She has worked with Tom Cruise, Celine Dion, Gloria Estefan, Madonna, Ricky Martin, Prince, and Catherine Zeta-Jones.

In 2005 she choreographed Cirque du Soleil's world tour Delirium and Celine Dion's A New Day...,[1] for which she received an Emmy Award nomination.

[3] Her father, Joe Michaels, taught her jazz, tap, and ballet from the age of three at the Miami Dance Center.

While growing up, she attended summer sessions at Interlochen Center for the Arts in Michigan and at Jacob's Pillow in Becket, Massachusetts.

[3] The choreography for Celine Dion's "A New Day" by Michaels, under the direction of Franco Dragone at Caesars' Palace in Las Vegas, received positive reviews.

[6] Michaels is a judge and contributing choreographer for the FOX television show So You Think You Can Dance (abbreviated SYTYCD).

[7] Michaels later revealed she left the show to participate as a choreographer for the Canadian and Australian versions of SYTYCD.

[8] Michaels did choreograph a routine for So You Think You Can Dance Canada's second season finale on October 25; the theme of the piece evoked her choice to depart the franchise.

Her choreography has been enlisted for the Miami City Ballet, Joffrey II, the Kirov Academy, and the Jazz Theater of Amsterdam.