Miami Heat Dance Team

By Gisel Habibnejad Photography by Alex Medina Famed Miami workout sensation, Vixen Workout, rapidly rose to the top in the fitness world in the last few years. Janet Jones, “Commander-in-Chief” of the Vixen Army, had no idea the potential of her idea when she took a risk by leaving everything conventional behind to pursue a happier and better lifestyle. Her inspiration has touched women across the country because she has anchored her real emotions to help empower other women and mothers in the work force. Janet has always had a passion for dance. Her résumé includes the Miami Heat Dance Team in 2005. After she left the team, she hopelessly fell into a corporate job because she felt it was the standard thing to do. Like many women, she subconsciously fell into what usually becomes a “zombie life” – dedicating your entire being to work and the household. While she really loves being a mother, she felt trapped by this routine and found herself emotionless as her light faded away. When she was laid off from her conventional job, she was left with nothing but 13 cents in her bank account and a newborn baby to support. With much courage and effort, she finally decided to take action. Something most people fear and shy away from. She then turned to her first love: dance. Janet channeled all her energy towards this passion and finally began to feel like herself again. She knew she wanted to help other women channel their inner beauty, too. “Abandoning yourself does not make you a better mother, wife, sister, daughter, etc. You need to take care of yourself first in order to take better care of everyone around you.” With the support and love of her family, the Vixen Workout was born. The goal of the class is to make every woman feel like they are in a nightclub with their friends dancing the night away, while unknowingly burning 1,000 calories per class (400-600 for beginners). The ultimate Vixen Army woman is “a woman who has found her light (or reignited it) and makes every woman around her see herself in the best possible light,” shares the Miami native. The hour long classes are made for every type of body shape and fitness need, whether you aim to lose weight or just simply want to tone up. However, the classes cannot be fully effective without a healthy diet, as any other workout routine. Speaking of nightclubs, Janet shares her favorite memory so far with Vixen Workout is when she took her class to LIV Nightclub, which sold out within 24 hours. The club was packed with 300 women of her Vixen Army. Every month, the Vixen Army can expect Janet to create new choreography and playlists. She produces routines that are easy to pick-up, whether you are a professional dancer or have never taken a dance class before in your life. With 102 choreographed routines to date, she has no plans of stopping any time soon. In August, she will be launching a nationwide certification program. So, how does this fitness maven juggle her business life with her personal life? She balances out her schedule with work, family, and fun. If she finds herself with one busy workweek, she will dedicate the next week to her family, home, and personal time. For her, family comes first and she would never let anything get in the way of that. She also shared some advice for those who have lost their light: “Each one of us is here to do something amazing. Listen to the voice inside not what ‘society’ tells you to do. The voice inside is your connection to your true self. Keep dreaming!” With the success of the Vixen Workout, Janet is happy to say she has found her light and happiness once again. “I have had the opportunity to change lives by doing what I love. I feel as if it is now my responsibility to affect as many women as possible.” For more information on the Vixen Workout, please visit vixenworkout.com