Our Philosophy
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At Marie's Fitness & Massage Center our goal is to help you get a better quality of life through a consistent fitness program along with healing and massage therapy. We offer a unique blend of teaching and healing techniques.

Our licensed massage therapists and other certified healing staff provide personalized treatment for clients in a relaxing and professional environment.  It is our belief that healing the body promotes a sense of well being that filters into every aspect of life.

Our fitness staff is trained to keep classes new and exciting each week so they continue to be enjoyable and challenging.  Marie’s Center concentrates on proper form to make sure you are exercising safely and getting the most out of your efforts. We provide one-on-one attention in a group setting.

We hope to make you feel like you can learn how to get fit and not feel inadequate. We strive to make you feel comfortable with your level of fitness, no matter what that may be. We are all in the same boat; trying to get fit or to stay fit and we believe you can have fun at the same time. Exercising provides a positive outlet for the mind, body, and soul.

At Marie’s Fitness and Massage Center experience relaxation, healing, balance, strength, flexibility, laughter, body awareness, and fun.

Meet Our Team

Marie

Owner / Fitness, Yoga, & Dance Instructor /
Massage Therapist / Usui Reiki Master

Marie is a Licensed Massage Therapist, graduating from Bancroft School of Massage Therapy in 1990. She is AAAI/ISMA Certified Fitness Instructor along with Tai Chi, Yoga, Chair Yoga, Personal Trainer, and Belly Dance Instructor.  She is a certified Hypnotherapist (2010), Angel Light Messenger, and Reiki Master. She was Voted Best Massage Therapist for the 2016 Norwich Magazine Best of Northeastern Connecticut and in 2017 she was the Winner of AAAI/ISMA’s New England Trainer of the Year. She has been a finalist for both Best Personal Trainer and Best Massage Therapist in the Bulletin’s Reader’s Choice Awards Northeast CT in 2018, 2019, and 2020. Marie provides variety and fun in all of her fitness classes. She loves utilizing different fitness equipment in her classes such as Bosus, Steps, Bands, Tubing, Body Bars, Weights, Flex Bars, Gliding Discs and Foam Rollers to name a few. While massaging,  Marie provides a healing touch to each individual clients specific needs. She also enjoys working with Sound Healing, Intuitive Work, and Hypnossage. When Marie isn’t at the Center she can be found kayaking, painting, indoor skydiving, skiing, building puzzles, and spending time with her grandchildren and family.

Ramona

 Fitness & Dance Instructor
Ramona brings years of experience in dance, gymnastics, and swimming to Marie’s Center as well as being Balletone Certified and personally trained by Marie Dumaine. She specializes in ballet and is our office organizing expert.  Ramona is always lending a helpful hand! She enjoys mountain biking, water activities, and hosting parties.

Nicole

Media Manger / Fitness & Dance Instructor
Nickey has experience in Tap, Contemporary, Jazz, Hip Hop, Modern, Lyrical, and Belly Dance. She was voted Third Place: Best Dance Instructor for 2018 & 2019 as well as a finalist for 2020 & 2021 The Bulletin’s Reader’s Choice Awards Northeast CT. Always having a smile on her face, Nickey’s passion for dance is infectious. She loves encouraging her students and teaching students of all levels. She enjoys photography, coloring, building puzzles, and spending time with family and friends.

Melissa

Massage Therapist
Melissa is a Licensed Massage Therapist, practicing since 2005. She is certified in Cranio Sacral I, Myofascial I, and USUI Reiki II. Missy is a graduate from Connecticut Center for Massage Therapy in Groton. She specializes in John Barnes Myofascial Technique* and creates a massage specific for the client using multiple modalities and techniques. Missy is a Navy Veteran and is drawn to crystals and antiques. 

Katherine

Foot Reflexologist / Yoga Instructor
Katherine is a Certified Professional Reflexologist, Certified Integrative Yoga Therapy Instructor, Fire Elements Yoga Instructor, Divine Sleep® Yoga Nidra Instructor, Restorative Yoga Instructor and Usui Reiki Master. She specializes in calming the nervous system and making her clients feel relaxed. She has worked with cancer patients at Hartford Hospital. Katherine has never felt more accepted, just as she is, than at Marie’s Center. She enjoys spending time with nature, especially while hiking, traveling, and hanging out with her golden doodle Cooper.

Zane

Dance Instructor
Zane is professionally trained in Ballroom dance and has years of experience in other genres including Jazz, Tap, and Contemporary. He teaches Ballroom group and private lessons as well as co-teaching Contemporary and Tap dance. He loves choreographing wedding dances for all levels of experience. His hobbies outside of dance include LEGO building, outdoor adventures with his family, and amusing his three cats & pup at home.  

