Chows Gymnastics & Dance

What Chows Gymnastics & Dance does

Chow's Gymnastics & Dance Institute (CGDI) is a privately held, single-location gymnastics and dance training facility based in West Des Moines, Iowa, founded in 1998 by Liang Chow, a former Chinese National Team gymnast and 1990 World Cup Master Champion. The company provides gymnastics and martial arts instruction across a full skill spectrum — from Parent & Me (18 months) through recreational preschool/beginner/intermediate/advanced classes, to elite competitive team programs (Jr. Olympic Levels 4-10 and Xcel divisions). Supporting revenue lines include Summer Fun Camps ($186/week), Summer Training Camps, the Camp of Champions elite invitational, birthday parties ($184-$255 per package), Saturday Open Gym sessions ($9/child), Special Olympics training, and hosted regional meets such as the Chow's Winter Classic.

The core technology stack is minimal: service delivery is in-person at two adjacent buildings (2210 and 2218 Chow's Olympic Ave), and back-office operations rely on iClassPro, a third-party SaaS platform for class scheduling, registration, and parent portal access. There is no proprietary technology, no mobile application, and no public API. The business does not employ AI/ML in any disclosed capacity.

The business model is a hybrid of recurring subscription (weekly recreational and team classes, seasonal camps) and transactional revenue (birthday parties, open gym, meet entry fees). Customer acquisition is community-led via website, Instagram, Facebook, word-of-mouth, and host-event marketing. Pricing is accessible ($9-$255 per transaction) with a small-ticket consumer base rather than enterprise contracts. The facility's brand equity is concentrated almost entirely in the founder-coach's Olympic-champion production record (Shawn Johnson 2008, Gabby Douglas 2012), which serves as the primary marketing differentiator against other regional gyms. The company has no external funding, no parent organization, and operates as a founder-led independent business within a single regional market (Iowa).

Name

Chows Gymnastics & Dance

Legal name

Chow's Gymnastics & Dance

Website

https://chowsgym.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Chow's Gymnastics & Dance is a privately held, single-location gymnastics and martial arts training facility in West Des Moines, Iowa, founded in 1998 by former Chinese National Team gymnast Liang Chow. It serves recreational and competitive gymnasts from toddler through elite levels, with supplemental camps, birthday parties, and hosted regional meets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Gymnastics Instruction Services

NAICS

Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (71394), Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPAKAJAA

Youth Multi-Sport Camps (General Athletics, Summer Camps)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Sports (Leagues, Teams, Events, Venues)/Sports Camps, Academies & Training Centers

SECONDARYEDALAIAE

Group Fitness, Personal Training & Wellness Coaching

Education/Student Services & Campus Operations/Athletics, Recreation & Fitness

SECONDARYHSADADAG

Kids & Youth Martial Arts Programs

Home & Personal Services/Fitness, Wellness & Personal Training/Martial Arts & Self-Defense Training

Keywords

• Gymnastics instruction
• Competitive gymnastics training
• Youth sports programs
• Gymnastics camps
• Dance instruction

Headquarters

HQ city

West Des Moines

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Recreational Classes: Weekly gymnastics classes for various skill levels from ages 18 months to adult, with class lengths ranging from 30 minutes to 2 hours depending on age and level
2. Competitive Team Programs: Jr. Olympic Team and Xcel Competitive Team programs for serious gymnasts aspiring to collegiate and Olympic levels
3. Camps: Summer camps, winter camps, spring break camps, and specialty camps including Camp of Champions with high-profile guest coaches
4. Birthday Parties: Package-based birthday party hosting with structured gym activities and private party room time
5. Open Gym Sessions: Drop-in open gym sessions for unstructured gymnastics exploration on Saturdays
6. Meets and Competitions: Hosting regional meets including Chow's Winter Classic and Xcel competitions

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Chow's Gymnastics & Dance operates a multi-program gymnastics training facility offering recreational gymnastics classes for ages 18 months through adult, competitive team programs (U.S. Development Program / Jr. Olympic Levels 4-10 and Xcel Competitive Team), seasonal camps including a Camp of Champions with guest coaches, birthday party hosting, supervised open gym sessions, martial arts classes, and hosted regional gymnastics competitions. The facility also supports a Special Olympics gymnastics program under Coach Denise Kinkade.

