Meet the Contestants

Where are you from?

I am from the Castries, St. Lucia.

When did you start working for the company?

I started working for Jazzercise in October of 2002.

What are the best parts of your job? Why do you love it?

The best parts of my job as an instructor are the large number of friends that I have accumulated over the years, the great number of opportunities to influence the lives of others in a positive way, and the way I inspire people and motivate them to work harder and persevere.

What's the best experience you've had on the job?

I think the best experience I have had on the job is when someone comes up to me to thank me for making a positive difference in her life. It might be simply a, "Thank you for a wonderful class. I needed that."

What do you like to do for fun in your spare time?

When I am not having fun Jazzercising, I enjoy traveling, going out dancing, or hanging out with some of my friends. I also love watching action movies with my husband and playing board games with my son.

What did you learn about yourself from the experience?

This experience has taught me that honesty, integrity, and perseverance are essential to success. I also learned that despite the obstacles that might come your way, never back down.

What was the toughest part of the process for you?

It was fighting through obstacle after obstacle. I have never been punched in the face so many times and kept going back for more. I felt like I was continually going through the spin cycle of a washing machine.

How has being on the show changed your life and your family's life?

Being on the show has changed my life and my family's life drastically. My current job situation is on rocky ground. This opportunity has given me new insight on my future and my husband and I aspire to use this new venture to push us even more. My son has seen this opportunity as a goal his mom had set and attained. He is also setting his sights on his future goals and hoping to attain them.

How has your work life changed? How do you like your new opportunity?

This opportunity came at the right time. My family and I desperately needed some good news and this was it.

Would you have done anything different during the competition?

I have pondered this question many times. I must admit that I probably would have been more assertive with the first challenge. I did not start the competition with my gloves on. I probably would have been more aware of the things going around me. I also would have tried to see things through Kim's eyes. Otherwise, I felt like I was a great competitor.

Where are you from?

I was born in Palos Hills, Illinois, and now live in Minooka, Illinois.

When did you start working for the company?

Although I was a Jazzercise student for a few years prior, I became a Certified Jazzercise Instructor in April of 2010.

What are the best parts of your job? Why do you love it?

The best parts of my job are seeing change among my students. Sometimes that change is weight loss or toning muscle, sometimes it's just stress-release and mental health, sometimes it's making friends and being part of a community, and often it's all these things. Not everyone gets to witness the change they make in their jobs. I love it because inspiring change is very rewarding. I get to dance up on a stage and get in shape myself, and, as an added perk, I love dancing!

What's the best experience you've had on the job?

I've had many great experiences: team teaching with other instructors for holidays and dressing up in costume, watching my student Cammy drop 90 pounds, going to conventions in Las Vegas and doing a Burlesque class. But probably my favorite memory is dancing on a float in the Romeoville Parade. There were so many people clapping and getting into it. We had such fun as we spread the word of Jazzercise. It was very memorable.

What do you like to do for fun in your spare time?

In my spare time, I play games with my boys and husband, read, go to plays, and dance around my house singing off-key with a hairbrush in my hand.

What did you learn about yourself from the experience?

I realized I am capable of anything if I really work hard at it and want it. I realized that I'm able to keep a calm head during stressful times, and that people will give you respect when you give it to them. I realized I can be a strong leader who communicates effectively, even with people I have never met.

What was the toughest part of the process for you?

Not knowing what was coming next lent itself to lack of sleep. That was a difficult part of the process. I like being the leader and making decisions, but I also like hearing ideas from others first and then making those decisions with their input in mind.

How has being on the show changed your life and your family's life?

Being on the show definitely brought me confidence, and my family can feel that and are stronger for it too. We all have more respect for what goes into making a reality show as well. I anticipate that the biggest changes are yet to come. Knowing that we will soon have an additional income coming into our home has brought some relief, especially since we have a basket of unpaid bills!

How has your work life changed? How do you like your new opportunity?

My work life is about to change quite a bit. I have been on the phone discussing the new job opportunity. I am very excited about the position. That makes me want to work very hard to prove myself and the position worthy. I look forward to when we can finally get started! This opportunity and the financial benefits from it will greatly help my family.

Would you have done anything different during the competition?

Overall, I am proud of the decisions made during the competition. I understand there was a miscommunication at one point between the other competitor and me, but I tried for the most part to maintain my integrity. I made a couple mistakes in the different parts of the competition, but I'm human and it was a high stress situation. I guess the only specific thing I would have done differently would be to research more the night before about camera angles going into the Jazzercise DVD filming. I had no idea what I was doing setting up the cameras, and the shots are clearly too tight. But it is what it is! I am happy with how everything turned out at the end. I have a corporate job with a company I respect and love working for. It's the American dream!