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Our Newest Superstar Instructor: Nicole Picard

We noticed Nicole right away when she auditioned for us.  Her technique was fabulous, and she had a resumé that was spot-on.  But what really sold us was her sweetness, charisma, musicality – and ENERGY!  She’s the one jumping the highest in the room, and her movement style is funky, cool, and fun.

Nicole agreed to answer my questions for this interview.  Her answers give you some great insight into her background and what makes her such a great BoCo trainer.  Make sure you find her on the schedule, and run to her class.  You’ll have a blast!

~Mahri

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NicoleHeadshot

Full name: Nicole Picard

Where were you born?  Hartford, CT

Where did you grow up?  Suffield, CT

What’s your biggest passion?  This one’s pretty obvious but… DANCING! It’s been a constant throughout my entire life, and for me, it’s the best shortcut to happiness. Whether it be dancing around in my tiny living room, or performing in front of thousands, I always feel like the best and truest version of myself when I’m dancing.

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Tell me about your career. Have you changed directions? If so, why? Although my career is just in the beginning phases (I graduated from college just a year and half ago), I have shifted directions a little. After graduation, I decided I wanted to pursue dance professionally, and immediately landed a job dancing for the Brooklynettes, the dance team for the NBA’s Brooklyn Nets. I loved performing center court at the Barclays Center throughout the 2014-15 season home games and had a blast interacting with fans! When the season ended, I got involved working in fitness and found that the immediate positive feedback I received from clients was so rewarding. Although I had so much fun working in entertainment and am still dancing professionally on the side, my career has shifted more towards working in fitness because the feeling of helping others become healthier and happier is even more rewarding to me. I especially love working for Body Conceptions because I am able to combine my utmost passions of dancing, fitness, and helping others!

NicolePerforming

What do you wish you knew when you were younger?
I wish I knew to really trust the timing of my life. I have found that when one door closes, three more open, and life always hands you exactly what you are ready for.

What’s your fitness fashion style?  My fitness fashion style is all over the place. Similar to my every day style, I have LOTS of black but also have a million vibrant tank tops and sports bras!!! I prefer solid colors and don’t own too many patterned items, but I love cutouts, mesh and lots of straps.  My favorite brands are Beyond Yoga, Alo, and Lolë!

Nicole side look

What’s the best piece of health/wellness/dance advice you’ve ever gotten?  The best piece of advice I’ve ever gotten was to find a balance that makes your body and soul happy. There are some days where going on a 10-mile run and drinking a green juice is exactly what I need, and others when resting my body and catching up with an old friend is more important. You look and feel your best when you listen to both your body and your soul equally.

Nicole handstand

What’s your guiltiest pleasure?  Chocolate. Every day. Honestly can’t remember the last day that passed when I didn’t have any!

What quality do you really cherish about yourself?  One of my most cherished qualities is that I love to learn and grow. The minute I feel too comfortable in anything, I always strive to find a way to push myself! I think it’s so important to keep moving forward and to constantly learn more about yourself and the people and places around you.

Nicole Leap

What’s something most people don’t know about you (that’s maybe a little funny or weird)?  One of my first jobs was dancing in a magic show! I know how to levitate, disappear, and was even cut in half several times ;)

Anything else about you that I missed?  My junior year in college, I studied abroad in Australia and have been obsessed with everything (and everyone) Australian ever since! I still keep in touch with all of my friends over there and many have come to visit me in New York City.

Select photography by Kathleen O’Neill

Our New Jersey Superstar, Kerry Clarke!

When we were looking for great instructors based in NJ, I never thought we would find someone as skilled, experienced, and PERFECT for BoCo as Kerry Clarke.  Having recently moved from NYC to NJ, Kerry has an extensive background in fitness in addition to her previous life as a dancer. And her workouts are amazing.  Dream come true!

Even more importantly, Kerry is a warm, cool person with tons of charisma. We love her sense of humor, and she also has such real and grounded energy.  We have asked her to talk a little bit about herself here, and you will learn some fun tidbits.  Thanks, Kerry, for a great interview – and welcome to Body Conceptions!

~Mahri

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Full Name:  Kerry Joyce Clarke

Where were you born, and where did you grow up?  Edison, New Jersey

What’s your biggest passion?  Probably traveling.  I feel most alive when I am out of my comfort zone and seeing/experiencing something new.  There’s nothing like a good trip to put your life into perspective and see things a bit clearer.

Tell me about your career.  Have you changed direction?  If so, why?   I was a dance major in college, and had intended to pursue dance for a living.  Life got in the way, and soon after graduation I sold my soul to corporate America.  After a few years, I really craved more creativity and movement in my life and I started teaching barre in my spare time as well as logging hours for my 200 RYT training.  I followed my heart, and with the support of my husband, started teaching fitness for a living.  It has been a really rewarding experience…it energizes me, keeps me in shape, and perhaps most important, has introduced me to some of my best friends.  It connected me with like-minded, strong people who cherish their health and love inspiring others to be the best versions of themselves.

