Broadway Stars Teamed Up With Fitness Professionals at LuluLemon To #FuelHappiness: Find Out What Went Down!

If you’ve seen the blog posts and pics this year, you know that Body Conceptions has created a strong connection with Fit for Broadway and its founder, Jane Jourdan. Jane writes about health and wellness in the Broadway community, and Mahri’s Broadway musical theater background connects perfectly with Jane’s mission.

Mahri’s most recent collaboration with Jane at lululemon in Soho celebrating “Fueling Happiness through Theatre and Dance” with cast members of the Broadway show, On Your Feet, was a huge success. Read Kathleen O’Neill’s piece and check out her pics documenting the fun-filled night. And stay tuned in the next year for even more Broadway events and exciting collaborations!

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It was chilly the evening of the #FuelingHappiness event, but the hosts sure brought the heat to lululemon SoHo. Guests were treated to $20 gift cards upon their arrival and perused the endless racks of the highest quality athleisure. Their arms were piled high with clothes, and the super-friendly associates helped them choose the best options.

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Once everyone was decked out in lululemon gear, it was time to get the party started. Clothing displays were pushed aside to expose a vast dance floor, and Latin music emitted through the speaker system. Jane, the mastermind behind the Fit For Broadway blog, brought the talented cast of the Broadway show, On Your Feet (Luis Salgado, Hector Maisonet, Brett Sturgis and Nina Larfarga) to lead a fun warm up.

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Our own Mahri of Body Conceptions pumped up the energy level with a high intensity cardio workout. Her uplifting tone of voice and encouraging comments kept everyone in the studio – dancers, yogis, and Broadway stars alike – completely motivated.

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Even the sales associates couldn’t help but take a break from closing up the registers to get in on the action.

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The lights dimmed and the music transitioned to a more calm and soothing sound for the cool down. The room radiated with a sense of relief, satisfaction, and happiness as everyone stretched out their limbs. There’s nothing better than that feeling you experience right after you’ve worked your body to its core and are giving it the nice stretch it deserves. But in this case, it DID get better with the help of Tiny Empire, which had a table of organic, raw, pressed juices set up and ready to be enjoyed.

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While the guests sipped on their refreshments, they scanned the displays of My Intent bracelets (handmade pieces that reflect various meaningful intentions) and Hickies (cool shoelace substitutes that turn any sneakers into slip-ons). Everyone was in great spirits, making new friends, and catching up with old ones. The raffle winners were announced, winning prizes that included a personalized shopping experience with LuluLemon SoHo and a gift card to Birch Coffee. No one went home empty handed because goodie bags filled to the brim with treats were handed out at the end of the evening.

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Liquid IVYuve , Maple WaterPerfect BarHaus Urban SkincareHickiesR.Evolución Latina

Then everyone circled up, and lululemon Soho Manager Erin reinstated the purpose behind the evening: To spread positive energy, kindness, and of course, to fuel happiness. It can be done in a number of ways, including donating your time to R.Evolucion Latina (an affiliate of Broadway Cares and Equity Fights AIDS) by teaching dance lessons to underprivileged artists. Gabriela Garcia was there as a representative, and told the heartwarming story of how the program came to be. She had lived her dream of performing on Broadway but was eager for more, so she decided to give back.

One by one, the cast members of On Your Feet also shared their touching stories. Although everyone faced different struggles, the one commonality was that each of them had experienced something preventing them from pursuing theater and dance as a full time career at one point in their lives. Yet each of them found the courage and strength to persevere. And now they’re all living their dream without regrets. Luis’ adorable son, Hikari, could not contain his excitement, and ran towards his father. Then he prompted Luis to get up and dance– it was absolutely precious!

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Jane could not have been more accurate in saying it’s hard to find a sense of community in the vast city of New York. But through theater and fitness, she has been able to find just that. And Mahri’s words also hit close to home. It’s easy to get consumed in a tunnel-vision mindset, only focusing on achieving one serious accomplishment after the next, while letting the world around you pass by. It is not until you take a moment to pick your head up and just look; become aware of the beauty that surrounds you every day and embrace it. Find what makes you truly happy and be fearless in chasing it. That’s what Mahri did, and she’s built not only a fitness empire, but a family. Clients look forward to BoCo classes and personal sessions because the trainers know more than just their names; they know their stories—and they’re actually friends. Fun events like this one are just the cherry on top of the cake.

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Find out the Story Behind Silver Continent – and the Bracelets Made Just for BoCo!!

