What Cody Rigsby Did Before Becoming A Peloton Instructor

Peloton instructor Cody Rigsby is wowing primetime television fans with his performances on the long-running competition series, "Dancing With the Stars," hoping to take home that coveted mirror ball trophy. Rigsby has even made headlines as his September 27, 2021 performance with Cheryl Burke was pre-taped rehearsal footage due to Burke testing positive for COVID-19 just before they were to perform their dance live (via Entertainment Weekly).

Rigsby, who never fails to entertain Peloton riders with his takes on pop culture — including his love for Britney Spears and his desire to see her free from the conservatorship that has ruled her life since 2008 — said on Burke's "Pretty Messed Up" podcast that he wished the show would have allowed him to perform live with someone else.

"All these people who make decisions that are way above our pay grade were like, not so fast. That's not going to happen, we can't have you in the ballroom," Rigsby, who is fully vaccinated and also had COVID-19 back in January 2021, said. "I've tested negative. Every test that I've had for the past three weeks has been negative. I wouldn't have a mask if I were performing, so I think that's also a big factor. Do I wish that instead I got to perform with a sub instead of our rehearsal footage? Yes, of course."

There's a very good reason Cody Rigsby is so serious about his dancing

Before becoming one of Peloton's most popular instructors, as well as the innovative fitness company's director of cycling, Cody Rigsby was a professional dancer himself after moving to New York City from Greensboro, North Carolina in 2010. He started landing professional dance gigs almost immediately, performing with big name superstars like Katy Perry and Nicki Minaj, as well as on television shows like "Saturday Night Live." By 2014, he needed something new and a choreographer friend who was a very early employee for Peloton secured him an interview and he got the job (via People).

Those dancing roots have followed Rigsby to his instructor job, where he uses his instinct and skills in every class he teaches.

"I think that when I was a dancer, I was developing skills that were going to help me here," Rigsby told People. "If you take my class, I'm a stickler for musicality — I want the push to go on the beat drop, and I want it to feel like the music."