Meet Mahri Relin | Founder, Body Conceptions by Mahri
We had the good fortune of connecting with Mahri Relin and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I have actually talked about this journey before on Shoutout Colorado, and I am always excited to share my experience with Body Conceptions. For those who may not know us, we are a dance-based fitness company devoted to supporting women through significant life transitions like fertility, pregnancy, postpartum, and perimenopause. You don’t have to be a dancer at all or even coordinated to do it. We use dance principles within our method, and music is the core of the experience!
I am proud that we continue to be so comprehensive in our understanding of the structural and hormonal issues associated with pregnancy, fertility, and perimenopause, and I also love the depth of our practitioner network here in Denver and New York City. Since the last time we shared our company with you, we have delved even deeper into the world of aging and have expanded our client base in this demographic. Women are finding that the approach to fitness that they took when they were younger stops working for them as they head towards menopause. We have an understanding of the ways you can support your body to achieve strength, find relief from anxiety, prevent injury, and still have fun exercising during this time.
I am starting a masters program in counseling this year, which is exciting! I have noticed that these life change for women come with profound shifts in identity. As women, we have such complicated connections with our bodies, and the changes we experience when we have babies and when we age can be both confusing and unsettling. On the other hand, these transitions have the potential to become profound opportunities for meaning and growth, and I hope to explore this experience in a therapeutic setting. I am a true believer in the mind-body connection, so the chance to service both sides within the business feels like an enormous privilege.
In terms of challenges, the pandemic was our biggest challenge for the business, and it affected us in ways that made sense but were surprising. We were lucky that the majority of our clients chose to continue to train virtually, so we were busy at the height of the lockdown. The challenge came with many of the moves that our clients made out of NYC. While many of them continued to train virtually for some time because they didn’t want to lose us, there was a sizable group that moved and ultimately wanted to resume exercising in person. These changes required adjustment, but the net gain was that the use of zoom became such a valuable and central tool for our business. Now so many of our clients can train with us at any time, including while they’re on vacation!
If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Wow, there are so many choices. I love to take walks, so my first instinct would be to take my friend to some of my favorite, most walkable parts of Denver. We would go to Sloan’s Lake followed by a movie at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, topped off by a night of adventure at Meow Wolf. We would spend a day walking along the Platte River in Commons Park and then head over to LoHi to try some of my favorite restaurants, including Linger and El Five. Of course, we would need to top off the evening at Little Man Ice Cream. I love little gems, so we might start one of our mornings with brunch and live music at Mercury Cafe and maybe go back that night for a poetry slam or swing dance lessons. Another destination would probably have to include RiNo, one of the coolest places to walk around with all of its murals, shops, and street food. It has so much vibrance and artistic energy! I live in Lowry right now, and there are so many beautiful walks and peaceful neighborhood with gorgeous houses around here. We might ride bikes along the Highline and head towards Cherry Creek for an afternoon of shopping and grabbing a bite at True Food Kitchen or Hillstone. Once we made our way back, we could head over to Lowry Beer garden followed by Rocket Ice Cream. (Notice a theme?) We might also take a quick trip to Stanley Marketplace, which has lots of cute stores and cafes.
So many places to see! I love Denver, but I would probably encourage my friend to get out of the city as well. Red Rocks is a must-see, whether that means taking early-morning yoga in the summer or a concert at night. We might also head out to Indian Hot Springs for a spa day. And we definitely can’t miss a day in the mountains. Right now, I’m a big fan of Steamboat Springs!
Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I have had so many sources of inspiration and support throughout my career, and it’s so hard to choose only one! What I think I should acknowledge here is the influence of my family. In many ways, I took a big departure from my family background by choosing to become a dancer many years ago. We have visual and musical artists across our family tree, but I am one of the only performing artists. What was predominant across our family, though, was a concern for the welfare and human rights of others. My immediate family includes several teachers and psychologists, and I remember having deep concern for others from a very early age. I know that this concern led to my interest in helping women in my business. It also attuned me to the emotional well-being of these women as they experienced such big changes in their physical and emotional lives. As I mentioned earlier, I have decided to get my master in counseling, which I hope will help me support women in even broader ways. I feel like this has put me back into a realm that was very familiar growing up, and I credit my family for giving me the motivation to seek this direction at this point in my life and career.
Website: https://bodyconceptions.com/
Instagram: @bodyconceptions
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mahri-relin-336b678/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BodyConceptions/
Other: Our On Demand: www.bodyconceptions.intelivideo.com Our platform has signature workouts of many different lengths, plus specialized workouts for pregnancy and postpartum. The first week is free!
Image Credits
Corey Rives Chelsea Chorpenning
Nominate Someone: ShoutoutColorado is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
