SoulCycle: Samantha Jade

Who

Samantha JadeSoulCycle master instructor, Manhattan

Since

2014Now a master instructor

First

A few deep breathsBefore class, before anything

Her music

Hip-hop for lifeNew school, old school

Her ride

Safe to exploreExactly where you are

The film

60-second docufilmSoulCycle, 2019

Samantha Jade is a master SoulCycle instructor in Manhattan, teaching since 2014. She starts every class, and really anything she walks into, with a few deep breaths.

It’s super important, she says, to take those couple of breaths and then proceed. After that it’s hip-hop: new school, old school, all thrown together. Hip-hop for life.

SoulCycle•Instructor docufilm•1:12•2019

Music mixed with movement

Music inspires her, music mixed with movement most of all. When you can feel the connection with the instructor and with the music, she says, that alone is enough to feel at one with the workout. She wants everyone in the room to feel safe and comfortable exploring exactly where they’re at, in whatever form they’re in.

Off the bike

Most of the day was about her dog, a bulldog with a strong interest in squirrels. Midway through her interview one came into view and that was the end of that take. As far as we could tell, the dog answers to Pig.

Breathe, then proceed

Samantha was born and raised in New York. When we filmed her she was a senior instructor teaching in Manhattan, and she has since been made a master instructor. Her playlists lean on hip-hop, with R&B, pop and throwback mixed in, and they’re built to find the connection between life, resistance and rhythm on the bike. For her the whole thing is about showing up and challenging yourself, and riders who follow her describe the room the same way: a judgment-free zone.

She built a second class on the same idea. Body by SJ is her sculpting class, body weight only, fusing music, movement and motivation so you rely on your own body to build a strong foundation.

Alongside the films, we shot a portraiture loop of every instructor against a white backdrop, made to sit beside their name and story on their SoulCycle profile. This is Samantha’s.

Our Instructor Portrait Series

Samantha Jade’s film is one of a whole series of instructor portraits we made for SoulCycle: Charlee, Karyn, Sue, Claire J., Sam Y, Jenny, Sydney, Victoria, Emily T, James, Francis, Laurie, Melanie, Trammell, Mike Press and Souereya. Each one is a different person and a different ride, filmed the same honest way.

ServicesDocumentary·Branded Content·Editing·Color