In recognition of Women’s History Month, we are celebrating our women instructors. Get to know Wellbeats instructor Lynnea Doublette, who has over 10 years of experience teaching dance fitness classes, including African dance, Latin dance, and Caribbean-style dance.

Wellbeats instructor Lynnea Doublette is a lifelong dancer and performance artist who has woven creativity and self-expression into her personal wellness journey. Her love of dance has followed her from her childhood in Alaska to her adult life in Minnesota, and she brings contagious energy and enthusiasm to everything she does.

Lynnea takes a three-part approach to fitness instruction, viewing herself as an educator, a motivator, and an entertainer. She values the opportunity to teach Wellbeats members about the reasons behind specific movements while simultaneously uplifting and encouraging them. And she’s all about having fun.

Family First

Lynnea is very close with her family, including her mother, father, and two sisters. She credits her upbringing and her family for instilling in her drive and determination, along with her love of dance.

“My dad is definitely an inspiration in fitness for me,” Lynnea said. “He was a college wrestler. He’s a big, strong man. When I was growing up, he was always lifting weights, and he was big into biking. He would ride his bike all the way to work and back. I know some of that rubbed off on me.”

Originally from Anchorage, Alaska, Lynnea and her family moved to Minnesota in 2002. They didn’t know anyone, but her mother knew it was the right move for her daughters, who are all involved in performing arts and entertainment—art, modeling, acting, singing, and songwriting.

“My mother, she’s such a leader, such a driven person. She had done all this research [about Minnesota],” Lynnea said. “My mom said, ‘Girls, Minnesota is a mecca for theater.’ I thought, ‘Wow, that is some strong language.’ She had taken the time to look into all the theaters and [learned that] Minnesota has an amazing fringe festival. The access here for theater and arts is a lot more equitable or attainable. You can get in and do some things and create some stuff.”

Lynnea’s mother was right. Moving to Minnesota opened many artistic doors for Lynnea, including her current role performing eight shows a week in Footloose the musical at the Chanhassen Dinner Theater in Chanhassen, Minnesota.

“I started to perform professionally here in the Twin Cities in 2007,” Lynnea said. “I just went everywhere. I had the chance to experience a lot of different theaters. I did a little traveling, which was really cool. I love to sing. I love to dance. I love the social community aspect of it.”

Fitness Journey Rooted in Dance

Lynnea’s fitness journey goes back to her love of dance as a child growing up in Alaska.  

“I’ve always loved to dance, ever since I was a little girl,” Lynnea said. “On my dad’s side, my family is from Haiti. Anytime we get together for any kind of celebration or reunion, there’s food and there’s dancing. As a child, I just kind of loved that and loved to take part in it.”

Not only did she dance with family, but she performed on dance teams with her friends. One performance in particular stands out in Lynnea’s memory—dancing at the governor’s picnic as a teenager. The picnic included food, face painting, family games, and an entertainment section. Lynnea and her friends had danced at smaller events, but performing at the governor’s picnic was a big deal.

“When I was growing up in Alaska, my best friend’s older cousin Aminah taught us dances, and I remember we would dance at events,” Lynnea said. “Aminah was really tough. She wanted us to be precise and be on the beat. I just remember having that training from her and then having the opportunity to dance at the governor’s picnic. We felt like we were studs. We just had so much fun.”

As a shy child, Lynnea used dance as a unique way to express herself.

“I had an opportunity to show my personality through dance,” Lynnea said. “I didn’t have to talk to anyone. I could just do my dance.”

When her family moved to Minnesota, Lynnea was amazed at the community of dance and live music she found. She was surprised to be particularly drawn to salsa dancing. Then it dawned on her.

“There was just something familiar, some shared dance styles, especially from places like the Dominican Republic, where you just felt like you were dancing almost exactly the same dance,” Lynnea said. “It just made me feel good and experience culture in a way that felt like family.”

From Performance to Instruction

Lynnea’s journey from performer to dance instructor began when she was approached by her boss about the possibility of teaching fitness classes to her colleagues at the orthopedic clinic where she worked. Lynnea initially laughed it off.

“My boss said, ‘Lynnea, you love to dance. You should teach Zumba.’ I wasn’t sure,” Lynnea said. “I thought Zumba was just for older ladies who are retired. But I took one class, and I fell in love. It was so amazing.

“I got into it so much that I started picking up more and more classes. I would sub pretty much anywhere. I live in Minneapolis, and I would drive all over—Woodbury, White Bear Lake, Coon Rapids, I didn’t care. I just loved to lead it so much.”

Bringing her dance instruction to Wellbeats has given Lynnea another opportunity to share her passion and skills, and it’s been a perfect fit.

Lynnea’s energy is contagious as she provides encouragement through positivity and genuine support. Even when she’s teaching Wellbeats virtual classes, she wants her participants to experience the energy they would get if they were actually in the room with her.

“I approach it like people are in the room with me because I want them to feel like it’s a live class,” Lynnea said. “Each time they click ‘play,’ motivation is a big thing for me. I’m your cheerleader. We’re going to do it together. You’re definitely going to see me be tired and sweat.”

Movement—and Creativity—For All

Lynnea’s philosophy is that movement is for everyone, and her perspective aligns with Wellbeats’ mission that wellbeing is for all. Along with movement, Lynnea also believes that creativity is for everyone—and that we all have a creative side that can be expressed through movement.

“I look at fitness, movement, and creativity together,” Lynnea said. “I think of fitness and moving your body as an extension of your creative self. Everyone has a creative something, even if you think you don’t. If you move a little bit when music comes on in the elevator or if you have a little song you say to yourself that reminds you to never forget your keys…that’s your creative spark.”

Lynnea is also passionate about creativity and fitness spanning generations, cultures, and abilities. She values the sense of community afforded by shared movement.

“I love to be in class with people, or be in a production with people, where there’s all these different ages and sizes and cultures. Things that make you feel like that tapestry is right. We should see each other. We should want to move together for a better community.”

Take a Wellbeats Class with Lynnea

Lynnea loves to motivate and inspire others to reach their health and fitness goals. With over 10 years of experience teaching dance fitness classes, Lynnea is here to help you have fun and feel your best. Wellbeats members are encouraged to take one of Lynnea’s classes now.

About Wellbeats

Based in St. Louis Park, MN, Wellbeats is a leading provider of on-demand virtual fitness, nutrition, and mindfulness classes for use in workplaces of all sizes, health plans, on college or university campuses, multi-family housing, the U.S. military, and fitness and health clubs. Wellbeats makes fitness accessible, affordable, and approachable for everyone. More than 1,000 classes and 30+ programs are available to help members stay on track and meet their goals. To learn more, visit www.wellbeats.com or check out a sampling of the company’s fitness classes during a Facebook Live class, and follow Wellbeats on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.