When Georgia Alexandra of Silver Continent mentioned the possibility of creating a bracelet specifically for Body Conceptions, I was floored. I had met Georgia through a circle of mothers in the city who had built fantastic companies in the wellness, beauty, and fashion industries. Georgia’s jewelry is delicate and sophisticated, and she uses only the finest socially conscious materials and gemstones. I had admired her work on several occasions. And the possibility of having an exclusive piece with BoCo colors thrilled me! Georgia’s Collection Bracelet line is made with silk and lapis beads in the sport version and with additional diamond adornments in the classic version. The BoCo edition features our classic grey and purple colors. These bracelets can be worn day and night in the shower and to bed without taking them off. And most importantly, you can wear them while you exercise!!

I have included my interview with Georgia here for you to get a better sense of how she got to this amazing place in her career. And I have also included shots of Lauren, Allie, and I rocking the bracelets during a fun photo shoot in the park with Kathleen O’Neill. We had a blast that day!

We are now finally offering these Silver Continent Bracelets on our store page! Check them out – and come wear them with us in class!!

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Getting to know Georgia and Silver Continent:

1) Where are you from, and where did you grow up?
Born in NYC, I grew up between New York and Athens, Greece.

2) What led you to become a jewelry designer? Have you always been an artistic person?
From a young age I fell in love with fine arts. In college I pursued graphic design only to move on to visual communications in the field of fashion because using the computer as my ‘instrument’ felt too structured. To create something visually beautiful that carries some kind of information always underlies what I did. Be it creative direction for an editorial photo shoot or painting a piece on commission. When my son was born there was a shift. The freedom to create something tangible sparked joy and fine jewelry was clearly it.

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3) Tell us a little about Silver Continent and the pieces you create.
Silver Continent is a fine jewelry collection inspired by my family’s heritage, background and love of travel. I believe it will continue to evolve as we do into a refined vision of my expression. Each piece of Silver Continent Fine Jewelry is created with the highest quality fine gemstones and metals available. Conflict free and sustainable materials speak of the urgency for socially conscious fine goods. It is ever so important to know how something was made as well as where it comes from. The collections are for the most part made up of a limited edition of pieces. In addition, one of a kind fine jewelry is created in collaboration with our clients upon request.

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4) You are a mother, right? How do you manage to incorporate fitness and healthy living into your lifestyle? (And is that hard to do sometimes?)
As a mother of two little ones (soon to be 4 & 6 years old) it has become increasingly important to incorporate fitness and healthy living into my every day. A brief early morning meditation followed by a morning workout boost my energy for the day. In all honesty, it was difficult to find the right formula – for me. When the children wake up there is always something I can be doing with them and I don’t want to miss out on that. So for me, that means waking up at 5am and giving myself a two hour window to meditate and exercise and put my full attention on these. Every woman is different, every Mom is different and every family is different. It may take longer for some than others, but there is a balance that can be found that really feels right. I also like to take some time in the evening and come back into balance with meditation.

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5) We are so excited that you are curating a piece for Body Conceptions!! I’ve worn mine every day for two months through workouts, showers, and everyday living, and it still looks beautiful. Tell us about your Diamond Collection Bracelet and Necklace!

I love to hear that Mahri! I am thrilled to offer this exclusive piece to Body Conceptions clients! The Collection Bracelet / Necklace was created in essence as a collection of memories we gather during our travels. A short trip upstate or a journey back home to Greece or India. Every time we travel we create these new beautiful memories and almost always bring something back with us. And so, this piece is symbolic of that kind of journey. Also, it is versatile and can be worn simply around the neck as a layering necklace or shorter choker like piece or as a bracelet wrapped around the wrist a few times. Simple, thoughtful, timeless.

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6) Tell us something interesting or different about yourself that people may not realize!
Every woman has many facets. A few of mine include exploring our beautiful planet as a fashion stylist for Vogue in what I now call “my past life” (life before children!), and a deep connection with and love of nature and animals.

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7) Did I miss anything?
Cheers to a new collaboration and friendship celebrating health and beauty! Thank you!

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Purchase your Diamond Collection Pieces for BoCo here.

www.silvercontinent.com
www.georgiaalexandradavis.com

BoCo Backstage: Get a Sneak Peek Behind The Scenes to Find Out How Mahri Created her Fitness Empire. And This is Just The Beginning! —

If you’ve been paying attention, you’ve noticed that there’s a lot of activity going on in the Body Conceptions world these days.  Between some amazing new instructors, photo shoots, events, and new locations, BoCo is busy — and getting busier all the time.

We caught up with Mahri Relin, founder and owner of Body Conceptions, to get to know her a little better — to understand where all of this came from, how she really feels about the fitness scene, and what drove her to create her company in the first place.  We can tell that some big plans are in the works.  Stay tuned for news of some exciting new directions.  And in the meantime, read all about the woman behind the method!

