madonnalicious

Hard Candy Fitness opening in Chile

Hard Candy Fitness is opening a new centre in Santiago, Chile in April. This is the first in South America and the third on the world.

Thanks to Krishna

Second Hard Candy Fitness Center Now Open in Moscow

Madonna in partnership with her manager Guy Oseary and Mark Mastrov, Chairman of New Evolution Ventures (NeV), announced their second Hard Candy Fitness Center in Moscow is now open for workouts. The beautifully designed, four-floor, 35,000 square foot facility near the Red Square, plans to host Madonna for a visit in 2012. The Hard Candy Fitness Center in Russia is operated by Irina Razumova, founder of the well known Russian chain Planet Fitness. The opening of this latest facility follows the one-year anniversary of the Hard Candy Fitness Center in Mexico City.
Hard Candy Fitness Moscow has state of the art equipment, an exclusive curriculum along with Mind Body Studio including the Great Wall, a Bike Studio, a Juice Bar/Cafe, lavish locker rooms and a 25 meter-long pool. Members will have the very best in innovative fitness programming including traditional classes, the newest trends in Yoga and original classes designed specifically for Hard Candy Fitness.
The design and programming of the Hard Candy Fitness Centers are inspired by Madonna's vision and commitment to fitness. Members will experience this first hand with signature Addicted to Sweat classes, featuring movements exclusively designed by the pop icon and her dance team. The Addicted to Sweat Cardio Dance and Jaw Breaker classes were inspired by the same choreography and toning exercises used in Madonna's personal fitness regime.
The facility contains more than 100 pieces of strength equipment / free weights with the best functional training accessories from Precor, Hoist, Free Motion, Concept and TRX suspension training. Hard Candy Fitness team members will sport the latest adidas by Stella McCartney and Porsche Designs attire from Winter 2011-2012 adidas collection.
The Hard Candy Fitness brand launched its continued expansion with a third location set to open for workouts in St. Petersburg, Russia early spring next year. Hard Candy Fitness will also make its mark on new territory, heading to Toronto, Canada in 2012. NeV's Mastrov and partners, along with Madonna and Guy Oseary are also exploring options of building additional Hard Candy locations in Italy, United Kingdom, Canada, France, Australia, Argentina, and Brazil, for facilities that will offer a unique member experience.
For membership information, visit the newest Hard Candy Fitness at B. Kislovskiy per 9, Moscow Russia 125009 or call +7 495 933 71 00.

From CNW Via Yahoo! News

Madonna to open third Hard Candy Fitness Center in St. Petersburg

Madonna’s third Hard Candy Fitness Center in St. Petersburg, Russia, a beautifully designed 52,000 square foot space in the center of the city is projected to open in mid-2011, it was confirmed today by Mark Mastrov, Chairman of New Evolution Ventures (NeV). The announcement of this latest facility follows the recent opening of the Mexico City Hard Candy Fitness and confirmation of plans for a Hard Candy Fitness Center in Moscow.
The St. Petersburg location holds special meaning for Madonna. 'St Petersburg, Russia was one of the most magical nights on my ‘Sticky & Sweet’ Tour and I’m thrilled that we’ve found the perfect location and ideal environment there for the next Hard Candy Fitness,' commented Madonna.
Both the Moscow and St. Petersburg location will be in partnership with Irina Razumova, founder of the well-known Russian chain Planet Fitness. 'We are honored to collaborate with Madonna and her team in designing and developing a beautiful facility like no other in the world,' stated Razumova.
NeV’s Mastrov, his partner Jim Rowley, along with Madonna and Guy Oseary are also exploring options of building additional Hard Candy locations in Italy, United Kingdom, Canada, France, Australia, Argentina, and Brazil, for facilities that will offer a unique member experience. Hard Candy Fitness Centers will include state of the art equipment, exclusive curriculum along with Mind Body Studio, The Great Wall, Sculpting, barre3, a Bike Studio, Capoeira, the newest trends in Yoga, a Juice Bar/Café and lavish locker rooms.
'The early success of the first Hard Candy Fitness Center in Mexico City - where Madonna taught a dance class to members at the opening - has inspired us all to create similar facilities and seek out local partnerships around the globe which embody Madonna’s workout philosophy. St. Petersburg and other locations of Hard Candy Fitness will be a place where members will enjoy their workout experience in a beautiful environment in each city,' commented Mastrov.
Due to tremendous interest and the many inquiries NeV has received from all over the world about Hard Candy Fitness Centers, fans have been asked to voice their choice for the next location by going to www.madonna.com/hardcandyfitness and vote on the interactive map for your dream location.

