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Joy Prouty is the Director of Education – Programming and Training for Zumba Fitness LLC. She is also the Co-Developer of the Zumba Gold Program, and was featured in the Zumba Gold Live It Up Consumer DVDs.
Joy is a former Radio City Music Hall Rockette. She is an internationally renowned fitness instructor, trainer and educator and has been known for her innovative teaching style and program development for over 40 years. She served on the American College of Sports Medicine’s Summit Committee for 13 years, and was a member of ACSM’s Certification Committee for 7 years. She was also a member of the Reebok University Development Team for 8 years focusing on Program development and International instructor training.
She and Josie Gardiner have co-authored several books, and 4 Harvard Medical School Special Health Reports, as well as choreographed and starred in over 25 video/DVDs. Joy also co authored the Breast Cancer Survivor’s Fitness Plan and a 12 week Getting Started Program for Breast Cancer Survivors and used by the YMCA Pink Program.
Prouty is certified by ACSM as a Health Fitness Director and Health Fitness Instructor, by ACE, AFAA, AEA , and Welcoaches.
What we talked about in this episode:
- The life of a Radio City Music Hall Rockette
- What it was like to dance 365 days a year.
- Complete gratitude being able to dance for a living.
- How Joy evolved from being a dancer to her fitness career
- Joys career helped to get her through the loss of her husband at age 34.
- Joy was trained by Elizabeth Arden and then opened her own studios in 1980 closing them in 1995 to pursue other endeavors.
- She was fortunate enough to become involved early on with ACSM, ACE,IDEA, AFAA, Reebok, and Reebok University.
- Joy has always loved teaching and now mentoring.
- Joy said there is nothing better then sharing her passion.
- Joy is the director of programming at zumba at 76 years young
- Joy's daughter started the program zumbini, a zumba program for children.
- Programs my come and go but the foundation of how the body moves remains the same.
- Joy says be open to different forms of movement as long as its grounded and based on exercise science.
- The music, energy, fun, and exuberance of people is what helps makes a program successful.
- Happiness through the ages changes.
- Happiness is an inside job. It comes from the peace that is within you, finding what your passion is in life and pursuing it.
- Joy still has a 5 year plan and sets goals living her passion with purpose.
- A part of aging gracefully and happily is passing on the torch and mentoring.
- Create a legacy by living on through others.
- Joy has worked with many of the fitness greats.
- Once Joy was carried across the stage by Richard Simmons. She said that they were about the same size.:)
- Joy is highly impressed by the talent of the up and coming fitness generation.
- Keeping a positive attitude begins with with a foundation of faith, family, and friends.
- Joy says it isn't over until it's over, you can still learn, share, and grow.
- Joys experience with the incredibly talented Beto, the creator of Zumba.
- Joys 3 simple truths: Be true to yourself, find your passion, and go out and give.
Social Media: Instagram and Facebook Joy Prouty, joyprouty.zumba.com