May 8, 2017

Meet Kristen Hall Poage of Marie Christine’s Dance and Fitness

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristen Hall Poage.

Kristen, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I began dancing at the age of 14. It was during this time, that I discovered a love for creative movement, particularly mind/body fitness. I continued to dance throughout my high school years and started to explore Pilates and Barre methodologies during college. I instantly fell in love with both, and decided to pursue obtaining certifications so I could instruct group fitness classes. While I had personally worked out in large gyms on and off throughout the years, I had a strong desire to teach clients in a smaller group environment. My goal was to make sure that each individual received one on one attention during the sessions that I instructed.

Looking for employment after receiving my first Barre certification, I was unable to find a position that matched what I had in mind to offer to the greater Houston community. After I had been searching for several months to no avail, I decided that I would start my own studio.

With very little money to invest, I was unable to launch my business with my own store front. Instead, I rented space from dance studios all over Houston for two years until the right opportunity presented itself. Then, in the spring of 2014, I opened my first store front in Friendswood followed by another location in the city of Pearland in of spring 2016.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Starting my small studios has not been always an easy road. Between many limitations surrounding small businesses today and the nature of the health and wellness industry being extremely competitive, the journey hasn’t always been smooth.

Fitness is a way of life, and something that requires an immense amount of time and commitment. That being said, it is a constant task to keep clients motivated to consistently attend classes. I am always thinking of ways to inspire people to make it into the studio so that they can see, and more importantly, feel the results of their workout goals.

Marie Christine’s Dance and Fitness – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I founded Marie Christine’s Dance and Fitness to be a place where people 18 and older can come together to workout minus the judgment and competition. I desire for my studios to be community focused. I firmly believe that fitness should be effective and fun and that we are more likely to succeed when we have friends to motivate us!

Marie Christine’s specializes in Barre and Mat Pilates classes. My instructors change their choreography and music weekly to ensure that our clients are always being challenged and consistently seeing results. They also spend time before and after class touching base with said clients to review their progress and help them set new goals.

I am committed to keeping sessions small so that individuals are able to connect with their instructor during the hour that they are there. This is key to helping people stay motivated!

As a business owner, I am at the forefront of the day-to-day operations. I want my clients to know that we care about their health and wellness first and foremost.

What is “success” or “successful” for you?
I define success in a variety of ways. For example, I strive for my classes to be of the highest quality and have my clients first and foremost on my mind as I plan choreography and implement new classes into our weekly schedule. When someone tells me how much they enjoyed their first barre or Pilates class at one of my studios, I hope that in some small way I have impacted their lives for the better! I derive success in helping others.

I want to be a positive impact in the local community and more importantly, in my clients lives. At the end of each of our class sessions, if people walk away healthier mind, body and soul, I feel that I have done my job in providing a quality service.

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