From Madonna.com

Madonna to open luxury gym for Moscow elite

Queen of pop and health guru Madonna will open a gym early next year near Red Square for Moscow's designer-clad elite, who spend exorbitant sums on a fitness frenzy that has gripped the capital.
The state-of-the-art gym, to open in mid-March, will be the second of Madonna's 'Hard Candy Fitness' gyms. The 52-year-old launched the brand in Mexico City last month.
'I know that we will create the ideal workout environment in Moscow,' the American singer said in a statement.
The spacious 35,000 square feet (3,250 square meter) gym is a partnership between Madonna, the U.S.-based private equity firm New Evolution Ventures (NeV) and Irina Razumova, founder of Russian luxury gym chain Planet Fitness.
Western-style gyms have mushroomed across Russia in recent years, with Moscow memberships costing as much as $25,000 a year. Demand for designer gym clothes has soared.
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, a judo black belt, has said fitness is vital for his nation, where male life expectancy is just 59.
NeV is eyeing 10 more Hard Candy gyms in Brazil, Argentina, Europe and Asia, the statement said.

From Reuters Via Yahoo! News

Madonna To Open Second Hard Candy Fitness Center In Moscow

Madonna in partnership with her manager Guy Oseary and Mark Mastrov, Chairman of New Evolution Ventures (NeV), announced the opening of the second Hard Candy Fitness Center in Moscow which is projected to open in mid-March 2011.
The new facility will be a beautifully designed and unique 35,000 square foot space located near Red Square. Moscow’s Hard Candy Fitness will also include a partnership with Irina Razumova, founder of the well know Russian chain Planet Fitness. The news of the Moscow location comes on the heels of a successful grand opening for the brand’s premiere location last week in Mexico City, which featured a special dance class taught by Madonna.
'It’s especially exciting to have the second Hard Candy Fitness open in Moscow as I really enjoyed the city and the people when I visited during my ‘Sticky & Sweet Tour.’ Working in collaboration with the experts at NeV and Irina, I know that we will create the ideal workout environment in Moscow that represents my health and fitness philosophy as well as include innovative and inspiring programs,' commented Madonna.
Mastrov, his partner Jim Rowley of NeV, along with Madonna and Oseary are in the planning stages of opening 10 additional Hard Candy locations in Russia, Brazil, Argentina, Europe and Asia. They are currently exploring opportunities around the globe for facilities that will offer a unique member experience in all aspects including curriculum, environment and fashion.
Throughout her career, Madonna has been devoted to fitness and well being. Having worked out in hundreds of gyms around the world, she developed a strong vision on what the ideal exercise, dance and workout environment should look like. The vision took shape during an initial meeting between Mark Mastrov, the innovator behind some of the World’s best known Fitness Brands and Guy Oseary early in 2008.
Mastrov has built a fitness empire of over 1100 clubs in over 20 countries. 'Our goal is to create an environment around the world inspired by Madonna's vision and high standards. Hard Candy Fitness Centers will be a reflection of Madonna's point of view and will reveal her input on every detail including music, design and class curriculum. Madonna's touch will be everywhere,' stated Mastrov.
The Moscow Hard Candy Fitness Center along with others in the planning stages will include proprietary Hard Candy Fitness programming inspired by Madonna and her dance team, a Bike Studio as well as a Mind Body Studio, featuring The Great Wall, where members can practice BarWorks, Sculpting, Capoeira and the newest trends in Yoga. It will also house a healthy alternative Juice Bar/Café and lavish locker rooms.
Members will benefit from state of the art cardiovascular equipment with personal viewing screens, more than 60 pieces of strength equipment/free weights and the best group fitness, functional training accessories using brands including Precor, Marpo Kinetics, Hoist, Free Motion, StarTrac and TRX suspension training. 'We are so excited and honored to be able to open the Hard Candy Fitness brand here in Moscow. Madonna has been an inspiration for us all and we can’t wait to bring this beautiful facility to life,' said Irina Razumova, partner with Hard Candy Fitness and NeV.

