Today we’d like to introduce you to Lacey Cleland
Hi Lacey, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I grew up in North Dallas/Plano. From the age of two, I was classically trained in ballet and lived and breathed in the dance studio. I spent every moment there—from the time I got out of school until way past my bedtime. I competed, trained every summer at ballet intensives, and even traveled to perform at the Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland, with Burklyn Ballet Theatre, taking on various roles.
Right before I started fifth grade, I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. It shook my world and turned it upside down for a bit, but I was blessed with parents who pushed me to continue living a normal life and pursuing my passion for dance. So I did.
I graduated from Plano West Senior High School in 2007 and attended Texas Christian University to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Ballet. During my time there, I quickly realized a few things—performing on stage was not my wheelhouse. I was terrified. I truly thrived in the studio with choreography. I loved teaching and watching others take the movement I envisioned and bring it to life. As much as I had spent my entire life as a ballerina, I was always drawn to hip-hop, jazz, and more upbeat dance styles. I remember one of my professors pulling me into her office my freshman year, telling me I should pick a different major because I would “excel elsewhere.” I didn’t listen.
In 2010, I walked into what I thought would be a spin class at the gym, but instead, it was a Zumba class. I told myself to stay since I had limited time before work. That class changed my life. A lot of my classical training went out the window, but the heart of dancing remained. Watching people of all shapes, sizes, ages, and skill levels come together was mesmerizing. In the classical world, everything is about perfection, but in that room, the best dancer was the one having the most fun. The instructor facilitated that energy. There was no competition, no expectation—just pure movement and joy. That was what I wanted to create in my own way.
In May 2010, I earned my Zumba Fitness certification. At the time, it was one of the few dance certifications available, and it allowed me to start teaching at 24 Hour Fitness. I went from teaching one class a week to fifteen. In 2012, I graduated from TCU with my Bachelor’s degree in Ballet and, honestly, haven’t stepped into a classical space since. I continued teaching for 24 Hour Fitness, and in 2014, I obtained my Certified Personal Trainer license through NASM and began personal training.
In 2015, I married my husband, Brandon, and continued teaching and training until we had our first son in 2018. My husband was amazing and supported my decision to stay home full-time after our son was born. However, I knew I needed to continue teaching for my own health and personal fulfillment. I returned to teaching a couple of classes a week for almost a year before becoming pregnant with our daughter. I had planned to return after having her, but then COVID hit. Gyms were among the first places to close, and it felt like a part of me was gone. Some of my close friends and students asked if I would teach online through YouTube Live and Zoom. Caitlynn—who is now my co-instructor for Lace Up—and I did that for a few months.
As things slowly opened back up, it sparked an idea and a long-time dream. Maybe it was time to do my own thing—find my own space, use my degree and my CPT license, and merge the two together. Just as I started gaining momentum with classes again, we found out we were expecting our third child. Pregnancy with Type 1 Diabetes is incredibly challenging, so my workouts had to take a backseat while I focused on keeping my blood sugars perfect for nine months.
After having our youngest son in 2022, I set out to find a studio space where I could hold, at the time, “Cardio Dance With Lacey” classes. One class a week turned into two. I remember one night, as I was tying my shoes, the name “Lace Up” popped into my head. I had a few other names in mind, so I polled my closest friends and dance ladies—and “Lace Up Fitness” stuck.
Since then, I’ve grown Lace Up Fitness from one class a week to four, while also expanding globally with on-demand classes and strength training online. It’s the best of both worlds—combining my love of dance with my passion for teaching. Watching others build confidence, change their lives, and, in turn, change mine is incredibly rewarding.
It’s also been an amazing opportunity to connect with other Type 1 Diabetics worldwide. Many people believe that a Type 1 diagnosis means they can’t pursue the activities they love. So many feel lost when trying to balance fitness with Type 1 Diabetes, and I’ve been able to show them, “This is what I do, and I’m still in control of it. Don’t let it control you.”
