Master Class
The Sculpt Society's Megan Roup on the Secret to Stress-Free WorkoutsFitness influencer Megan Roup is the self-proclaimed “queen of the side hustle.” That’s how she first began to teach her now hit dance cardio classes, The Sculpt Society. Trying to make ends meet as a dancer in New York City, the NYU Tisch grad had a stint as a dancer for the Brooklyn Nets and was a longtime fit-model represented by Ford Models. Three years into founding The Sculpt Society, Roup’s side hustle is now her main focus. She’s turned her fast-paced sculpting and cardio classes (and mobile app) into an Instagram-hit (with hundreds of thousands of followers!) and has quickly gained a celebrity and influencer following, including Sofia Richie, and mega-influencer Arielle Charnas.
5 tips for for a fun & stress-free workout
1. Make sure you are having fun: So many people torture themselves with what they think they should be doing, but find something that is fun and feels good on your body.
2. Community: It’s so important that you feel that you aren't alone and have support from a group of people when working out.
3. Accountability: Workouts become stressful when you don’t have accountability. Finding a friend or partner whom you can workout with helps. Or schedule it on your calendar. Or follow a 28-day program. I find that clients who have accountability see the best results.
4. Create your space: I live in a small NYC apartment but I have a dedicated space that I’ve made where I do my workouts and keep my workout gear like dumbbells and sliders. It motivates me every time I see that space.
5. Plan ahead: I like to lay out my workout clothes out at night. It helps me to not overthink in the morning.
2. Community: It’s so important that you feel that you aren't alone and have support from a group of people when working out.
3. Accountability: Workouts become stressful when you don’t have accountability. Finding a friend or partner whom you can workout with helps. Or schedule it on your calendar. Or follow a 28-day program. I find that clients who have accountability see the best results.
4. Create your space: I live in a small NYC apartment but I have a dedicated space that I’ve made where I do my workouts and keep my workout gear like dumbbells and sliders. It motivates me every time I see that space.
5. Plan ahead: I like to lay out my workout clothes out at night. It helps me to not overthink in the morning.
Q&A
How did you get started in dance?
I've always gravitated towards dance. I started doing classical ballet at seven and kept it up throughout high school. It gave me a sense of freedom at a small age and as I got older, movement and dance felt like a form of meditation for me. I would feel aligned and I had a sense of peace and calm.
I've always gravitated towards dance. I started doing classical ballet at seven and kept it up throughout high school. It gave me a sense of freedom at a small age and as I got older, movement and dance felt like a form of meditation for me. I would feel aligned and I had a sense of peace and calm.
How did dance shape your childhood? Are there lessons you learned dancing that you feel have helped you in life?
Ballet is such a discipline, and it involves hard work and dedication. Because of this, I definitely learned what discipline looked like. I also learned what it took to make sacrifices for something I loved. This is something that I apply in my business, and as an entrepreneur.
Also, I was constantly auditioning for parts or teams from a young age. Being told yes or no helped me develop a thick skin. It also taught me the tenacity I needed to go out into the professional world of dance. Being in a room with hundreds of girls vying for one spot can be tough, and you really need to believe in yourself. This is also something that’s helped me in my own business.
Ballet is such a discipline, and it involves hard work and dedication. Because of this, I definitely learned what discipline looked like. I also learned what it took to make sacrifices for something I loved. This is something that I apply in my business, and as an entrepreneur.
Also, I was constantly auditioning for parts or teams from a young age. Being told yes or no helped me develop a thick skin. It also taught me the tenacity I needed to go out into the professional world of dance. Being in a room with hundreds of girls vying for one spot can be tough, and you really need to believe in yourself. This is also something that’s helped me in my own business.
After studying dance, you started dancing for the NBA. What was that experience like?
I went to NYU’s Tisch dance program for college. At Tisch, it was the most uncomfortable three years of my life because it pushed me outside of my comfort zone. After college, I struggled to find my place in the dance world. I love Broadway, but I didn’t have the voice for it. I did a little company and theater work, and then the NBA opportunity came along with the Brooklyn Nets. There is something so fun about being on a team of talented dancers. The team really helped me learn and expand my skills as a hip-hop dancer, and I was able to dance in New York City with some of the best dancers in the country. It was also during the first few seasons at the new Barclays Center so we were dancing with an audience of thousands of people. It was a fun experience but also hard. At the time, I was working three different jobs to make ends meet and live in New York—I was dancing for the Nets, working as a fit model in fashion and teaching dance on the side.
