MORE people are turning up for nightclub-style fitness classes, as a Carlisle business owner reported on her growing success over nearly seven years.

Aleasha Wallace, who runs Clubbercise classes in Carlisle, started the business nearly seven years ago after being a professional dancer on cruise ships.

Over the years she’s been doing more classes throughout the week and is seeing more members turn up, as well as a loyal base of returning customers supporting her.

She explained what Clubbercise is and why it appeals to so many people: “It’s dance fitness and aerobics, it’s like going out on a night out... without the hangover the next day.”

On her beginnings, she said: “I used to be a dancer and I worked on cruises, after that I wanted to still dance when I came back, and I thought I should do teaching, but there are a lot of expenses involved with learning specific dance classes and with training.

“I started to look around for other things and I came across an advert to teach this fitness class in the dark and how it would help people who want to work out but are too self-conscious to go to the gym.

“I also wanted to find an adult dance class, but I couldn’t, so it looked great.

“I had issues with my weight after I stopped dancing and it’s been a big problem with my mental health as well, so I wanted something that would get me out and about, meeting new people.

“So far it’s been really helpful.”

Aleasha said she started out in Atlas Works in Denton Holme with one class of around 25 people, but now she’s doing five or six classes a week with 25 to 50 people in each class.

The classes are in the dark and have disco-style lighting to accompany the music that people dance to.

“You can kind of see what’s going on but because everyone’s focussing on what they’re doing they don’t see each other.

“We also have some special educational needs clients and men as well, it’s not just women coming in.

“When people come to the classes, they realise that they’re just the same, there’s no competitiveness, we just go for a good time.”

Alesha also does box fit classes and works with clients’ nutritional plans if required.

For more information about what she offers, visit girlpowerfitness.net.

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