The idea for LaBlast first came about after Season 2 of "DWTS". Louis' celebrity partner Lisa Rinna had told Louis that she had an amazing experience with him and wanted to keep on dancing after the show was over.
Lisa's time with Louis not only taught her how to dance, but also helped her get even more fit while doing it. Although Lisa needed to satisfy her new-found ballroom dance addiction, as far as she knew there weren't any classes offered that fit exactly what she was looking for. After a discussion between the two friends, it quickly became apparent to Louis that there was a real opportunity to create something new and exciting that wasn't already out there.
This was the birth of what would eventually become LaBlast! The premise was simple; create an affordable partner-free dance class that anyone could participate in to learn to dance, get fit, and have fun with. With the help of Lisa, Louis launched his first class in a small dance studio with 5 friends. After just a few weeks, the classes were packed! More and more classes were added and before he knew it, Louis was teaching eight classes, 6 days a week. People were really enjoying the experience and buzz about the classes was spreading. Many students started taking classes 3 or 4 days a week and the physical, mental, and emotional results were dramatic! After just two years, the classes became so popular that Louis had no choice but to expand by developing the classes into a dance program that would be suitable for instruction at dance and fitness studios worldwide. Louis invited a close friend and noted colleague, Helma Zenner from the Netherlands, to come try the newly designed program. Helma tried all 5 levels and fell in love instantly. She was so enthusiastic about it that she offered her expertise in both fitness and dance education, and assisted Louis in creating the first edition of the LaBlast program manual.
