From Britney to Pitbull, UAlbany Students Put a Themed Spin on Fitness at The Well

Two women in white button down shirts, biker shorts, bald caps, sunglasses and fake mustaches smile for a picture

UAlbany group fitness instructors embrace the Pitbull look, sporting bald caps and facial hair for a themed indoor cycling class at The Well. (Photo provided)

By Sia Patel, Class of '26

ALBANY, N.Y. (Nov. 10, 2026) — Forget everything you thought you knew about fitness class. At The Well, students aren't just sweating, they're spinning to Britney Spears, wearing bald caps for Pitbull, and glowing in the dark for Pilates.

Welcome to the new era of group exercise at UAlbany, where themed pop-up classes are turning fitness into the hottest ticket on campus.

A young woman in a crop top and bike shorts smiles next to an exercise bike — UAlbany senior Julia Larry has fun leading themed group exercise classes at The Well. (Photo provided)

Magic starts from the simplest ideas and Makayla Ferguson, assistant director for Group Exercise, Programs & Membership for Recreation & Wellness at UAlbany, inspires her trainee instructors to think big.

"We have this big meeting at the start of the semester and Makayla really encourages us, if we have an idea of something we think would be really fun and creative, bring it to her," said Julia Larry, a UAlbany senior and student supervisor for Group Exercise. "And then we're able to add an extra pop-up class onto our schedule."

For indoor cycling, picking a theme can be as easy as picking an artist to gravitate toward, Larry explained. "The Britney Spears class, we thought that's just kind of fun to do around Halloween."

But the creativity doesn't stop at the playlist. For a Pitbull-themed ride, Larry and her co-instructor wore bald caps in the rapper’s likeness. For a High School Musical-themed class? "My friend and I are thinking about red tracksuits," she laughed.

These pop-up classes are filling up fast. With 28 bikes in the indoor cycling studio and a 50-person capacity in the group exercise studio, themed rides regularly hit maximum capacity.

"People like when there's a theme," Larry said. "It's new, it's exciting."

But beyond the fun costumes and killer playlists, group exercise offers something deeper: community.

"When you go to a group exercise class, it's not just you working out by yourself," she said. "It's working out with a group toward one common goal of wanting to get a good, effective, fun workout in."

Young men and women exercise on bikes — UAlbany opened The Well at Colonial Quad in August 2024. The fitness center includes a cycling studio, multiple fitness rooms, a dance/yoga studio and wellness suite. (Photo by Patrick Dodson)

Larry, who started at UAlbany as a math major before switching to communication, discovered group fitness almost by accident.

"I saw a QR code — do you want to be an instructor? I was like, I think I could do that. I love talking in front of people."

She fell in love with teaching, earned her group fitness certification from the American Council on Exercise, and now helps train new instructors. In addition to pursuing an MBA after graduation, her ultimate goal is to one day open her own studio.

The pop-up classes are always changing, and upcoming themes include an EDM indoor cycling class on Dec. 4. Instructor availability is a key factor as many are students managing internships, academics and jobs while being eager to teach.

For students intimidated by fitness, Larry has simple advice: just show up.

"You don't have to do any of the planning," she said. "There's a lot of different levels in a class — people who are just starting out, people who've gone to a few classes and people who go religiously. But you're all working toward one thing."

"No one's judging each other,” she added. “You're all just there, working out, having fun.”

So grab your friends, channel your inner Britney and check out The Well's Group Exercise schedule. Your next favorite workout — and maybe your new favorite community — is waiting.