The United States of StageDrop is a series highlighting customer success stories from a different state each week. This week's United States of StageDrop features the Constitution State ... Connecticut!
Jessica Quintero-Munier’s passion is inspiring people to get fit while having fun. Based in Stamford, Connecticut - a bustling city on the northern shore of the Long Island Sound just 29 miles from Manhattan - Jessica’s business, Fit to the Beat, provides dance fitness classes, personal training and health coaching to hundreds of women across the metropolitan area.
Fit to the Beat began in 2013 when, after 10 years working as a marketing professional in the hotel industry, Jessica pursued her certification to become a Zumba® instructor as a way to stay fit and share her passion for dance fitness. It was the turning point that changed her life and launched her fitness career. She’s been teaching fitness for the last 7 years, helping clients transform physically and mentally through dance fitness, which inspired her to continue her own journey by also becoming certified as both an ACE Personal Trainer and ACE Health Coach.
Fit to the Beat offers private training sessions and group classes for women at all fitness levels, with a focus on making fitness fun and a healthier life achievable. Jessica’s Dance to the Core and Zumba® dance fitness classes combine fitness with great music and a fun, high-energy atmosphere. “For somebody that is wanting to get into fitness, dance fitness a great starting point because there's no equipment and because of the nature of the fitness format, being dance fitness, they feel like they're a little bit more in a party than a workout class,” Jessica says.
“For somebody that is wanting to get into fitness, dance fitness a great starting point because there's no equipment and ... they feel like they're a little bit more in a party than a workout class.”
Jessica Quintero-Munier, Owner
Her Fit Tribe is also an especially popular program - small group training sessions tailored toward women who may not feel comfortable at a regular gym or in larger group fitness classes. Participants sign up and join a fitness “tribe” that is the same small group of people working out together regularly over 8-12 weeks. The tribe model creates a sense of community where members get to know each other - “It's the idea of being in a space where you feel comfortable, confident,” Jessica says. “It’s not like a regular group fitness class where you walk in and you’re not sure who’s showing up this week.”
In addition to classes, Jessica also started hosting events last year to bring women in the community together for fitness fun. When she began planning her first event, a Halloween-themed dance fitness girls night out, she knew she would need a stage. Renting had been a hassle in the past - it was too much work to find a truck and go pick up the rental stage - so Jessica decided to purchase her own portable stage. She turned to StageDrop for a lightweight and easy staging solution.
Jessica chose the IntelliStage Lightweight 3'x6' Portable Stage Kit. IntelliStage is a lightweight stage system that features 3'x3' and 4'x4' stage modules that can be locked together to create a larger stage. The 3'x3' platforms weigh only 32 lbs each and come in a gray carpet or black textured Tuffcoat surface finish. The system is also completely modular, so you can add more pieces if you decide to expand your stage down the road. StageDrop shipped out Jessica’s stage on the day she ordered it, and it was delivered to her doorstep the next day.
Fit to the Beat’s Halloween Glow Night was a glowing success. Attendees came dressed in costume or bright colors to be able to glow with the black lights, and in a light-up tutu, Jessica led the room in a fun dance fitness party from atop her new portable stage, incorporating glow sticks and props into the routines.
Jessica is pleased with the stability of the stage: "The stage feels great. I'm not just holding a mic and giving a speech - I am legitimately moving in different ways for an hour straight. I’ve had no issues, and it’s stable considering that there's a lot of shifting weight.”
"The stage feels great. I'm not just holding a mic and giving a speech - I am legitimately moving in different ways for an hour straight. I’ve had no issues, and it’s stable considering that there's a lot of shifting weight.”
Jessica Quintero-Munier, Owner
When it’s time to clear the floor, Jessica’s 3'x6' stage breaks down into two 3'x3' platforms and two risers that collapse accordion-style like a camping chair, fitting easily into the back seat of a car. “The 3'x3' dimensions made a big difference. The stage that I had rented before - the platforms were 4'x4'. But I felt like that would be a little bit too bulky. And what's great is that I don't need an SUV for the 3'x3' size,” Jessica explains.
Jessica has used the stage at other events as well, including a private 40th birthday party where she led a dance fitness class for 25 attendees. “Having that smaller stage was perfect. I'm only 5'2", and having that many people, it just makes it easier for them to see me and follow along.”
“Having that smaller stage was perfect. I'm only 5'2", and having that many people, it just makes it easier for them to see me and follow along.”
Jessica Quintero-Munier, Owner
Since the advent of COVID-19, Jessica has taken Fit to the Beat online, with most fitness classes hosted remotely on Zoom. Her dance fitness and Fit Tribe classes are still going strong meeting remotely. Jessica has also been working on planning some socially distanced fitness events outdoors in the near future; she’ll be doing her first outdoor event of the summer, a beach-themed Zumba® class on the front lawn of the Italian Center Stamford, on August 14.
One class at a time Jessica is showing people of all ages that working out can be fun, and she focuses on training them to make fitness a habit. “What I care about is that when you're 80 years old, you can get out of bed. When you're 90 years old, you're sitting on the ground with your grandkids and you can get up by yourself. That's why we're doing this.”
StageDrop would like to thank Jessica Quintero-Munier of Fit to the Beat for her business and for allowing us to highlight her fitness company, representing Connecticut in this week's United States of StageDrop. We wish her and her fit tribe all the best!
Looking to purchase your own portable stage for teaching fitness or dance? Check out our extensive selection of Portable Stages, or call or email us today for a free quote!
Based at the Jersey Shore in Forked River, NJ, StageDrop LLC is a leading provider of stock and custom portable stage systems, stage accessories, truss and event furniture to businesses and consumers nationwide. We specialize in delivering custom stage configurations for business, government, education, religious, fitness and nonprofit organizations. We offer free quotes with expert recommendations to fit our customers' specialized needs.