09/18/2026
For more than a decade, the beat of Drums Alive has echoed through Senior Active Living Centers in Winnipeg, thanks to instructor Brenda Michiyo Moberg. Since 2012, Brenda has been inspiring adults 55+ to move, laugh, and connect through rhythm, proving that fitness can stay exciting and empowering at every age.
A Conference Class That Changed Everything
Brenda's Drums Alive journey began at a fitness conference, where she attended a single session and instantly fell in love with the format. The fusion of upbeat music, energizing movement, and playful drumming spoke to her love of music and group fitness. What started as one inspiring class has turned into years of leading others to that same sense of joy and freedom.
Today, she teaches two Drums Alive classes each week, offering standing formats with the option to sit so everyone can participate comfortably and safely.
A Pioneer Who Kept the Beat Going
When Brenda started in 2012, Drums Alive was far less known, and getting a program off the ground wasn't easy. But her passion, and the joy she saw in her participants, kept her going. Over the years, she has watched the program grow in popularity, and she's thrilled to see more people, and more instructors, discovering it.
What has kept her teaching all this time is simple: the love of music and the love shared by those who attend her classes. The energy in the room, the smiles, and the shared experience keep her coming back to the drum every week.
Teaching From the Inside Out
Brenda primarily serves adults 55 and over, but her influence has reached younger generations too, through demo sessions in schools. What makes her classes especially unique is that she teaches seniors as a senior herself. At 75, she's right there in the circle with them, moving, drumming, and modeling what active aging can look like.
She loves her participants' enthusiasm and commitment. They show up, give their best, and bring a contagious energy to every class. Rather than one single defining moment, Brenda carries "many memories" of participants whose courage, joy, and progress remind her why this work matters.
The Circle, the Benefits, and the Bond
Brenda teaches in a circle, creating a sense of togetherness and equality where everyone can see and support one another. Over the years, she has watched Drums Alive positively impact her participants physically, emotionally, and socially. Participants have seen improvements in cognitive function, agility, and memory, all while having fun. The music lifts their mood, and the drumming offers a release for stress, anger, sadness, and anxiety. They look forward to class each week and have built deep friendships through the shared experience of moving and drumming together.
As a certified fitness instructor who once taught seven classes a week (five of them Drums Alive) before Covid, Brenda knows firsthand that teaching has helped her as much as it has helped others. Staying active, engaged, and connected through Drums Alive continues to motivate and stimulate her body and mind.
Looking Ahead, and Cheering On New Instructors
What excites Brenda most about the future of Drums Alive is the growth of new instructors stepping into the format. She knows that every new leader means more communities experiencing the power of drumming, music, and movement.
In addition to Drums Alive, Brenda teaches Tai Chi and Chair Yoga. She became a fitness instructor in her 60s to help seniors remain fit, strong, and healthy, and at 75, she understands more than ever how important it is to keep fitness a priority.
Her advice to new Drums Alive instructors: it may seem hard at first, but enjoy the ride. The journey, the learning, the laughter, the little breakthroughs, that's where the magic truly happens.
In three words, Brenda describes the Drums Alive experience as exciting, motivating, and stimulating, and her long-standing commitment to her participants brings those words to life with every beat.
