If you’re looking to get into a healthy lifestyle. Our Marketing Assistant Lauren went along to hang out with Victoria for the day, she got some great shots of Victoria, this demonstrated what Victoria does in the world of fitness and learn about what she does. We got the chance to ask her these questions...
Tell us a bit about yourself?
I’m a vintage loving, coffee enthusiast, dancing yogi who loves to travel. My biggest achievement to date is becoming a dancer on board cruise liners and running the Nottingham half marathon. My favorite go to snack in banana and almond butter.
What do you do?
I’m incredibly lucky and honoured to teach, motivate and inspire the Nottinghamshire community to move more through dance, fitness and yoga classes all over the city. My aim is to create something to help people feel good about themselves. I hope after my class they feel challenged, refreshed and relaxed all in one. I love teaching as it gives me the opportunity to be creative, every day is a new and different. As I use my own choreography I’m always telling my students to do what is right for them, what feels good for their body. Yes I guide them and bring the dance moves, although they bring it to life and make it work.
How did you get into your line of work?
After becoming seriously injured while dancing in 2009 I knew I needed rest and take time to recover. I always enjoyed the gym and wanted to learn more, so I signed up for PT level 2 and 3, followed swiftly by my exercise to music qualification. At the time I didn’t know just how important this all would become. Having this foundation has shaped what I’m making today and making this my full-time time career. I guess you could say through my own personal development and curiosity, is how I ended up in the fitness world. It’s taught me so much and I love spreading the world and making people more healthy and feel good.
What made you want to go more independent in terms of business?
I always longed for the freedom to create my own destiny. Choosing a career in dance made me self-employed from the age of 19 so I didn’t really know any other way. You have to be driven and motivated about what you are doing to succeed. I would have never made it as a dancer otherwise, you have to practice and work hard to make it through those auditions. When you love what you do you put your all behind it and make sure you are the best you can be. For myself and especially for the people entering my classes, being an instructor it makes more sense to be independent than rely on one gym alone so it works really well for me. I get to travel and work in different places with different people of all ages and abilities all the time.
What inspires your work?
Music is essential to my inspiration, the music makes me move in ways I could never create in silence. I follow the beat and see where it takes me. I also love watching the way our bodies and other creatures move, it’s fascinating. Seeing the ripple effect one single movement can lead to. The dance teachers from my childhood have been a huge inspiration in so many ways too, the way they supported, motivated and taught me is what I hope to bring to my students.
Where do you work from?
It depends on the structure of my day, I teach all over Nottinghamshire in a variety of gyms and health clubs. Although I have been caught choreographing in the kitchen on more than one occasion when the inspiration comes you’ve got to flow with it. I also enjoy working outside as much as I possibly can.
What do you hope to achieve in your career, in future?
I’m currently looking into hiring my own studio space in Nottingham where my classes will be devoted to barefoot training methods. In the bigger picture, I’d love to think in years to come I’ll be able to run workshops and retreats in the UK and abroad. Travel has been a huge part of my adult life, it would be incredible to combine the two again one day. Plus it’s so important for people to give themselves the time and space away from their daily routine and what better way than with friends, in a stunning country. Being kind to yourself, giving your body-movement, mind-meditation and your insides-nutritious food. I like to aim big.
How do you keep energized?
I’d be lying if I didn’t mention coffee… I have actually had to allocate myself a 200 degrees coffee shop budget each month. Saying this I do try to get enough sleep and eat well. I get excited to see my students, I want to brighten their day and make them feel good and exercise really does give you energy.
Tell us your next steps.
To hire a studio space at The Om Studio, Greyhound Street. I am offering a free taster on October 7, 2017, at midday to introduce my Lyrical Dance Fitness and Freestyle Fitness Yoga to more people in Nottingham, those without a gym membership and those with that want to try something different. Moving forward from this I will be teaching Thursday at 12:30pm and will be £5.00 on the door or 3 sessions up front for £12.00. I plan to keep on learning, choreographing and developing my craft to be the best for the community.
To keep updated with Victoria and her classes, check out her social media pages:
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram
Have a read of Victoria’s article ‘Your New Breast Mate‘. Victora talks about the importance of keeping the ‘ladies’ supported while you work out.
