Meet Chontarria Wilson of Fancy Fitness in Metro Atlanta

Today we’d like to introduce you to Chontarria Wilson.

Chontarria, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Dance has been a part of my life from a young age. Mostly due to my family’s love for fun and encouraging me to create and share my gifts with others. We were a dancing family and I remember impromptu dance parties in the living room surrounded by cousins and aunts swaying to oldies, hip hop, R&B, etc… I learned in those spaces that dance can be a cathartic space of healing, a way to build connections with others, and an expression of freedom.

I have worked in dance for over ten years, starting at age 16. I remember when I realized how deeply this art form resonated with me. In high school, dance was an elective that I gravitated to. In that class, I learned various techniques, genres, and the role of artful composition. I fell in love that day. I worked hard and auditioned the next year to join the high school dance company and eventually became a dance captain and technique coach. A couple of friends and I even started a dance team outside of school through which we competed and won a number of local competitions. Our success led to our group being featured in many music videos and showcases for local artists in the area.

When I moved on to college, I became a member of the Pantherettes, a premier dance team at Georgia State University (GSU). It was here that I began working more in choreography and composition. I was hired to choreograph a pageant for an NPHC fraternity and to direct the GSU homecoming court in 2009. I found in these roles that I had a knack for tying together the nuances of movement, emotion and expression within a dance routine that connected the choreography, music, and audience in powerful ways.

After college, I worked in corporate America in home decor sales. I realized there that there are very few places for women to experience the freedom and powerful expression I had known through dance. Still dancing in my free time, I was introduced to pole dancing through a dear friend. I attended a class and was excited about this new way of expression that gave women ownership of their sensuality. I became an avid student for one year, won a competition in pole dancing, and was invited to join the staff of instructors.

As an instructor, I have watched women use this type of dance as a strenuous workout, as a way to embrace their own strength, as a conduit of their sensuality and sexiness, and as a space for sisterhood. As the owner and founder of Fancy Fitness, I am committed to curating and creating safe, transformative spaces for women for freedom, self-expression and acceptance of feminine sensuality. These types of safe spaces, where we let our hair down and connect with other women, allow us all to be powerful and well.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Dance as a skill has always come easy to me. My training and experience would have permitted choosing any dance style, but sensual dancing resonated as a transformative opportunity to challenge what is taboo for women. I have had to learn how to be comfortable being an ambassador for this type of expression and its deeper meaning for women who are many times constrained by cultural and societal norms for what it means to be ‘good girls.’ In that sense, sensual dance has been treated as a fringe art form and its physical demands under-estimated. Fancy Fitness is challenging both of these assumptions.

Another struggle for me was learning how to quantify my skills and work for the marketplace. As a fitness business, I was challenged to know how to define Fancy Fitness’s purpose and role in women’s lives and determine its value. This is especially important now, when social media platforms make dance instruction accessible to the masses, regardless of the instructor’s training. As a female business owner, I had to learn my value and how to monetize my offerings, to brand the Fancy Fitness mission, and learn from customers and clients the value of our safe spaces for expression to local women.

We’d love to hear more about Fancy Fitness.
Fancy Fitness is a dance fitness company that allows women from different backgrounds and age groups to exercise in a fun way. I help dancers with muscle fluidity, endurance, and expression of their sensuality. I specialize in Pole Dance, Twerk, Sultry, Chair Dance, Choreography, and coordination of special events. These classes build muscle using your own body weight and push your endurance limits with high energy sequences.

What makes me most proud of my company is the community we create around dance. I have taught many classes where the guests range from 18-65 in age, and everyone leaves sweaty and smiling. Being able to create safe spaces for women to let it all out on the dance floor is one of my greatest joys. I am known for my upbeat Cardio Twerk class, where you learn classic upbeat moves while utilizing your core for a full-body workout. What sets me apart from others is my ability to make all students feel welcome to a judgment-free space where they can explore their bodies’ ability to express the sensuality, we all have. So many women come to class, saying they cannot dance and leave with a newfound love for the movement of their bodies.

Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Most people have a dream or a passion that energizes and inspires them. Making the leap from a dream to a purpose can be a terrifying move. I had to make that leap and believe that when I gave the world my authentic gift, when I turned my passion into a purpose, that it would be an answer to a need. I have to daily choose to believe in the higher purpose of Fancy Fitness and my success is due to that. Every successful business owner has to remain a student, to stay sharp, hone in on their skills, and work towards mastery every day. Making the decision to pursue purpose makes every lesson, class, client, product a part of a joyous journey.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.thefancyfitness.com
• Phone: 7069278919
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myfancyfitness/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Fancy-Fitness-113263767047106/

Image Credit:
Ambrosha Wimberly

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