Lee Ann Jolly, Ph.D., NASM CPT
Head Fitness Geek, Creative Director
I am the dreamer, imagination, and science side of Jolly Bodies. I design your workouts and am responsible for the glitter, confetti, and sparkles. Will there be a disco ball in your next JB class? Snow? Coaches dressed in full costume? Go ahead and blame that on me. If you need me, I’ll be found teaching a class, creating JB content in the JB lab, or at the studio setting up some sort of twinkletastic Jolly-scape for your senses to enjoy.
Meet the Jollys
Burke Jolly
COO, Head Jolly Spreader
I am the love, connector, and culture side of Jolly Bodies. I make the fun. I am responsible for the unadulterated joy. Will you be greeted at 5 A.M. by me in an inflatable tube man outfit? Likely. If you need me, I’ll be found running around at Jolly Bodies 24/7. I’m at the front desk to greet you first thing in the morning, inside the studios waiting to pop off about your excellent squats, and ready to make your day better. That’s my favorite.
How it All Started
Meet Lee Ann
A lifelong worker-outer, Lee Ann became certified in group exercise way back in 2005. She spent the next decade in school getting her Ph.D. in molecular physiology with the goal of bringing more education to the fitness world.
It became apparent to her early on that fitness was one of the only health-related industries that lacks any sort of oversight, making it easy for misinformation to spread. Lee Ann wanted to design workouts and share her knowledge while simultaneously creating a community where no one ever felt shame about their body.
Meet Burke
A lifelong people person, Burke spent his early years working in non-profit and retail, where he discovered a passion for listening to people's stories and a hidden talent for remembering people's names.
This combined with work in a camp counselor role means that Burke has spent his career garnering good vibes and good times, making people feel welcome wherever they are.
Lee Ann Meets Burke
We met in 2011 and Lee Ann knew immediately that she must marry Burke in order to use his last name for her future fitness empire. Just kidding. But we DID get married in 2014, for other reasons.
We made an oath to ourselves that if we ever got the opportunity to work together, we’d take it. We were both teaching fitness classes outside of our 9-5 jobs, and we realized that the fitness industry in general was missing some important ingredients that the two of us valued, namely:
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Fun
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Innovation
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Advanced Knowledge
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Inclusion & Acceptance
So in 2016, we established Jolly Bodies as a Facebook support group for anyone seeking education in community in their fitness journey.
It grew.
The JB Lab Was Born
In 2020, we quit our 9-5s and took on Jolly Bodies full time, offering in-person and online training from our 550-square-foot garage, affectionately known as the JB Lab.
It grew.
For three years, we welcomed y’all into our home and hearts, watched as you pet our dogs and sweated to the oldies in parking lots and at the JB Lab, all while we plotted our next big step.
And Then the Stars Aligned
After years of building a business out of our house, we signed the lease on 10,000 square feet of Jolly. We spent months designing our dream fitness studio. A place where people could experience the magic of group training in a space that looked like joy threw up inside it.
And on January 1, 2024, we opened our doors to you.
Oh, and hey, guess what?
It grew.
By the end of our first year, we'd added a third 1,000-square-foot studio space, created a new class format that focuses on building muscle, doubled our coaching staff, and greeted hundreds of you with a smile when you walked through our front doors.
Are we finished growing? Definitely not.
But we're so excited that you're here to grow with us.
Our Story
We founded Jolly Bodies for the sole purpose of throwing rootin’ tootin’, shame-free workout parties that never compromise on effectiveness.
Your First Five Classes Are Free
Yeah, you read that right. Try five of our exclusively designed classes, on us. No contracts, no deposits, nothing weird. We just really think you’ll love it here.
