Meet Samantha Gaston, Instructor of North Birmingham Regional Library's Popular Slide City Chair Aerobics Class

Samantha Gaston, instructor of North Birmingham Regional Library's Slide City Chair Aerobics.

Meet Samantha Gaston, Instructor of North Birmingham Regional Library's Popular Slide City Chair Aerobics Class

Birmingham, Ala. - Walk into North Birmingham Regional Library at 9:30 a.m. on a Wednesday, Thursday or Friday, and you may be surprised by what you see…and hear.

Instead of the quiet atmosphere most expect in libraries, you'll find upbeat music filling the room as dozens of participants clap, stretch, laugh and exercise together. Welcome to Slide City Chair Aerobics.

What began in February 2024 with just five participants has grown into one of Birmingham Public Library's most successful health and wellness programs, regularly attracting more than 50 people ranging in age from teenagers to adults in their 90s.

The driving force behind that success is Samantha Gaston, Circulation Librarian at North Birmingham Branch. Inspired by a passion for health, wellness and community engagement, Gaston created a program that blends fitness, music and fellowship into an experience that keeps participants coming back week after week. Along the way, they've built more than stronger bodies—they've built lasting friendships and a supportive community.

In this Q&A with Birmingham Public Library Public Relations Specialist Roy L. Williams, Gaston shares how Slide City Chair Aerobics grew from a small idea into one of the library's signature wellness programs. She discusses the inspiration behind the class, the role music plays in every workout, the remarkable success stories she's witnessed and why she believes the program's greatest achievement isn't measured in pounds lost or calories burned—it's measured in the lives it has brought together.

This 15-year-old is the youngest in the class.

BPL: What do you feel is the secret behind Slide City Chair Aerobics' growing popularity?

Gaston: There’s no secret. Slide City Chair Aerobics addresses a need in the community, and we are here to serve the public by assisting them with their health and wellness needs for free! What makes our class so popular is the community aspect of it. Everyone knows each other in the North Birmingham community and exercise is what brings us together.

BPL: Many people think of libraries as quiet places filled with books. Were you surprised that a fitness class has become one of the library's biggest attractions?

Gaston: No, I wasn’t surprised at all. When I started working at North Birmingham Regional Library, my vision was to create programming that was exciting and innovative. I wanted to give everyone a different experience. The exercises are unique. We do exercises that combine cardio, dance & coordination. We push the envelope and do most of our programs in-house. Since North Birmingham is an older community, I knew that a fitness class would be very important to have.  

BPL: What changes have you seen in participants since they joined the class?

Gaston: I have seen dramatic physical changes with the participants since they joined 2 ½ years ago. I have several participants who have lost over 20 lbs. each from participating in the class! There are some participants who come to the class just to be more active. They all look amazing! I can see their bodies changing before my eyes and it makes me feel good to know that my class played a huge role in their transformations.

BPL: Is there a participant whose story especially stands out to you?

Gaston: Ms. Deana Griffin has been with Slide City Chair Aerobics from the beginning. She has had issues with mobility involving her knees. After participating in the classes, she told me that she has a 12% increase in range of motion.  I was so proud of her and her progress.  

BPL: Your classes include a 15-year-old girl, young adults in mid-20s to a 90-year-old (Alice Huggins). What makes Slide City Chair Aerobics appealing across generations?

Gaston: Slide City Chair Aerobics is appealing to all walks of life because we all need to be healthy and exercise is the key to being rich in “health.” This class is captivating because I work with an amazing team of instructors (Karnecia Williams, Lutheria Jackson, Pamela Gordon and Lori Jiles) who assist me with teaching classes when I’m not available to teach.

We all have different styles of teaching chair aerobics and that adds to the appeal. I always tell the class… “if you don’t move it, you lose it! And if you need to take a break, please take a break and rest... continue exercising when you feel like it. Work at your own pace!”

I have safety standards in the class, and I will always repeat this throughout the class. The class enjoys great music, challenging exercises and being around good people. One of our favorite exercises we love to do is called the “roller coaster.” I love to interact with the class and allow them to learn, laugh and be themselves. We also do raffles for the class to win prizes, and we offer a birthday club to celebrate birthdays.         

Slide City Chair Aerobics has participants across four generations.

 BPL: Music seems to play a big role in every class. How does music help motivate participants and make the workouts more enjoyable?

Gaston: The music is very instrumental in how class is taught. The music ranges from hip-hop/R&B, Latin, afrobeat neo-soul fusion, jazz, gospel to reggae. I have new music playlists for each class, and the music is selected based on the age of the participants.

The volume of the music is important in the classes because I want the class to “feel” and enjoy the music as they’re exercising. I make sure to play music from all genres so there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Slide City Chair Aerobics is not only physical therapy, but also music therapy as well.

BPL: Beyond exercise, what kind of friendships or sense of community have developed among participants?

Gaston: I’ve seen so many of the participants see old friends who have joined the class, and they couldn’t stop talking and laughing with each other. I’ve seen participants hug each other after finding out they have mutual friends who attended the same high school. I have had an instance where I met three sorority sisters in class and didn’t even know it until we started talking to each other. There are so many relationships in the class: some of the participants are church members, co-workers, childhood friends, wife & husband, sisters and mother & daughter.

BPL: What does it mean to you personally to see something that started with just five participants grow into one of the library's most popular wellness programs?

Gaston: I’m so proud of the success of Slide City Chair Aerobics. Those five participants gave the class an opportunity to see how wonderful it was. With 50+ participants and growing, I always give these amazing people my love for health and wellness every day.  It’s such a small world and I’m excited that Slide City Chair Aerobics brings everyone together.

BPL: What would you say to someone who has never exercised before and may be nervous about attending their first class? 

Gaston: Come join the Slide City Chair Aerobics family! Let’s get fit & feel the music, mingle with the North Birmingham community and have fun in 30 minutes! It’s an experience you’ll never forget!          

Slide City Chair Aerobics is held every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 9:30 to 10 a.m. at the North Birmingham Regional Library, 2501 31st Ave. N., Birmingham, AL 35207. The free class welcomes beginners and experienced fitness enthusiasts alike.

If this interview has inspired you to become more active, Birmingham Public Library offers many other free health and wellness programs throughout locations across Birmingham, including chair aerobics, line dancing and chair yoga. (See the "More Ways to Stay Active at Birmingham Public Library" sidebar for a list of upcoming classes.)

Also, watch for a companion blog Friday by Roy L. Williams, who is trading his camera for an exercise ball and will join a Slide City Chair Aerobics class himself on Thursday, July 16. In "I Went to Cover a Library Fitness Class. Instead, I Became Part of the Story," Williams shares his first-person experience exercising alongside participants ranging in age from 15 to 90 and discovers that the class is about much more than fitness; it's about community.

Written by Roy L. Williams, Public Relations Specialist – Birmingham Public Library