REVELATIONS: Wukkout! Brings Carnival Joy To Fitness
Revelations: From Carnival To Cardio — How Krista Martins Turned Soca Into A Life-Changing Workout
Krista Martins is bringing the spirit of carnival to fitness—fusing her passion for dance with high-energy workouts, set to the rhythms of soca. With Wukkout!®, she found a way to channel the spirit of carnival into a dance fitness experience—inspiring joy, connection, and better health.
Raised in a Guyanese household, Martins grew up immersed in the sounds of soca, the energy of basement parties, and the excitement of carnival festivities.
“Growing up, I always knew I wanted to be a dancer, but I was afraid to say it,” she said. Dance was always her passion—she trained in everything from ballet to hip-hop—but soca is her heartbeat. “I love soca more than anything, I love carnival more than anything.”
“I have a constant running to-do list in my brain at all times. Being on the road at carnival is the only time I am completely out of my head,” she said. “I always knew I wanted to find a way to bottle up that mental freedom and share it with people.”
That vision became Wukkout!, a heart-pumping dance party workout powered by soca beats. Martins came full circle, channeling her passion into a dynamic business. The idea came to life one day when she suggested starting a soca class at the dance studio where she taught. “I had been toying with this idea of playing with soca, and the studio owner was like, great! I had never taught a soca class,” she laughed. “That was kind of how Wukkout! was born.”
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Six months in, she began to see the true potential of what she had started. “I realized, wait a minute, I have a business here.”
Celebrating 12 years this summer, community has been at the heart of Wukkout! from the very beginning. “I think what makes Wukkout! special is the community. We’re a big family,” said Martins.
Wukkout! classes pop up all over New York City—from Manhattan to Coney Island, with people traveling from the Bronx, New Jersey, and beyond to join in. Wherever they’re at, the energy is the same. “It’s like a family reunion. Everyone knows that they can come to Wukkout! and be exactly who they are.”
More than just a fun workout, the program has made a real impact on people’s lives.
“There were a few moments where I realized that Wukkout! was making a difference—people coming up to me after class saying, ‘My mother passed away recently and I came to your class because she played soca music in the house … And now it’s making me not only feel closer to her, it’s helping me grieve.’”
For others, Wukkout! has been life-changing for their health. “Some older women in my class who had out-of-control blood pressure—six months, a year, after taking the class, they’re coming up to me and saying, ‘Krista, my doctor took me off the blood pressure medication. They told me to keep going to these classes.’”
One client even survived two strokes, with her doctor crediting the strength of her heart to the workouts. “So when I hear things like that, that’s how I know we’re making a difference,” said Martins.
Stories like these fuel her purpose. “If I can leave a legacy of bringing people joy in a world that’s very difficult to find joy in, I’ll be okay with that.”
Watch the full REVELATIONS interview with Krista Martins above.
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