From Madonna.com

Madonna's new Mexico City gym gets OK to open

Mexican authorities have given Madonna's fitness club the green light to open after saying the gym was in danger of being shut down because it lacked several permits.
Authorities in the Miguel Hidalgo district, where the gym is located, said Wednesday that the legal representatives of the singer's Hard Candy Fitness had presented all the missing documents and the gym is free to begin operating.
Earlier Wednesday, Demetrio Sodi, Miguel Hidalgo's chief, had said the posh new gym lacked a security plan, a certificate showing it has parking and a land use permit. Sodi said he granted a special permit for the gym's opening ceremony Monday night even though it 'didn't have any permits.'
Madonna attended the ribbon-cutting and taught a dance class for 20 hand-picked gym members with music by Paul Oakenfold, the DJ who opened her last tour.
Madonna said in a statement last week that she wanted to use Mexico City 'as a place to fine-tune our brand and then expand it to other countries and, in the long term, develop a global brand that includes the United States.'
Membership at the gym costs about $159 a month. It costs $827 to join and that includes the first two months.
Sodi, a longtime political figure in Mexico, is the uncle of Latin Grammy winner Thalia.

From AP / Yahoo! Finance

Mexican Press: More on Hard Candy Fitness - Part 2

Fellow fansite www.madonnamexico.com have shared even more scans from Mexican newspapers about the Hard Candy Fitness launch party that took place last week. Click on the articles to enlarge.

Mexican Press: More on Hard Candy Fitness - Part 1

Here are more scans from the Mexican press about Madonna's launch of the Hard Candy Fitness centre in Mexico City - click on the images to enlarge.

Thanks to Franco at www.madonnamexico.com

Madonna's gym could be shut down by Mexico authorities

Local TV reports have revealed the queen of pop forgot to apply for a land permit before opening the facility and has a deadline of today (Friday) to do so.
Demetrio Sodi, the Chief of the Miguel Hidalgo Municipality where the gym is located, has warned Madonna, 'If they don’t have a land use permit, they will not be able to operate.'
The singer also needs to present a certificate to show that the gym has parking facilities.
Madge opened the gym this week with a dance class. Punters have already paid £500 in joining fees for their memberships.
The 52-year-old singer told members when the gym opened: 'If any of you have seen my shows, you know I don’t skimp on them and the same is true for the gym. We spend what it takes to make a globally first-class gym.'
'Our plan is to use Mexico as a place to fine-tune our brand and then expand it,' she added.

From Metro.co.uk - thanks to Russell

Video: Madonna works out at Hard Candy Fitness

Here is some video footage from Mexican TV of Madonna leading a class on the launch night of Hard Candy Fitness.

Thanks to Roby

Video: Hard Candy Fitness Launch

Sky News have broadcast this video clip of Madonna being interviewed on the red carpet at the launch party for Hard Candy Fitness in Mexico City last night.

Thanks to Ritchard

Press Pictures: Hard Candy Fitness Launch Party

Here are some pictures released to the press from the red carpet ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Hard Candy Fitness launch party that took place last night.

