Born and raised in Brazil, Mila is a firecracker. Her warm, infectious energy beams out during her every motion, inviting you to move (or smile) with her. A former dancer—first focused on classical ballet, then musical theater—she’s an expert on perfecting form and firing up the mind-body connection. Now, with over a decade of fitness experience under her belt, Mila is bringing her signature touch as a Sculpt and Pilates instructor on obé.
If you’re feeling intimidated, don’t be. Mila is a self-confessed nerd who loves to catch a Broadway show (or three), curl up with a good murder mystery novel, or take up a DIY crotchet project. Sure, she knows how to make the most out of your workout, whether it’s a 10-minute Express class or a longer 45-minute deep dive. But more than anything, this cheery talker will always make you feel like you just worked out with a good friend.
Get to know her below, and follow all her adventures at @milatoribio.
How did you get started in fitness?
I was very active from the very beginning of my life, starting dance at age 5. My mom used to be an aerobics instructor in the ’80s. And she would find me with her VHS of Jane Fonda at five in the morning, doing the workouts by myself. I never actually thought I was going to be a fitness instructor—even though I went to school for health and physical education in Brazil and played a lot of sports—because I was just more into the dance world.
But once I moved to New York, trying to work with dance was challenging. There are a lot of times when you don’t have jobs, you’re in between projects, and you have to find a way. So I got to teach Barre and it began feeling like a natural progression for me. Then I got my Pilates certification in New York and my Yoga certification in Ecuador. I even got to merge the two together when I started teaching Dance Cardio.
How would you describe your teaching style?
I like to be very inclusive and show a lot of modifications. If you can’t do that today, that’s okay. It’s always a work in progress and every day is different—so, be patient with your body. When the exercise starts to get hard, I’ll give you an extra boost of energy or a verbal cue (I’m a talker!) to bring you back to it. Motivating and positive is my vibe—I’m your Brazilian firecracker and number one cheerleader.
What are your Sculpt classes like?
My Sculpt classes are going to be more upbeat, and we’re going to be tiring one muscle group at a time. Think: focusing on shoulders or arms, upper body, lower body, core, just staying there for a while to really feel those muscles burn and fatigue.
What’s your Pilates instructor style?
As a Pilates instructor, I’ll still teach to the beat of the music because I’m a dancer and I can’t help it. But I like to take it a little slower, with more focus on your core strength and overall control. Sometimes when you’re doing Sculpt, you can move fast, and you don’t really get to that full awareness because you’re getting tired and fatigued. But in Pilates, we can focus more on form and alignment while connecting to our breath.
What kind of fitness instructor are you?
I’m both an educator and a super energizer. A lot of my clients say I have more energy than anyone they know! But also, because of my dance background, I think form is very important. So I’ll always share a lot of form cues to inform your movement—things that you can also take back to the gym or other classes you take. I’ll tell you how you should position your arms, what muscles you should be thinking about, and what you should be feeling. And of course, I’ll always provide some modifications.
Do you have a fitness mantra?
I’m right there with you. It’s challenging for me—just like it is for you. I pretend really well, but trust me, when I’m in class, it’s all burning for me too! Oh, and don’t forget to breathe.
How do you want people to feel leaving your classes?
Like they’re energized for the rest of their day—whether it’s the morning, afternoon, or evening. I want them to feel like they worked out with a friend—and that they enjoyed that time. That they could tune out of whatever business is happening in their life or their mind and stay present with their body, focusing on themselves. Like they can breathe a little easier and be ready for whatever they need to tackle.
What’s your favorite part of being a Sculpt and Pilates instructor?
My favorite part is connecting with people. Everyone comes from a different background, lifestyle, or fitness journey. Some people are just starting, some are already badasses and can achieve incredible things. I always learn from the people I’m teaching.
Seeing someone figuring it out—that they can do more than they thought they could—that’s also amazing. A lot of people doubt themselves so much, and they have so much in them. Helping in that process—not that I bring it out of them, they bring that out of themselves—is really satisfying and fulfilling. If I’m not doing something for the person who’s taking the class, then what’s the point?
What advice do you have for women on their fitness journeys?
There’s a lot of noise everywhere about things that you should do every day. This exercise or that exercise is mandatory, everyone should do this. That’s just a lie—it’s not a one-size-fits-all. To me, the exercise that’s good is the one you’ll actually do. Personally, if I’m not vibing with something, it’s going to be very challenging for me to commit to doing that every day or even multiple times a week.
So I encourage people to find something that they truly enjoy and can be consistent with. And then maybe sometimes, it’s nice to branch out and try something new.
On to some life questions!
What’s your go to coffee order?
I’m a hardcore black coffee drinker. No sugar. No anything. Either iced or hot.
What is your go-to workout snack?
It’s either going to be a high-protein bar or some apple with nut butter.
What is an instant mood booster for you?
A Broadway show. I just saw Shucked and I have to go enjoy it again before it closes—it was so amazing.
What are some of your favorite musical artists?
Whitney Houston is my favorite singer of all time. She also has some great songs for class! Making playlists is a huge thing for me—I love putting songs together that help people tune out of their head and keep it going when things are getting hard. There’s also a Brazilian artist that I love—Anitta—and she’s getting more renowned internationally. And finally, Phil Collins. (laughs)
Any hobbies we should know about?
I crochet and embroider—I really love to do crochet bags and embroidery for a jean jacket or little things here and there.
What TV show are you watching right now?
I’m friends with Patina Miller—a Broadway actress—and she’s starting in Power Book III: Raising Kanan, so I’m watching that right now. But I also just finsihed Deadloch, an Australian murder mystery that’s written by, directed by, and centered around women. It’s amazing!
What’s the next spot on your travel wish list?
We’re traveling for my partners 40th birthday and are deciding between somewhere in the Carribean or Lisbon, Portugal—because I speak portugese!
What does a dream day off look like for you?
I am a breakfast person. So if I have time, I will wake up, make my coffee, make breakfast, and go out on my tiny, tiny balcony, if the weather’s nice. I’ll sit outside on my table, eat my breakfast, and read a book with it.
What’s a recent book you’ve read and loved?
A trilogy called “Kill the Father” by Sandrone DazieriOkay, who is an Italian writer. It’s a murder mystery—and I would read this entire trilogy again. You know when you’re sad that you’ve finished a book and you’re not going to see those characters again? That’s how it felt.
What’s been your favorite dance performance that you’ve done?
When I did Nutcracker for the first time—as a professional dancer with a full orchestra—that was really special.
What’s a random fun fact about you?
I have met lots of famous people by accident! I met Joe Biden and his wife when I used to work at the Tony Awards—he offered to take a photo of my friend and me, and I said yes. When he took my phone and the Secret Service stopped, wow. Unfortunately, I was too starstruck to ask for a picture with him.
I’m also a huge Lord of the Rings fan (and a big nerd, in general). Ian McKellen came to do a play on Broadway and I saw it three times. That final time, I was there at five in the morning to get rush tickets. I bought a notebook and ended up writing him a letter. After waiting in the rain at the stage door, I saw him and asked if he could accept the letter I had written for him. He said yes, put it in his pocket, and left. A week later, I got a handwritten card in the mail from him, thanking me for it—I’ll cherish that forever.
If you could only do one workout for the rest of your life, what would it be?
A mix of Sculpt with a dance party!
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