Fitness should not be a chore. In fact, it can and should be fun! Kids learned this valuable life lesson and got to channel their inner Bieber during the Junior Jazzercise “Kids Get Fit” programs held recently at various local schools. In honor of National Fitness Month in May, Leslie Rowley, certified Jazzercise Instructor for 25 years, was joined by instructors Maya Nelson and Loria Kistner and hosted free a Junior Jazzercise program at Happy Hearts Preschool on April 22 and April 25. Rowley next joined instructor Rachael Reustle at a couple of Kids Get Fit events at Loma Vista Elementary School in Vallejo on May 3, and finished up with two high energy events at Mary Farmar Elementary last Thursday, May 16, all in an effort to raise awareness about childhood obesity and educate children in the community on the importance of health and fitness. These local classes were part of a global effort to teach children the importance of establishing healthy habits at an early age that last a lifetime and involved over 800 local children. The Junior Jazzercise Kids Get Fit program was designed to get children moving and teach them that getting fit can be fun. Children learned easy-to-follow dance steps set to the music of today’s popular artists. “Junior Jazzercise is a personal commitment and passion of mine, and I have always recognized the importance of promoting kids fitness,” said Jazzercise Founder and CEO Judi Sheppard Missett. “Since our first Kids Get Fit event with the President’s Council on Fitness and Sports and Arnold Schwarzenegger to today’s focus on healthy kids and Let’s Move with Michelle Obama, Junior Jazzercise and Kids Get Fit have an important place in our communities.” Based on sound principles of exercise and dance physiology, Junior Jazzercise offers a high-energy workout with an emphasis on physical fitness. Trained instructors teach children that being healthy and fit can be fun through current dance moves, games & activities, and discussion about basic nutrition. Children who participate in Junior Jazzercise develop a strong sense of accomplishment and build a better self image through their participation in the program. A non-competitive atmosphere allows them to have fun and work together. For more information on Kids Get Fit, please contact Leslie Rowley at 707-746-0970. About Jazzercise Judi Sheppard Missett, who turned her love of jazz dance into a worldwide dance exercise phenomenon, founded the Jazzercise dance fitness program in 1969. She has advanced the business opportunities of women and men in the fitness industry by growing her program into an international franchise business that today, hosts a network of 7,800 instructors teaching more than 32,000 classes weekly in 32 countries. The workout program, which offers a fusion of jazz dance, resistance training, Pilates, yoga, and kickboxing movements, has positively affected millions of people worldwide. Benefits include increased cardiovascular endurance, strength, and flexibility, as well as an overall "feel good" factor. Classes for adults are offered locally in Benicia. For more information about Jazzercise, contact Leslie Rowley at 707-746-0970. For worldwide class information, go to jazzercise.com or call (800) FIT-IS-IT.