INSTRUCTORS

Ruthie is the owner and an instructor for The Balance Culture. She majored in Social Work at Southeastern University where she played 4 years of collegiate volleyball. She was a gymnast for 12 years before starting her volleyball career. Ruthie has been passionate about fitness and nutrition her whole life. Her dream has been to create a place where women are encouraged and empowered to be their best selves through fitness, nutrition, and community. She sees The Balance Culture as the kind of positive place where women can work to achieve their goals together! Ruthie is certified through the Athletics Fitness Association of America (AFAA) as a Group Fitness instructor and Mat Pilates instructor, she is a certified Spin instructor though Mad Dogg Athletics and a barre instructor certified through Barre Intensity, she is also a 200 hour RYT.

During a class with Ruthie you can expect to be challenged to push yourself while having fun, her classes are advanced but with modifications offered throughout. She loves her husband and two boys and anything they do together! She loves living in Lakeland and seeing our city grow and thrive!

Stephanie is the Director of Operations and Instructor for The Balance Culture. She majored in Business Management and earned her MBA from Southeastern University. Stephanie is certified through the Athletics Fitness Association of America (AFAA) as a Group Fitness instructor and teaches barre, beginner barre, cardio barre, kickboxing, stretching and barrelates. Her background is in dance which includes tap, jazz, ballet, and hip-hop. She has toured, competed, and performed with studios and companies in New York and Florida.

Stephanie’s favorite part about being an instructor is empowering people with “normal schedules” to live extraordinary lives through health and wellness. During Stephanie’s classes she will incorporate the moves of dance, the posture of pilates and the low impact nature of yoga and stretch. Her classes will improve your endurance, strengthen your lower body and bring enjoyment to the workout at any age or fitness level.

Three of her favorite things include: vacuum lines, organization, and traveling!

Kayla is an instructor at The Balance Culture. She graduated from Southeastern University with a degree in Marketing and is currently working as a marketing coordinator at the Winter Haven Hospital. Kayla is certified through the Athletics Fitness Association of America (AFAA) and is an avid gym goer! This northern girl has been involved in group fitness from a young age playing basketball, soccer, and softball.

As a health and fitness enthusiast, Kayla enjoys working with women to help transform themselves bringing their fitness game to another level. Fitness should be fun not boring which is why she likes to create varied yet challenging work out routines.

You will most likely find Kayla shopping, reading, and enjoying a venti coffee.

Faith is an instructor at The Balance Culture. She has a Bachelors in Exercise Science and Masters in Kinesiology from Southeastern University, and currently works as a personal trainer and health coach. She has always wanted to be a group fitness instructor and have the opportunity to encourage ladies through their workouts. Being an instructor at BC allows her to do just that.  She is certified through Barre Intensity.
As a former competitive gymnast, health and fitness has always been a huge aspect of Faith’s life. She values the discipline of working out and living a healthy lifestyle. Like many women, working out became an outlet for Faith. She enjoys pushing her body in her workouts and fueling her body with clean nutrition. She loves helping other women challenge their fitness journey and reminding them that working out should be fun and exciting!

While in one of Faith’s classes, you’ll experience cues for technique, proper form, and modifications for all levels. You’ll be challenged, encouraged, and motivated throughout the entire class.

This Lakeland girl was also an SEU Cheerleader and loves her city. When she’s not at the studio, she’s likely sipping iced coffee, shopping with her family or at the beach.

Annalee is an instructor at The Balance Culture. She is a half-Filipina who grew up in Japan, proudly claiming the title of a “military brat.”  She graduated with an undergrad in journalism and public relations and a masters in business administration. She currently serves at Southeastern University as the Campus Communications Coordinator. Annalee primarily teaches yoga classes at The Balance Culture, and began practicing yoga as a teenager as a way to deal with stress and anxiety. Throughout the years she has integrated these practices into her daily routine. She is certified through the Athletics Fitness Association of America (AFAA) as a Group Fitness instructor.

While practicing yoga with Annalee, you can expect to feel good. She intends for you to be challenged through a simple and fluid approach to yoga.

Annalee loves getting lost in books, aimlessly exploring art museums, writing, and traveling the world with her husband.