I went to NYU’s Tisch dance program for college. At Tisch, it was the most uncomfortable three years of my life because it pushed me outside of my comfort zone. After college, I struggled to find my place in the dance world. I love Broadway, but I didn’t have the voice for it. I did a little company and theater work, and then the NBA opportunity came along with the Brooklyn Nets. There is something so fun about being on a team of talented dancers. The team really helped me learn and expand my skills as a hip-hop dancer, and I was able to dance in New York City with some of the best dancers in the country. It was also during the first few seasons at the new Barclays Center so we were dancing with an audience of thousands of people. It was a fun experience but also hard. At the time, I was working three different jobs to make ends meet and live in New York—I was dancing for the Nets, working as a fit model in fashion and teaching dance on the side.
When did you start pivoting from professional dancing to teaching fitness classes?
After college, I started teaching at a local dance studio in New York City and it was my first experience in dance-based fitness. I had come to a point in my dance career where it wasn't as fulfilling but teaching dance cardio fitness methods still moved my body and I got to make an impact in people's lives. It was amazing to have a direct impact on women every day. That’s when I first saw a future for myself in creating my own company.
After two years in the NBA and teaching fitness, I was getting burnt out. I was teaching at 6 AM, then was a fit model during the day, then would practice and dance with the Nets team until 11 PM. I got to a place where I was at peace with my professional dance career and was ready to make a switch and devote more time to fitness. So I continued to teach dance cardio and be a fit model at the same time. Even when I eventually founded The Sculpt Society, I continued to be a fit model, and it really alleviated the financial pressures of being on my own, and building a community. Having a side hustle is always my advice to entrepreneurs. For me, that was my work as a fit model.
After college, I started teaching at a local dance studio in New York City and it was my first experience in dance-based fitness. I had come to a point in my dance career where it wasn't as fulfilling but teaching dance cardio fitness methods still moved my body and I got to make an impact in people's lives. It was amazing to have a direct impact on women every day. That’s when I first saw a future for myself in creating my own company.
After two years in the NBA and teaching fitness, I was getting burnt out. I was teaching at 6 AM, then was a fit model during the day, then would practice and dance with the Nets team until 11 PM. I got to a place where I was at peace with my professional dance career and was ready to make a switch and devote more time to fitness. So I continued to teach dance cardio and be a fit model at the same time. Even when I eventually founded The Sculpt Society, I continued to be a fit model, and it really alleviated the financial pressures of being on my own, and building a community. Having a side hustle is always my advice to entrepreneurs. For me, that was my work as a fit model.
When did you decide to start The Sculpt Society and why?
In 2017, I started to feel like there was a hole in the dance-based fitness world. I felt that there was this misconception in fitness that you needed to be working out for many hours in a day and that working out wasn’t fun. I wanted to create a space for women to do a workout that was accessible and fun in under an hour. I also felt like some dance workouts seemed to be muttered towards people with a previous dance experience. I wanted women to feel that dance was accessible no matter how much experience you had. And I wanted to help women feel empowered and strong. I was sick about fitness being about being thin and small instead of strong and confident and I was personally sick of the existing options. So selfishly, I created The Sculpt Society for me. I came to it from an athletic point of view and tried to bring in elements of reformerPilates, which feels good on my body.
In 2017, I started to feel like there was a hole in the dance-based fitness world. I felt that there was this misconception in fitness that you needed to be working out for many hours in a day and that working out wasn’t fun. I wanted to create a space for women to do a workout that was accessible and fun in under an hour. I also felt like some dance workouts seemed to be muttered towards people with a previous dance experience. I wanted women to feel that dance was accessible no matter how much experience you had. And I wanted to help women feel empowered and strong. I was sick about fitness being about being thin and small instead of strong and confident and I was personally sick of the existing options. So selfishly, I created The Sculpt Society for me. I came to it from an athletic point of view and tried to bring in elements of reformerPilates, which feels good on my body.
“So many people torture themselves with what they think they should be doing, but find something that is fun and feels good on your body.”
Shop the Look
Is dance cardio and sculpting for everyone?
I really try to take the intimidation out of dance cardio. But when I launched The Sculpt Society, I was mindful that everyone doesn’t love dance cardio and that's fine. If dance cardio isn't your thing, you can swap this part out with walks, bike ride, or a run. We also have a lot of low-impact sculpting. The way I’ve programmed this workout is to get your heart rate up with low-impact moves and you will be drenched by the end!
I really try to take the intimidation out of dance cardio. But when I launched The Sculpt Society, I was mindful that everyone doesn’t love dance cardio and that's fine. If dance cardio isn't your thing, you can swap this part out with walks, bike ride, or a run. We also have a lot of low-impact sculpting. The way I’ve programmed this workout is to get your heart rate up with low-impact moves and you will be drenched by the end!