Product overview

Chow's Gymnastics & Dance Institute (CGDI) operates as a multi-program gymnastics and dance facility offering recreational classes, competitive team programs, and event services. The core offerings include recreational gymnastics instruction across all skill levels (Preschool through Advanced), the Jr. Olympic Development Program for competitive gymnasts Levels 4-10, and the Xcel Competitive Team. Supporting programs include martial arts classes, various camp programs (Summer Fun Camps, Training Camps, Camp of Champions), birthday parties, open gym sessions, and hosted competitions including the Winter Classic. The facility also supports a Special Olympics program. Registration and scheduling are managed through an iClassPro-based Parent Portal. The company positions itself as a high-quality gymnastics training center, notably associated with Olympic champions Shawn Johnson and Gabby Douglas.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Recreational Gymnastics Classes Recreational gymnastics instruction for children and adults across age groups and skill levels, including Preschool, Kindergarten, Tots Parent & Me, Mighty Mites Tumbling, and Beginner through Advanced classes for boys and girls.
• U.S. Development Program (Jr. Olympic Team) Competitive gymnastics program with multiple levels (4-10) for boys and girls, including team training, competition preparation, and individual athlete development.
• Xcel Competitive Team

Quantifiable outcome

• 3 consecutive Iowa USA Gymnastics Program of the Year awards (2016, 2017, 2018)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Athletico Physical TherapycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAthletico provides physical therapists on-site at Chow's Gymnastics to help athletes with injury prevention and recovery. As the Official Provider of Physical Therapy, Athletico offers free assessments to all athletes and fans of Chow's Gymnastics.
• GoProminorOthersGoPro is listed as a sponsor of Chow's Gymnastics, providing equipment support.
• NikeminorOthersNike is listed as a sponsor of Chow's Gymnastics, providing apparel support.
• US BankminorOthersUS Bank is listed as a sponsor of Chow's Gymnastics.
• Coca-ColaminorOthersCoca-Cola is listed as a sponsor of Chow's Gymnastics.
• Hyatt Place West Des Moines/Jordan CreekminorOthersHyatt Place is the recommended hotel for Camp of Champions attendees, with group booking codes for camp families.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Cincinnati Gymnastics Academy: Established Cincinnati-area gymnastics training center offering recreational through elite competitive programs and hosting meets. Comparable to Chow's across class structure, team-program depth, and event-hosting operations.
• Everest Gymnastics: Multi-location gymnastics training operator offering recreational classes, competitive teams, camps, and birthday parties. Closely comparable to Chow's diversified program mix and facility-based service model.
• Arizona Sunrays Gymnastics & Dance: Large Phoenix-area gymnastics and dance training center with recreational and competitive tracks and summer camps. Comparable to Chow's across program breadth, competitive team structure, and multi-program revenue model.
• World Olympic Gymnastics Academy (WOGA): Plano, Texas-based gymnastics academy that has produced multiple Olympic and World Championship medalists (e.g., Nastia Liukin, Carly Patterson). Directly comparable to Chow's as an elite-training gym with subscription-based competitive team programs and recreational classes.
• Texas Dreams Gymnastics: Coppell, Texas gymnastics academy known for elite-level competitive training and Olympic-caliber athlete development. Comparable to Chow's in elite coaching pedigree, multi-level team structure, and event hosting.
• CGA Gymnastics: California-based gymnastics academy with recreational through elite competitive tracks and event hosting. Comparable to Chow's in program depth, meet operations, and athlete development pipelines.
• Twin City Twisters: Minnesota gymnastics and tumbling facility serving both recreational and competitive gymnasts. Similar to Chow's in offering subscription-based classes, competitive teams (USAG levels), and birthday party add-on revenue.
• Houston Gymnastics Center: Texas-based gymnastics facility offering recreational and competitive programs plus camps and parties. Directly comparable to Chow's in subscription-driven class model and competitive team offerings.

Regional players

• Capital Gymnastics: Cedar Falls, Iowa gymnastics academy serving the same state market as Chow's with recreational and competitive programs. Comparable as a same-state competitor splitting the Iowa gymnastics market.
• Iowa Gym-Nest: Cedar Rapids, Iowa gymnastics and cheer training facility serving local youth. Comparable to Chow's as an in-state competitor for recreational and competitive gymnastics enrollment in the Iowa market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/chows.gym/?fref=ts
• Instagraminstagram.com/chows_gym

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Chows Gymnastics & Dance