Courtney Miller ’12 runs fitness events with a twist through her nonprofit, Superbloom Collective.
Welcome to Courtney Miller’s fantasy world.
It’s west of downtown Los Angeles, on Santa Monica Beach. A DJ is spinning tracks while people of all ages dance in swimsuits and play beach games on the smooth sand. They’re cooling down after a group workout, cold plunge, and breath-work session, and they’ll end the experience with snacks and drinks from local vendors. The whole event is donation-based, so income isn’t a factor in participation. Smiles abound.
Also, there’s a portable disco ball.
In January 2023, that fantasy became reality in the form of Superbloom Collective, a nonprofit organization that provides community-driven wellness events in Southern California.
“So many times, in group fitness studios, you go in, you do the workout, and you leave,” says Miller ’12, a certified personal trainer. With Superbloom, she wanted to create a setting where attendees could come for coffee, community, and a workout: “Within the hour, you have time to hang out and look at the beach and enjoy each other’s company.”
Miller got the idea for Superbloom when she collaborated with Brandon Darnell, a breath-work facilitator she met through the LA wellness community, who needed help setting up a beach, music, and breath-work event. She found that they had a shared mission: “bring what we love to the masses, in the hopes that it fosters this connection within themselves and each other.” They decided to join forces, and together they did a trial-run, disco-inspired beach workout, which eventually turned into the Superbloom Beach Club, Superbloom Collective’s most popular event.
Superbloom Collective events range in both time and the activities provided for community members. For example, the Beach Club is an all-day event designed to be a mini-wellness festival. It includes DJs, ice baths, yoga, breath work, food, and more. Meanwhile, Connect and Move is a 2.5-hour gathering with a fitness workout, breath-work session, recovery lounge, and coffee.
Miller encourages community members to teach their own classes through Superbloom, which has helped mix up the nonprofit’s offerings. When one woman became interested in the Chinese art of Qigong, she taught a session of the gentle movement practice.
“It’s been this beautiful collection of events that foster self-growth and community through all these different facets of wellness,” says Miller. “You get your emotional fix and your spiritual fix too.”
Miller’s fitness acumen started well before Superbloom. She represented Israel in the Women’s Lacrosse World Cup in 2017 and 2022, coaching group fitness classes at F45 gyms in between appearances. “I’ve been all over the fitness world, training and managing and consulting with gyms,” Miller reflects. She’s in the Colgate Hall of Honor in recognition of her impact on the lacrosse program. “It’s something that’s a huge part of me.”