The family and opportunities I’ve found through Lace Up are something I wouldn’t trade for anything. It’s more than just a workout class—it’s a community of support, encouragement, and celebrating each other’s wins along the way. It’s educational in so many ways, and it continues to challenge me. And for that, I am so thankful.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has not always been a smooth road. I feel like where it is the most easy is when I’m in class and I start moving. Reality takes a back seat for one hour and ALL I have to do is dance and be with my Lace Up family.
Outside of that, there are definitely the challenges of having to find space to accommodate classes. We have settled down at CERA after being at 3 different locations a week, and that has been a huge game changer and blessing.
Staying consistent with posting and social media is definitely a full-time job and I realize why businesses hire someone specifically for it. It is an art in and of itself, and answering questions and DMs can definitely feel overwhelming at times. It’s really important to me to answer everyone I possibly can. I want to be reachable. I want to extend my heart and mind and passion for this to all I can.
There’s always the fight of time management. Being a full-time Mom and then growing a business has certainly brought its challenges. I am so thankful for my co-instructor, Caitlynn, whom I have been dancing with for almost 10 years, now. She alleviates a lot for me with teaching her own Lace Up class and then covering classes for me if/when I need them.
As a type 1 diabetic, there is always the fear of going low during class, keeping my blood sugars balanced, and not overtraining. Diabetics don’t recover as quickly as “normal” individuals, so it’s been really important to me to not only show my community that cardio can be fun, but strength training, nutrition, sleep and recovery are also very crucial in functioning in your daily life and your overall health.
Last there’s always the pressure and second-guessing of, “Am I doing what I should be doing? Am I going in the right direction?” There’s so many fitness formats out there. How do I create something different? How can I reach further? How can I reach ALL fitness levels? These questions go through my mind with every routine I come up with, with every class I teach, every video I upload on the website, but I feel like without that challenge, the personal growth would stop. Lace Up stops.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Lace Up Fitness is the perfect combination of dance fitness and strength training.
You have two aspects of a fitness journey that are important. Heart health and muscle health.
With Lace Up, I aim to hit both. Heart health with my dance fitness classes for cardio, and then my strength training workouts that I release online. They are both aimed and modified for all fitness levels.
The dance fitness classes are definitely geared to make cardio NOT feel like cardio. Think of going to the club with your friends in your heyday and those songs coming back on. I aim to make EVERYONE have confidence with dancing. Some ask me if they have to be good at dancing or have coordination? No, you just need to be able to have fun! Like anything, becoming “good” at it takes practice, and that’s what I tell all my newcomers. You have to practice. You come back and keep coming back and before you know it, you are crushing routines and you know them like the back of your hand. I’ve had ages from 6-75 take my classes and it’s so fun to see everyone take my routines and make them their own.
To see true shape change, bone health, and so many other health advantages you need strength training. Your muscle continuing to burn calories throughout the day and night as you have worked them with weights. I have a true passion in being a Mom of 3 and witnessing my body change and lose 50-80 pounds every pregnancy, because of strength training and nutrition. I share all of that through my strength training workouts and really try to engage and teach those that workout with me, the WHY’S behind strength training. I’m not a fan of throwing a clock up on the screen and telling someone, “GO.” It’s really important to me to cue every rep, talk about what needs to be engaged, if you have pain here this is what you need to fix, etc. and with that, people become knowledgeable and confident in continuing on with their fitness journey.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
I will always remember is my Dad picking me up from the dance studio late at night and driving us home. We would always stop at Whataburger and order a large fry and a chocolate shake. We would then dip the fries in the shake and eat them and that’s what gave me my love for sweet and salty things. But that time with him is something I will always cherish.
Pricing:
- $10/class for in-person classes at CERA – Fort Worth
- $15/month for ALL virtual classes/workouts
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.Somble.com/LaceUpFitness
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laceupcardiodance
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LaceUpCardioDance
Image Credits
Eden Williams Photography
