrating this knowledge into work with clients to help them move the best they can. Carissa has a special interest in working with clients who are post-rehab, pre/post natal, diagnosed with neurological conditions, actively aging, and athletic.
