After 16 years of being a stage performer as Dancing Jade, it was only natural that a career path in DANCE would have been my next venture, so there was the birth of DANCERCISE – thanks to Andrea MacKenzie and Whitney Husbands for this venture. I was in deep conversation with them one night, confused about taking the next step in my career path and they were casually like “AMMM JADE YOU NEED TO TEACH DANCE”. I was very skeptical knowing well enough that was never a passion of mine, so I discarded the idea. But when I got home I went online and did some research and decided I CAN DO THIS!!! So I pursued it.

WHY DANCERCISE you ask? Well that is exactly what the classes entail. Dance moves with exercise. A quick warm up is done and then I teach my clients a routine to a song of my choice (LOL).

I knew Dancercise was my product, but as a child I was obsessed with a bear nap sack that I called EDAJ and I said to myself – that is your brand.

EDAJ (my name backwards) means “Every Dance Action (by) Jade” (given to me by Takisha Griffith), has been the most overwhelming experience I have ever faced. After being programmed to stage / performing, taking a step to venture into a world, which is already saturated was difficult but I believed that I could do this and with the help of close friends and family, the support was all the stability I needed.

Dancing for Machel Montano has taught me numerous ways of being the best that I can be. Admiring his work ethic, passion for progress and his adamant determination to strive for difference, I had no choice but to use this knowledge to enhance my brand and ensure that my product was unique.

Marketing goes a great way. From IG to Twiiter to FB to YouTube, etc I had to ensure that everything I did for EDAJ was visible, and more so ensuring that your audience / clients don’t get bored. That’s what the heavy load of being self employed means. ALWAYS BEING ON TOP OF YOUR GAME.

Knowing that the fitness arena is competitive I had to be different. Because social media is our way of life, I contacted Johann JLAVA Joseph of DEIMUSICALE to do my music for me and he taught me how to use iMovie – so then came the 15sec video promos for EDAJ on ALL my pages. Then I decided that was not enough so I approached two sponsors FLAVORITE for yogurt and CRYSTAL WATERS. Then with blessings GO TOWEL and WRAP WORKS came soon after. After my first session I was injured and I asked Isoke Edwards if she could stretch and warm down my clients (knowing that she is skillful at Yoga). I looked at her teaching and said Jade ask her to be your official Warm Down Specialist and she smiled and said I will gladly do it and because of her advanced skills at yoga it was a great success. I asked my good friend Christopher Daniel to record my classes so that I can achieve an audience on all my social media pages. Then as if that was not enough, I had late night sessions with Lashaun Prescott of Elle Nytt to aid in uploading my YouTube videos, which I sat and edited after ALL of my classes. As if that was not enough I decided to share my meal plan that Zulema Charles carefully constructed for me to all my clients.

My first day of class was the most nerve wrecking. I was anxious and felt a little queasy because this was all new to me. I never had a doubt in my mind that EDAJ would fail though and I had to ensure that by using the greatest gift from God I possessed, my personality … my wit … the ability to make people laugh and I did just that. Now it comes naturally and the best part of this new venture is that I look forward to every class. Almost like a child when they get candy. It’s long nights of WORK: editing videos, choreographing routines and researching online, but there is nothing like enjoying making people feel better and confident about themselves.

Whilst I continue to educate myself by watching Dance and fitness videos my cousin Venessa who is also a young entrepreneur, helped a great deal by critiquing and complimenting me on very move I make so that I can be on top of my game ….

Special thanks to Tobias Ottley for the birth of my fitness career and a chance to be featured on his website.

Special thanks to ALL OF MY SPONSORS:

• Lee Alleong for my logo
• My videographer, Christopher Daniel
• My Warm Down Specialist, Isoke Edwards

Thanks to all my clients, I really appreciate you all because without you there is NO EDAJ TO ALL my family and friends, THANKS for believing in me and pushing me to strive for excellence. Make your dreams a reality … One life, one chance, strive for the greatest human being you can be!!

EDAJ CLASS SCHEDULE

THURSDAYS: CUREPE STUDIO 7:45PM

SATURDAYS: CASCADE STUDIOS 4:30PM