Alyssa is an instructor at The Balance Culture.  She graduated from Southeastern University with a degree in Psychology and is currently completing her Master’s in Business Administration. She is certified through AFAA (the Athletic Fitness Association of America) and has always loved being active and involved in group sports (especially volleyball) and fitness classes.

Alyssa has been a part of The Balance Culture since day one. It’s her favorite place to workout because The Balance Culture is more than just a gym or another fitness studio – it is a place for women to come together in a healthy and fun environment to be encouraged and challenged together in our fitness journeys.

In Alyssa’s classes, you can expect an atmosphere of encouragement, energy, and fun while completing a challenging workout that will push you to reach your personal goals and fitness growth.  Barre provides a well-rounded and full body workout that will move at a steady pace throughout the class but also allows for modifications so you can catch your breath or push yourself further.  Alyssa loves seeing people meet their goals and feel healthy through fitness; exercise plays such an important part in our mental, emotional, and physical health, and Alyssa loves being able to help people make space for their health by exercising together.

A few of Alyssa’s favorite things are the beach, matcha, and traveling!

Britney Powell is an instructor for The Balance Culture. She majored in Geomatics (Surveying and Mapping) at the University of Florida. Before transferring to UF, she played collegiate softball and volleyball. Her love for fitness started at an early age when she started playing softball at the age of 5. Her true passion for helping others with their fitness and nutrition really took off after she graduated college. She is passionate about empowering others on their unique fitness journey, unleashing their inner strength, building confidence, and helping you be the best you. Britney is certified through Mad Dogg Athletics and Barre Intensity. She is also currently getting her certification in personal training.

In Britney’s classes, you can expect an upbeat, encouraging, high-energy class where you can get lost in the beat. She encourages you to push past what you think is possible and leave feeling accomplished and empowered to conquer your goals in the studio and in life. 

Three of her favorite things include spending time with her family, being on or near the water, and football season!

Erika is an instructor at the Balance Culture. She has her M.S. in speech-language pathology from the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill. She works as a speech-language pathologist with children, teens, and young adults with disabilities. Erika completed a 200-hr yoga teacher training at Heart of Yoga studio in North Carolina in 2013. She teaches yoga at the Balance Culture. She also has a background playing soccer and basketball.

Erika loves sharing the practice of yoga with everyone who takes her class. You can expect to be encouraged to listen to your own body, to be offered several variations of poses, and to be reminded to follow your breath in a class with Erika. Her goal is for you to find that balance between effort and ease, and to help you develop your own practice.

Three of her favorite things include: yoga (of course), watching soccer, and traveling.

Serena is an Instructor for The Balance Culture. She was raised in Palm Harbor, Florida and moved to Lakeland in 2012 to attend Florida Southern College. She majored in Communications and earned her bachelor’s degree from FSC in 2016. She now works full-time as an underwriter for Auto-Owners Insurance Company. She played soccer growing up but didn’t find her true love for fitness until after graduating from college when she got a membership at The Balance Culture.

Joining The Balance Culture was one of the best decisions Serena has made. She found her passion for group fitness after attending classes for over two years. Through support from fellow instructors, took the leap to became an instructor herself! Serena is Spin certified through Mad Dogg Athletics. As an instructor, Serena’s favorite part is seeing each woman’s satisfaction and happiness after finishing a workout. She enjoys seeing women interacting with one another before and after a workout and loves becoming friends with the women in her classes as well. Serena has fun finding new motivating songs to ride through class. Any fitness level is welcome!

Besides working out, Serena loves traveling (specifically to Greece where her family is from), her rescue dog Keia and Black & Brew lattes.

Grace is an instructor at Balance Culture, student at University of South Florida, server, and nanny. Grace is currently working on a bachelors degree in social work, with hopes to also obtain a masters degree in social work, and to go on to become a licensed clinical talk therapist.

Before working out at BC, Grace had a difficult time keeping up a consistent and effective fitness routine. She remembers how hard it was to get through those first few classes, and never would have dreamed that she would one day become a fitness instructor. Three years later, after a lot of hard work and endless encouragement from the BC team, Grace got her Barre Intensity certification and is now teaching Barrelates.

You can expect a lot of encouragement as well as modifications throughout Grace’s classes, because she wants everyone to know that if she make it through a workout, so can you.

Grace enjoys practicing mindfulness, anything to do with personality psychology, and being with her family and friends.