Every good story includes a turning point. Usually a lemons-to-lemonade type of situation; a change in pace from the norm, turning a negative experience into a positive breakthrough. For Ballet Bodies founder Andie Decker, her turning point came when a surgical procedure to remove her lifelong struggle with scoliosis ended her career as a ballet dancer – one she had build for herself in record time and had taken her to the prestigious New York City Ballet.

While the surgery left her with a full set of permanently fused vertebrae, Andie had over a decade of good fitness and health habits to help her healing process along, get her back to full strength, and begin her new career as a ballet teacher and personal trainer. It was at that point her passion for dance morphed into something deeper: a desire to help women transform their bodies through the dance, Pilates, and fitness training she knew and loved so well. And so Ballet Bodies, now a staple in West Hollywood’s fitness scene (and fave of celebs like Ginnifer Goodwin and the Black Swan herself, Natalie Portman), was born.

We love Ballet Bodies for its all-inclusive approach; no form of exercise is off-limits as long as it keeps you strong, lean, and injury-free. Whether you’re on classic Pilates equipment (reformers or Cadillacs) or utilizing just your body as your prime mode of movement, each class draws its main inspiration from a pro dancer’s impeccable form and graceful lines. Here’s Andie to dish on her secret weapon, her favorite mantra, and what makes her style of sweat so special.