This week’s Instructor Spotlight is on Massachusetts rockstar, Heather! She is an Administrative Assistant by day and a rockstar BollyX Instructor by night. Read below about Heather’s hobbies and what she loves about BollyX!
Q: Tell us about yourself – what do you do when you’re not teaching? What are your hobbies? What other formats do you teach? Give us a little on your background.
A: I’ve worked as an Administrative Assistant in the Center for Academic Success and Enrichment, at MCPHS University going on 12 years. I love working with college students and I feel like it’s one of the things that keeps me young! When I’m not working or teaching, like Fergie says, “I be up in the gym just workin’ on my fitness” (I couldn’t resist). I like to take a variety of other fitness classes including strength, boxing, Zumba, and yoga. While I do not currently teach any of these other formats, it’s a future goal of mine to become AFAA certified for group exercise instruction. Other hobbies of mine include any and all things artsy and being my own human Pandora by singing along to music in my car, at work, in the shower, and all other places in the home (basically everywhere, I have no shame).
Q: How would you describe BollyX in one word?
A: Happiness!
Q: What is your favorite part of BollyX class?
A: As a person taking a BollyX class (and teaching), it’s the combination of amazing songs and dynamic choreography. I absolutely CANNOT stop myself from lip syncing to the songs I’m dancing to! Even when I’m not completely sure of the lyrics. haha. I also LOVE when the song goes SO perfectly with the choreography that it makes you put just that much more emphasis on a specific move.
As an instructor, I love watching everyone in the class and seeing their smiles and expressions of happiness and excitement. I love seeing when they are really getting into it! You become connected to them in a way because you know exactly what they’re feeling and experiencing because you’ve had (and have) those same feelings and experiences too. There’s a feeling of people coming together.
Q: How has working with BollyX changed you or your lifestyle?
A: If you would have told me three years ago that I would be teaching BollyX, I probably would not have believed you. Working with BollyX has had a tremendous impact on my life. I’d describe myself as an extroverted-introvert. But, I’ve always been shy and I’ve always struggled with my confidence. I have more confidence now than I’ve ever had in my life. This experience has given me the courage to face my fears because I see how much I’ve learned and grown as a person from doing so. It makes me excited to continue to learn and grow! I’m excited for what the future holds. I know the best hasn’t even happened yet.
Q: How long have you been with BollyX?
A: I’ve been taking BollyX for three years now. I became a BollyX instructor in February of last year and started teaching this past September.
Q: What is your favorite BollyX song to teach?
A: This is hard because there are SO many amazing songs! First, I’m going to have to take it back old school and go with Hookah Bar. It’s a classic. Not only is it the very first BollyX song that I ever taught but it’s the one song I distinctly remember loving from the first BollyX class that I took (it got me hooked!). A close second would be Satisfya. I loved this song before there was BollyX choreography and was so excited when it came out. It’s one of those songs that bring out my inner badass/enhance my already outer badass. Also, there are just SO many more songs that I haven’t taught yet that I know could very well become my new faves.
Q: Where do you teach BollyX?
A: I teach at the Schumann Fitness Center at Wentworth Institute of Technology twice a week on Tuesday’s and Thursday’s.
Take a class with Heather!
