Local Jazzercise caters to residents from teens to 80-year-olds

From teenagers to 80-year-olds, Jazzercise Nicholasville has been serving the community for 17-years and declares it’s not the class you remember from the 1980s.
“It’s the community at Jazzercise that makes it truly different from just going to a gym on your own,” Owner Sarah Painter said.
“We have trained instructors who are fitness professionals teaching every class with energy and enthusiasm motivating everyone to bring their best to every class and have fun while doing it,” she said.
Located at 800 S. Main St., the facility offers classes seven days a week starting at 5:40 a.m. through 6:50 p.m. For $45 a month, residents can sign up to take as many classes as they want.
Painter said when she opened out of her church in 2001, she was teaching three classes a week. Now, she has 12 certified instructors who teach classes with her and together they offer residents 33 classes a week to choose from.
“I couldn’t imagine not having Jazzercise in my life, and I saw a need in Jessamine County for a great dance fitness program,” Painter said. “Jazzercise is simply a great program that has stood the test of time, evolving and adapting to the health and fitness trends over the last 50 years.”
With Jazzercise’s 50th anniversary this year, Painter said classes are not what some remember from its conception. Described as a high-intensity workout which incorporates cardio and strength training in every class, routines are choreographed to today’s top hits and Painter said those who attend classes can burn up to 800 calories.
“The thing that I think has made Jazzercise Nicholasville so successful is the community that it provides,” Painter said. “We are a family that loves and supports each other. It’s a positive welcoming atmosphere where people feel comfortable being themselves and working towards their individual health and fitness goals.”
The primary format of each class is called a Dance Mixx which features 40 minutes of cardio followed by 20 minutes of strength training where a combination of weights, resistance tubes and exercise balls are used. High-Intensity Interval Training classes are also offered which incorporate strength routines between bursts of cardio. Core focused classes and kickboxing classes are offered from time to time as well.
“Everyone was new once so don’t be nervous,” Painter said. “Just come and try it out. You’ll be surprised how easy it is to follow and how quickly you catch on.”
What makes Jazzercise Nicholasville different from other gyms are the trained instructors who are fitness professionals teaching every class while motivating everyone involved, Painter said.
“If you like your workout, you’ll stick with it,” Painter said. “And when you have friends in class keeping you accountable, you really see the results.”
All ages, shapes and fitness levels come to Jazzercise Nicholasville. Customers range from teenagers to the oldest client who is 83.
“The thing I am most proud of and hope is my legacy is that I was able to help improve my customers lives in some little way through our classes,” Painter said. “Whether they lost weight, got off their medications, toned up, reduced their stress, slept better or made life-long friends, I hope that they left Jazzercise a little healthier and a little happier, no matter if they took classes for a few months or ten plus years.”