Springs Salsa & Dance Fitness. I am the studio owner, as well as an instructor and a certified fitness professional.
What do you do there and/or what are you responsible for?
I teach a variety of classes in Zumba, Yoga Booty Ballet, Salsa and other dance fitness inspired classes. I am also responsible for operations, marketing, student services, and our staff.
How long have you been doing this kind of work (total)? How long on the Westside?
Well, after losing 65 pounds, and following the tragic events of 9/11, I realized that I needed to directly impact the lives of others. It’s been four years since I hit the dance floor with an "instructor" title. We’ve been on the Westside since mid-December 2006.
What do you like best about it (other than quitting time)?
The best part about my job, other than being able to work and dance with my husband Mark, is that I can get in touch with my students by developing a class that works for them. The best part of this is they can end the class with an "I can" attitude instead of "I could never" or "I can't." Secondly, my husband and I love teaching couples together. We can directly affect their relationship in a positive way as we teach them to dance and communicate together on the dance floor.
If you could change one thing (other than pay), what would it be?
Well, I would definitely have an assistant with me for the entire duration of my time at the studio…and trust me, you don't want to know how long that is. What I would love is to have my family, who live in New York, working with me in the studio.
What part of your work did your training/education never prepare you for?
My fitness training did not prepare me to manage other fitness or dance instructors. It's a tough job to find the right instructors and then to manage the diversity in personalities.
What makes working on the Westside special?
OMIGOSH! I love the Westside. It reminds me of Forest Hills, N.Y., where I used to spend a great deal of time walking and shopping the boutiques. I really enjoy that most of the business owners were former everyday people who decided to take a leap of faith and start their businesses because they believed they could provide something unique and special to the Old Colorado City shopper.
“What do you do?” is a regular feature in the Westside Pioneer. If you know someone who has an interesting job on the Westside (but doesn’t live here), he/she might be a candidate for this column! If you know someone who might qualify, give us a call at 471-6776.
