A FITNESS teacher who takes classes in Abergavenny has won the South Wales FitSteps Award for Regional Instructor of the Year 2023.

Sophie Stevens, 29, received the award at a glittering ceremony at the Blackpool Tower Ballroom with FitSteps Team instructor and Strictly professional dancer Ian Waite, plus fellow leaders and class members.

It is also FitSteps’ 10th anniversary year, so the occasion was all the more special to Sophie, as she is going into her 10th year of teaching these classes having started out as a 20-year-old.

FitSteps launched in 2013 and has over 2,000 instructors across the UK and Europe.

The exercise routine is a mix of the graceful steps of the Ballroom and Up Tempo Latin Steps, which creates an all over body workout that can burn up to 700 calories.

Strictly professionals Ian and Natalie Lowe created the dance fitness programme alongside Olympic swimmer Mark Foster.

Sophie started her own business at the age of 20 years, with her first ever classes being FitSteps at Bridges Centre, Monmouth.

A few members from her first ever class are still participating in Sophie’s FitSteps classes now and some supported her at the event in Blackpool just before Christmas.

And with Sophie celebrating 10 years of FitSteps classes herself next year too, so it was celebrations all round.

Sophie offers classes at various venues during the week including Bridges Centre, Monmouth on Mondays, Abergavenny Community Centre on Tuesdays, Llanfoist Village Hall on Wednesdays and Kymin View Primary School in Wyesham, Monmouth, on Thursdays.

Over the 10 years of Sophie running her weekly classes she has arranged for both Ian and Natalie to hold workshops in Monmouth for her members and others, arranged workshop outings to Birmingham and trips to the theatre to support Ian and his professional shows.

Sophie’s mum, Amanda, who attended the awards night, said: “We are so proud of Sophie with her dedication, professionalism, kindness, she’s an all round fabulous instructor who is loved by all her members.

“It was fantastic to be part of the Blackpool Tower Ballroom experience where along with Ian Waite special guest Pasha Kovalev (Russian professional Latin & Ballroom dancer who also was a Strictly Come Dancing Winner) handing out the awards.”