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Tell us about yourself. Where were you born, and where did you grow up. Where did you go to school, what did you study? What styles of dance?

I was born in Las Vegas, New Mexico but moved to Cape Cod, MA after a year and grew up there. I went to the Nauset Regional school system before heading off to college at Williams to study psychology and neurobiology. I had started dancing (ballet) when I was 5, but I didn’t think it would become a serious part of my life until I attended graduate school. I was in a doctoral program in Clinical Neuropsychology at UCSD/SDSU but spent every free minute taking modern dance or ballet class or performing in the area. Since I soon realized that dance was my true passion, I made the greatest decision of my life to leave school, move to New York, and see if I could make it in the dance scene. I had begun with ballet as a child, but I had gotten serious about modern dance and had also spent lots of time during my travels studying different forms of dance around the world. Because of this, I was pretty well prepared to enter the Broadway scene that requires proficiency in lots of different dance styles.

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How did you get into fitness? What is your fitness background?

After dancing and performing nationally and internationally for many years, I realized that I needed to ground myself in the city and think about having a more consistent form of income. That was exactly the time when a great friend of mine contacted me to audition for Tracy Anderson. I was so impressed by the way that she brought dance and fitness together. And I also loved the way she used music to motivate people (because I’m a music fiend!). I was hooked and knew that I had found my next career. I was sad to leave her studio after a major ankle injury, but that brought me to FlyBarre, the new barre method that grew out of Flywheel Sports. I was honored to be named the Creative Director for their first year, and that paved the way for me to want to create fitness material that was most effective for me and also for my clients. I had lots of ideas that diverged from the barre scene, so starting my own method and my own company made the most sense.

Who was your mentor/guide supporting you on your journey to success? Describe how and why you established relationships in the industry?

I had some amazing clients who encouraged me to go for it and start my own thing. They saw that I had lots of ideas about how to run a company, and I was always coming up with new material that revolved around my personal fitness philosophy. And I saw how amazing their results could be. Once I started Body Conceptions, I was incredibly lucky to reconnect with Deborah Kessler, an old friend of mine with expertise in small business marketing and operations. She was a wonderful addition to the team and helped guide us tremendously in our early years. She remains a really valuable confidante and close friend.

I have built Body Conceptions around my growing relationships in the health and wellness community. I believe that fitness should be part of a larger wellness picture for people, and I like to bring lots of different resources to our clients. Out of this philosophy, I have had some of the most wonderful relationships with businesses and wellness figures in the community that include Jane Jourdan of Fit for Broadway, Dana Campbell Coaching, Lolë Activewear, Just Salad, Ellie Shepley, Brooke Marrone, Elvie, Tovita Nutrition, and WTRMLN WTR among many, many others.

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What inspired you to launch Body Conceptions? What was your main goal when you started?

I had been creating material for other companies, but I had a huge desire to create my own method using fitness principles and approaches to movement that felt the best for my body. On top of that, I was seeing results in my clients that were amazing me.

I think my psychology background also had an impact on my decision to create a place and an environment that I believed in. I saw so many women who were afraid of exercising because they had insecurities about their bodies and felt like they didn’t fit into the fitness scene. And I believe that EVERYONE deserves to experience the benefits and joy that come from making fitness part of their life. I wanted to create a studio where the fitness was highly effective but where the environment was extremely welcoming, supportive, and community-driven. I am so proud of the way my instructors have embodied this philosophy.

How did you come up with the name Body Conceptions? Were there other ideas in the works? Can you explain the meaning behind the logo?

Believe it or not, my mother came up with our company name. She knew my philosophy about how fitness belonged in a bigger health and wellness context. And the name, Body Conceptions, spoke to the many ways that we think about and care for our bodies – through mind, spirit, diet, social connection, music, exercise, etc. I loved the name immediately.

The logo came from our wonderful designer, Brad Egnor. He created a feeling of flow and movement using the “B” and “C” letters that reflected my background in dance, my personality, and the sophistication I wanted to convey.

© 2015 www.mattsimpkinsphotography.com

How have you and the company grown over the past few years? Has anything about the mission and/or goals changed at all?

I began the company as a one-person private training business. I knew I wanted to grow, so I wrote the manual for the method and started attending networking events to meet like-minded wellness professionals in the city and create partnerships. When I started, I didn’t think I wanted to open my own permanent studio but rather sought connections with people in hopes of eventually joining a bigger collective or wellness center.

Soon I had way too many requests for training to handle them myself and hired my first instructor. I also realized that I needed to start giving public group classes so that more people could find out about us. Within 2 years, I had 4 instructors and a regular class schedule on top of a growing private training program in the Hamptons, NYC, and New Jersey. It felt amazing!

