Member Article

Well-known Teesside teacher dances to success as business grows

A Teesside dance and fitness expert, with over a quarter of a century’s experience, is investing in her business to allow her to share her unique fitness style with more people in the area and help her company to grow further for 2014.

With health and fitness a New Year’s resolution for many and due to growth in demand for her specially-developed classes and programmes, Jo Jacques from Stokesley is re-branding her company and taking on new qualifications to extend her offering.

‘Jo Jacques- Dance it Change it Love it’ works with people of all ages to help them become fitter and healthier, using a variety of dance styles.

Having danced from the age of 4, Jo- who turns 50 this year- is one of the area’s most highly-qualified and experienced health-related dance and fitness instructors with a variety of qualifications and coaching certificates, including the prestigious Royal Society of Exercise to Music.

In addition, Jo holds a Certificate in Exercise on Prescription from Teesside University, which allows her to prescribe exercise to patients where applicable, and further certificates in Cardiac Rehabilitation and Chair-based Exercise for Elderly and Specialist Populations; and Balance of Good Health Weight Management.

Jo is now also in the process of completing her International Dance Teachers Association (IDTA) qualifications which will increase her company’s offering to over 30 different dance styles.

With over 25 years’ experience in the dance and fitness sector and having worked for Sport England and Middlesbrough Council amongst others for many years, Jo decided to launch her own business three years ago after developing unique dance fitness classes and identifying a niche in the market.

Jo spent many years refining her Strictly FITT (frequency, intensity, time and type) programme which brings together her teaching and dancing experience and combines aerobic exercise with mental agility as those taking part follow specially-choreographed work-outs.

The Strictly FITT classes are delivered to over 200 people of all ages every week across Middlesbrough, Thornaby and North Yorkshire with Jo offering a range of dance fitness incorporating everything from Zumba and disco to ballroom blitz and jive.

Speaking about her business’s growth, Jo said: “I didn’t expect the business to take off quite as it has done- there’s a real gap in the market for what I do as I deliver very specific classes to groups of people of varying ages and abilities. My Strictly FITT programme has taken me almost a decade to develop and is now highly regarded for focusing the mind and body with proven results.

“I’m now rolling out more classes across Teesside and North Yorkshire following my re-brand- everything from ballroom to street dance. You name it, I do it and it’s great to see such enthusiasm for health and fitness in the area- especially amongst younger people and those in their 60s and 70s.”

Whilst working for Sport England and Middlesbrough Council, Jo was well known for her warm-ups and demonstrations at events such as the Cleveland Show, the Race for Life and the Middlesbrough 3km, 5km and 10km races and has held classes ranging from one-to-one personal training to over 1500 at major events.

For more information on Jo’s classes contact 07770 484338

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Anna Addison Associates .