Our Instructors
It is the mission of Seattle Dance Fitness to bring our excitement for the power of dance to everyBODY. Our classes will not only ignite your passion for fitness, dance, and community, but they will also inspire, empower, and fuel you in your every day life.
Our SUPER welcoming and energetic team of instructors strive EVERY day to bring out the best in students of all ages, encouraging them to LIFT EACH OTHER UP too!
Meet the Team!
Jessica Gleason,
Founder + Owner
Cardio Dance Party "CDP" • Groov3 • Move & Grow • Hip Hop Kids Dance Fitness®
In 2017 Jessica founded Seattle Dance Fitness where in her “Cardio Dance Party” classes, adult students not only follow along each week to original dance fitness choreography featuring pop, hip hop and Top 40 music but they also find a super fun and welcoming community of dancers in all ages and stages of life .
Jessica's Hip Hop Kids Dance Fitness® program offers elementary aged kiddos the chance to find joy in just MOVING their bodies! No mirrors, no judgement, just a super fun hour of age appropriate follow along dance fitness songs, dance games and freestyle dancing too! Jessica's Move & Grow program offers the littlest of the SDF family members (toddlers and preschoolers) an hour of creative movement and play with their parent/caregiver.
Through her dance and dance fitness programs, Jessica found her calling in helping to empower her students, both adults and kiddos. Her classes offer a truly FUN and satisfying option for creating a HEALTHY lifestyle that lasts for a lifetime!
Candice
Kids Dance Fitness
Candice, originally from Miami, FL, started taking dance lessons at the age of 3 and enjoyed dancing all through her youth. She has studied many different dance styles including ballet, jazz, tap, and hip-hop. When she was little, she loved making up dance routines with her cousin...
Floribel
Low Impact CDP/KDFit Fusion
Floribel is a RETIRED mother of 2 grown-ups (boy and girl) who has had many years of dancing as dance fitness workouts bring her pure joy! Over the last 10 years she has learned to give herself grace and to know that DANCE truly is for every body and for every age group...
Ginny
WERQ® Cardio Dance • Barre Above™ • Kids Dance Fitness
Ginny is a career dancer who has specialized in styles such as Jazz, Modern, Ballet, and Hip Hop. She received her B.S. in Dance, M.S. in Movement and Leisure Sciences, and is a NASM Certified Personal Trainer. She is also licensed in Barre Above™ and Zumba®.
Hannah
Cardio Dance Party "CDP"
& Strong Base
Hannah feels grateful and ecstatic to join the SDF instructor team in 2022! After moving from Minnesota during the pandemic, Hannah was so thrilled to find a sense of home at SDF. She immediately felt how special the bonds and energy were of the community.
Marta
Kids Dance Fitness
BIO COMING SOON!
Karen
Cardio Dance Party "CDP"
Karen is thrilled to join the SDF Team! Dance has been a passion her entire life. If music is playing, you can bet she is dancing! Growing up, Karen was a cheerleader and loved the performance aspect and the squad camaraderie. After cheerleading, the search was on to fill the void.
Katie
Yoga • Booty Pump •
Kids Dance Fitness
Katie is overjoyed to have found her community at Seattle Dance Fitness! She has been teaching Group Fitness since 2005, but it was during COVID lockdown that she found Buti Yoga and Primal Flow, which gave her a feeling of empowerment and confidence that she had not experienced before.
Lisa
Turbo Kick® Fitness
Lisa is delighted to bring TurboKick to the SDF family! Lisa brings an infectious energy to her classes and loves nothing more than sweating and smiling while working out. Her goal is to make sure that everyone attending her classes has fun, is safe and feels included, all are welcome.
Ruben
WERQ® Cardio Dance
Ruben is a WERQ Rep, WERQ Community Manager for the West Coast, & a Guest Choreographer, whose mission is to help others reach their full fitness potential and feel confident in their own skin. He was the first WERQ Instructor in Cali, putting WERQ on the map in the West Coast...
Guest Instructors
MARIETTA VILLALOBOS
Twerk Workshops • IG: @mertaloba • TikTok: @mertaloba
Marietta Villalobos is a world renowned professional pelvic isolation instructor based in Seattle, WA. Born in Costa Rica, and raised in Louisiana; She specializes in dances with Pelvic movement like Tarraxinha, Twerk, Latin dances and more!
Twerking has been present in Marietta’s life since childhood(New Orleans, Louisiana is the birthplace of Twerk)! On top of having the privilege of being raised with these movements, coming from Latin American background also came with its benefits. Pelvic isolation‘s are traced back to African roots, which are deeply ingrained into Latin American culture.
Through dance, Marietta will connect you to your body by giving you tools to help you understand your body’s movement and it’s functionality. Through movement, we will bring awareness to areas that may have trapped energy from trauma, stress, or stagnation. Lateral thinking is a strength for Marietta. She finds numerous ways to break down the same concept while keeping you entertained and focused. She is known for her strict attention to detail and fluidity. Her goal is to match all types of learning styles and guarantees you will come out of her courses with new and challenging material that you understand.