What Lies Beneath.... Aicha McKenzie

Aicha McKenzie has never been one to stay in a single lane. From winning medals as a rhythmic gymnast to choreographing for global stages and founding AMCK, one of London’s most respected creative agencies, she has built a career defined by reinvention, resilience, and artistry. Today sees her focus expand into wellness, guiding others through breathwork and creating new ways to connect luxury, creativity, and wellbeing.

What sets Aicha apart is the way she threads heritage, intuition, and authenticity through everything she does. In this conversation, she reflects on the influence of her Jamaican roots, the challenges of being one of the few Black girls in elite gymnastics, and how she continues to redefine beauty, success, and self-expression on her own terms.

Here’s What Lies Beneath, Aicha McKenzie.

TSB - You’ve worn so many hats – gymnast, dancer, entrepreneur. When people ask “what do you do”, how do you like to answer?

AM -  I always smile at this question because it’s hard to give a short answer. At my core, I’m the Founder of AMCK, and for the past 20 years we’ve nurtured some of the best talent in the world – dancers, models, creatives. But alongside that, my true joy lies in helping people transform their lives through breathwork.

TSB - What part of your heritage or upbringing shows up most in the way you express yourself today?

AM - My Jamaican mother was a designer and seamstress, and I grew up surrounded by fabric, fashion, and flair. That innate love for style has never left me. It’s not just about clothes – it’s about how I show up in the world, with intention, colour, and pride in who I am. That influence is woven into everything I do.

TSB - In those early days of rhythmic gymnastics, how did being one of the few Black girls in the sport shape you?

AM - Being one of the very few Black girls in rhythmic gymnastics meant that standing out wasn’t a choice – it was a fact. So, I decided to lean into it. I used my difference as my power, experimenting with original music and training in dance forms inspired by Alvin Ailey and the Harlem scene. But it wasn’t easy. I faced exclusion, racism, and misogynoir. Looking back, those experiences built my resilience and taught me to keep creating spaces where difference is celebrated.

TSB - What excites you the most right now, and what’s driving you creatively or personally?

AM - Right now, I feel a huge pull towards wellness – it’s where the energy is, not just for me but for many discovering its importance. I’ve been passionate about it since my days as a professional dancer, and in 2017 I formalised that with my wellness concierge company AMCK Fit. Today, it feels beautifully aligned with my life: the more I take care of myself, the more I can lead my companies, champion others, and pour into the people I care for. That balance of giving and receiving is what’s driving me both creatively and personally.

TSB - You’ve built spaces for dancers, models, and now wellness. What’s the common thread that ties all your passions together?

AM - Nurturing. Always nurturing. I love to find people’s magic and help them bring it to the surface. Whether it’s a dancer, a model, or someone in a breathwork session – it’s the same. I see the spark in them, and I want to help it grow. That’s my passion, and it sits at the heart of everything I create.

TSB - Breathwork is such a big part of your world now. How has it changed the way you show up in life?

AM - Breathwork has transformed me in the most profound ways. It’s given me the ability to pause, to respond instead of react. Whether I’m navigating parenthood, leading a negotiation, or simply moving through a busy day, breathwork always brings me back to myself. It anchors me to what’s real and what’s true, so I can move through life with authenticity and calm.

TSB - The industries you’ve worked in often come with big expectations around beauty and image. How have you learnt to define beauty on your own terms?

AM - I learnt early on that beauty couldn’t be about fitting in. In gymnastics and dance, I was often the only one wearing my natural afro – at the time it was frowned upon. But it also made me instantly recognisable. That taught me a powerful lesson: self-belief is beautiful. For me, beauty is about authenticity, owning who you are fully and unapologetically.

TSB - Who or what inspires your taste – whether in fashion, art, or just everyday life?

AM - I’ve never been one to follow trends or look too closely at what others are doing. My taste comes from intuition. I love to wear what feels right for me, and over the years I’ve collected treasures that reflect every season of my life – from high fashion pieces to a classic tracksuit. My style is really about instinct, memory, and joy.

TSB - When you think about success today, what does it look or feel like for you?

AM - Success for me is peace. It’s waking up slowly, hearing laughter around my table, cooking good food, travelling with family, and enjoying those simple, beautiful moments. Success is when you’re most aligned, working on things that matter to you.

TSB - What’s a side of you people don’t often see, but that feels important to who you are?

AM - I’m very open – I’d rather share than hold things back. I own my joy, but I also own my pain and sadness. For me, sharing those parts of myself takes away their power to define me. Vulnerability is part of my strength, and I want people to feel that from me.

What three things do you want to share that you’ve recently enjoyed?

• Filming the trailer for my upcoming collaboration with The Four Seasons Hotel, which launches on 1 October 2025. This video introduces such an exciting new chapter for AMCK Fit, where my tribe of talent are on call for one-to-one services such as yoga, pilates, and breathwork. I’m excited because I haven’t seen this done before, and I feel like my company is about to revolutionise luxury travel.
  
  

• Watching my AMCK dancers light up Wembley Stadium, performing with icons like Dua Lipa, Lana Del Rey, and Elyanna.
  
  

• A dreamy summer in Italy, surrounded by friends and  sipping the new orange wine, Pecorello di Pecoraro, that my husband and I created.  Pure bliss.