Music pulses through bodies moving rhythmically on the dance floor. Smiles light up every face in the room, and uncontainable excitement bubbles up. Though it feels like the best nightclub in town, there’s a conspicuous lack of odor assaulting the senses and no unwanted people dancing a little too close for comfort. Fly Dance Fitness® (FDF) affords us the opportunity to relive our clubbing days in a healthy way. Opening its doors at the beginning of February, FDF exists to give people a kick butt time that will kick your butt. Franchise owner and native Coloradan, Ceci Bury, dreamed of opening a nightclub when she was younger. Having donned her dancing shoes at the age of four, Ceci pirouetted her way through local elementary, middle and high schools right into CU Boulder. After two years there, she concluded her formal dance training and extinguished her nightclub dreams to focus on her business degree and pursue a more financially practical career in banking.
For twenty-five years, Ceci enjoyed helping people with loan ratios, loved working up the ladder and had the perfect mix of job stability and flexibility that allowed her to be present with her family. Unfortunately, after two and a half decades of changing cultures, coworkers and companies, Ceci’s banking job began to wear on her. “There must be something better than this,” Ceci thought, “I was ready for something new.” However, her job gave her the freedom to be involved with her three children’s lives and sports, so she was determined to stay unless she was pushed out kicking and screaming. That push came with an unexpected layoff in 2023. Newly unemployed, Ceci found herself contemplating her next professional move.
Fitness stood out as Ceci’s primary passion but like many women post-childbirth, the pounds seemed to accrue rather than willingly melt away, despite lifting many pounds each week. Realizing nutrition was a big part of her problem, Ceci began using Bodi® (formerly Beachbody). She lost 40 pounds on their programs and remains a huge fan to this day. While following different Bodi® influencers on social media, the internet powers that determine algorithms sent Ceci an Instagram reel about Fly Dance Fitness®. From that point on, everything changed.
The Sarasota-based dance fitness studio instantly grabbed Ceci’s attention with a dance routine set to a nostalgic favorite, “Snap Yo Fingers” by Lil Jon. The choreography was incredible, the music resonated deeply, and the vibe was absolutely infectious. Ceci immediately wondered, “Could we open one of these here?” and took a deep dive into the possibility of bringing Fly Dance Fitness® to Colorado. She reached out to the FDF owners, who had just begun franchising and expanding the company outside of Florida. The two women, also moms and dancers, inspired Ceci, who found endless commonalities and connection points with these fellow entrepreneurs.
Though her vision, passion and certainty propelled Ceci forward, many obstacles threatened to douse her dream of owning a Fly Dance Fitness® studio here in Broomfield. First, she had to consider all the risks associated with starting a new business. Ceci also had to ride a steep learning curve to educate and equip herself to open a franchise. “I read tons of books and researched like crazy,” Ceci smiles. After attending a “Discovery Weekend” in Sarasota, she received the green light to move forward. Ceci had to find a space, obtain financing and hunt for the best instructors possible. All these things required insane amounts of patience, which Ceci considers the most challenging part of pursuing her dream.
The feeling of empowerment, however, that filled Ceci after pushing through all the trials placed before her outshone the difficulties. Leaving behind a job that no longer brought her joy and getting out on her own to build her dream invigorates and inspires her in ways she wants to pass on to others. “You can do it! Whatever your dream is!” she affirms.
Dance can be an incredible part of this growth journey, as it inevitably provides a way to be seen and recognized. Though in other spaces, the art of dance can expose us to judgment and self-esteem or body issues, moving and grooving at Fly Dance Fitness® offers quite the contrary. The company’s website highlights its accepting, inclusive, relaxed approach to dance. It asserts, “We believe life is a party, which is why our classes focus on celebrating movement, fostering an inclusive community, and witnessing potential turn into achievement. We're more than a studio; we're a fitness community, and we're excited to share this joy with you!”
Ceci’s childhood dream of opening a nightclub will, in a sense, be realized in the next month or two. She’d love to share her passion with the women and men of Broomfield, and she invites you to get fit while getting your groove on with her at Fly Dance Fitness.
Music pulses through bodies moving rhythmically on the dance floor. Smiles light up every face in the room, and uncontainable excitement bubbles up. Fly Dance Fitness® affords us the opportunity to relive our clubbing days in a healthy way.
Like many women post-childbirth, the pounds seemed to accrue rather than willingly melt away despite lifting many pounds each week.
We believe life is a party, which is why our classes focus on celebrating movement, fostering an inclusive community, and witnessing potential turn into achievement.