22-year-old Kaysville woman with Down syndrome becomes certified fitness instructor

KAYSVILLE — If there's one thing that Aubry Alldredge can't get enough of, it's friends. And these days, the 22-year-old from Kaysville is collecting more and more friends as a certified UpBeat Barre instructor, who recently became the first individual with Down syndrome to become certified.

For the past several years, Alldredge has been attending classes at VASA Fitness in Kaysville, ranging from Zumba, to dance, HIGH Fitness, UpBeat Pilates, SilverSneakers and her favorite: UpBeat Barre, which blends cardio, strength training, Pilates and yoga.

"I want to help everyone feel good, and I love to wear a mic, and I love showing options," Alldredge told KSL.

For Alldredge, showing options is more than having a variety of exercises and routines; it's also about showing people of all abilities what's possible.

In fact, just last week, Alldredge taught her first class to over 60 people, and she said that she hopes to be able to teach more classes.

"I had such a fun time," she said. "I love to be on stage. I love exercise. I loved to wear my mic and say every cue, and I love to meet with people and collecting friends. I want to help everyone feel included."

UpBeat Barre instructor and co-owner Jane Johnson has been working with Alldredge over the years and said that she has long noticed her need to be up on stage and teaching others.

"Aubry has come to our classes for years, and even sometimes she'll turn around and teach the class because she knows the choreography really well," Johnson said. "She has an incredible brain. Aubry can learn choreography so fast, and she retains it. She also knows all the lyrics to the songs, so she can sing along with the best of them.

"She has a purely great skill set as an instructor — plus her stage presence is incredible, and she makes everyone feel seen."

Alldredge recently posted a video on Instagram of her instructing a class, and she can be seen moving throughout the room giving high-fives and motivating others, which is what she says is her favorite part.

"I love to be with people, and there was a full crowd!" she said.

Johnson said that they are working hard to get Alldredge to be an official instructor at the gym in Kaysville, which she said will go right in line with UpBeat Barre's goals.

"Finding ways to be inclusive has been one of our missions," Johnson said. "We were just delighted when Aubry wanted to be an instructor because she holds those values."

When asked what has helped her in her journey to become a fitness instructor, Alldredge was quick to reiterate her love of exercising and "collecting friends," adding that she also loves walking her dogs. She also told KSL she wrote a book that combines all those things.

"I wrote a children's book called 'I Have a Six Pack,'" she said.

Her mom, Cindy Alldredge, further explained that this book, which Aubry Alldredge wrote alongside her sisters, is a play on words, talking about her six dogs and the many she has rescued over the years.

"They wanted to create something that would help create positivity for the Down syndrome community, but also for dogs," Cindy Alldredge said. "So, we wrote this book together about all the things that Aubry does with her dogs. We thought if people would see a girl with Down syndrome doing all these things with six dogs, maybe they can adopt one dog."

Aubry Alldredge smiled as she talked about the many things she loves to do and share with those around her. And Johnson, who sat with her during the interview, couldn't help but smile, too.

"Aubry is a light, and she brings so much joy to so many people," Johnson said. "I think it shows that she can work hard to do anything, and I think it shows other people that they can work hard to do anything they set their minds to as well."

Related topics