Meet Christine Leenheer | Owner and fitness instructor of Empower Movement Studio

We had the good fortune of connecting with Christine Leenheer and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Christine, what do you attribute your success to?
Belief! I’ve always believed I could do more with my fitness career and help my clients better than a corporate gym that didn’t have a personal touch. I’ve always been personable with my clients and I wanted to make them truly know I’m there to help with their goals. So many of my clients have followed me to special events I was collaborating with, and it truly inspired me to just keep going and believe in what I was doing and not look back.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’ve danced my entire life. Always wanted my own dancing school. Something in me changes when I dance and I’ve known that since I was a young age. I went to college, got married and was a banking professional for years until I had my son in 2006 but was also into fitness but just a hobby. My friend introduced me to a Zumba fitness class and I went 2 classes total and signed up for the workshop. I knew I wanted to do this! It was DANCE which was my passion, and FITNESS! I was SOLD! We started with small classes and then they grew so big at our city rec center! We had 100 plus people every night! It was truly amazing! The gym went from loving us to not loving us so much because we seemed to be too much. They all wanted to watch us but not like us. I didn’t get paid much either, but it wasn’t about money at the time until it was. You can only get treated a certain way so much or taken for granted so much that you just have no choice to move on! So I did! On to the next one. I learned a lot at the next gym. Again, the same thing happens. They love us until they don’t! Good for their numbers or pockets but still not much for mine and not feeling much respect for me or my people. Turning out to be all about money not the people and the focus is lost.
In the mean time, I’ve retained numerous other fitness licenses and I continued to expand my fitness education while teaching classes and being available for my family.
Then we get hit with Covid-19! I was let go. I never received any compensation or unemployment.
Everything just stopped. I didn’t though.
I didn’t know why, I just didn’t. Never questioned it.
I had clients looking at me the day everything was shutting down in tears because they made huge strides in their fitness and now it’s all stopping their progress and no one can be with each other.
Honestly, I didn’t think. I went home and told my family I just have to start making fitness videos for my people. I just did it. I started sending them to them in links. They were at least moving at home since we were all quarantined. We were still connecting it was so hard on me. Always being with people, having fun, sweating, and helping them change their lives and now then I stare at a wall and a phone.
It was depressing.
I had to fake the fun and it was such a hard time mentally and physically. I learned so much throughout that time about technology, social media, and myself, trying to motivate people without seeing any of them for months if not years.
We never thought we’d be shutdown or online as long as we were when I started.
So I invested in an online subscription during that time and perfected my Christy’s DANCEFIT HIIT, LLC. program. Things opened up little by little but people were weary on coming back. We’d meet in local parks to workout socially distant. Went to the breweries in the summer outside. Rented baseballl facilities so people would feel safe. All to keep eyes on each other and to simply KEEP GOING. I just never stopped. I didn’t want the people to give up or stop. I know how hard it is mentally and physically and I didn’t want them to have to start over.
1 day I got a call about a spot being open and I went to see it and knew it was perfect. I’ve looked for my own spot for a long time but this was it. I felt it. I know it was time for us to be back together and if I made a “HOME” for all of us, it could be great!

I wanted a place that the clients didn’t feel like a number. I wanted them to know, I KNOW them, SEE them, and want to help them because I’ve struggled with weight and health issues off and on through the years. They’ve watched me through some. They watching me have issues through having a hysterectomy and they still stuck with me when I couldn’t even see them or provide their workouts for months.
I’ve only wanted the best for their health and wellness because I struggle too.

We are comprised of 99% women from the ages of 18-72 years old. We have some men. All are welcome! Still 99% of my clients have been women. I want every age or every level of fitness know they can do it at any level and any pace, as long as they are moving, is all that matters.

Empowering them to be their best because most of these women only get a small amount of time to go try to better themselves before they’re needed somewhere else! I live it too, know it, and have seen it with many of them in the past 16 years.

Thats how we came to be Empower Movement Studio, LLC.
I want to empower them to feel at home, let loose, and move their bodies as they focus on themselves for at least 1 hour in our space!
No one can see into our studio and it’s private so no one is watching them from a window, weight room or gawking in a door! They can feel comfortable here!
I guess all of these years I saw how good we all felt during and after each class, session, or dance party fundraiser. I hope that feeling never stops as I’m passionate to help others overcome their struggles.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I love our town! If they like good pizza, salads, craft beer and a chill atmosphere I’d take them to the HiHO Brewing Company. The Burntwood Tavern is a regular of ours! It’s got great food, staff, and the atmosphere and scenery are great right on the river view! The scenery is the best! Another restaurant I’d recommend is The Butcher and Sprout! Service is always great and the food is amazing! Then a couple doors down is the Watson Speakeasy for some crafted cocktails! There are so many cool shops downtown and in the spring and summer it’s nice to hang out. Usually there is a festival or music at the pavilion so there is always something young on! I’m partial to Festa Italiana in July! I would hold charity fundraisers at this festival and I’m Italian and they always have the best food and a fun time for the whole family!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’d have to say every business I collaborated with and all of my clients or class attendees in the past 16 years! So it’s broad not specific. I’ve collaborated bringing fun fitness to breweries like HiHO in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, RShea brewing company in Akron, Ohio. Rented from gyms, bars and dancing schools around the area Northeast Ohio area. Taught outside in parks during covid! I’ve also collaborated with The Downtown Akron Partnership to bring fitness outdoors for free to people wanting a change of scenery as well as explore downtown Akron since 2018. Without all of those connections, I would not be where I am today and I know that for a fact!

Website: www.empowermovementstudio.com

Instagram: Zumbadancefithiitinthe330

Facebook: Christy Leenheer DANCEFIT HIIT