MILWAUKEE — The music is pumping, feet are hitting step platforms and the room is filled with energy. But inside Miracle Step Gang, some participants are working through much more than a workout.
For some, it's a chance to get in shape. For others, it's an escape from everyday stress, a place to find support or an opportunity to put themselves first.
And for founder Miracle Jones, a former social worker, that's exactly the point.
"I realized social work and mental health and physical health are basically the same thing," Jones said. "They go hand in hand."
Jones has transformed her passion for helping people into a fitness business where hip-hop, movement and community come together.
But the impact of those classes is perhaps best understood through the people who keep coming back.
Finding an outlet for grief
Markia Highshaw knows firsthand how difficult life can become.
She was just 24 years old when she lost her mother. It's an experience that has stayed with her, but she's found an unexpected outlet for some of those emotions — a step platform.
For Highshaw, the combination of exercise, music and supportive people has become something she looks forward to.
"Kind of like therapy for me, in ways, and just building a community of people who actually want to work out and have fun doing it," Highshaw said.
What looks like a room full of people dancing to hip-hop is also a place where participants can connect with others while taking care of themselves.
And that connection is especially important to Jones.
From social work to step fitness
Before launching Miracle Step Gang, Jones worked in social services, including as a residential case manager at a rehabilitation facility.
Her own introduction to step fitness came after she had a baby and began looking for an exercise routine she could stick with.
She discovered something unexpected along the way.
"I started stepping after having a baby, and then I realized that it helped a lot with my mental health," Jones said.
Jones had spent years helping others navigate challenges through social work. Now, she saw an opportunity to support people's well-being in a different way.
She began teaching step fitness and eventually opened her own studio, combining step aerobics with hip-hop music and an emphasis on encouragement rather than competition.
"It's a community, a no-judgment zone," Jones said. "You get out your head for about an hour or two out of your week, and you get just to be free and work out at the same time."
Addressing a larger health challenge
Jones' approach also comes as Black Americans continue to face disparities in physical activity and health.
According to a 2026 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, just 41.4% of Black adults nationwide met federal guidelines for aerobic physical activity in 2024, compared with 49.2% of white adults.
The CDC recommends adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, or 75 minutes of vigorous activity.
Physical activity can help lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of chronic diseases and improve overall well-being. The CDC also identifies access to safe and convenient places to exercise as one factor that can contribute to racial disparities in physical activity.
Jones isn't claiming that a fitness class can solve those larger challenges. Instead, she's creating a welcoming environment that encourages people to move, connect and make exercise part of their lives.
Her classes bring together people of different ages and fitness levels, with familiar music helping create an atmosphere that feels more like a celebration than a traditional workout.
For participant Yolanda Weathersby, that's part of the appeal.
"It's just a nice outlet to work out and listen to the music that we kind of just grew up listening to that we listened to in our community," Weathersby said.
The familiar beats, laughter and encouragement make exercise feel less like an obligation and more like something participants genuinely enjoy.
And for Jones, helping people find a reason to keep coming back is a victory of its own.
Making time for yourself
For Highshaw, who is also a mother, the benefits extend beyond physical fitness.
With so many responsibilities competing for her attention, the classes have become a reminder that taking care of herself matters, too.
"I've learned that you have to take that time for yourself and do something for yourself or you're going to drown," Highshaw said.
It's a lesson Jones hopes others will embrace.
Her background in social work helped shape her belief that people need opportunities to connect, relieve stress and feel supported.
While exercise is not a substitute for professional mental health care, physical activity and social connection can play meaningful roles in overall well-being.
And inside Miracle Step Gang, participants say they're finding both.
"I hope they come out feeling lighter and just a breath of fresh air," Jones said. "Life is so hard, like I keep saying; I just hope they're happy."
For Jones, success isn't only measured by calories burned or pounds lost.
It's also measured by the friendships formed, the confidence gained and the smiles on people's faces when the music stops.
Because sometimes, taking a step toward better health starts with finding people willing to take that step with you.
How to join Miracle Step Gang
Miracle Step Gang offers hip-hop step fitness classes for people interested in getting active in a welcoming, group setting.
According to Jones, a typical class lasts about one hour and 15 minutes. She also offers an optional 45-minute step breakdown before class, where beginners can practice the moves in a smaller group before joining the full workout.
Participants can pay for individual sessions, and memberships are also available.
Studio: 5254 N 124TH ST. MILWAUKEE WI
Contact: Miracle Jones, founder of Miracle Step Gang.
Registration and class information: Search for Miracle Step Gang on social media. Jones says participants can contact her through those pages to learn about classes, memberships and how to get started.
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