Pictures from AP / Reuters Via Yahoo! News

Madonna turns hand to fitness with gym launch

She writes children's books and makes wine, dons a spandex leotard like no one else and has sold millions of albums around the world. Now she wants you to have a toned body.
Madonna launched her new brand of 'Hard Candy Fitness' gyms in Mexico City on Monday, opening a huge, 30,000-square-foot (2,787-square-meter) compound where Mexico's rich and the beautiful can go through dance classes and fitness routines inspired by the singer's routines.
So why choose a sprawling metropolis of some 20 million people, struggling with crime, pollution and endless traffic jams to kick off an international sports venture that may eventually include gyms in Russia, Brazil and Argentina?
'I have a history with Mexico,' Madonna, wearing a black and white-striped dress with boots, told Reuters.
'I have a connection that I have always felt anyways because of my love and interest in Frida Kahlo,' she added, referring to one of Mexico's best-known 20th century painters.
Hundreds of screaming fans, from boys wearing 'Mexicans do it better' T-shirts to drag queens in leg warmers, lined up outside the gym in a fruitless effort to get a glimpse of the singer, who arrived tightly protected by security.
Guests at the launch included the capital's mayor, Marcelo Ebrard, and Carlos Slim Domit, the son of the world's richest man, Carlos Slim.
Inside the new gym, Madonna taught a short dance lesson to a handful of lucky gym members handpicked by her staff to join her on the dance floor for a few minutes.
She said she is getting ready for another busy year in 2011 that will include a new movie and an album that would follow on the steps of her highly successful 'Hard Candy' studio album.
Asked whether she would pursue new collaborations as she did with stars such as Justin Timberlake, she said only that she is working with fellow artists.
On the home front, the mother of four kept open the possibility of expanding her brood.
'Who knows?' she said.

From Reuters Via Yahoo! News

Hard Candy Fitness: Advertising Trucks

madonnalicious reader materialboy75 filmed this video clip of three trucks driving in convoy advertising Madonna's Hard Candy Fitness in Mexico City.

Hard Candy Fitness: Promotional Posters

Here are three posters promoting the members only launch party for Hard Candy Fitness that takes place in Mexico City tonight (Monday 29 November) - with Madonna and DJ Paul Oakenfold in attendance.

Another poster shows what classes are available for those signed up.

Thanks to Franco at www.madonnamexico.com

Hard Candy Fitness: Card and Wristband

This Hard Candy Fitness card features an even older Madonna image on it - rather than the Sticky & Sweet images previously seen in other promotional pictures - but still follows the 'boxing' theme.

Also pictured is one of the Hard Candy Fitness wristbands that will gain entrance for members to the venue.

Thanks to Franco at www.madonnamexico.com

Hard Candy Fitness Launch Party Poster

Here is a look at a promotional poster for the launch party of Hard Candy Fitness in Mexico City on Monday 29 November.

Thanks to Roby and Pablo

Hard Candy Fitness Venue Preparations

The Hard Candy Fitness venue in Mexico City is almost ready for the launch party next Monday as this picture from madonnalicious readers Roby and Pablo shows.

In this video clip shot outside the entrance by madonnalicious reader materialboy75 shows cameras being set up - possibly ready to film Madonna'a arrival!

Hard Candy Fitness in Mexico City

madonnalicious reader materialboy75 sends in this report from Mexico City about preparations for the opening of Hard Candy Fitness next Monday 29 November.

One rumour in in the press is that Madonna could be giving dancing classes to 30 lucky Hard Candy Fitness members, but another newspaper report suggests it really will be a flying visit with Madonna only scheduled to spend eight hours in Mexico city.

Below is a picture of the stand where people can join Hard Candy Fitness (picture courtesy of Poncho Pacheco).

Madonna's gym revenge?

