Jazzercise studio finally opens doors in Cheney

By BECKY THOMAS

Staff Reporter

Julie Butler has taught Jazzercise in Cheney for almost six years, but this September marked her first classes in her own studio.

The Jazzercise West Plains Fitness Center, located at 1845 First St. below Collins Family Dentistry, opened last month. Butler, who owns the franchise and teaches most of the classes, taught Jazzercise through the city of Cheney's Parks and Recreation department before moving into her own space.

“It's nice to have your own space. You know, we can call it our center,” she said. “That's the main thing. We have the floor space to work out, do our thing and enjoy it.”

Jazzercise West Plains focuses on traditional Jazzercise classes, which are held six days a week, with recent additions of body sculpting, junior jazzercise for children, and yoga classes.

Butler said she attended her first Jazzercise class in the 1980s as a college student and was hooked on the dance-based exercise program. While she continued to attend classes through the years, she didn't start teaching until she went to a class with her daughter in Spokane shortly after the family returned to the area. Butler said her daughter loved the class.

“She said, ‘Why aren't you teaching this, mom?'” she said. “Within a couple of months, I was at a workshop.”

Butler said she has around 75 students in 15 classes, many that followed her from the parks and rec classes at city hall.

“The city was wonderful,” she said. “It gave me my start and I can't say enough good things about that.”

But she said she had always had a goal of owning her own studio, and she was glad to accomplish that goal.

Classes can be purchased at a monthly rate or as a single visit. Child care is also available for some classes. For more information call 389-1146 or visit http://www.jazzercise.com.

Becky Thomas can be reached at [email protected].