Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah Hackwith.
Sarah, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I have been a mover and a shaker as long as I’ve been alive! I started taking dance classes at age two and continued to pursue my dream of becoming a professional ballet dancer until around 25 years old. I grew up in both Northern Idaho and Las Vegas, NV, trained at the professional Academy of Nevada Ballet Theater, and eventually went to TCU for college where I double majored in Ballet and Modern Dance.
I moved to New York City after school to pursue dance with nothing but a few suitcases and a little money in my savings account. There’s no place in the world like NYC and it was the best and most challenging two years of my life! I realized shortly after getting to the City that pursuing a career in professional dance wasn’t going to fulfill me the way I’d always envisioned – and it certainly wasn’t going to pay my bills – so I quit the tiny companies I’d joined and branched out into the boutique fitness industry. I began teaching dance cardio and trampoline cardio classes at one of the City’s premier studios and totally fell in love with the ability to positively impact people on a daily basis. I continued to teach rebounding, HIIT, boot camp, spin and Pilates classes in Boise, ID (where I’d moved to be my family once I left NYC) and eventually back here, in Dallas, TX. Coming back to the DFW area was the greatest decision I could’ve made – my heart is so, so happy here!
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Though I love what I do immensely and am grateful for the journey I’ve been on, my time as both a dancer and fitness professional have certainly had negative impacts on my mental health when it comes to my body image and self-esteem. I scarcely remember a time growing up when I didn’t struggle with self-deprecating thoughts, or disordered eating habits – something I know many women (and men) also battle, whether they grew up in industries like mine or not.
Through the years, I have done a ton of personal work to learn how to heal and accept myself and the skin I’m in. I’m proud of this personal journey, as I’ve come a long way, and it’s this work that I consider my greatest charge. I hope to share what I’ve learned firsthand with others who struggle to heal their own wounds and making a lasting impact on this world. I believe some of our greatest struggles are also where we can experience our greatest victories, and it’s in the overcoming that we can find our purpose.
Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
Currently, I’m teaching fitness classes full-time at Session Pilates. I’ll be back to teaching spin in the area by mid-summer, too, which I’m incredibly excited about.
As an instructor, I don’t just want you to come to class and get a good workout (although my classes do tend to be fairly challenging!). I want you to be mentally different from when you entered that room – stronger, more aware, more inspired, more in-tune with yourself and what you’re capable of. Fitness isn’t just about how we look; it’s also about how we feel. It’s about recognizing the places we’re limiting ourselves and shining light on those areas so we can address them. Any fitness professional who teaches a class without acknowledging the human as a whole is doing their clients a great disservice, I think.
I’m also working on launching both a podcast about mental and physical health & wellness, as well as a series of workshops about shifting negative mindsets and behaviors towards our bodies. Women, especially, are raised in a culture that often negatively influences the way we see ourselves, but I don’t believe it has to be that way! Body hatred is not something we’re born with, it’s a learned behavior. I’m ready to help women take back this belief that they are less than and step into their power. I believe the best way to influence future generations of women in positively viewing/accepting their bodies is to help the women of today heal their beliefs as well. Change starts with us.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
Between the ages of 8 and 12, my family moved my sister and me up to Northern Idaho where we lived on the edge of town in a relatively rural area. Those formative years spent making mud pies, running through the fields, playing dress-up in dusty attics, and riding bikes down country roads at dusk grounded me in a way I feel nothing else could have. We moved back to Las Vegas after our time there and I realized how different I was from the kids who’d grown up in the bigger, crazier city until that point. There’s something amazingly peaceful about those sleepy little towns, and to this day when I decide I need a break from the hustle and bustle of the city, you can usually find me in the mountains.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.sarahhackwith.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/sarahhacks
Image Credit:
Sarah Hackwith
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