Z Fit Studios is preparing to close after 11.5 years in the community

Owner and founder Saari Frochot-Chauhan said Friday will be the studios' final day of classes.

Ms Frochot-Chauhan said she is eager for a break after so long at the helm.

"It's been a really long time and has been a lot of fun over last 11-and-a-half years," she said. "Personally, I just felt like it was a time for a change.

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"When I opened the business, I had no idea what was I doing. I just wanted somewhere to do fun, playful movement and felt there was nothing like that in Bendigo.

"We created something new that didn't exist but it is the right time to move on and do something else."

Through Ms Frochot-Chauhan's leadership, Z Fit Studios was always offering new and unique was to dance and keep fit.

"We were the first to bring so many things to Bendigo but it was always about having fun," she said.

"We were one of the first with pole dancing, the first to do aerial classes, the first and only place to to Bunzee as well as things like burlesque. It's been so much fun."

Many of Z Fit's offerings will continue through other businesses taking on staff and students.

The studios' dance classes will be taken on by iDance Bendigo while the pole classes will move to Warrior Fit Pole Studio.

Ms Frochot-Chauhan said she was sorry the circus aspect of Z Fit would not continue.

"The biggest part of this has always community," she said. "I wanted to make sure our community had somewhere to go, that was important for me.

"So I am happy that the dance and pole side of things will continue. Our staff and students have been offered places to go but I am sad about circus. That community has nowhere to go.

"iDance is taking over our dance hub in Hattam Street, so students will have the same home. iDance had been hiring our hub and we formed a relationship with them.

"For pole, Charlie from Warrior Fit was happy to take our staff."

Ms Frochot-Chauhan said she had enjoyed a number of highlights through the years.

Among them was Z Fit being recognised at Bendigo's businesses excellence awards including Ms Frochot-Chauhan winning the Regional Women's Business Award.

"Awards are nice but it is more about the memories," she said. "It was nice reading the comments people left on our Facebook post.

"The studio has affected people of the years. The best way has been giving people personal confidence and a place to have fun and be confident in themselves and their body.

"During COVID , we were able to keep our community alive through online stuff. The day we went into lockdown, we had already begun running online.

"So it has been wonderful to share my ideas and have fun at the studio. I just want to say a big thankyou to everyone come to us over the years."

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