Is Madonna flexing her muscles at her former trainer, Tracy Anderson? The Material Girl recently announced a plan to open a series of Hard Candy Fitness Centers worldwide, where, sources tell us, 'she'll be closely involved in developing dance-based workouts.'
Her first gym opens in Mexico City this month, with plans for Russia, Europe and eventually the US. Sources said the plan may have evolved after Anderson famously had a falling-out with Madonna over Anderson's capitalizing on the superstar's name to build her fitness empire in New York and LA. But a different source close to Madonna said: 'I don't think she even gives Tracy a second thought. It's a natural idea for her to have her own gym. This is a business plan that she has been working on for some time with her business partner Guy Oseary.' A rep for Madonna declined to comment.

From the New York Post

UK Press: Metro

The Wednesday edition of UK city newspaper the Metro featured this small news article about the launch of Hard Candy Fitness - click on the article to enlarge.

Hard Candy Fitness: Harder is better!

The official website for Madonna's Hard Candy Fitness venture has a teaser page showing that Harder is better. Check it out at www.hardcandyfitness.com

Hard Candy Fitness Logo

The logo for Madonna's new Hard Candy Fitness venture has been released.

From PR Newswire.com / Liz Rosenberg

Madonna To Open 'Hard Candy' Fitness Centers Around The World

Madonna in partnership with her manager Guy Oseary and New Evolution Ventures (NEV) announced the establishment of Hard Candy Fitness global gyms which will open in major cities around the world. The first Hard Candy Fitness is a beautiful and uniquely designed 30,000 square foot space which is scheduled to open in Mexico City mid November in the exclusive Bosques de las Lomas area. Madonna will be visiting the gym on the 29th of November for the official launch.
Throughout her career Madonna has been devoted to fitness and well being and has worked out in literally hundreds of gyms around the world. As a result, she has a strong vision on what the ideal exercise, dancing and work out environment should be. The direction for how to bring that vision to the fitness world began to take shape during an initial meeting between Mark Mastrov, the innovator behind 24 Hour Fitness and Guy Oseary early in 2008.
Mastrov has built a fitness empire of over 420 clubs in 16 countries. Mastrov, his partner Jim Rowley of NEV, Craig Pepin-Donat, the Vice President of Marketing and Development, along with Madonna and Oseary, are now in the planning stages of opening 10 more locations in Russia, Brazil, Argentina and throughout Europe and Asia. In addition, they are currently exploring opportunities and local partnerships around the globe for facilities where fitness, fashion and entertainment create a unique member experience.
'Madonna’s world tours have taken us to many of our favorite cities around the world. We are looking forward to opening Hard Candy Fitness with NEV in many of these same places,' commented Oseary. 'Our goal is to create an environment inspired by Madonna’s vision and high standards of what the ideal gym would be. Hard Candy Fitness will be a reflection of Madonna's point of view and will reflect her input on every detail including music space, light and other design cues. Madonna’s touch will be everywhere.' stated NEV Chairman Mark Mastrov.
Chris Dedicik, Hard Candy’s Managing Director commented, 'Hard Candy Fitness is a one of a kind experience merging fitness with entertainment. We are dedicated to exceeding the expectations of our members.' Hard Candy Fitness members will experience the very best in innovative training methods including private, group and dynamic training including traditional classes such as Zumba, Latin Moves and Cardio Kickboxing as well as new programming designed specifically for Hard Candy Fitness.
The fitness center will also include a Bike Studio, a Mind Body Studio featuring The Great Wall, where members can practice BarWorks, Sculpting, Capoeria and the newest trends in Yoga. It will also house a healthy alternative Juice Bar/Cafe. The lavish locker rooms built with the finest materials will be a sanctuary for members who will be able to relax in sauna and steam rooms.
Members will also benefit from state of the art cardiovascular equipment with personal viewing screens, more than 60 pieces of strength equipment / free weights and the best group fitness, functional training accessories and brands including PreCor, Hoist, Free Motion, Nautilus, Hammer Strength, StarTrac, AbCoaster, and TRX suspension training. For membership information, visit the enrollment center at Bosque de Duraznos 47, Bosques de las Lomas or call +52 55 5245 7550.

From Madonna.com