Fitgirl 2001: Dagmar Neem is thinking about defending the title

As a reminder, the first top three: Dagmar Neem, Kersti Ojalill and Helja Aas.

At Flexer on Tartu maantee, we had a short chat with Dagmar Neem, the Tallinn woman who reached the top.

Dagmar’s voice is a little husky. Is it like that all winter?

“Unfortunately, yes. You have to talk loudly into the microphone over the music, and that’s not exactly kind to the vocal cords,” says Dagmar. We see this for ourselves right away, when Dagmar starts yet another Cardio-body class with a group of young women on a Friday afternoon.

Did the 22-year-old instructor like what Dagmar does now right from the start? It turns out the beginning was a shock. When little Dagmar first walked into the training hall at the side of mother Sirje, today the owner of a travel agency, there was no clapping of hands in delight. The only thought was: never. But no such luck. Time passed. The words of coaches Ott and Simson helped Dagmar find a steady stride, too.

Dagmar has arrived at today by way of dance: folk dance, ballet, breakdance, self-defense courses and more. C-4 performances with Kaisa Teimann hold a special place. Coming into aerobics, Dagmar didn’t win the queen’s crown right away, finishing as first and second princess. In 2001, though, it all clicked. At the first aerobics festival, the Fitgirl left every competitor behind.

Now the goal is, of course, just one: to repeat that achievement. “But it’s well known that a title is harder to defend than to win,” says Dagmar, now in winter, while preparing for the final in April. Dagmar leads training sessions at several Tallinn clubs, including Reval-Sport and Forum Sport.

Different clubs give Dagmar variety and help bring different groups together around one discipline. Neem, a second-year physical education student at Tallinn Pedagogical University, names Fanky as a favorite style, just like the festival’s head coach Teimann. From administrator Kristel I hear that at Flexer the instructors are all very energetic, capable people. “I like Dagmar because Dagmar is always fun and in a good mood,” says Kristel.

Before Dagmar, that day had already featured two classes with Žanna, Stretching and Lady-trim, and still to come is Merrit’s class with the keyword “dance-based”. Photographer Tokko and I take pictures with an Olympus, knowing that some of those caught on camera in the hall have set themselves the goal of taking part in the big aerobics festival on April 13-14 in Tallinn.

Happy New Year to Dagmar and to all the brave exercisers!

Author: Aare Kreilis

Come work out! ArtGym