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Now is the time to unite the soul and the world… Rumi
Hello, I’m Ella
I’m a Les Mills certified BodyJam instructor based in London, and in early December 2022, I turned 50. To mark this, I am travelling the UK to team teach together with as many other BodyJam instructors as I can, in the space of 12 months. At the same time, I aim to raise money for two charities, Para Dance UK and The Honeypot Children’s Charity. You can find all the info about me, the charities and this mission on this website, and you can follow my adventures on my social pages too. Please help support this venture, in any way you can. Thank you.
“The journey between what you once were, and who you are now becoming, is where the dance of life really takes place”
Barbara de Angelis
Musings
Gatecrasher Jam 2: with Patrick Mougin
09 Dec 2022 || Nuffield Health Ealing Broadway The second session was always going to be at Nuffield Health Ealing, my ‘hood, where I discovered Les Mills Bodyjam around 15 years ago as a participant, and where I cut my teeth as an instructor. And the site of The TEMPLE of JAM. Anyway. Let me…
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Gatecrasher Jam 1: with Sally King
05 Dec 2022 || Virgin Active Mill Hill
I chose to launch Gatecrasher Jam at the place where I got my very first permanent class 9 years ago, a year after becoming a Body Jam instructor. The stars aligned – Monday the 5th of December 2022 was my actual 50th birthday and where better than to launch the venture at this venue, on this date, in my own class. My long-suffering husband, Dave, had offered to take me out for dinner somewhere special. All credit to him for completely understanding and being totally supportive when I told him what I actually wanted to do instead. As they say, “happy wife, happy life!”
We have always done themed launches at both Mill Hill and Ealing, where I teach. It’s simply an excuse to dress up and be silly for an hour or so. This time was no different, and we went with Hawaii Five-0 as our theme (naturally).
And what an incredible night it was. It was a full house, and the members totally rocked the theme, decorated the studio, brought balloons and cake and showered me with gifts and cash donations for the charities. I was overwhelmed, to say the least.
We ran over time, as we knew we would, really… but as it was the last class of the evening, it didn’t matter – we had the blessing of Marcin Francke, Head of Exercise Experience at the club (big shout out to the man!). For Jammers reading this, if you’re curious, we did:
- Warmup: Hype track from Body Jam UNITED (Dua Lipa’s Don’t Start Now)
- Block 1: Body Jam 100 Hip Hop – so new, yet so vintage
- Recovery: Meghan Trainor’s Me Too (track 2) from Body Jam 79
- Block 2: Up All Night House Block from Body Jam 89
- Groovedown: Do It Again from Body Jam 75
From Cheese to Hardcore in an hour!
And I need to tell you about Sally. Like me, she started off as a participant, in hallowed Studio 1 at (then Virgin Active, now Nuffield Health) Ealing Broadway. Like me, she became a late-to-the-party fitness instructor. Like me, she’s so passionate about the programme, and about getting people together and spreading the love.
We are chalk and cheese in other parts of our lives (I’m chalk, she’s cheese – although quite vegan!) but when it comes to Jam, dancing and friendship, this woman is my kindred spirit. She will hate me for writing this but: she’s kind, and generous, and beautiful inside and out, kooky, incredibly private, tends to disappear unexpectedly, like a cat, but always there when you need her most. We all need a Sally in our lives – never ever in your face, but always has your back.
Roll on Friday the 9th – Gatecrasher Jam #2 will be at Nuffield Health ealing Broadway, where I will be team teaching with the delicious Patrick Mougin.
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Mission: Gatecrasher Jam
Milestone dates are always a time for self-reflection. (This is not applicable to me aged 10, 13, 18, 20 or 21, as I was self-centred and completely unreflective.) When I was 30, my first husband split up with me, in a restaurant, on my actual birthday. I have forgiven him this, as in the weeks, months and years that passed, I came to understand that I was as much to blame for the relationship breakdown. He reflected on his future, and decided that it was not going to be with me in it – he was the braver one for recognising it first. We are now friends, and both happier as a result.
Ten years on, I had remarried to a fabulously supportive man, and we became parents to a beautiful little boy. Aged 39 though, I reflected. I was giving everything to my work as an architect and to my little family, but I was doing nothing for myself. I was a member of a gym in Ealing Broadway, London, and always in the front row at the BodyJam classes there. My then instructor, Ulla, said to me one day, “you should be an instructor. You pick up the moves so quickly, and I always need cover when I’m away.” And I thought, why not? My other then-instructor, Laura, gave me so much encouragement and forced me to believe in myself. So, aged 40, I treated myself to Exercise to Music Level 2 qualification and enrolled on the module training for Les Mills Body Jam. I got my first permanent class at Virgin Active Mill Hill in January 2014, and I’m still teaching there.
In the ten intervening years, BodyJam has changed my life. I have met and connected with people from all walks of life both in the UK and abroad through it. I achieved Elite status (when that was A Thing) and became an Instructor Coach. In 2019, I auditioned for a potential position on Les Mills’ UK Trainer, Assessor and Presenter (TAP) Team – I didn’t get through, but it was a huge honour to be acknowledged. Also that year, I was asked, along with another instructor Hannah, to shadow one of the Trainers, Robyn, on stage at the Les Mills Tribal Gathering held in London. It was SUPER fun (although I was a nervous wreck beforehand)!
But regardless of these accolades, the one thing that I know I love about teaching BodyJam is the connection with people, whether participants or other instructors – it’s truly special, and truly global.
I’m now 50. And in my 49th year, I reflected again. What else can I do? How can I spread my love and passion for this programme to others, not just in London? And two things sprung to mind:
- I love team teaching with other instructors. It is the most fun thing an instructor (whatever the programme) can do. You learn so much from each other, and there is a shared bond as well as beautiful shared memories.
- Community is important to me. Pre-pandemic, I was a regular volunteer for one of The Trussell Trust’s Foodbank branch in Ealing. Sadly, and for various reasons, I have had to discontinue volunteering there but I still want to give back to society. I know I have lived a relatively privileged life, and so it’s time to Do A Good Thing again.
And with that, GATECRASHER JAM was born. It’s gestated for practically 9 months; now it’s time to put the plans into place, and launch the ship. I hope you come on board on this journey with me.
Thank You
Every penny you give to the charities via the links in this website will help change someone’s life. And you have until November 2023 to keep giving whatever you can, whenever you’re able to.
Gatecrasher Jam 