JoyceYoung Dancer

What do you wish you knew when you were younger?  How precious free time and sleep is.  Now that I have NONE with two toddlers ruling my household, I miss those moments of downtime where it was just me and my thoughts.  Many nights when I’m tucking my kids into bed, I wish so badly that the roles were reversed and someone were tucking me in!

What’s your fitness fashion style?  To be honest, my fitness style is definitely a bit more bold and daring than my day to day style.  It also changes with the workout.  I wear totally different apparel for dance cardio, versus spinning or barre.  For a tough BoCo class, I tend to choose a layered look on top….usually a strappy and bright sports bra as the base…and baggier capris.

What’s the best piece of health/wellness/dance advice you’ve ever gotten?  To “listen to your body!’  I know how many classes I can teach without crashing.  I know my breaking point.  I know when I need a great massage, a day to sleep in, more water in my system, etc.  I try to avoid burning out at all costs.  It’s important to stay healthy and stay energized.

What’s something most people don’t know about you (that’s maybe a little funny or weird)?  I have two fears….#1. the dentist and #2. flying (yes, which is challenging when you love to travel.  Picture the plane scene from bridesmaids)

What’s your guiltiest pleasure?  These days…..veggie straws.  I buy them “for my kids” and eat the bag!  Doh!

What quality do you really cherish about yourself?  I consider myself to be a pretty good “connector.”  I’m most definitely a people person and I really pride myself on keeping up my relationships.

Anything else about you that I missed?  I am a total unabashed snob when it comes to both coffee and chocolate.

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Photo by Kathleen O’Neill

Our Newest Addition: The Talented Melody Davi!

Melody is one of those people you can never forget.  From her unique style to her huge bursts of energy in her fitness classes to her warmth and positivity, she is a true gem.  I met her several months ago and was excited to welcome her to the Body Conceptions team this summer.  You will drip with sweat when you take her classes (I did!), so I recommend running to sign up for them before they fill up.  You might even be lucky enough to become one of her private clients!

I was excited to learn more about Melody – and find out some really interesting and different tidbits about her life.  Check her out!

~Mahri

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Full Name:  Melody Kathleen Davi

Where were you born?  Aurora, Colorado

Where did you grow up?  Colorado and Northern California (Nor Cal!)


What’s your biggest passion?  Health and wellness, but specifically the use of movement to better one’s daily outlook and quality of life. And my dog, Skooter. Actually, he may come first!

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Tell me about your career. Have you changed direction? If so, why?  As a kid, I dreamed of becoming the first theatre actress/astronaut to perform a musical on the moon. The closest I got to this was traveling internationally for many years as an entertainer. (Though some destinations felt like another planet!) The love for health and wellness that dance instilled in me prompted a transition into my current line of work. Maybe now I will teach the first dance cardio class in outer space?

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What do you wish you knew when you were younger?  One should work to live, not live to work. I had spent a great deal of my life focusing solely on the “next step” as far as my career was concerned. In doing so, I ended up not truly enjoying some amazing experiences. Letting my priorities shift to what’s really important in life has brought me greater joy on a daily basis!

What’s your fitness style?  With this summertime humidity? Headgear, headgear, headgear! My lovely (not) Italian locks frizz up like a lion’s mane, especially when drenched from dancing. If I’m not rocking a hat, you’d better believe I’m sporting a headband from the stash in my bag. And I own a closet full of Brooks sneakers!

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What’s the best piece of health/wellness/dance advice you’ve ever gotten? Strangely enough, “do everything in moderation”. I am an all or nothing kind of gal. If I love a workout, I want to do it 7 days a week for months straight. If I’m into a new food craze or “diet” (Paleo much?), it is all I swear by. In both cases, you can either get burnt out, injured, or just plain defeated. When I learned how to enjoy small indulgences, some rest days, and allow myself to not be “perfect”, I discovered my healthiest self!

What’s something most people don’t know about you (that’s maybe a little funny or weird)?  I played recreational basketball as a young teen. Though I couldn’t shoot a hoop to save my life, I was the most down-n-dirty defender out there on the court, and ended up being nicknamed “The Harasser” by my coach. Watch out for old school training drills (fast feet! jump squats! lateral shuffles!) that always pop up in my classes.

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What’s your guiltiest pleasure?
  Cheese. Just any and every kind. The stinkier, the better! (Although my heart will always belong to good old fashioned Parmesan. Again, I’m Italian…)

What quality do you really cherish about yourself?  I truly enjoy listening to and helping others. (Maybe I should have added therapist to possible occupations?) Being a personal trainer allows me assist others in finding a physically healthy self, but in general I truly enjoy supporting people as they talk out life’s issues. Want to grab a coffee and vent to an open ear? I’m your girl.

Anything else about you that I missed?  Oh, just one more guilty pleasure: lying out on any and every beach. Some day down the line, my old bag o’bones will retire to the Amalfi coast, drinking Prosecco and eating cheese every day!

Melody Amalfi