How The Babes Came To Be
Cardio Dance Babes was born during the pandemic. These friends met while working at a local YMCA decided not to let quarantine get them down! They started doing online classes, but soon found they had built a community of women who were supporting each other even in the most challenging of times.
Those women were empowered to take control of their home workouts and stay on track, despite the stress and fear of COVID-19. The Babes came to realize that the gym had been missing something all along and this missing piece was causing so many women to be frustrated with their lack of fitness progress.
That missing piece is community and the accountability that comes with being in friendship with other women that understand and "get it".
MEET VANESSA
Vanessa is originally from the Steel City, Pittsburgh, PA. (Go Pens!), but she has lived in the dirty south for about 17 years. She lives there with her 2 boys, Gavin and Tyler, her two cats, and her dog Mojo.
Her full-time gig is in sales but her passion in life has always been dance. She started dancing at the age of 3 and has been dancing ever since. Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Baton, Hip Hop, Hawaiian are some of the genres she studied throughout the years with a focus on Ballet. She attended Point Park University as a ballet major, but due to injury and starting a family, life steered her towards instructing.
She’s been teaching dance to all ages since she herself was 16, but then she found the gym and she was introduced to her second love! She’s learned from some great coaches and trainers, one being her boyfriend, Stan, about proper form and technique. And how to eat so that your body performs at its best. She even did a figure show in 2009 taking home 3rd place. It was a super challenging experience, but so rewarding.
She wants to share everything she’s learned and help as many women as possible. She lives to see people grow and be healthy people; physically, spiritually and mentally.
Vanessa is the director of programs and manages the strength training.
MEET REGAN
Regan is a 40-something busy wife and mother of 4. Tired of being sick-and-tired, she reluctantly agreed to attend a dance fitness class with a friend after the birth of her 3rd child. As someone who'd never liked exercise before, to her amazement she fell in love with the format; losing the pregnancy weight was just a bonus.
Teaching dance fitness for over 8 years keeps her fibromyalgia symptoms at bay, and as a type 1 diabetic, the exercise also helps keep her sugars in range (don't be surprised when her insulin pump falls off or she has to take glucose tabs!).
Regan loves to cut loose on our girls' night out workouts, but her real mission is to help others find fun in fitness and loving themselves through the journey. Her motto is, "Cherish the body you've got, because you aren't getting another one, so you gotta take care of it!"
Regan is the community director and provides ghost and copywriting services.
MEET KERRY
Say hello to Kerry! Kerry is a Southern girl, born and bred. Her background is in Nursing and Business. She never in a million years could have predicted that she would be using dance fitness as a tool to help change the world!
Several years ago, Kerry went through a period of time in which she became overweight, anxiety ridden, and depressed. But the best day of every week was the day that she would go to a dance fitness class with -- guess who -- Regan! That class started Kerry on her journey to health and fitness. She got her weight and binge eating under control (every day is still a challenge) and it lit a fire in her to help other women to do the same.
She helped start up a fitness program for her church and got Zumba licensed. Regan suggested she come to work at the YMCA, and after years of being out of the healthcare industry, her career came full circle to community health. Now she's getting to put her business background to good use as well. She’s passionate about helping women to let loose, forgive themselves for not being perfect, and take back control of their minds and bodies.
Kerry believes that when we learn to give ourselves grace we become better people. Better, healthier people make the world a better, healthier place.
Kerry is the CEO and managing partner of Cardio Dance Babes.
MEET DIONNE
Dionne is a Boss Babe-turned-CDB team member. She is married and a mother of 2 beautiful boys.
Dionne has a unique perspective on the Cardio Dance Babes. She once took classes for the CDB team when they taught at the local Y and saw how they rallied for their community after the pandemic. Dionne immediately became a founding Boss Babe member and helped shape the Boss Babes into what they are now.
She loved the heart of this community so much that she herself decided to get certified as a group fitness instructor (with more than a little nudging from the Cardio Dance Babes team). As the newest team member, Dionne brings a whole new dimension to our cardio dance classes.
Dionne is the customer success advocate. She knows from personal experience how impactful the Boss Babes can be and she makes sure that every woman we bring in feels loved and taken care of.
