Christine’s Cardio Fitness leads Bokwa event with celebrity Paul Mavi on June 25

Fitness instructor Christine Johnson says the new fitness craze Bokwa is more than just Zumba rebranded. “Bokwa is completely different from every other dance fitness brand because there is no choreography,” says Johnson. “Instead, we draw shapes, letters and numbers with our bodies, and we laugh, shout, sweat and enjoy moving together. The instructor uses hand signals to show which direction the group is moving in … and we move together with the music in patterns.”

Unlike group fitness activities that can be complex and intimidating, especially to newcomers, Bokwa is designed to be easy and accessible to participants of all ages and all fitness abilities, she adds.

Johnson owns Christine’s Cardio Fitness in North Asheville. She’s the Bokwa education specialist trainer, or BEST,  for North Carolina. Johnson teaches Bokwa classes at her studio five days a week and volunteers to teach free classes at Evergreen Community Charter School through the Bokwa Bounce Foundation.

Johnson will host a Bokwa Bash with the creator and CEO of Bokwa, fitness celebrity Paul Mavi, at Evergreen on Thursday, June 25, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 per person.

Xpress asked Johnson to tell us a little more.

Mountain Xpress: Can you tell me a little about how you got into Bokwa fitness and how you came to be an instructor?

Christine Johnson: I taught Zumba for five years before learning about Bokwa. I heard about it from a friend and loved the idea of using patterns instead of choreography. It seemed like a format that could reach more people. I wanted nondancers to fall in love with dance fitness because it is healthy.

So many people try a Zumba class and give up because it is too girlie and complicated for them, but Bokwa is not like that. I invited Toni Holbrook, the BEST from West Virginia, to come to Asheville, and I fell in love with Bokwa from the first day. Toni put me on the path to become the BEST for North Carolina, since we did not have one. I have been bouncing all over the state ever since.

How did you get involved with Bokwa Bounce and volunteering free Bokwa classes at Evergreen?

The Bokwa Bounce Foundation is a nonprofit initiative to get kids to enjoy fitness, and since music reaches kids, it is a perfect match. Bokwa instructors take a pledge to commit one hour of free instruction a week to local schools. My daughters, who are also fitness instructors, were once Evergreen students, and we love to support such an awesome school.

What has your experience been like with the kids there?

I love them. I have been teaching two second-grade classes, each with their own personalities. One group is more focused on getting every step right, and the other group just wants to let loose and shout on cue, which is part of Bokwa. It makes my heart sing to bring Bokwa to kids because kids just get it. They follow without having to count or overanalyze like adults do. Kids know how to party.

Can you tell me about your upcoming event with Paul Mavi? What does it mean to you to get to meet the creator and CEO of Bokwa fitness? 

Paul Mavi is coming to Asheville for a Bokwa Bash, which is a four-day event starting with a master class with Paul on a Thursday, followed by a master class with the U.S. Master BEST on Friday, a punch-and-strike certification on Saturday and a Bokwa Level 1 certification on Sunday. Paul is excited about how quickly the Bokwa buzz is spreading here, and he is coming to support me as the new NC BEST. He is watching the Bokwa activity in Asheville and appreciates expansion of this dance fitness society.

What are you most excited about regarding the event?

When Paul offered me the position as BEST for North Carolina, he insisted on meeting me via Skype. He wanted to make eye contact with me and talk freely about his vision to see if it was something I was in agreement with first. I am so impressed with him. Paul is not a figurehead CEO; he is involved and caring, and I am so proud to be part of his Bokwa family. I can hardly wait to give him a hug and dance with him in person. It is going to be amazing.

 

MORE INFO

Christine’s Cardio Fitness

CCF’s Facebook Page

More information on Bokwa

Sign your school up for free Bokwa classes at the Bokwa Bounce Foundation here.

BOKWA BASH

WHAT: The Bokwa Bash with Bokwa creator and CEO Paul Mavi

WHEN: Thursday, June 25, from 6:30-8:30 p.m.

WHERE: Evergreen Community Charter School, 50 Bell Road

TICKETS: $25 per person.

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

About Melissa Sibley
Melissa Sibley is from a tiny town near the coast of North Carolina called New Bern, and will be a senior next year at UNC Asheville. She is a Literature major with an emphasis on Creative Writing, and a Psychology minor. She plans to stay in Asheville after graduation and continue to work on her personal and public writing through internships/employment with local publications. Follow me @MissMelissaSib

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

One thought on “Christine’s Cardio Fitness leads Bokwa event with celebrity Paul Mavi on June 25

  1. Aditya Goel

    Whether you’re cycling on a medium range or during an intensive workout, it is obvious that your performance will be related to what you have eaten previously. An average cyclist burns out 300 calories an hour, therefore you can eat without worrying about getting fat. However, when talking about cycling, it is not a matter of how much you eat, but about what are you actually eating in order for you to achieve the right amount of energy. So, what should we eat?
    http://www.quirkybyte.com/2015/06/pedal-to-the-medalbut-make-sure-you-eat-first/

Leave a Reply

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.