Sarah Westcott

I was a former high school and college athlete, having played field hockey and rugby.  I had always enjoyed fitness and strength/conditioning, and had strived to make it part of my lifestyle.  I knew I needed to step out of my comfort zone of "running and lifting" and decided to try something new.  My personal and professional journey runs parallel in the world of belly dance, and group exercise, but it all started when I took a belly dancing class at a local dance studio.

Belly dance transformed my body, and my mind.  Years of running and lifting, (and, in all honestly, with poor form) took a toll on my joints and my flexibility.  Not to mention my mind set that "fitness" was about how long/far/fast you could run, or how much you could squat.  I gained coordination, flexibility, and a waist!!  I would leave a belly dancing class just as sweaty as I would a weight room.  My spirits soared (but my body wasn't sore) and I gained confidence that I didn't realize I had lacked. 

I have been a student of Middle Eastern Belly Dance since 2004, and as with any dance form, I continually take classes, workshops, and enjoy learning from other dancers and teachers.  I have studied with a number of international superstars of dance and workshop presenters from Los Angeles, NYC, and Cairo, Egypt.  I began my career as a performer of Middle Eastern Dance as a featured member of a local troupe, and have since move on to a role as a professional dancer in the Capital District of NY.  I have performed at galas, fundraisers, festivals and private/special events like weddings.  In addition to performing, I now teach private lessons and group classes. 

Around the same time that I was discovering bellydance, and having stepped out of my comfort zone once, I decided to do so again.  I joined my first group fitness class (kickboxing).  I was hooked!  The energy of the instructor, the personal touches she added, and the community of the membership kept me coming back for more.  When Zumba(R) was introduced as a group-ex format at the facility in 2010, I knew that I found a special program.  The classes were fun, they were popular, and the membership wanted more.  It was a niche I could fill.  Having been approached by the Zumba(R) instructor at the possibility of becoming licensed, and added to the group-ex schedule as an instructor, I jumped at the chance!   

Having been licensed to teach, armed with the fundamentals, and beginning my own classes, I was incredibly fortunate to have a mentor through the whole process (and still do!).  Connie is a 20+ year veteran of group fitness, and currently teaches Zumba along with many other formats.  She has taught me the intangible skills that make a group exercise instructor truly impactful for their clients: warmth, kindness, silliness, along with the fundamentals of safety, form, and modifications. 

Though I am just beginning on my group fitness journey, I strive to participate in master classes and workshops for continuing education purposes.  I was most recently certified by Beachbody to teach PiYo strength, and have been certified in Group Exercise Leadership through the American Council on Exercise.