Katia Pryce began the favored DanceBody model to mix her love of dance, neighborhood and health
Created in 2013 by Katia Pryce, dance exercise idea DanceBody has been rising and thriving for a decade, with a world streaming presence, bodily studios in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, and a summer time residency in The Hamptons.
At its core, DanceBody stays devoted to offering an efficient and fulfilling exercise that evolves alongside its tight-knit neighborhood. The model’s edge lies in its methodology, guaranteeing consistency throughout courses and choreography. Its emphasis on neighborhood, whether or not in-studio or by streaming, additionally performs a pivotal function, underscored by improvements like two-way cameras and chat options that break down boundaries between at-home and in-studio purchasers. The model additionally tackles misconceptions surrounding being pregnant and health, with a dedication to educating and supporting pregnant purchasers by tailor-made pre- and post-natal modifications.
Athletech Information spoke with Pryce, who serves as DanceBody’s CEO, to be taught extra about her background, the DanceBody model and her future plans for the health firm.
This dialog has been calmly edited for readability and size.
Athletech Information: Are you able to inform us about your background and your inspiration for founding DanceBody?
Katia Pryce: DanceBody began very organically. As knowledgeable dancer, I used to be trying to find a balanced exercise that mixed difficult cardio with purposeful power coaching, whereas additionally sustaining the lengthy, lean strains of a dancer’s physique. It was a tall order. At any time when I used to be dancing, I observed my physique regarded and felt very completely different from my typical gymnasium exercises. It turned clear to me that dance, when paired with purposeful power coaching, was the key to athletic power and the aesthetic consequence I used to be trying to find. I quickly found that others wished that very same consequence. I began coaching purchasers one-on-one, and that quickly become sold-out courses.
I formally launched DanceBody in 2013, and now, 10 years later, now we have streaming purchasers globally and studios in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, and a summer time residency in The Hamptons. From idea to launch, DanceBody has all the time been about an efficient and enjoyable exercise that continues to evolve with a tight-knit neighborhood.
ATN: What differentiates DanceBody from its rivals within the dance health area?
KP: Dance exercises stand out as a result of they’re enjoyable whereas additionally being wildly efficient to your general well being. To not point out, it’s a exercise for each your physique and mind. What differentiates DanceBody is the methodology behind the motion. From our courses to our choreography, all the pieces is rigorously crafted in order that it may be replicated – versus counting on a singular coach’s POV. Wherever you go to class, you’ll expertise the identical strikes. Our choreographed dances change out each three months in order that our purchasers get an opportunity to actually follow, excellent and carry out the motion. This produces the perfect outcomes.
Moreover, now we have a number of courses which are “non-dancer” pleasant, like Sculpt and DanceHIIT, that supply a foundational stage of cardiovascular and muscle power, with none fancy footwork. I’ve additionally created proprietary gear for our courses that you just received’t discover anyplace else, such because the hexagon-shaped HexMat and HexWeight. With either side numbered one by six, irrespective of for those who’re taking a sold-out class or at-home by way of DanceBody LIVE, precisely find out how to transfer.
ATN: How do you domesticate neighborhood in a hybrid health surroundings?
KP: Neighborhood is on the coronary heart of all the pieces we do at DanceBody. And that’s simpler to domesticate in-person than digitally, which is why we made an enormous effort to reinforce our streaming expertise. I launched our streaming service in 2016, properly forward of the at-home health growth. Nonetheless, all the pieces modified when COVID hit. Unexpectedly, we understood that DanceBody is a lot greater than getting an awesome sweat, it’s about folks connecting with one another every day – it doesn’t matter what’s happening. That had a big impact on our neighborhood. Plus, my co-founder, Courtnay (Mariani), and I confirmed as much as train each single day of the pandemic, and that spoke louder than any phrases. Our purchasers have been counting on us to point out up. Now, now we have options comparable to two-way cameras, the flexibility to talk to trainers earlier than and after class, and the entry to construct exercise “crews” to remain accountable. This performance has damaged down the wall between at-home and studio purchasers, making our neighborhood much more inclusive.
ATN: What drives the hiring course of at DanceBody?
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KP: At DanceBody, now we have a saying, “Good folks dancing to good music.” That may solely occur with distinctive folks main the way in which. Along with a coach’s potential to bounce, transfer and practice, we glance very intently at their EQ, Emotional Intelligence. The DanceBody courses demand a lot that you actually need a pleasant face, encouraging you ahead. Dance is a brand new modality of motion for most individuals, due to this fact it could really feel tremendous intimidating. Our trainers will need to have a novel potential to nurture new purchasers alongside – and that form of factor you’ll be able to’t train. Lots of people discuss neighborhood, however we actually rejoice ours by spending a lot time and a spotlight on our academics.
ATN: Why accomplish that many misconceptions stay about being pregnant and health, and what can these within the trade do higher?
KP: Sadly, even as we speak, so many components of a girl’s well being journey are misunderstood. Constructed on a long time of concern, secrecy, and delusion – even many ladies don’t totally perceive what their our bodies are able to throughout a tremendous time like being pregnant. I felt it was essential for me to share my being pregnant journey overtly to point out how constant exercise may help relieve aches and pains, enhance your temper, improve sleep, and reduce anxiousness and despair.
After all, each being pregnant may be very completely different and distinctive. Nonetheless, motion shouldn’t cease the second you change into pregnant – it’s not as for those who flip into some fragile factor. A lady’s physique is constructed for being pregnant, and the health trade ought to embrace and rejoice this extra of their courses – versus being afraid of it. It’s a disservice to make a pregnant lady really feel “scared” or “lower than” throughout a exercise, and trainers within the trade should be well-versed in pre and postnatal modifications. Throughout my being pregnant, I filmed 30-plus movies for our pre and postnatal class on DanceBody LIVE in order that each mother and child can really feel nice by each trimester.
ATN: What can we count on to see subsequent from DanceBody?
KP: The panorama of health has modified a lot in the previous few years, nonetheless, a lot of it nonetheless stays the identical: folks wish to transfer TOGETHER. And now, post-pandemic, that sentiment is stronger than ever. In mild of that, we’ve been constructing extra in-person experiences to bridge the digital to in-person hole, comparable to our annual DanceBody Retreat in Mexico.
Moreover, as our purchasers proceed to evolve, we’re evolving with them. Within the final yr, we’ve launched a number of new low- and no-impact courses comparable to Sculpt +, Hip Hop Hits and Power & Stability. Final, connecting with synergistic media companions, comparable to Alo Strikes, has been a good way for us to unfold the DanceBody program.
