Bringing the joy and fun of physical activity to all

Clare, 35, from Dorset, is 1FitLife’s Account and Wellness Executive. She joined the company in 2022 after previously freelancing for them for a couple of years.

Clare is passionate about physical activity and has a career steeped in dance, movement, rehabilitation and wellbeing.

Clare says: “I was one of those dance school children! My evenings and weekends were full of ballet lessons, dance competitions and shows. It felt that I spent more time in the studio singing and dancing than I did at home! I started dancing when I was three, and it’s remained a key source of enjoyment and professional integrity for me. I love to dance and to perform and I feel very at ease in front of a camera. I went to stage school at the Performance College in Essex, where I gained my Performing Arts and Dance Theatre Diploma, equivalent to a degree.

“Since then I have used my dance and performance skills in a number of theatre productions and commercial based gigs. I continue to perform professionally when I can and also compete in Latin and Ballroom competitions.

“Dance work, by its very nature, is sporadic, so in addition to my performance work, I gained my dance teaching qualifications in ballet, tap and modern etc and my Level Three Personal Training accreditation, my Level Two Fitness Instructor qualification, and am currently working towards my exercise referral qualification. On weekday evenings I still teach a variety of dance and fitness classes; it’s very rewarding to share my passion with others.

“Teaching dance and personal training are jobs that require excellent communication skills, and it’s important to have grace, empathy and charisma too. I want to inspire, not intimidate my pupils. I want to bring the joy and fun of physical activity to all. I worked for the NHS in pulmonary rehab work for a number of years, and again found that being able to listen and understand everyone’s individual needs and anxieties leads to better outcomes when incorporating physical activity into someone’s daily routine.

“I have loved working with 1FitLife so far. I feature in much of their digital online content, including their Fitterstock ready-to-license fitness content. You can also see me leading digital classes for some of 1FitLife’s key clients, including Slimming World and Carers UK.

“I think due to my professional performance background, I am very comfortable being filmed and understand how to communicate physical activity effectively on camera. Visually you need to be very clear in your movement, and verbally you need to be specific and not overly waffling. It’s important that modifications are included for all exercises, as everyone’s body is different.

“I have really enjoyed how creative and flexible it is to work at 1FitLife. All ideas are welcome and there is a real creative buzz of energy. We are always bouncing new ideas and new approaches around, and I love being behind the scenes of filming and to be able to bring my energy to fitness film shoots. 1FitLife have some wonderful clients, which makes the work all the more rewarding.”