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cropped sweatshirt c/o // leggings c/o // active sneakers c/o // sunglasses
With March being Women’s History Month and the 8th being International Women’s Day, I wanted to share how I will be celebrating. As women we need to support and lift each other up. As a blogger I am constantly surrounded by incredibly smart, creative, driven women and I am only happy for their successes. I think it’s wonderful that women are really driving the force for equality in the workplace, as well as creating businesses of their own. There are a ton of ways to celebrate International Women’s Day: send flowers to the women in your life that inspire you, buy from women owned businesses, celebrate women in film and books, get together with your girlfriends, support local women’s movements, do something courageous and self loving. It does not matter what you do, it’s time to celebrate being a woman. As part of adidas She Breaks Barrier’s campaign, I am celebrating International Women’s Day by working out at women owned studios in the city.
DanceBody: Founder and CEO Katia Pryce created DanceBody in 2013. DanceBody is a mixture of dance cardio and sculpting. It’s fun, high energy, and effective. I started taking class back in 2013 when it was at a rented studio in Tribeca. To see how much it has grown over the years truly amazes me. They have two studios; one in NoMad and a new one in Tribeca. It’s a workout that you do not feel as if you are working out because you are having fun. The dances are choreographed but you learn a new set of dances each month. So don’t worry if you feel like you don’t know anything, everyone starts off on the same level in the beginning. Although I love all of the instructors and they kick my butt, being in Katia’s signature class and watching her dance is something else. Her energy, how she goes full out on each movement, it makes me want to let loose and bust out moves.
Body by Simone: Another one of my favorite dance cardio studios in the city, Body by Simone was created in 2011 by Simone De La Rue. Simone grew up dancing and her classes will give you that lean dancer body. You can either take dance cardio, dance cardio with sculpting, or trampoline. And each class is broken down to either full body, arms/back focused classes, or hips/thighs focus class. Don’t let dance cardio and sculpting fool you into thinking it’s an easy workout, it’s not. It’s hard but it is so much fun. The dances are choreographed but as long as you are moving it does not matter. Simone is currently pregnant and it is wonderful to see her adapting to a more pre-natal workout– so for all of you mommy’s to be or new mommy, definitely check out her Instagram as she shows baby bump friendly workouts to do.
Amanda Kloots: Another mommy-to-be fitness instructor to watch, Amanda Kloots. Amanda grew up dancing and started her career as a Rockette and then on Broadway. I have been going to Amanda’s class at Studio B for the past two years. I am addicted to her dance class, called The Dance. She also teaches The Rope and The Body. The Rope is jump-roping along with sculpting, and The Body is full-body sculpting. The Dance is dance cardio with choreographed routines. Amanda has incredible energy and is so positive. Now that she is a mommy-to-be she has been hosting a lot of pop-up classes for other moms.
Megan Roup: Trainer of the Victoria Secret Models, Megan Roup’s class is cardio and sculpting. It is a great workout– I mean if it is good enough for VS Angels, it is good enough for me. Megan grew up dancing and is the founder of Sculpt Society. You use sliders and 3lb weights in her class. Megan teaches at Studio B and Project by Equinox. I like to go to both studios as the equipment is different, therefore you are getting a new workout each time. Megan is super sweet and makes you feel as if you are taking class with a friend.. who is kicking your butt to work harder.
Tracy Anderson: You have to be living under a rock if you have not heard of Tracy Anderson by now. Anyone from Gwyneth Paltrow to Olivia Palermo, celebrities love the Tracy Anderson Method. It’s dance cardio and sculpting in a heated room. You are going to SWEAT.IT.ALL.OUT. Tracey Anderson first started in 2006 after personally training Gwyneth Paltrow for the Iron Man movie. From there they became business partners and the Tracy Anderson Method was introduced to the world. It has grown so much over the years and is still one of the most popular workouts to do in the city.
The Class by Taryn Toomey: Ever wanted to scream during your workout? Well The Class by Taryn Toomey is the workout for you. Created in 2011, it’s a mixture of music based repetitive movements all done on the mat. It’s pilates, yoga, sculpting, and meditation all in one. I love to go to The Class when I am stressed out. It is unlike any other workout you have ever done. It’s more therapeutic than it is about burning calories (although you will definitely burn a lot). It is an experience and a workout roll into 45 minutes. Every woman needs to take this class.
modelFIT: I am a big fan of modelFIT. Created by Vanessa Packer, who was prior to opening the studio a holistic nutritionist. It’s low impact (unless you take their dance cardio class). It’s a sculpt class that goes on a slower(ish) pace than most. This way you are really engaging your muscles during the workout. It’s all based on muscle confusion by using a large amount of props: bands, weights, ankle weights, pilates circles, sliders, etc. . Don’t be intimidated by the name, regular folks, not just models, attend classes there all of the time.
The AKT: Located in the Upper East Side and NoMad, The AKT is owned by Anna Kaiser. It’s a high energy class that will make you sweat with cardio fitness and sculpt classes. They have 4 different types of classes: dance, bands, tone, circuit. I have only taken the dance and tone class and loved both of them. You work with different equipment that will blast those calories while you are having fun!
*thank you adidas for sponsoring this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own