By Hilary Connelly
Every week, devoted dancers crowd a mirrored room of gyrating bodies moving to rhythmic beats.
Leading what is not just a traditional aerobics class, hip-hop instructor ''Money'' allows both males and females to workout, learn the latest dance moves and let loose.
With her unconventional moves, laid back personality and funky break-dancing style, it is no wonder students plan their weekly schedule around her hip-hop class.
'You get such an awesome workout and you don''t even dread it,' said Jen Bigler, 20, a junior from Las Vegas. 'Money adds flavor to Provo. We need her here.'
Bigler has been attending Money''s classes since her freshman year at BYU and brought along her sister Katy for the first time this week.
'I''ve never been to a dance class that''s been so much fun,' said Katy.
Katy, an 18-year-old freshman, said she sweat more the night of her first class than ever before.
'Money works with everyone on every level, she makes it fun for great dancers and even those who can''t dance,' she said.
Money may seem like the typical dancer on paper, but she unique style and appearance is something her students admire.
'I don''t like my real name, Janell Aslett, so I never use it,' Money said. 'There are more people in the world that know me as Money anyway.'
Dancing since age 4, the Orem resident knew early on she loved to dance.
She started out as a tap dancer, but soon realized she was much more into the jazz style.
At age 9, she was asked to dance with a traveling dance company, Center Stage, and traveled to many cities across Utah and Nevada competing.
Money performed at several Stadium of Fire celebrations and learned to love dancing in front of large crowds.
'I never stopped dancing. Everywhere I went I was always thinking about my next moves,' Money said.
Continuing her aspirations, she danced at BYU Hawaii on a dance scholarship where she began to focus on the hip-hop style dancing that the Hawaiian culture embodies.
'Surprise, I do have a bachelor''s degree in organizational communications,' Money said while laughing. 'Not many people would expect that.'
After graduating, she joined a professional hip-hop team that won 1st place in the National Hip-Hop Championships.
'We shocked a lot of people,' Money said. 'We were just a bunch of white kids from Utah. We gained a lot of respect from the dancing community.'
Eventually the competing got to be tiring and Money ventured into choreographing.
That''s when she landed the Gold''s Gym dance instructor position.
'I started as a substitute for a friend''s class,' she said. 'Then word of mouth that a girl does a hip-hop class at Gold''s and the next thing I know, there are 100 people in my class.'
As one of the most popular classes at Gold''s Gym, both men and women flock every Tuesday and Thursday nights to learn her latest dance.
'I''m not intimidated at the 60:6 girl-to-guy ratio,' said Kevin Lambert, 23, a senior majoring in electrical engineering from San Jose, Calif.
Lambert, who is very into hip-hop music, originally starting attending the classes because friends brought him. He has been attending regularly for a year now.
'Money knows what she''s doing,' Lambert said. 'Being able to dance and be around beautiful girls isn''t bad either.'
Money uses a variety of dance moves and includes various forms of martial arts, kickboxing and yoga into her routines.
She said the song is where she gets her inspiration for the original routines each week.
'I just turn on the music and let it flow,' she said. 'If it''s a good beat, I can make up a routine in 15-20 minutes.'
The only problem she has with teaching hip-hip classes, especially to teens, is the dirty lyrics.
'Finding good songs with clean language is one of my biggest challenges as a teacher,' she said. 'One of my most famous dance routines is to a song by Missy Elliot.'
Among her students, the 'Missy dance' is the most requested dance.
'It''s a requirement for the class - you have to know the Missy dance,' said Katie Robbins, 20, a social work major from Marietta, Ga.
'It''s been taught like five times, but everyone still requests it. With her unique style of dancing and choreography, she makes any song awesome,' Robbins said.