Cult of Body & Soul

“Cult of Body & Soul” is a 7-part docu-series that explores how SOULCYCLE transcended fitness as it captured the New York City zeitgeist with ritual, candlelight and cult of personality.

Behind the Curtain Inside the Biz

All Episodes

All Seasons

“Cult of Body & Soul” is a docu-podcast series created & executive produed by Jess Rothschild which brings to life how the boutique indoor cycling (spinning) phenomenon SOULCYCLE captured the New York City fitness zeitgeist.

2 mins

5/16/25

1. "Made in LA"

Episode 1: Julie Rice, Elizabeth Cutler, and Ruth Zukerman co-found SoulCycle, but Zukerman was later iced out as an owner because she did not have proper legal protection in place.

42 mins

5/27/25

2. "A Star Is Born"

Episode 2: SoulCycle takes off in New York City and The Hamptons, with celebrities like Kelly Ripa & Katie Couric becoming superfans. Co-founder Julie Rice's muse Janet Fitzgerald moves to Manhattan to work with budding talent.

46 mins

5/27/25

3. "Noon on Monday"

Episode 3: The gate-kept details of SoulCycle’s instructor training program are revealed for the first time. Servers crash every Monday at Noon during sign-ups. Hurricane Sandy causes chaos when people cannot access classes.

51 mins

6/3/25

4. "You Create Monsters"

Episode 4: Instructors make headlines for s*x & cheating scandals with married riders. SoulCycle co-founders Julie Rice & Elizabeth Cutler resign, walking away with $90 Million each after selling the company to Equinox.

48 mins

6/10/25

5. "S*x With An Ex"

Episode 5: News leaks that Equinox Chairman Stephen Ross will hold a Trump fundraiser in the Hamptons. Instructors share their pay structures and how they were fired / why they quit. All of SoulCycle's goodwill and reputation for LGBT inclusivity is extinguished.

42 mins

6/17/25

6. "Boogeyman in the Corner"

Episode 6: Real Housewives of New York City star Sonja Morgan is banned from the studio. Barry's Bootcamp CEO attempts to poach SoulCycle instructors and is banned. Hard-charging instructor training directors use rough, sexual language to intimidate new recruits.

47 mins

6/24/25

7. "Turn the Smile On"

Bonus episode. We follow three instructors’ careers at SoulCycle — in San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York City. Christina Aguilera surprises riders at her own theme class. An instructor is recruited after a life of crime, addiction and losing 100 pounds at Soul.

45 mins

7/1/25