About Us

Maria Ogburn has been teaching aerobics for over 13 years. She started by volunteering as an aerobic instructor at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston on her lunch break. She continued to volunteer teach aerobics in Houston for 8 more years. Then she moved to California with her two small boys and husband where she taught aerobics professionally 8 times per week and earned her ACE certification. While in California she learned all types of step aerobics. She also taught aerobics to young children starting from 3 years old. Then Maria and her family moved back to Texas to Wichita Falls for two years where she taught aerobics on a military training base. After two years in Wichita Falls, the Ogburn family ended up in the little town of Athens, Texas where everybody you meet is someone you know.

Maria has been singing in church choirs and community choruses all her life. Many of the community choirs she sang in made a habit of singing to older people in nursing homes. It has always been a joy for her to sing to older people but she noticed that they really came alive when she interacted with them. That started the wheels turning. When Maria moved to Athens she started teaching a Fit 50's class and became interested in teaching older people how to stay fit. She decided to combine her two great loves in life; singing and teaching exercise and do something good for the community. Hence was born "Sing and Swing" a unique exercise program for Seniors. Maria has been taking this program to several nursing homes, independent living facilities, and introducing it in her Fit 50's class with great results! It's so rewarding to watch those older faces light up when they sing those old familiar tunes. They actually come alive when exercising to the "Sing and Swing" program! Her goal is to share this wonderful program with others around her and improve the quality of living of those "dear heart and gentle people who live in my hometown" and everywhere else too!