How do you stay healthy when it comes to food?
In my early 20s, I struggled a lot with body confidence. I yoyo dieted and binged, and eventually I started to get sick of devoting so much mental space to dieting. I read the book Women Food and God, by Geneen Roth, and it had a big impact on me. I went back to trusting my body and I now try to eat real food and trust my body. I eat well most of the time but if I want to have a burrito, I will have it. I used to vilify myself for eating a banana, but I eat them now. I spent so much wasted time obsessing about food, that when I was able to let that go and trust myself, I achieved a balance.
In my early 20s, I struggled a lot with body confidence. I yoyo dieted and binged, and eventually I started to get sick of devoting so much mental space to dieting. I read the book Women Food and God, by Geneen Roth, and it had a big impact on me. I went back to trusting my body and I now try to eat real food and trust my body. I eat well most of the time but if I want to have a burrito, I will have it. I used to vilify myself for eating a banana, but I eat them now. I spent so much wasted time obsessing about food, that when I was able to let that go and trust myself, I achieved a balance.
What do you do for self-care?
I try to meditate! We have meditations on The Sculpt Society app too. I know meditations can feel super intimidating, so we try to keep them under ten minutes.
I prioritize sleep a lot. I also take epsom salt baths, which are very relaxing.
I try to meditate! We have meditations on The Sculpt Society app too. I know meditations can feel super intimidating, so we try to keep them under ten minutes.
I prioritize sleep a lot. I also take epsom salt baths, which are very relaxing.
When you’ve hit hurdles in building The Sculpt Society, how do you stay positive?
My fiancé is a huge rock for me. Entrepreneurship can feel really lonely, especially since I don’t have a co-founder. I’ve gone through so many emotions, and waves, and I feel lucky that I have someone to lean on and talk to. Also seeing my social media community and the Sculpt Society members every day keeps me positive. I feel a sense of duty to show up for everyone and the second I start to move with community, I feel better.
My fiancé is a huge rock for me. Entrepreneurship can feel really lonely, especially since I don’t have a co-founder. I’ve gone through so many emotions, and waves, and I feel lucky that I have someone to lean on and talk to. Also seeing my social media community and the Sculpt Society members every day keeps me positive. I feel a sense of duty to show up for everyone and the second I start to move with community, I feel better.
How do you use social media to help boost your own business?
When I launched The Sculpt Society, I had no social media following. I felt like I was too late to the game. But my tip is that it’s never too late to build a following. When I first launched my classes, two people would come, and then the next time, a few more. Word of mouth is powerful and it’s so important, especially in a digital business. In the beginning of offering classes, I would DM people, and offer them free classes. I wouldn’t get a ton of responses but one out of ten would, and I would get them in the class. Then they’d tell their friends.
There’s so much power in the community that is following you no matter how many followers you have. Even if you have 500 followers, it’s so important to make sure they feel engaged and that you are putting out content that's relevant and that you are answering them.
When I launched The Sculpt Society, I had no social media following. I felt like I was too late to the game. But my tip is that it’s never too late to build a following. When I first launched my classes, two people would come, and then the next time, a few more. Word of mouth is powerful and it’s so important, especially in a digital business. In the beginning of offering classes, I would DM people, and offer them free classes. I wouldn’t get a ton of responses but one out of ten would, and I would get them in the class. Then they’d tell their friends.
There’s so much power in the community that is following you no matter how many followers you have. Even if you have 500 followers, it’s so important to make sure they feel engaged and that you are putting out content that's relevant and that you are answering them.
Go-to workout gear?
I love so many brands of workout clothing but I always go back to All Access’ Center Stage leggings.
I love so many brands of workout clothing but I always go back to All Access’ Center Stage leggings.
What’s next?
The Sculpt Society has never been about Megan Roup and it will continue to grow outside of me. I’m going to be bringing in other experts. Right now, we have Ameerah Omar and Kelsey Patel leading meditation and Tracy Copeland leading yoga. I may bring in a HIIT trainer as well. I’m also focused on growing the community, and making sure I reach more people. I feel so lucky that I get to communicate with my members, whether it’s in the app, or in comments or via Instagram, I love that I get feedback on what members want more of or less of.
The Sculpt Society has never been about Megan Roup and it will continue to grow outside of me. I’m going to be bringing in other experts. Right now, we have Ameerah Omar and Kelsey Patel leading meditation and Tracy Copeland leading yoga. I may bring in a HIIT trainer as well. I’m also focused on growing the community, and making sure I reach more people. I feel so lucky that I get to communicate with my members, whether it’s in the app, or in comments or via Instagram, I love that I get feedback on what members want more of or less of.
