Endorsed by ,Strictly Come Dancing,judge, Craig Revel Horwood, ChiChi Fit is the latest fitness craze to be sweeping the UK!
Innovative, empowering, fun, theatrical, and fabulous are just a few words to describe
ChiChi Fit, the dance fitness class with a musical theatre twist. ChiChi Fit lets you be the star of your own show as you step into the spotlight and get fit dancing to your favourite show tunes! It is a fun fitness experience that fuses the magic of Broadway with cardio and strength training to give you a full-body workout! Featuring hit songs such as You Can't Stop the Beat (Hairspray), Defying Gravity (Wicked), Circle of Life (The Lion King) and Fame (to name a few). It is guaranteed to lift your spirits and become your healthiest addiction!
ChiChi Fit was developed by Danella Mercati, and entrepreneur from Cheltenham whose background is rooted in musical theatre and dance. She trained in Musical Theatre at the Guildford School of Acting (GSA) and shortly after graduating, a job offer took her to the Caribbean to work at the exclusive Parrot Cay resort where I worked alongside many well-known performers. While working at Parrot Cay, Danella met Sir Paul McCartney who urged her to follow her dreams. "During his three-week stay, we chatted a lot and he took a real interest in my career aspirations. He talked about the challenges of the performing industry and encouraged me to pursue my dream of opening a stage school where I could use my skills to their full potential - teaching, choreography and directing."
Danella returned to Cheltenham, and in 2003 opened up her own stage school, CAMEO. "Soon after opening my school, I was offered a job teaching drama and musical theatre at the Cheltenham Ladies College. I only intended staying a year or two, but it fitted so perfectly around building my stage school and popping out a couple of kids that I'm still teaching part-time 18 years on! It's a
wonderful school and I adore the girls."
The idea for ChiChi Fit came about when parents of the children who attended Danella's stage school, began asking if she offered musical theatre classes for adults. "So many parents expressed an interest, so I combined my three greatest passions; musical theatre, dance and fitness and ChiChi Fit was born."
Danella is keen to point out that ChiChi Fit is for everyone. "We dance to songs from all the best musical shows and the easy to learn choreography makes it suitable for all ages. You don't need to be a dancer."
For such a showbiz-centric workout, Danella made it her mission to collaborate with someone she felt embodied the fun and sparkle of her unique offering; enter Craig Revel Horwood. "Strictly Come Dancing was on TV at the time and Craig Revel Horwood was the first celebrity to come to mind. It took 12 months to find a way of getting in front of him and, when I finally did it paid off
as he loved the idea and jumped on board. Together, we developed the programme and the huge vision for ChiChi's future."
It's evident that a ChiChi Fit class is fun, but what are the health benefits? "A ChiChi Fit class provides a great cardio workout that's good for your heart, makes you stronger, more flexible and more co-ordinated, and it's a great calorie burner too." Danella claims. "It's equally as good for your mental health as the music and movement take you on an emotive journey, to feel happier, to feel more positive, to feel healthier, to dazzle like the star of your own show. There's no better
feeling in the world!" ChiChi Fit is a sociable workout which provides a great way to meet likeminded people. "You'll have fun, laugh and sing to your favourite Broadway and West End hits!"
During the pandemic, Danella had no other choice but to move her classes online, and with much success. "Classes were forced online when we went into lockdown last year and I was so concerned they wouldn't translate over screen as the live experience is so incredible. Thankfully, I had no need to worry. They have been a huge success and really beneficial to all those stuck at home. I even moved our training courses online which opened the door to training up new ChiChi Fit instructors from all over the world. "Our first instructors from Australia and the USA are launching their classes this week. Moving online has made trainings easily accessible as many of our instructors are mums with young kids, so being able to train online means they don't need to travel or get childcare, so it really has been a win, win. I'm so grateful and so excited that ChiChi Fit classes are popping up all over the country taught by so many, wonderful, sparkly women!"
ChiChi has developed a selection of programmes to suit all ages and abilities.
ChiChi FIT is the signature class - fun fitness for adults. Then there's ChiChi KIDS & TEENS for our younger fans who get fit dancing to songs from shows they know and love. And then there's ChiChi ENCORE, the golden alternative to ChiChi Fit, which is a lower intensity work-out with an added array of fabulous show tunes from the golden era of musicals. It's as much fun but not as fast! ChiChi Fit has something for everyone from 7-70, and beyond!
Realising early on there were no dance fitness classes with a musical theatre focus, Danella recognised that becoming a dance fitness instructor could provide both an income and a musical outlet for others. "Anyone with a passion for dance and fitness are invited to train as a ChiChi Fit instructor. Our instructor training programme is quick, fun and effective, teaching everything you need to start your first class and build your ChiChi business. It takes place online and after completing the training you can begin teaching whenever you feel ready! Our ChiChi Fit instructors are given all the support, tools and resources they need to succeed, and they get to join the fabulous ChiChi Fit family."
Whether you would like to get fit while having fun or turn your passion into a pay cheque, Danella will be waiting to welcome you, with jazz hands at the ready, naturally.
info@chichi-fit.co.uk
chichi-fit.co.uk
@chichi.dancefit
facebook.com/chichidancefit
For interview and appearance availability please contact Danella on 07966 168005
Or Abby Baines on 07958375760
(Attached is a photo of myself ( Danella ) with Craig on the day he agreed to partner me, along with a few ChiChi photos)
