GirlForce attracts young women to Jazzercise with free classes for a year

When it comes to body image, teenage and college years can sometimes be the most challenging for young women.

And low self-esteem can be tough to shake, but one way to combat it is through exercise, which is why Jazzercise, Inc. will offer free classes to young women aged 16-21 for the rest of the year. Normally, an annual membership would cost $54 per month plus a $50 joining fee.

The program, called GirlForce, was created by Jazzercise CEO and Founder Judi Sheppard Missett, who felt inspired after attending the State of Women Summit at the White House last summer to create the program to encourage teens and college-aged women to 'dance their own path,” she said in a press release.

GirlForce will be offered at partcipating locations throughout the country, including Jazzercise Cedar Rapids Southwest. The goal is to empower young women through exercise, teaching healthy habits and offering a safe space to develop positive relationships and a sense of belonging in their community.

'We want to get young girls into fitness and health in a safe environment so that they can be healthy, confideent, fit young ladies,” said Jill Wistrick, owner of Jazzercise Cedar Rapids Southwest.

'We want them to be the best they can be,” she added.

Jazzercise workouts combine dance, high-intensity cardio, strength training, pilates, yoga and kickboxing into 30 to 60 minute sessions. The program has been around for nearly 50 years - since 1969, in fact - but was especially popular in the 80s, which is why most people associate the name with legwarmers and leotards, Wistrick said.

'It's not a fad,” she said. 'We've kept up with the times.”

Over the years, Jazzercise - with more than 8,000 locations across the country - has continued to develop new moves to new music so that workouts are always fresh, Wistrick said.

And once people get started, they usually stick with it, she added. On average, people stay with the program for at least 7 years.

'I was addicted after the first class,” said Loretta Welsh, of Cedar Rapids, who joined two years ago and has since become an instructor.

'I love the atmosphere,” she said. 'I come in and we're a family. There are no mirrors - we all have things that jiggle and don't want to see it. Everyone is uplifting and empowering. I wish I would have had this opportunity when I was younger - I didn't get a taste until my 40s.

'I would love to get girls off the couch, off their phones and addicted to this like we are,” she continued. 'If we can expose young women to this empowerment and encouragement, it could turn anybody's bad attitude around.”

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