Today we’d like to introduce you to Chanelle Lagace.
Chanelle, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
It all started when I was three years old with ballet lessons. Fast forwarding, I loved it so much as a child that I went to SUNY Purchase Dance Conservatory and graduated with a BFA in Dance performance. My school was 30 minutes outside of NYC so naturally, I was always in the city taking classes and workshops. This is also when I found my love of fitness by taking classes at Physique57 which is a barre-based workout based on The Lotte Burke method. Before I graduated, I lined up a job being a teacher assistant at Physique57 which led to having my first fitness instructor job and being one of their top instructors in NUY. My first year teaching in the Hamptons, I took my first Soul Cycle class and was completely sold by the juice they were selling. Right then and there was when I made a commitment to myself that one day I would teach there too. I made my dream happen and started teaching in NYC, The Hamptons, and Greenwich, CT. I soon moved to Greenwich to teach Soul Cycle and is the place where a lot of things happened! I got engaged, married, and had my first child! We were there for about three years before moving to Houston, TX where I helped open the very first SoulCycle studio in all of Texas! I was completely blown away by how wonderful the people are in this city and what the city has to offer to everyone. I love that it’s so versatile and diverse. Within a year living here, we got pregnant again and started looking for our very first house! We now have a beautiful baby boy who is 15 months alongside my daughter who is three years old.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It has most definitely not been a smooth road. To get a little personal, while dancing in college and a bit after college I had an eating disorder. I wasn’t happy at all and it wasn’t until I met my husband and quit dancing professionally that I started to heal and love myself again. I started to love my muscle and all that my body has been able to do.
Because I had this issue in the past when it came time to have babies I always got really hard on myself. I gained 60 lbs. with my first and then 35 lbs with the second. Clearly, I was not a happy camper with my first pregnancy and I got a little crazy and super motivated to lose all of the weight I gained. That was a hurdle in itself, especially being a fitness instructor! I put so much pressure on myself for not being perfect and that got to me. I worked hard and ate very clean, so I lost the weight in five months. From there, it’s been pretty smooth other than lack of sleep from my kids!
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Soul-Cycle – what should we know?
I’m a fitness professional and a spin instructor at SoulCycle. SoulCycle reinvented indoor cycling 13 years ago! It’s a 45-minute class where you can let go and feel uplifted all while feeling like you’re in the club anytime you take. The class is based off a playlist that the instructors put together, and you ride to the beat of the music doing choreography throughout. It’s a place where we as instructors build a community with our riders and get to know them in and out of the studios. It’s a place where we welcome everyone, but also push everyone to their full potential.
On the side, I have been building my own brand. Like I said earlier I am a mom of two. I’ve been through the dance life, instructor life and now, Mom’s life. My projects on the side include sharing my knowledge with other moms out there going through the same thing and how to get through it physically and mentally. I’ll leave it at that for now!
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
Great question! I have had so many people who deserve credit for me getting to where I am today. First I have to say my parents, brothers, and husband for always believing in me and for always pushing me to my full potential. There are too many people to write who have supported me and helped train me, so I will just say all of my dance teachers, teacher trainers, and close friends. I wouldn’t be here without you and your wisdom, so thank you!
Contact Info:
- Address: Soul Cycle
2549 Kirby Dr
Houston, TX 77019 - Website: soul-cycle.com
- Instagram: @chanellelagace
- Twitter: @chanellelagace
Image Credit:
Christine Mitchell
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