Working it out! Exercise guru Tracy Anderson might be renowned for coining the Tracy Anderson Method — but how much do her followers really know about her?
The Indiana native dreamed of becoming a professional dancer in New York City before she set her sights on wellness and weight loss. She eventually opened gyms in Los Angeles, New York, The Hamptons, the U.K. and Spain, supplementing the in-person fitness opportunities with a DVD collection for at-home training.
After years in the industry, Anderson is still a trendsetter, whose high-profile clients include Gwyneth Paltrow, Victoria Beckham, Tracee Ellis Ross and more.
“I 100 percent believe that the reason I stay relevant is because I did the work,” the entrepreneur told British Vogue in April. “I worked hard for 10 years, and it was the quality of [the Method] that made it miraculous, which is why it made its way into Madonna and Gwyneth’s lives – it was effective and real.”
Anderson wanted to put a different spin on fitness, adding, “It’s all about longevity, and becoming physically balanced and healthy — we want to be living our lives to the fullest and healthiest extent. Before [me], there was nothing in fitness that had any strategy behind it at all, so it was up to me to figure out what that experience should look like. And it was a long, painstaking climb. … I made the commitment that every week, I am going to show up for my clients and deliver a beginner, intermediate and advanced session in a very raw way – it’s the content they need each week to have that conversation with their bodies.”
While she admitted the wellness world isn’t perfect, Anderson is proud of what she’s accomplished. “To get to a place where people really show up for their physical health, a lot of healing usually has to happen,” she told the outlet. “It is your body’s right. Just like sleeping or nourishing it with good food. Moving it is about you connecting with you.”
The fitness pioneer, who recently partnered with Citi to curate the Citi Custom Cash Card Workout Playlist, tells Us her most personal facts — from her love of Star Wars to her most recent movie binge. Scroll down to learn more:
1. I played competitive chess as a child. I especially loved The Queen’s Gambit because I was one of the only girls in the chess club and certainly one of very few at national competitions.
2. I am very picky about my coffee. I pour half a cup of coffee and then fill the rest with oat milk foam. Once the foam is gone, I don’t want the coffee anymore. Anyone who gets me coffee knows the foam must make it home.
3. I am a very big Star Wars fan. One of my three Standard Poodles is named “Mando,” after The Mandalorian.
4. My very first concert was Genesis. My daughter’s very first concert was Harry Styles and she got an actual shout-out from Harry during the show. She wins!
5. I was a very shy child. I still suffer from not using my voice (enough) to stand up for myself and what I believe in — though I’ve definitely come a long way.
6. I am a very safety conscious person. I have those super uncool safety patrol vibes that annoy people until they need snacks, water, magnesium, Benadryl or an EpiPen.
7. I read every single day, and 90 percent of what I read is to further my education in my research.
8. I haven’t had any alcohol (other than wine) since I was 23. My weakness is a glass or two of Domaine Ott Rose.
9. I love green soups and my new favorite one is coming out in the winter issue of Tracy Anderson Magazine.
10. If I could only wear one thing for the rest of my life, it would be Loro Piana cashmere.
11. One of my favorite things to do at home is trying new recipes. I use my Citi Custom Cash Card, which provides me with 5 percent cash back on my top eligible spend category each billing cycle, so I love that I get rewarded for my many trips to the grocery stores to tackle a new dish!
12. I abused the tanning bed until my mid-30s. Today I am crazy about apologizing to my skin. My favorite products are Got Physical Balm and Mando Serum, both by Tracy Anderson, plus The Cure X by Herbal Face Food and The Serum by Augustinus Bader.
13. I am a lip stain junkie and am obsessed with the new Real Beauty Essential Lip Balms in every color. I also love the GOOPGENES Clean Nourishing Lip Balm Trio.
14. I don’t eat any four-legged animals.
15. At the age of 17, I was a cheerleader/dancer in the movie Blue Chips. I have stayed super close with the choreographer that hired me all those years ago, Tony G. He even joined me in my TAVA DVD and again over the pandemic we joined forces to keep everyone dancing.
16. I feel very strongly about human rights and getting to the roots of where systems have failed the very people they are meant to serve. I am a “raise the collective consciousness” kind of person.
17. I was dropped off in New York City with $20.00 dollars in my pocket and a dance scholarship. I had never seen or felt the magnitude of a big city and have come to love Manhattan mostly because if you really put in good, honest work—the city will support you. It is not a city for frauds.
18. I love connecting with people and pop culture but if I could change one thing, it would be for fans not to measure or compare themselves to cultural icons. It’s important to always be YOU.
19. I love bread. I really love warm bread dipped in olive oil and salt.
20. I have two children and they are 14 years apart. Because I became a mother at 23, I have been both a free and fun Mom, and now a wiser and more fun mom.
21. I find the best cleanse is the kind where you work through all the bumps and bruises along your journey and untie the tight knots that cripple. I work hard to bring trusted experts and academics forward for the people I serve. Being open to a great therapist can be deeply healing. It’s so important to invest in the right credible experts for your body and mind.
22. I love Christmas Eve.
23. My mom has owned an amazing dance school for over 50 years (The Dancin’ Place in Noblesville, Indiana) and just completed her 70th Nutcracker performance.
24. I play the piano.
25. I binge watched The Mandalorian, Normal People, The Queen’s Gambit, Ted Lasso (I almost fell over when they gave me a shout-out this season), The Morning Show, and I have already watched Dune three times and Cruella four times.