Mahara McKay is a former Swissmodel, DJ and music producer, yoga teacher & studio owner. In 2000, she won the beauty pageant Miss Switzerland. Today, she travels the world teaching at Tantra festivals, Healing, Dance and Yoga Festivals, sharing transformative "Tantra Energy" workshops and intensive trainings for anyone ready for change, truth and love.
Life
Short biography
Mahara McKay has a Swiss mother and a father from New Zealand of Maori descent. She grew up in New Zealand until she was ten years old. In 1991, she moved to Switzerland. After mandatory school, McKay attended art school and started an apprenticeship as an interior decorator in the city ofZurich, Switzerland. In 2000, McKay won the beauty pageant Miss Switzerland. After her term as Miss Switzerland, McKay worked independently as a model, presenter, DJ and music producer. In this period, she also lived some time in Los Angeles and Berlin until she moved back to New Zealand in 2014, where she opened two yoga studios in Dunedin called 2nd Floor Yoga. There she facilitated Tantric Hatha, Yin Yoga, Pregnancy Yoga, Meditation, Pranayama, Yoga Nidra and Ecstatic Dances. However the longing to go deeper into Tantra and work more with deeper healing practices in Tantric and Shamanic Arts.
Work as a Tantra, Yoga and Meditation facilitatior
More information on here studies, bio, tour dates, trainings can be found on her website www.MahaHealingArts.com
Starting in 2002, McKay worked as a DJ at different events. She produced several songs for compilations such as the chill-out compilation Café del Mar. Starting with a focus on chill out music, McKay added different music genres to her palette over the years. From 2006 onwards, McKay also used the pseudonym DJ Rocksy under which she worked at different open-air festivals as well as skate, surf and snowboard events. Based on her success as a DJ, McKay was chosen to be the ambassador of Quiksilver Women in 2009. Consequently, she worked at different Quiksilver events as DJ. Apart from this, she opened several shows, such as, The X-Games, Pro France, King of the Groms, Roxy Chicken, as well as the 2009 Tony Hawk Show at the Grand Palais in Paris, France. Her music style was a mixture of different genres. McKay worked as a DJ in various cities in and around Switzerland as well as in New York, Los Angeles, Beijing, Singapore and Tunis.
Career in the fashion business
Since her term as Miss Switzerland, McKay worked regularly as a photo and runway model for different Swiss and international brands, such as, Swarovski, Coca-Cola, Beldona, and Vögele Shoes. In 2005, she became the Swiss ambassador of the car manufacturer Ford which named a Ford Fiesta car series after her, the “Mahara Edition”. McKay was also the ambassador of other international as well as Swiss brands, such as, Onitsuka Tiger, Eve Cardinal, Quiksilver Women, Walterli Freaks, Dove Chocolate and Harley Davidson. Besides her engagement as a fashion model, McKay organised different fashion shows, produced photo shootings, and worked as a stylist on set. For over ten years, McKay designed most of her red carpet gowns herself. In 2011, she was chosen to be one of the designers of the contestants’ evening dresses at the Miss Switzerland pageant.
