This week we feature Lizz & Kelly…
One of the things I just love about Lizz is her positive energy. It doesn’t matter if it’s her Pilates, Barre, or Pilates-Barre Fusion class, she just moves the class and her students along from one place to the next with such ease but making it “fun” every step along the way. If I’m in my office working I often think, "wow Lizz needs to come up for a breath…" as she is constantly offering verbal encouragement and giving cues to help her students get more out of each exercise. When I stand at the fitness door and look in I always think these types of classes look so easy, and although they are do-able for all fitness levels, anyone who has taken one of Lizz’s classes know they are anything but easy. Before teaching at BL, Lizz started teaching barre and Pilates in 2005 at the OG Pure Barre (ok I had to ask so maybe you didn’t know either…OG is Original Gangster). This was just a side hustle for her at the time because her day job was as a sales manager for GE Plastics (Get this…Lizz graduated from Kettering University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and this is where she met her husband, Dave) She left her career at GE to pursue teaching, managing and owning her own fitness studio full time down in Northville. Fast forward a few years when Lizz found her way to Body Language in 2016. Our students instantly fell in love with her and her style of teaching. She even conducted a barre training at BL, certifying 12 of us as barre instructors including me, Chris and Marie. Lizz was such a great asset to BL that it won’t come as a surprise that we were super bummed when she informed us that she and her family were being transferred to Brussels. Although we were excited about her adventure, Lizz was definitely missed!! So we were thrilled when, 4 years later, she showed back up at BL. Of course we welcomed her back with open arms and found a couple of spots for her on the schedule. Since coming back to BL, Lizz also has been teaching some fun Friday night workshops like Nite at the Barre. Lizz’s hobbies include hiking, traveling, cooking, crafting and pickleball. Lizz and her husband, Dave, have two daughters…Natalee (11) and Robyn (9) who I’ve had the pleasure of meeting several times when she has brought them into BL…smart, adorable, and very well behaved. Lizz we are thrilled you found your way back to us and we love having you and your upbeat energy filling our BL space!!
The first thing that comes to my mind as I start to write about Kelly is compassion. She truly has the biggest heart and wants every student in her class to feel successful. Here’s an example…at a staff meeting a year or so ago Chris and I asked for input on ways we could make BL even better. One of our staff mentioned that she didn’t feel like there was a good place for a new person to start on the fitness side. Kelly shared with me after the meeting that this really laid heavy on her heart and next thing we know, she has created a walking class to fill this void!! Students who are at every level in their fitness journeys love this class and, most importantly, feel comfortable and successful. You nailed it Kelly!! Here’s another example of Kelly’s compassion. Although she used to teach at BL from 2006-2010 life took her in a different direction. But fast forward to Summer of 2020…Chris and I are sitting outside at Village Grill and Kelly sees us and pops over to chat. She told us that she had been thinking of us and wondering how we were surviving being forced to close our doors due to the pandemic. She expressed so much concern for us and BL and wanted to know how she could help. We took her up on her offer to help by having her lead a Zumba class outdoors at Edgewood Country Club. Her class was a huge help and wonderful addition to our line up of classes and instructors. Once we were able to open our doors again, Kelly decided to stay on at BL and we welcomed her back in with open arms. Some other things you might not know about Kelly…she has been teaching fitness for 39 years!! She has a martial arts black belt!! She grew up showing horses (and says being around horses is her happy place) has taught art classes, line dancing and coached cheerleading. She recently completed BL’s yoga teacher training program. She is the mother of 3 children who she says she “adores spending time with.” Her hubby, Tim, of 31 years is her favorite country/classic rock singer and she states that she has been “blessed beyond measure to have a twin sister, Karen, who has been a pillar in her life since day one". Lastly, Kelly says that her “favorite thing about teaching fitness classes is that we grow meaningful friendships while supporting each other’s health and fitness journey. We are better together.” Kelly we are so glad to have you and your big heart a part of our BL family!!
