Today we’d like to introduce you to Katelyn Giliberti.
Katelyn, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
My mother put me in dance class at the age of 2. I danced with Fowler’s Dance Studio in Medford until the studio closed in 1999, and then I joined the Legacy Dance Company at The Dance Inn in Lexington. I continued dancing throughout college at Tufts University with the student-run group, Spirit of Color.
When I started law school at Suffolk University, my schedule completely changed. I worked for a law firm during the day and went to classes at night. There wasn’t time for much else. Staying physically active was important to me and I tried my best to squeeze it in whenever I could.
I started taking a yoga class at a gym simply because it fit into my schedule at the time. I found that when I was practicing yoga, it was the only time I felt like I wasn’t going a mile a minute. Yoga is likely what got me through law school. That, and massive amounts of coffee.
My yoga practice continued to grow as my legal career was just getting started. However, being fresh out of law school and working for the District Attorney’s Office, I didn’t have much by way of funds. I figured that if I began teaching yoga, I could get free classes.
I completed my 200- Hour Yoga Teacher Training Program with Prana Power Yoga in 2013. My first teaching job was at MG Fitness (aka “Mike’s Gym”) in Medford. I was so eager to teach that I just walked in there one day and asked, “Do you guys need a yoga teacher?” I fell in love with teaching because I could design the exact class that I would love to take, with the perfect playlist, and then share that with others.
I’ve since taught at other studios including CorePower Yoga, Prana Power Yoga, and One Powered Yoga. I’ve wanted to open my own studio since the day I started teaching, but I just didn’t quite know how I was going to balance a full-time career and start another one at the same time. The perfect opportunity to test it out came when Erica Vining, owner of Encore Dance Academy, asked if I wanted to teach fitness classes there with the idea that the parents who are waiting for their children taking a dance class, would have their own classes to take as well.
Studio Elevate opened in May of 2018 and is located inside of Encore Dance Academy. We offer a variety of fitness classes, not just yoga, for all levels of fitness. The classes are designed to complement one another to help stretch, strengthen, and tone.
Has it been a smooth road?
In June, I was diagnosed with Thyroid Cancer. At the time, I was going through some major transitions in my career, both as an attorney and yoga instructor. Studio Elevate had only been open for about three weeks. I just left the District Attorney’s Office after an amazing seven years and was about to start another attorney position with a different state agency.
There is never a good time for a diagnosis like this, but this felt like particularly poor timing for me. I had to call my new boss and explain that the person she had just hired was going to need time-off already. This also meant I was going to need to cancel classes at the Studio to recuperate from whatever treatment was coming my way.
My life and all the plans I had made came to a screeching halt. Every appointment at Mass General Hospital was surreal. I underwent a hemi-thyroidectomy in June hopeful that one surgery would be enough. Unfortunately, it wasn’t. I had a completion thyroidectomy at the end of August, and that will be followed up with radiation therapy.
I’m pretty open about my diagnosis because so many people can relate and you quickly find that you are not alone. Sometimes, I can’t help but have feelings of frustration, anger, and sadness. I have moments where I just can’t wrap my head around the situation, but then I remember my family, friends, co-workers (old and new), and my badass team at MGH. I am very lucky to have such a great support system.
I hope to spread awareness about Thyroid disease. I think about how I ignored the lump I found in my neck for months and about how I ignored the signs of hypothyroidism. I blamed them on other things. I just wasn’t aware that thyroid cancer was a possibility. If my story does anything, I hope it helps others to seek treatment when they otherwise might not have.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Studio Elevate is for everyone, but it is particularly for people who have busy, hectic lives and are trying to squeeze in the best workout in the shortest amount of time. Class times range from 30 minutes to 75 minutes in a variety of different styles. Starting in the fall, Studio Elevate will offer yoga, yoga sculpts, Barre, Pound, and a core/cardio class. If you prefer a more energized class or would rather something more restorative, we have something for you.
We will also offer health and wellness seminars throughout the year so that people can learn and share ideas on how to maintain a healthy lifestyle while balancing other aspects of life.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
I’m from Medford, so I’m partial to anything north of the city. The fitness community is small but it is strong and diverse. As someone who is just starting out in the industry, I am constantly inspired and motivated by other fitness studios and instructors.
What is great about the area is that there are a lot of other small, local businesses that you can team up with to help promote whatever it is that you offer. By supporting each other, it helps the community as a whole. Shop local!
Contact Info:
- Address: 1349 Main Street Reading, MA 01867
- Website: https://www.studioelevatefitness.com
- Phone: 781-942-5801
- Email: studioelevatefitness@gmail.com
- Instagram: @studio_elevate
- Facebook: @studioelevatefitness
Image Credit:
Caroline Winn Photography
Getting in touch: BostonVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
