MARY WRIGHT
Mary was born & raised in Sacramento, CA & developed her love of dance & fitness as a child in competitive gymnastics. She received her BS degree in Child Development from UC Davis & went on to receive a teaching credential in elementary education from California State University, Sacramento. Her path took a different turn after college when Mary worked as a nursing home administrator for ten years. Dancing as an adult led her to take class from Pepper Von, & a few years later, Step I was born in 1987. Each day since has been a blessing & has allowed the passion to be shared with so many. She enjoyed teaching jazz & ballet for many years until she adopted her daughter from Ethiopia. Coaching & administration has been her focus ever since. The mission of inclusiveness & “We Are One” is evident every day, & Mary is so grateful to be a part of such a diverse family. She is honored & humbled to share the space with such beautiful families. The goal is to continue the st&ard of excellence in dance & fitness training for another 30 years.
PEPPER VON
Pepper Von is a national & international dance & fitness educator, motivational speaker, published author, & co-owner of Step I Dance & Fitness in Sacramento, CA. Previously a Zumba Education
Specialist, & one of the top educators of dance science for the International Sports Medicine Association. He is a continued education provider for the American Council on Exercise, & the National Academy of Sports Medicine. Pepper is founder of the Hip Hop competition category of the Amateur Athletic Union, creator & CEO of the global fitness format FIERCE FUNk ® Dance Fitness.
Pepper’s stage & screen credits include: featured co-host on the award winning ESPN Fitness Pros; appearances on Extra, MTV, NBC Emmy Awards, Fox’s Say No to Drugs/Kids Reaching Out & the CW; Las Vegas on Stage (Japan), Inner City Games with Arnold Schwarzenegger, National Championship Tour with Gregory Hines, Tops in Blue (World Tour), Arabian in the Sacramento Ballet’s Nutcracker, & featured artist for the San Joaquin Ballet. Pepper also appeared in the Cake music video “No Phone”. Pepper has been recognized for his leadership, mentorship & community volunteerism including the Presidential Sports Award, Attorney General Award of Merit, International Dance & Fitness Association Make Fitness Happen Award, & the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness & Sports Human Rights Award. In addition, Pepper received two Elly Awards for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical for Smokey Joe’s Cafe & Best Choreography of a Musical for “Let’s Go”. He is also a United States National Aerobic Fitness Champion. He has fostered & is a mentor & inspiration for award winning screen actresses Brie Larson, BET superstar Danielle Truitt, the world-renowned Jabbawockeez, & “So You Think You Can Dance” champion Lil-Kida. Beto Perez, the creator of Zumba, recognized Pepper as his mentor & inspiration for starting Zumba. Pepper was previously a member of California State
Senator Darrel Steinberg’s Committee on Juvenile Justice, Youth Violence Prevention & High School Retention. Presently, Pepper is a member of the executive board & dance liaison for Ben Vereen’s “Wellness Through The Arts” organization focusing on mental, physical, & emotional wellness for high school students.