6-3-2020

For over a decade, the world has known her as one half of the sister duo behind the cult-favorite fashion brand DANNIJO. And while choosing a particular career path can be life-defining, Danielle Snyder is proving you don’t have to choose at all.

After teasing the idea on Instagram throughout the past two years, in April Snyder launched BOXERINA, a fitness concept that combines elements of the boxing and pilates workouts she’s come to love with the grace of ballet she’s long admired. It’s all about moving the body in a way that’s fun, and the result is a feel-good workout that actually delivers. Need proof? Snyder’s IG-famous abs are the ultimate endorsement.

Though she’s hosting them on social media (sensing a need from others for ways to move while at home in quarantine), Snyder’s classes are not to be confused with the requisite at-home influencer workouts you might be seeing in your feed. What sets BOXERINA apart is its inherent thoughtfulness. A former athlete (she pole vaulted), Snyder collaborates with choreographers, trainers and ballerinas to create each sequence. She curates the soundtrack for every workout because she knows how motivating great music can be. And she dresses up to teach with such an enthusiasm for fashion it’s impossible not to be inspired. It’s all an effort to create the kind of 360, community-oriented experience she’d want to walk into.

For Synder, launching BOXERINA hasn’t meant leaving DANNIJO behind. Rather, it’s become a way to cater to both sides of herself in tandem. And somehow, by expanding her professional plate, she’s found that ever-elusive sense of balance, one aptly captured in BOXERINA’s logo, the yin-yang.

Read on to discover the secret to building a successful business, how BOXERINA was born and more.

You are one of the most fit people I know!  Can you share a little bit about your wellness routine? Is this something that was always an aspect of your life?

Yes, my mom is a mental health counselor and my dad is a heart doctor so I grew up with a sense of wellness and fitness. I was a pole vaulter in high school and ran track and played volleyball so I’ve always loved sports and movement.

In terms of my routine, I try to do something every day even if it’s a 20 minute BOXERINA workout from home. I’m a big believer in boosting endorphins through movement. Nutrition is a big part of the equation as well as staying hydrated throughout the day. I don’t believe in dieting or cutting anything out completely—everything in moderation as my grandmother would say.

You are also the founder of BOXERINA . Can you tell us a little bit about what that is and how this came about?

It’s a feel-good, ballet-meets-boxing-inspired movement. I had tried so many different types of workouts and classes in New York City and I couldn’t find the right mix of cardio, toning and zen I was looking for in a workout— so I created it. I pulled elements from my favorite workouts—pilates, ballet and boxing—to create BOXERINA. It’s so much more than a workout though…it’s a movement, a community, a meditative flow and a way of being.

With BOXERINA, you can get a workout and also get mental clarity AND practice gracefulness at the same time. It‘s all the things that I, as a die-hard New Yorker,  felt like I needed to bring into my day and my life.

You’ve had your fashion brand, DANNIJO, for over ten years now. Congrats! Tell us a little bit about why you think you’ve been able to maintain such a successful business for so long.

The secret to longevity is storytelling and creating a personality. For DANNIJO we really have built a community that has evolved with us as individuals.

You’re now expanding into your second career venture.  Any tips for budding entrepreneurs looking to change careers and start something new?

Follow your passions. It sounds so trite but the road of entrepreneurship is long and can be very intense and you’re going to need an abundance of inspiration and stamina. The surest way to maintain that is to make sure you’re pursuing something you believe in. And always start with a story. People want to know the how’s and why’s of any business. And most importantly people want to understand what makes you tick — they should see that passion in your product.

You recently got married and are juggling your life between San Francisco and New York City. What helps you maintain balance when moving around so much?

No matter how busy life gets you always need to take time for yourself, whether it’s meditating or doing some sort of workout which for me is BOXERINA. I can do it on the go and come back to those constants that center me no matter where I am or what time it is. I find that doing the BOXERINA Body Sculpt Flow calms me and helps me find my inner grace when I’m stressed or on edge.

Which is your favorite Vertly product?

I love the face serum. My skin has never looked dewier!