I had surgery like Andy Murray but I’m back dancing
Straight after her first dance class at the age of six, Michaela told her mum she wanted to be a performer for a living.
“I went to a local class, doing tap, ballet and Highland dance,” she said.
“My mum and gran used to be Highland dancers, doing the Highland Games.
“I was more into ballet and at 16 went to the London Studio Centre in London, where I spent three years getting my BA Hons degree in theatre dance.
“That was the deal I made with mum – if I studied dance, I had to do an academic course so I had a fall-back.”
From the age of 19 to 23, Michaela danced on cruise ships around the world but her dream was always to dance at the famous red windmill-shaped theatre.
She auditioned for Moulin Rouge on a Friday afternoon three years ago and the following Monday she was highkicking on the cabaret’s famous stage. “It was my dream job,” she said. “Every six months I would email Moulin and ask if there were auditions coming up – but I could never make them as I was tied into a dance contract.
“Then one came up in Paris and I thought ‘This is my chance’. “Every time I step onto that stage and feel the atmosphere, I just can’t wipe the smile off my face.”
But two years ago the gruelling dance schedule took its toll on Michaela and she had to take nine months off after suffering the same hip cartilage injury as Andy Murray.
She said: “Because of the repetitive nature of dance, I had worn away my cartilage on two sides.
“I had to have resurfacing surgery. But four and a half months later I was back on stage, and a few months after that I was back doing can-can.
“I was determined to get back to it.”