All That Jazz
Lauren Lindsay sees it every day.
As she walks the halls of Butler Senior High School, she sees her female classmates battling low self-esteem.
“A lot of kids struggle with self-esteem,” she said. “It shouldn't matter what you look like to be loved.”
A 50-year-old company is trying to reverse that struggle, to give young women the tools they need to feel empowered.
Jazzercise introduced GirlForce in January, and the new program has taken off across the country, said Linda Cunningham, owner of Jazzercise in the Greater Butler Mart.
Aimed at young women from the ages of 16-21, the program invites them to participate in the classes offered at the exercise facility, completely free for the year.
The program is the brainchild of founder Judi Sheppard Missett, who was inspired to create it after attending the State of the Women Summit. She created the program to help teens and college-age women to “dance their own path,” according to the company's website.
Cunningham, said young women today have many challenges, from school to self-esteem issues.
GirlForce seeks to empower young women through exercise, teaching healthy habits and creating positive relationships, according to the website.
Young women can pick any of the facility's 35 weekly exercise classes. There is no limit to how many they can take, and participants can choose any class that fits their schedule.
“It's our way to give back,” Cunningham said.
Although Lindsay didn't know what to expect when she came to her first class, she said the building is a “judge-free zone,” where she was welcomed into the group.
Now, the 18-year-old is training to become an instructor.Cunningham echoes Lindsay, saying Jazzercise is a “safe haven.” Participants are urged to “leave their baggage” at the door and concentrate on themselves for the hour-long classes.“It's important to have a place to come and be yourself, ”said Emily Rekich, an instructor at the Butler facility. “We love you for who you are.”On a recent Monday, as people began to arrive for an early evening class, a number of teens and young women were among those taking their places in the large room where classes are conducted.On a stage in the front of the room, an instructor started the class, lively dance music setting the pace.Rekich and Lindsay were two of the women joining in the fast-paced workout.Rekich said she jumped at the idea of GirlForce when she got the e-mail from the company.“I loved it as soon as I heard,” she said. “I didn't have this opportunity when I was that age. This is something that will carry them into the rest of life.”Rekich said she initially resisted going to Jazzercise when a friend asked, but she was hooked after the first class.Cunningham said about 20 girls have signed up for classes since the GirlForce program started, and the trio of women hope more girls will hear about the program and give it a try.Anyone interested in GirlForce can contact Linda Cunningham at Jazzercise@zoominternet.net, by calling 724-352-4998 or by stopping in to Jazzercise in the Greater Butler Mart.