Looking at the opportunities around me recently, I have thought a lot about our growth – both alone and in connection with the partnerships we have built over the years. I am also now open to having a dedicated Body Conceptions studio space, which would open so many doors for us and give our clients a truly elevated fitness experience. We have some exciting plans coming up, and I almost can’t believe how far we’ve come! Stay tuned!!

What obstacles did/do you face while running a small business? What are the most rewarding aspects of spearheading BoCo?

Starting from scratch the way I did gave me a lot of opportunities to build the business from the ground up just the way I wanted. I was able to be extremely careful about the instructors I chose, and I could spend a lot of time developing the brand culture. I could also build the relationships in the community the way that I wanted and focus heavily on client needs. The downside of starting small without investors is that you have to improvise a lot with your resources – and renting space in different locations can be tricky. And anything that goes wrong falls on your shoulders! But I am so grateful for the dedication and support of my team. I look forward to growing with them together and expanding the company model.

© 2015 www.mattsimpkinsphotography.com

How is Body Conceptions different/similar from other fitness programs?

I developed Body Conceptions very carefully. It is based on dance principles and focuses on developing the lean and sculpted physique of a dancer. But I don’t ever want people to feel intimidated to come if they aren’t dancers! There is no complex choreography in our classes, and all levels are welcome. In addition, we have a more balanced focus on both body sculpting and cardio in our classes than other methods. You will truly feel like every part of your body has been targeted!

I am a huge music junkie, so music in our classes plays a major role in helping clients enjoy what they are doing without realizing that they are working so hard. I think having fun is crucial to sticking with a fitness method long-term. You should really WANT to make fitness a part of your life every day. And while this is one of the more challenging methods out there, I take huge pride in our extremely low injury rates and in how many of our clients overcome their back, hip and knee injuries through their work with us.

What do you look for in a BoCo Trainer? What do all of them have in common, and what makes them unique?

So many of us love our fitness classes when our instructors are great. For that reason, I take lots of time finding just the right people. I want instructors who are extremely warm, supportive, and motivating and who are not afraid to push our clients’ limits. It’s crucial to me for everyone in our classes to feel like they are important and for our instructors to monitor their technique and progress over time. All of our instructors have nationally recognized certifications. And most of them are also certified pre- and postnatal exercise specialists.

I like to choose instructors who understand the method but who also have their own unique charisma and personality. Every BoCo class you take will be true to our method, but you will also see differences between each instructors’ personality, choice of music, and style of movement. I’m really proud of those differences, and I love coming to the classes they teach to support them. I am a broken record, but I am so grateful for the love and care they all put into their work and the ways they have developed their own unique identities. I hope we are able to keep this level of excellence no matter how big we grow.

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Your Trainers are specially experienced in pre and post-natal fitness. Can you describe what exactly this entails and why you want to focus on it?

Yes! We want to be able to work with women through all stages of their life – and that includes their pregnancies. So many fitness studios in the city neglect pregnancy. But so many studies that shown how important it is to keep exercising when you’re pregnant!

I have studied pregnancy extensively, and I subsidize the pre-and postnatal education of my instructors. That way, they can work with our clients from the moment they prepare for their weddings through their multiple pregnancies and beyond without interruption.

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What was your most memorable BoCo moment? Was it when a client improved drastically, or when you got to teach class to your best friends? Or when Vogue published an article about you?

Wow – that’s a hard question to answer. I think my favorite night was our official public launch in March 2013. We held our big class and reception at a studio/gallery space in TriBeCa. Some of my favorite friends, clients, and members of the press filled the room for the class, and we had a fantastic live DJ – Shem Alleyne. The energy in that room as we exercised together was magical, and the love and support I felt from everyone that night made me feel so happy. Nights like those help you realize that you are making the right choices and that your work really matters to people. I couldn’t have done any of this without the support of my friends and colleagues.

Why do you believe that the BoCo method really works?

I love the way my body feels doing the Body Conceptions workout, and I definitely notice a difference in myself when I am doing it. But don’t just believe me! Our most dramatic empirical data has come from our challenges during which our clients take as many classes as they can for 6 weeks while we measure their progress. We see significant changes in their waist, hips and thighs across the board, and most challengers lose a total average of 7 or more inches. One challenger blew everyone out of the water when she lost 14.2 inches – 5.2 inches off her waist alone!

Many of our private clients have had major life changes because of their work with us. Three of my current clients started exercising for the first time in their lives and are now making it a regular part of their lifestyle. (One of them even ran a marathon last year!) Many of our clients lose lots of weight, and they also experience dramatic changes in their body shape. I am particularly proud of our pregnant women. So many of them experience easier labors because of our workouts, and they recover much more quickly after the baby. And on top of everything, we get to be part of their growing family.

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