Margaret Velez is a former professional dancer with over 15 years experience in the fitness industry. Her dancing has been praised in the New York Times, Backstage (“..by far the best dancer in the Company..”), and the Washington Post (“Ms. Velez has an abundance of stage presence..”). She appears in the book Dance Ink with some of the world’s greatest living dancers and choreographers. Margaret has taught dance history at Columbia University’s LEAD program. She has also taught dance at Towson University.
Margaret’s drive and dynamic personality have kept her on the cutting-edge of the fitness industry throughout her career. Her Salsa Aerobics class was the first of its kind to be featured on MTV. Her Volar Stretch class was cited as one of the Top 10 exercise classes in the city by Baltimore Magazine. Margaret appeared as morning fitness correspondent for Fox-TV’s “Good Day New York” and has appeared on “Latin Access” on NBC-TV, “Tiempo,” Edicion Especial,” and “Eyewitness News.” She was also featured on a breast cancer awareness segment on NBC’s “Today Show”.
Margaret organized and designed a fitness program for eight influential Latin women in the media (including Nina Diaz, Sandra Guzman, Rosanna Rosario, Maida Chicon, Belin Alvarado) that involved a total approach to fitness including education, diet and exercise. The women lost a combined 55 pounds and 93 inches during the six-week program. The program was featured in the Sunday edition of El Diario as well as on Fox television’s Good Day New York.
As a former fitness editor for Latina Magazine, Margaret wrote articles on all aspects of the fitness industry. Margaret is the first Latina to earn certification as an instructor/trainer for STOTT PILATES®, one of the fitness industry’s most rigorous certifications. She was the first to do STOTT PILATES® certifications in Spain and Chile and has taught and lectured at industry conventions around the world.
She has trained celebrity clients (including Mr. and Mrs. Michael Douglas, Renee Fleming, Frank Langella, Cher, Marie Brenner) and professional athletes (including Orlando Brown, O.J. Brigham, Larry Webster) in New York, California and Baltimore. Arthur Mitchell, the director of Dance Theater of Harlem, as well as Mike and Mary Wallace, have trained with Margaret. She is the owner/manager of Volar Pilates, an exercise studio in New York City that offers Pilates and flexibility training. Margaret is also this year’s winner of the Promise Award from American Express for successful woman entrepreneur.
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