McHENRY – Nine-year-old Kortnie Haverty had watched her mom and two older sisters at Jazzercise classes, wishing she could join in.

Thanks to a new junior program through Jazzercise McHenry Fitness Center, she now gets that chance every Saturday morning.

The Junior Jazzercise program began June 23, and is geared toward 5- to 14-year-olds, like Haverty, who mainly attend to dance and have fun.

Owner Jennifer Simmons said the children hardly realize they’re exercising.

Haverty’s mother, Kerrie, said her daughter so far is enjoying the program, even if she doesn’t fully realize its health benefit.

“They’re going to dance,” said Kerrie Haverty of Lakemoor. “They’re looking up at the instructor. They’re dancing to the music. And then they get exercise like they don’t know what hit them.”

Jazzercise is a form of exercise that blends jazz dance, resistance training, pilates, yoga and kickboxing movements. It was developed in 1969 and brought to McHenry County about 12 years ago. Simmons also owns the Jazzercise Woodstock Fitness Center.

The hourlong junior class puts an emphasis on getting the heart rate up, but the children spend about a quarter of their time learning how to be healthier in all areas of their lives.

“Who wants to learn about nutrition from their mom and dad?” Haverty said. “Learning it from someone else who puts it into perspective ... it’s interesting to them.”

Simmons leads discussions on what it means to be healthy, how to eat right, and good exercising habits.

“There’s a lot of concerns with children being not very active anymore,” Simmons said. “With obesity increasing, Jazzercise has started putting an emphasis on a kids get fit program.

“I never realized how many people wanted exercise programs for kids.”

Simmons said there now are 14 children enrolled in the six-week program, and she's hoping interest
continues to build.

“I have made it a priority that throughout the hour, we’re moving probably 75 percent of each class,” Simmons said. “And that’s the way the kids like it.”

A similar Jazzercise program that ended about five years ago was more heavily weighted toward educating the children. Simmons, who took ownership of the McHenry and Woodstock Jazzercise centers in May, opted for a different approach.

“When Jennifer had mentioned to us that they were offering a junior jazz class, [Kortnie] couldn’t wait to sign up,” Haverty said. “I think for the kids, that’s what’s so good about it – it’s just fun.

“But they’re also doing something healthy for themselves.”