VERO BEACH — JoyFit — A Movement Studio owner Crystal Divers spent years teaching U.S. history by day and group fitness by night, but it was a personal loss that pushed her to open her own studio in Vero Beach.
Divers, a former social studies teacher at Indian River Charter High School, said she has been a group fitness instructor for 10 years. During her last three years teaching, she also taught an aerobics class at the school, then continued leading fitness classes evenings and Saturdays.
She began as a Jazzercise instructor and later earned additional certifications in strength training, barre and Shine Dance Fitness.
Divers said she had considered opening a studio since 2019. The catalyst came after the death of her son, Jack, nearly two years ago.
“He wanted me to open a studio, and he was going to open a bar right next door,” she said.
After Jack’s death, Divers took a year off from teaching and focused on group fitness. During that time, she decided to move forward with her studio plan.
She began looking for space in January and signed a lease in May. Finding the right location in Vero Beach was difficult, she said, because of limited commercial space, prices and the need for ample parking. She ultimately chose a former arcade space in a plaza near U.S. 1 and Old Dixie Highway.
Divers renovated the studio, updating bathrooms, replacing ceiling tiles, painting, removing bars from windows and installing mirrors.
JoyFit offers a mix of dance and strength-based classes. Two of its featured formats, Shine Dance Fitness and Uplift Strength Fitness, are licensed programs with choreography purchased from Shine Fitness in Boise, Idaho. Instructors complete training to become licensed to teach those classes. The studio also offers barre, mat Pilates and yoga. There is something for everyone.
Divers said JoyFit is designed to be welcoming and intentionally fun.
After her son’s death, she attended a Shine class in South Carolina and said she briefly felt genuine joy while dancing. That experience shaped her goal for the studio: a place where people can move in ways that work for them and feel better, even for an hour.
The studio has also hosts special events, including a Friday night “Shine After Dark” class in September that drew nearly 40 participants.
Divers said JoyFit supports the community by donating space for the Sugar Bloom Foundation’s “Moving Forward Series,” a free monthly class series, and for Vero Beach Moms, a nonprofit group.
She said the studio has about 120 members on memberships and about 30 on class passes. Her goal is to reach 200 members by the end of the year.
To reach JoyFit, call (772) 269-5563 or visit at 833 8th St, Vero Beach.
