Mijka began her training at the age of 5 in gymnastics. She competed at the Provincial level, and was the Tyro C Overall Provincial Champion in 1986. Her dance training began at the old age of 16, when she attended The Ballet Jorgen Summer School in Toronto. She continued in Dance at Ryerson University, where she graduated with honors in 1994. During this time, Mijka worked with renowned dancers/teachers/choreographers such as Nadia Potts, Stelio Calagias, Yuri Ng, Timothy Spain, and Danny Grossman, to name a few. Mijka was awarded the Raymond Clarke Scholarship for a post-grad year, where she completed the Royal Academy of Dance Teaching Certification with Distinction. She also holds the Royal Academy of Dance Teaching Diploma, which includes Anatomy and History. She is the only RAD teacher with these qualifications in the Grey-Bruce area.

Mijka taught ballet and jazz at Vince Parrell’s Dance Centre in Toronto, performed extensively at the Ryerson Theatre, at Roy Thomson Hall, and on the TV network TSN.

Upon returning to her home town, Mijka and husband Bob opened DanceMakers. The studio has been in operation for over 30 years. Some of Mijka’s former students have attended dance & theatre programs at Ryerson University, York University, The National Ballet of Canada, Randolph Academy of Performing Arts, and Quinte Ballet School. Mijka was awarded The Sun Times Business Woman of the year title in 2004. Her dancers have competed in Italy at the World Cup where they placed 1st in Contemporary, 1st in Choreography, and 3rd in Ballet. They have travelled to New York City (twice) to attend classes at Steps on Broadway and New York City Ballet.

With the expansion of DanceMakers Gymnastics, Mijka has obtained her NCCP Level 2 Gymnastics coach certification, NCCP Level 1 Trampoline certification, Risk Management through Gymnastics Ontario, and has current First-Aid and CPR.

Mijka is also a Gymnastics Canada National Judge, the only gymnastics judge in the Grey-Bruce area with this accreditation.