I am originally from the small town of Anniston in Alabama and I now live in Kannapolis, North Carolina. I am a married mother of four adult children and one grandson. Fitness has been a part of my life in varying degrees, depending on which season of life I was in. I ran track in high school and was a color guard in our marching band. I continued marching band at a university for a while and took modern dance there. I had all four of our children while working in prisons, and staying in shape was critical. Currently, staying fit continues to be very important as I am aging. I am taking dance again and I lead a liturgical dance team at my church. I really enjoy kettlebell workouts and walking with my husband, but music and dance lift me to higher heights. Combining praising and worshiping God with fitness is a winning combination for me!
What inspired me to become a fitness instructor is the great need I see in my community for healthier lifestyles. We all know that healthy eating habits and regular exercise are strong weapons in the arsenal against Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and other preventable or manageable diseases. I intend to be a part of the solutions, starting with my own church family. As a matter of fact, the one confirmed location I will offer my classes starting out as an instructor is at my church. I obtained this location by polling our membership for interest in dance fitness and securing permission from our pastor.
I found out about Shazzy Fitness through an online search for faith-based dance fitness workouts. I wanted to bring fun, low-impact workouts to our church and most other programs were just inappropriate for that setting. The thing about Shazzy that made me want to join as an instructor is how inclusive the program is. Though prior experience in dance and/or fitness instruction is certainly helpful, it is not a requirement. The two options of live or online training, as well as the pricing, appealed to me.
My advice for anyone who may be afraid to try a dance fitness class is that our classes are kind, no-judgement zones. None of us are perfect (whatever that actually is) and that the most important thing to do in class is to safely keep moving and have fun. My advice to those who might want to become an instructor is to take your time and be patient with yourself as you learn the choreography. It is also helpful to utilize the supportive network of the Shazzy Fitness community, which was of great help to me.
May God bless your fitness and spiritual endeavors!