Part of the job of a fitness instructor could be described as being a motivator, a constant voice of support and enthusiasm in getting the client to accomplish his or her goals.

For Lacey Wiemuth, a fitness and Zumba instructor at the Niles-Buchanan YMCA, a twist of fate was the result of her clients serving as a motivator to her.

Wiemuth is the newest resident business owner in downtown Niles with Lace Dance and Fitness Studio, located on the upper level of 226 Main Street.

There, the fitness enthusiast is taking her love of dance and personal fitness to the next level, offering a variety of classes for all ages.

The move, she said “really was supported by my Zumba and my fitness classes, my student body. My participants really motivated me to go bigger.

“They’re want inspired me to take it to the next level, I guess,” she said.

Wiemuth has been busy teaching Zumba and other forms of fitness at the YMCA as well as at the ICE Athletic Center in Mishawaka, Southwestern Michigan College in Dowagiac, First United Methodist Church in Mishawaka and Back to Basics in Cassopolis.

As she pondered the idea of opening her own fitness studio she said, “I thought why not open a studio where I’m from?”

While she will continue to teach at the YMCA, Wiemuth said she hopes to bring in students from her other locations to Niles for classes.

“Obviously, my primary focus is my studio,” she said of her busy schedule coupled with a new venture. “I have a full schedule, every day of the week I offer classes and I have fitness and dance.”

The popular Zumba class is “pretty much my primary fitness class that I hold and my specialty,” she said.

Athletic all through high school, Wiemuth said she played every sport and then following graduation got into dance which led her to Zumba, which she describes as a Latin dance aerobics. She’s a certified Zumba instructor and has been trained in group fitness and personal training.

In opening up Lace, Wiemuth said she kept focus on her goal “to give the community a place to go to feel comfortable and feel inspired and want to exercise. I always want to give people a fun workout rather than just a workout.”

Going into business for herself has been “kind of transformation” from her beginnings in fitness, she said.

Going back to when she first discovered Zumba, Wiemuth said she “really had a strong passion for putting all of that together,” with the aspects of athletics and fitness.

“Now it’s just all come together for me and it’s just a perfect fit for what I’m doing,” she said.

In addition to her regularly scheduled classes, Wiemuth said she offers personal and private dance lessons for adults or kids, as well as cheerleading and tumbling lessons.

Her new space on Main Street was once home to a ballet studio.

“The space was perfect for what I had going on,” she said. “It was definitely, a kind of fate.”

Wiemuth started renovating the space in November and opened officially on Jan. 17. An open house a few days prior to her opening brought in approximately 45 people, she said and she’s been seeing an increase in the number of clients every day.

“It’s still a work in progress,” she said of the studio.

Along with her lessons and classes, Wiemuth will be hosting specialized events at the studio including the upcoming Ladies in Lace event on Saturday, Feb. 5, 2011 from 6 to 7 p.m. The event will include light refreshments and a chance to learn a few dances. The cost is $7 at the door to attend and several Niles businesses have contributed discounts and coupons for attendees.

For more information about Lace Dance and Fitness Studio, to see class times or contact Wiemuth, visit the studio’s Facebook page.