Jazzercise News Releases

First-Ever Active Aging Week Kicks Off Nationwide

Program Will Highlight the Importance of Physical Activity for Older Adults

(CARLSBAD, CALIF. - September 2, 2003) - Jazzercise, the world's leading dance-fitness program, and the International Council on Active Aging (ICAA) have joined forces to launch the first-ever Active Aging Week Sept. 29 to Oct. 5, 2003. In celebration of this national health observance designed to boost awareness of the importance of physical activity for older adults, fitness and wellness facilities across the United States will team up with local Jazzercise instructors to offer free Simply•Lite fitness classes, a light version of the original Jazzercise program. Each class will be open to the public, and participating locations will include Washington, DC, Phoenix, Palm Desert, Calif., Miami, Chicago, Denver, Iowa City, Henderson, Nev., Dallas and New York.

Many of the free fitness classes held during Active Aging Week will be hosted on or around October 1 to coincide with "The International Day of the Older Adult" - a 13-year World Health Organization initiative to promote the importance of keeping the ever-increasing number of aging adults worldwide both healthy and productive.

"Jazzercise is thrilled about launching Active Aging Week with the ICAA," says Jazzercise founder and CEO, Judi Sheppard Missett. "Age is only a number, and we want to encourage people to get active or stay active so that they can maintain a quality lifestyle throughout the years."

"Active Aging Week and our partnership with Jazzercise have been created to help get those over the age of 50 moving." Says Colin Milner, CEO, ICAA. "Together, along with the participation of a multitude of facilities across the country, we can all take the first step to a healthier future."

The ICAA is the only organization in North America dedicated to changing the way we age by uniting and working with professionals in the retirement, assisted living, fitness, rehabilitation and wellness fields. It connects a community of like-minded professionals who share the goals of changing society's perceptions of aging and improving the quality of life for aging baby boomers and older adults within the six dimensions of wellness. The council supports these professionals with education, information, resources, and tools, so they can achieve optimal success with this growing market. To learn more about the ICAA, call 866-335-9777 or visit the ICAA web site at www.icaa.cc

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Jazzercise, created by Judi Sheppard Missett, is the world's leading dance-fitness program with more than 6,800 instructors teaching 30,000 classes weekly in the U.S. and around the globe. Since 1969, millions of people of all ages and fitness levels have reaped the benefits of this comprehensive program, designed to enhance cardiovascular endurance, strength, and flexibility. For more information, go to jazzercise.com or call (800)FIT-IS-IT.