Today we’d like to introduce you to Becki Cole.
Becki, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My Jazzercise journey started when a neighbor kept mentioning Jazzercise. I had recently had a baby and needed to add some exercise to help me lose the baby weight. I went to my first class with another friend and LOVED it! I grew up being a cheerleader so it felt easy to follow and fun! I went back the next morning after finding they offered babysitting in the mornings with my baby and quickly became a regular attendee. I was approached about becoming an instructor within a short time. I didn’t think I’d be able to talk in front of the class and lead them since I was very nervous about public speaking. Within 5 years, I became an instructor. My friend, Denise and I got certified together. It took me honestly, over 50 classes to not be quite so nervous teaching class. My mentor, Julie Sturm, told me that success comes from doing it. She was right, the more I taught the more successful I became. Now, almost 25 years later, I still get a little nervous before class, or maybe it’s just the excitement. Within 2 years of teaching classes, we moved to our current location. A year later the owner, Jennifer, was getting married and I was ready to do more with my Jazzercise role. I offered to buy the location and she ended up moving out of town.
Over the years I have seen a lot of changes in the choreography, attire, music, and videos to learn our routines.
Music used to be cassette tapes, CDs, and DVDs 5 times a year, with choreography notes to print. Today we are 100% digital with music, videos, as well as the choreography notes online monthly. This really helps us keep our classes fresh and new while always learning new material.
In the early years, we had Jazzercise as our primary format with Step and Body Sculpting. Then our formats changed a little with Jazzercise staying as our name with several formats: DanceMixx, Fusion, Flip Fusion to now Cardio Sculpt, Power Sculpt, Sculpt and Sculpt HIIT, Stretch and our newest format is Vital Sculpt HIIT. VSH is backed by science in helping us as we age in the pre/peri/post menopause stages and how we need exercise through every stage of life. We need functional fitness in being able to go down to the floor and back up, multi-directional jumping, and using heavy weights with strength to really activate your central nervous system to produce muscle and bone growth.
The attire has greatly changed from leg warmers and leotards to leggings and crop tops. Everyone always asks what should they wear. I tell them whatever they’re comfortable in for exercising.
Throughout the years of Jazzercise I have made so many lifelong friends. I always say “everything is more fun with a friend”….so bring a friend with you! At Jazzercise, you don’t have to dance alone. We can become friends with those in class. It helps keep you accountable. It helps knowing that someone is looking for you to show up in class. And when life hands you lemons, your Jazzercise friends are there to help you make lemonade. It’s that one special connection…they’re always there for you, not just to come exercise! We have an outstanding instructor team of 14 that help make our classes amazing! They love our members and teaching class as much as I do.
We celebrate class milestones in increments of 25, 50, 75, 100+ We give out a special recognition shirt called the Fit Club for reaching 150 classes within the year.
Everyone tries to do their personal best and attend more than the previous year.
We have one member, Tricia, that has reached over 500 classes several years in a row now. She has inspired so many others to come more often, stay for the next class, come back the next day and even those in other classes to attend more and strive to reach their goals.
The struggles with COVID really hit us hard. We had to cut back on our schedule. Thankfully our landlord gave us reduced rent for a few months. We lost many members due to financial reasons.
Thankfully our corporate team quickly got on the plan with livestream so that our members could stay active while we were all shut down for the first 2 weeks. Then once we were able to reopen, we had local livestream classes we used through Facebook livestream. Then we had the challenges of social distancing. We actually had 20 marked places in our room and they had to sign up ahead of time. It was a race to sign up since the space was limited. Everyone was really wanting to be in person, even though we kept our distance. We used heavy sanitizing before and after of the dance space and equipment. It saved us mentally and physically.
Now, 5 years later, we do use a booking platform but you can also sign up when you arrive. We have a huge space, 4000 sq ft. We still offer livestream for 15 of our current classes. Many of our members still prefer the livestream option and also use it when traveling.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Struggles include COVID previously mentioned. It has been mostly a smooth road. A few struggles here and there but again, my instructor team rallied together to help keep us going. Our corporate office creates our marketing plan so it’s fairly easy to follow the guideline.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Jazzercise started in 1969 by Judi Sheppard Missett. We are an international world wide dance fitness company. All instructors are franchisees. It takes about 8 weeks of training to become an instructor. We have to pass a movement screening, pass a physiology exam, and demonstrate that we’ve learned the routines needed to become a certified Jazzercise Instructor. We’ve had a few slogans: Fitness, Friendship, and Fun and our classes are always Safe, Fun, and Effective.
Our routines are choreographed for us by Jazzercise. They have a full team that creates the routines and go through safety and physiology testing before they’re released to us to teach to our members.
We offer multiple class ticket options. Monthly unlimited passes, 12/8/4 classes monthly, or class packs and trial passes for 2 weeks with no commitments. You are not ever locked in an agreement , you can request to cancel at any time.
We have 32 classes each week and 14 instructors. We all bring our own personality to the stage. We have plans to add another class to our schedule in 2026.
We play all types of music in class from pop, R & B, jazz, country, and top 40. Our routines include all types of dance moves with hip shakes, triplets, chasses, and heel hops to name a few. Strength routines are incorporated into each class.
What I’m most proud of is that we all came to Jazzercise to workout and exercise but we’ve become friends that feel like family. We have a huge community and we love supporting each other. Good times and sad times, we are there for each other. I am proud and surprised each year that my anniversary comes that I’m still here, dancing and doing what I LOVE!
We have had several GLOW dance party classes and I like to tie it to a fund raiser. We’ve helped the Maui Fire victims, Charleston Animal Society, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, and Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Research.When I became an instructor we had to travel to NC for the workshop training. Today, all training is done locally with your mentor then virtually for the audition.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
Important lesson I’ve learned on my journey….treat people the way you want to be treated. Love what you do and do what you love. I LOVE what I do! I LOVE people, being active, and staying fit. We have to memorize each routine, some times we may forget and feel disappointed in ourselves. No one cares, no one is mad when we mess up. Members are always telling us, if you didn’t tell us we wouldn’t know when you mess up.
Everyone is just there to dance, enjoy the music, get fit, build core muscles, and burn calories….even when we forget the moves, we keep moving and we still accomplish the goal.
As our founder, Judi Sheppard Missett says at the end of her weekly video clip, “we have to keep moving so we can keep going”.
Pricing:
- $59 2 week trial, $25 single class
- $114 unlimited monthly
- $109 (12 classes) or $99 (8 classes)
- $179 8 pack or $94 4 pack
- $1379 annual pass
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.jazzercise.com/studio/sc/mt-pleasant-fitness-center
- Instagram: http://instagram.com/mtpleasantjazz
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JazzerciseMtPleasant/
