popn' cherries

Ever had a dream to be a dancer? Ever picture yourself dancing in a Beyonce, Chris Brown, or Bruno Mars music video or as a competitor in Dancing With the Stars? Is dance your cardio and find yourself scouring the Internet looking for your next class? Love an outfit that a dancer beside you is sporting and wondering how you, too, can amp up your own style?

popn’ dance cherries is created simply for people who love to dance. What makes this brand different from the rest is that it’s specifically intended to be the home for dance fitness addicts who share the similar obsession.

After spending countless hours browsing the Internet, I often felt frustrated at the time it took to find dance only related news or updates. Sure, there was Yelp, Classpass, various social media outlets, YouTube, studio email updates, etc. but I found it burdensome to go through all these avenues just to get dance news, updates, and ultimately my dance fix.

popn’ dance cherries focuses on all things dance only. A few highlights of what to expect:

• Dance class, studio, and instructor reviews in the Bay Area and beyond
• Sportswear and activewear fashion
• Nutrition advice for sustained energy throughout class, recovery after class, and good eats outside of class
• Dance events and workshops in the Bay Area and beyond
• Community of dance fitness addicts sharing stories from around the world
• Resource to inspire, instill confidence, embrace individuality, and welcome dance aspirers and inspirers of all levels formed into one community

Who is Kimberly Padua and why follow?

First and foremost, I am NOT a professional dancer. With plenty of talented dancers in the world, I’m certainly far from the cream of the crop. Yet, in this sea of talent, what I share in common is the love, passion, and respect for the art of dance.

popn’ dance cherries was born from that love.

I performed and competed in ballet for years as a kid and was also on my school’s cheerleading squad. After that, dance sort of fell off until college where I studied theory and history of dance and attended multiple hip-hop workshops. Although my passion was in dance, I opted for “safe” and pursued a Marketing degree. For about a decade, dance was almost non-existent, with an occasional pop-up at my local gym’s group fitness classes. Somehow and somewhere down the line, I became too afraid to dance.

It wasn’t until recently in July 2017 that I mustered enough courage to sign up for a dance fitness class in an effort to get back into shape after having a baby. I made it to class, couldn’t follow choreography, and failed miserably. I was my own worst critic. The experience only stunted my desire to dance. But, fortunately I didn’t let that stop me. Despite all my fears, I still found a sense of accomplishment just for showing up to class.

“Just showing up is half the battle.” – Woody Allen

Soon after, I researched the Internet for hours to find a studio that resonated with my style, personality, and a place that would welcome a “beginner”. In August 2017, I signed up for a hip-hop class in San Francisco called uforia studios in Nob Hill. After day one, the road to my dance and fitness obsession began.

Within 5 months I worked up my cardio, attended over 100+ classes and 8 master classes / workshops in different styles and various studios in the Bay Area, studied Nutrition courses, received a Group Fitness Instruction Certification by the American Council on Exercise, and an instructor certificate by The Boss Chick Dance Workout.

I must reiterate that I am NOT a professional dancer. Like you, I am just a lover of a good sweat especially through the art of dance. Perhaps in the future I may entertain it professionally. But for now, my goal is to find and share great dance fitness classes by exploring classes, studios, and instructors throughout the Bay Area and beyond.

popn’ dance cherries is the home for dance fitness addicts and will be the platform for where I share my journey with you, a place where we exchange stories together, and a destination dedicated to getting your ultimate dance fix.