A DANCE group formed following a fitness instructor’s battle with borderline personality disorder and delayed grief is helping residents combat their mental health struggles.
Decades Reloaded, based in Stanway, Colchester, was founded back in 2019 by fitness instructor and dedicated mental health advocate Lucy Taylor.
The idea for the exercise initiative was inspired by Lucy’s own experiences of feeling lonely and isolated, following the sudden loss of her mum.
She set about creating a supportive space in which she could help lift people’s moods and give them a sense of purpose and belonging.
She leads classes which enhance the psychological benefits of dance, nostalgia, and social connections by taking participants down memory lane.
The soundtracks to the spirit-lifting sessions consist of uplifting and inspiring songs from any decade and any genre.
Lucy said: “Mental health is not a trend or a marketing ploy, it is real people’s lives - people who are struggling and need a hand to pick them up and a hug on a bad day.
“[Decades Reloaded] is a place where they can feel not just listened to but heard and understood.”
After experiencing first-hand how Decades Reloaded has been able to benefit Colchester residents, Lucy has looked to implement her concept further afield.
With a strong emphasis on mental health and building relationships, she created an online training program for other fitness professionals to draw on.
As a result, fitness instructors across the UK, and even as far as Spain, are starting their own classes to improve mental health through dance in their own communities.
“We call each participant and instructor a diamond, as every person is unique and valuable beyond measure in their own way with the ability to shine,” added Lucy,
“The diamonds are the heart of Decades Reloaded, without their continued support, trust and sampling every single routine, there is no Decades Reloaded.
“We, as a team, have been able to share with other communities the incredible benefits and raise much needed awareness of mental health in the fitness industry.”
The group’s ethos has proved so popular, Lucy has created a second program - with the same aims - for younger generations, called Millennial Mashup.
Lucy and her team have also fundraised for a host of charities, such as Mid and North East Essex Mind and Macmillan.
Decades Reloaded’s Diamonds were also named runners-up at this year’s National FitPro Awards, after being finalists in 2021.
Lucy said: “We were finalists among huge global dance fitness brands so to be a runner-up is quite the achievement which I'm extremely proud of.”
To find out more information about Decades Reloaded, to access support or to become an instructor, visit decadesreloadedfitness.com
To sign-up to a class in Colchester head to lucytfitness.com.
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