Kelly Burkholder

Before I give details on my professional experience, I think it is necessary to go back further in my history.  As a child growing up with a single parent, I struggled with my weight.  Moving several times during my elementary school years did not help with developing lasting friendships either.  I hated PE classes and recess because I was always picked last and because of my weight and lack of agility, I was an easy target when it came to dodge ball and other contact sports.  It wasn't until my mother had remarried in my pre-teen years and we settled on a beef cattle farm that things started to take a different direction in my life.  I was "hit in the face" with chores and made to do manual labor unlike anything I had ever experienced before.  Chores started at 6am every morning and finished up when I got home from school in the evening.  At the time, I felt like my childhood was being taken away as others in my class didn't have the responsibilities that I had and I couldn't attent the after-school functions because there was always work to do.  I still disliked PE classes and made it known to my mother that I didn't want to participate in the activities (mostly because of the fear of not being accepted and not understanding some of the sports).  I was sitting on the sidelines while others were playing football.  Even though I didn't know the ins and outs of how the game was played, something inside of me was tired of being on the sidelines and missing out.  So I decided to play.  I was awkward and made errors, but before I could even think, the quarterback spiraled the ball and it landed in my hands.  I was playing defense and my teammates were shouting "run, run!".  My interception led to a touchdown.  From that moment on, I earned the respect from my teammates and I was no longer picked last when it came to competitive sports.  A special "thank you" to my step-father, for teaching me the value of working hard and never giving up.

Prior to becoming a group fitness instructor in 1994, I was a long-time member of RMH Wellness Center.  Back in the day, Step Aerobics was the most popular class to choose from.  I'll never forget my first time entering into a Step class as a member.  Of course I was late and the only available space was in the back.  The instructor did an excellent job in cuing and offering modifications.  After class, she made a point to come to me and offer support.  She said the most difficult thing is getting comfortable with the Step and the terminology.  She encouraged me to give it at least 5 tries before I make the decision whether or not I like the class.  Well, she was right.  After the 4th class, I was hooked.  Because of the devotion of attending every class I possibly could, I developed the ear for the 32-beat count.  The Group Fitness supervisor at that time approached me about becoming an instructor and I went before a panel to demonstrate my skills.  July 21, 1994 was the happiest day of my life.  I started out teaching my favorite Step classes and soon added on Hi/Lo Aerobics and sculpting classes.  When the facility added bikes, I taught cycling classes.  In the fall of 2009, I was introduced to Zumba Fitness and fell in love.  Zumba opened up a different world to the traditional group fitness exercise class and membership exploded in our facility.  As time went on, I felt it necessary to expand my education and became licensed to teach Zumba Toning, Zumbatomic, Aqua Zumba, Zumba Gold and Zumba Sentao.  Over the years of teaching my passion for educating others on the value of healthy living and physical fitness has grown. Being a group fitness instructor has always been a "side-job" for me as my primary work was in banking.  However, I am happy to say that since the fall of 2012, I am now semi-retired and can devote more time to my passion of encouraging others in their journey of healthy living.

Because of the growing demand for classes designed for seniors, I have expanded my teaching to those that face limitations because of injuries, health issues and being new to physical activities.  This population has a special place in my heart as they are the most devoted and appreciative of the attention given to their needs