WS Chronicle

Precious Quire-McCloud leads the Praize Kraze.

Dozens of local folks “caught the spirit” last week during an exercise session led by Precious Quire-McCloud at the Miller Park Recreation Center.

Precious Quire-McCloud and husband Tre pose with their children (counter-clockwise) Jamison, 3, Courtland, 9, Micah, 4 and Mackenzie, 7.

Her Praize Kraze workouts are designed to battle  the bulge while embracing the Holy Ghost.

For the last 14 years, Quire-McCloud, a well-known local stage actress, has used her upbeat and encouraging attitude to bolster the confidence of other women through her motivational Web site, myUBU.com. Last month, Quire-McCloud, a Zumba instructor and former track and field athlete, combined her love of fitness with her passion for empowering to create her first Praize Kraze session.

Donna Montgomery, CEO of Total Entertainment Inc., was among the more than 80 women who flocked to that initial session. She loved it instantly.

“With Praize Kraze, it’s more contemporary gospel music,” explained the Marion native. “You won’t have as much gyration as you do with Zumba. It’s a little more laid back … the atmosphere was charged with love and energy.”

The workout fuses dance moves with hand-waving and other gesticulations associated with fervent prayer. The moves are set to high energy gospel music.

“We’re going to have a great time tonight,” Quire-McCloud, a married mother of four, told participants at the Aug. 23 Praize Kraze session. “No matter what happened today, we’re going count it all for the glory.”

Prior to the session, participants joined hands for a heartfelt prayer led by Quire-McCloud’s father, Rev. Christian Quire.

“The main reason we are here tonight is to lift up the name of Jesus,” Quire-McCloud said. “…The workout part, we’re going to get that, but I want to see women joyful. If this workout class can facilitate something and they can connect with that, I feel like the mission’s been accomplished.”

Quire-McCloud, an alumna of Appalachian State University, said she was inspired by participants in her weekly traditional Zumba classes, also held at the Miller Park Rec, to start Praize Kraze.

“What’s in you naturally comes out and people see that, so I would have people requesting prayers,” she said. “It’s truly a ministry,”

Tre McCloud, Quire-McCloud’s husband of 14 years, isn’t surprised that Praize Kraze has taken off. He credits his wife’s infectious energy.

“What you see on stage is her 24/7. She’s singing, she’s dancing all the time,” related the AT&T employee. “…That’s the kind of life she always wants to bring to the Praize Kraze classes. Whatever’s burdening the participants, she wants them to leave it at the door.”

McCloud, who is working on a fitness instructor certification so that he can also lead Praize Kraze classes, said workout is just the medicine that many need in times like these.

“We just want to get everybody moving in the Spirit. We want them to feel better after they leave,” he stated. “…We think something like this is what the city needs, what the state needs, what the country needs. Praise delivers, and she was born to do it.”

Winifred “Winnie” Giddings, a professional life coach and Quire-McCloud’s first cousin, had high praise for the workout after experiencing it for the first time last week.

“It’s awesome,” declared Giddings, owner of Perception Matters Coaching. “I like it because it’s freedom to worship and be who you are…That’s the beauty, when everybody can come together – male and female – and celebrate God.”

Giddings, 50, takes Zumba classes several times a week and said her Praize Kraze session was a welcome break from the norm.

Proceeds from the classes, which cost $5 per person, will be designated for different charities as time goes on, Quire-McCloud said. She is already accepting offers to bring the program to churches and other organizations, and hopes to begin training other instructors soon.

“The vision that I see is it has to be bigger than me,” commented the 39 year-old. “I want to keep uniting people.”

The next session of Praize Kraze will be held at Miller Park Recreation Center on Thursday, Sept. 27 at 6 p.m. For more information, visit  HYPERLINK “http://www.praizekraze.com” www.praizekraze.com call 336-251-7626 or find Praize Kraze on Facebook.