Mary

Yoga Instructor
Mary  is a 500 hour Prana flow certified yoga teacher with additional certifications in Trauma Informed yoga,  Prenatal and Adaptive yoga. Mary’s yoga journey began 20 years ago as a physical practice to gain more flexibility and physical well being and was surprised to find the emotional well being she gained, discovering new ways of responding to life and the happiness of learning to live in the present moment. Noticing how life began changing off the mat,  Mary became a life long learner of yoga. Over the last 20 years of practicing and teaching yoga she has attended trainings workshops conferences and yoga retreats to deepen her practice. Mary has also assisted with multiple yoga teacher trainings.

Karen

Artist / Art Instructor
Karen has been teaching art lessons for over twenty years. She encourages her students to put emotion and feeling into their paintings.  It is always a joy to learn from Karen! Having taken over thirty-five years of art lessons herself, she is a wealth of knowledge. Her paintings are in homes from the East Coast to the West Coast. Karen has won several awards at various art shows throughout the years. She uses pastels, acrylic oils, and dabbles in watercolor. Her favorite subjects to paint are animal portraits. When she isn’t painting, you can find her sewing, camping, and spending time family.

Chris

Fitness Instructor
Chris has been teaching fitness and chair yoga classes for many years. She has since “retired” from being our receptionist at Marie’s Center, but is always around to lend a helping hand.  Her determination and Can-Do attitude makes any room she walks into a little brighter. Chris enjoys spending time at the flea market, being with her family, and gardening.

Jet

Financial Consultant
Jet is a Certified Public Accountant with a local practice. Before obtaining her degree and certificate, she spent twenty-five years in business management. Besides Belly Dancing, her favorite thing about Marie’s Center is that, when she walks through the door, she is able to take a deep breath and release all of her outside stressors. Marie’s Center truly sparks joy. Jet enjoys painting and taking care of her horses.

Suzan

Reiki Master / Energy Healer, Spiritual Intuitive
Suzan is an USUI-trained Reiki Master, Energy Healer and Spiritual Intuitive. She has been certified and initiated as a Master Teacher of Magnified Healing® 1st Phase, and a certified practitioner of the 3rd Phase, called 'Light' Healing. She has also been actively studying Spirituality for many years, with her latest area of development being the enhancement of her psychic/mediumship skills, and channeling of spirit. Suzan enjoys the 'Start Me Up' classes, here at Marie's Center, and biking in the woods while attending Observed Trials (motorcycle) events. It also brings her great joy spending time with friends, family, and especially her 'granddogs'!

Ashley

Massage Therapist
Ashley is a Connecticut licensed massage therapist, a graduate of Connecticut Center for Massage Therapy. Ashley enjoys giving a medium pressured massage so her clients can get both relaxation and relief. Ashley is excited to have joined Marie's Center to grow as a therapist and be the best she can for clients. In her spare time she loves crafting and spending time with family.

Sue

Fitness Instructor
Sue recently retired from over 25 years working in the non-profit sector. Her purpose in life has been to serve, to care for, and to help others. Integrating exercise and healthy eating into her lifestyle and helping at Marie’s has given her the platform to share that knowledge and has been the perfect way to transition from one career into another. She has been training with Marie and has challenged herself to continue to learn more each day. When not spending time with her family, Sue enjoys time outdoors in her garden, reading and participating in classes at Marie’s.

Testimonials

"Classes at Marie's Center are always fun!" - Ellen D.
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"There are three things that keep my fibromyalgia under control: exercise, yoga and massage. I can get them all at Marie's Center!"-Diane V.

"Even though you are in a class, Marie still gives you personal instructions to improve the quality of your workout. Great workouts that are lots of fun and whith wonderful people!"- Mary S

"Marie is the coach I always dreamed of : inspiring, motivational, and FUN, FUN, FUN!"- Nory O.
 
