Meet Colleen Kluwen: The woman who launched Perth's aerobics craze

The aerobics and calisthenics pioneer has mentored hundreds of WA group fitness leaders over the past five decades and is one of 16 women inducted into the 2024 WA Women's Hall of Fame.

Colleen has fond memories of the era of high cut leotards, leg warmers, big hair and head bands.

She moved into aerobics (now known as group fitness) in the 70s, becoming one of Perth's first female gym instructors and a trailblazer of exercise to music.

Prior to this she had been instrumental in taking to WA to the top of the sport of calisthenics.

As a foundation coach she had led the state to winning the prestigious Ballarat Eisteddfod competition on several occasions.

After 10 years with WA Calisthenics, Colleen moved into aerobics.

"I had been doing exercise to music all my life, so it was very easy for me to transition into aerobics and the rest is history," she said.

"Everyone always says to me, you were there before Jane Fonda!

"I was working in health clubs as an instructor when I heard the craze was starting and I wanted to introduce it here.

"Back then it was all individual gym work and nothing was in a group."

Colleen recalls sitting by the radio taping songs suitable for her workouts.

"It would take hours waiting for the right songs and often you would get bits of weather and traffic reports as well," she said.

"I cleared the gym equipment away to make space and had a group of women in front of me and said, right, let's go.

"The women loved it, they couldn't get enough of it."

Colleen's first class had about 13 people. Word soon spread and her next class had 35, then 55, then there were queues outside the door.

"People loved it as it was just so much fun," she said.

Other instructors ran classes in suburban halls around Perth but there was a problem - physiotherapists were reporting lots of injuries.

This led to the formation of the Aerobics Institute of WA to ensure instructors received proper training and accreditation.

Colleen was a member of the original steering committee, as treasurer, then vice president and president.

She coached and choreographed teams in the National Aerobic Championships in the late 80s and early 90s, represented WA at numerous health and fitness conferences, and set standards of "fun, safe, and effective" classes throughout WA.

Retiring last year at the age of 80, Colleen still mentors group fitness instructors and sometimes takes part in classes herself, often run by people she has taught.

"I still just love it, I don't know life without it," she said.

"I get up every morning and can't wait for the day to begin."