Maria & Rodney Cruz
Maria and Rodney met while serving in the military and were married in 2001. After being discharged, they relocated to Houston the following year, where they now live with their three wonderful children: Jaron, Jensen, and Ameena. Maria initially worked as a radiation therapist at a major cancer hospital in Houston before earning her Master of Science in Education, specializing in Learning Design and Technology, in 2013. She now works as an independent learning and performance improvement consultant for various companies. Rodney received his degree in respiratory therapy and worked at a pediatric hospital before joining the non-profit organ and tissue donation industry. He currently manages a simulation center at a local organ procurement organization.
In 2014, Rodney was diagnosed with heart disease and was advised to avoid combat sports and heavy lifting. His condition worsened, and in 2015, he underwent open-heart surgery. As a Christmas present, Rodney introduced Maria to ballroom dancing, a low-impact exercise that not only helped with his recovery but also provided a fun way to spend quality time together. To take their dancing to the next level, they needed to improve their posture, core strength, and flexibility, which led Maria to discover Pure Barre in 2016.
Maria quickly saw results, losing 30 pounds and achieving her goal of running a full marathon. Inspired by her transformation, she dreamed of owning a Pure Barre studio to share the sense of community and empowerment she had found. As for Rodney, Pure Barre awakened muscles he didn’t know existed, and he has become a vocal advocate for the technique. He encourages more men to try Pure Barre to target muscles often neglected by traditional workouts.