"Working out at Marie's Fitness & Massage Center improves self - esteem. It shows in how one carries oneself-one's posture and confidence. Chair Yoga, Strength Training, Cardio have helped enormously to improve my balance, strength (I have defined biceps), and range of motion. It keeps me moving and reduces pain in joints afflicted with rheumatiod arthritis. I do things now that I haven't done in 15 years. Marie's is not a gym, it is a studio. Marie is aware of individual needs, aches, injuries and modifies accordingly. It is a personal experience and offers a level of security for the balance challenged." - Clair
“Marie has helped me such a great deal since I started taking exercise classes with her 5 years ago. She has made my life a lot more interesting and enjoyable. I have more confidence and look forward to exercising because she makes is fun! She has helped me strength train my body and now I do not need to sit on a chair during the cardio part of her exercise class. What a difference!” – Alice 

“I have been seeing Melissa Johnson for several months now for bodywork. Each time I go for an appointment, Missy uses her knowledge of her skill as well as intuitive knowledge to decide what is best for my body. Some massages are gentle, incorporating reiki, other times my body calls for deep tissue massages. Many times, I have myofascial work and it has proven to be very effective in the healing of my various types of ailments (sore shoulder, biceps, and arthritis in my hands, wrist, and feet). Recently, I had myofascial work done on my hip area, abdomen, shoulder, shoulder blade, and spine area. During the treatment, I could feel work being done to the areas. Sometimes it was gentle pain, or twitching, or feeling of energy going through the area. The night after treatment I was sore in those areas but the next morning I worked out at the gym and did a series of yoga stretches which greatly assisted in my soreness. Even though it may seem that the myofascial work is a gentle touch, a push – a pull, it is doing the job of healing those areas. This treatment, in my own experience, needs to be done on a regular basis or complete healing cannot occur. I appreciate Missy’s experience and professionalism in all areas of bodywork” – Paula B.

"I see Missy every 3 weeks. I’ve heard “must be nice” from a few people thinking I’m having a super relaxing “spa” time and although sometimes that is true, a lot of the time it is much deeper than that. Missy has been working with me for years now, so we’ve surpassed the surface stuff and go in to the nitty gritty. I trust her with my body and soul. We go for deep emotional tissue mixed in with the traditional stuff. Bodywork isn’t always rainbows and unicorns. It’s coming face to face with what you emotionally store in your physical body. It’s allowing and trusting someone to help you dig through it, pressure point it, move through it, liberate it, let it flow. Each movement is like your body confessing what it wishes it could speak to be released. It could feel as gentle as stone moving in a riverbed or as intense as dam breaking. The dam came crashing down today. It was something. My heart chakra was vibrating and the song playing had very familiar ambient sounds and I truly felt like my Pops and my Bro visited me together. They knew I needed it. So much unspoken/I got it/all good/I’m fine stress right now, so much held back and held in. So much compounded grief that wedges itself in the nooks and crannies. Wooooooosh. Break it down to rebuild. I left feeling lighter, a layer of healing revealed, massive gratitude, progress. Hey you. You don’t always have to be the strong one. You don’t have to wear RESILIENT as a badge you didn’t ask for. You don’t have to face it (whatever it is) alone. Do you feel it in your body? In your heart?Let it go. Thank you, Melissa." - Jen B.

“Marie's Center gives one-on-one training while in a group setting. Marie and her instructors notice everything and help modified moves if they are too difficult or too easy on the body. Marie is knowledgeable on her anatomy and always incorporates mini lectures in her exercises classes so I’m always learning something new. Classes are never boring. When I’m in class I feel happy and it doesn’t feel like a chore. Marie & her instructors' enthusiasm for health and fitness is contagious and makes me keep wanting to move”–Janet B.
The 2020 Bulletin's Best of Eastern Connecticut

Marie's Fitness and Massage Center LLC:
Winner - Best Yoga Studio
Finalist - Best Fitness Center
Finalist- Best Dance Studio
Finalist - Best Massage Therapists

Marie Dumaine:
Finalist - Best Personal Trainer

Nicole Radant (Nickey):
Finalist - Best Dance Instructor
The 2019 Bulletin's Reader's Choice Awards Northeast, CT

Marie's Fitness and Massage Center LLC:
Second Place - Best Fitness Center
Third Place - Best Yoga Studio
Third Place - Best Dance Studio
Second Place – Best Spa

Marie Dumaine:
Third Place - Best Massage Therapist
Second Place - Best Personal Trainer

Nicole Radant (Nickey):
Third Place - Best Dance Instructor
The 2018 The Bulletin's Reader's Choice Awards Northeast, CT

Marie's Fitness and Massage Center LLC:
Second Place - Best Fitness Center
Third Place - Best Yoga Studio
Third Place - Best Dance Studio

MarieDumaine:
Second Place - Best Massage Therapist
Third Place - Best Personal Trainer

Nicole Radant (Nickey):
Third Place - Best Dance Instructor
Best Fitness Center for 
The Bulletin's Southeastern Reader's Choice Awards 2018