Keeping A Strong Foundation
The strength of your foundation determines the strength of your structure. In this case, the aerial foundation you build for your body, determines where your aerial journey safely takes you. It is easy to look ahead and want to do the next cool trick as quickly as possible, and then the next and the next. Wanting to speed through the conditioning, or skip it all together. Getting frustrated with reviewing a move or being asked to do it again to work on cleaning it up. While we are all about progress and not perfection, we are also about safety, proper technique, and improving even our most well known moves. While you are becoming frustrated about not having your handspring yet, or not advancing to the next level yet, those moves and that conditioning that you don’t want to do, that you rush through, that your cheat yourself out of a few of during class because you want what’s next, those are the moves that get you where you want to go. At times, life happens, and we find that we are less able or unable entirely, to spend time at the studio. Sometimes this is short lived because of work, other obligations, or illness, and other times this is because of a pandemic. Whatever the reason might be, if you find yourself here, it is easy to become frustrated with the situation, with life, or with yourself. It is also easy to worry about your aerial journey and your progress. This is where your foundation and maintaining its strength comes in. You might not be able to participate in pole or aerial, but you can work on much of the conditioning work you experience in your classes. If you happen to have a home pole, but are frustrated with your ceiling height or other limiting factors, you can and should revisit your pole conditioning, climbs, and spins and poses. While doing the most difficult and awesome tricks you know is so tempting, and you miss that and worry about being able to do it again, remember that your foundation is what got you there in the first place, and it is a wonderful place to return, to build, to reinforce, at any time.
Injuries- A bump- not a road closed
You have been training hard and you are rocking every move! And then BAM, an injury takes you out. Unfortunately in life there are unpredictable injuries. There are countless exercises and precautions that can be taken to avoid getting hurt, but that doesn’t always stop fate from intervening. The injury might not even happen at the studio, but it can still affect or prevent you from participating in classes. The discouragement from the set back of an injury is often times the reason why many quit their choice of exercise. There are hardships, setbacks, and just plain bad luck in everyone’s lives. It is incredibly discouraging when your training is going well and then it is interrupted by an injury. Whether it is an injury that takes you away for a week or a year, it can take a toll on your mental health. The injury is preventing you from doing what you love and what identifies you. I am an aerialist, but with an injury that keeps me from the studio, what am I? Some aerialists find it easier to quit due to an injury to protect themselves from the pain of trying to get back to the level they were performing at. Some view it as “I wasted all of that time training just to get injured.” The successful people view it as “I spent all of that time training and I learned what to do and what not to do. I can come back even stronger this time.” Some aerialists may encounter serious injuries that prevent them from doing everything they once were able to do, but that doesn’t mean they have to give up forever. If you are no longer able to do certain moves on one side, your other side will become damn strong instead, opportunity side or not. If you can’t climb a pole anymore, you can still dance. Dance your heart out! Find things you can do and perfect them. The possibilities in the pole/aerial world are endless. Just because you have an injury doesn’t mean the road is closed. You may just need to take a detour or create a new path to follow. Every injury is just a bump in the road that is a learning experience. An injury is not a reason to quit; it is an excuse. Try not to let the injury be a failure, but instead make it your reason to be stronger. You shouldn’t want someone or something to tell you when to quit something you are passionate about. You are the only one who should decide if you are ready to stop training. It may not be easy recovering from an injury, but if you love the pole/aerial there is always a way to have it in your life
The Arts Matter
The arts set us apart. They are the element that makes us human and encompasses mind, body, and spirit connections. We live in a world that allows us, if we choose, to experience, express ourselves, and participate in the arts in a plethora of ways. As unique individuals, we find that certain art forms speak to each of us differently. One of the most wonderful things about the arts, is that we are able to experience and support them in such a wide variety of ways. I have the opportunity to not only experience and participate, but also to support and teach my love for the visual arts as a teacher in a school. This experience allows me to both encourage and support students in their artistic journey, as well as experience their growth in self-expression, creativity, artistic process, and creative problem solving. I am also given the opportunity to learn from my students about other art forms they are interested in, including drama, spoken word, poetry, music in many forms, dance, and the list goes on. Not only do I get to have an art rich experience when I am at school with my students, but I get to have similar experiences as an instructor at Aerial Dance. You may not realize this, but when you are at Aerial Dance you are supporting and being encompassed by, the arts. Not only are dance and aerial art forms, the elements that are encompassed in every aspect of Aerial Dance and the backgrounds and training bringing the arts to you in a variety of ways, is amazing. You are literally walking in to a place flooded with arts awesomeness. To list just a small portion of the arts based backgrounds and trainings of your instructors, outside of the aerial arts and fitness; you will find a classically trained musician, choreography expertise, editing gurus, a dance degree, dance coaches, theater performance and directing experience , seamstresses, visual art and music educators, make-up magicians, and the list goes on. Because of this, Aerial dance is able to bring you a diverse and all encompassing experience that is completely unique and special. We love sharing these things with our students, and know that we are equally lucky to have the diversely amaxing and talented students of aerial dance who have and share their beautiful artistic gifts as well. We are grateful for the opportunities we have to share and support the arts through aerial dance and our fabulous sisterhood of women. .
Support
Life has been unbelievably crazy since the holidays. Shortly before Christmas, but after our annual show, I started rehearsing to be in a community theater production of CHICAGO. The preparation and process was amazing! With all of my rehearsals for the show, that meant eventually I’d need to trade some of my studio time for dress rehearsals and performances. Being at the studio less meant not seeing our community as much, and I was amazed at how many people noticed and were checking in to see that I was okay. During the run of the show, I felt so incredibly supported by our community because so many women came to see me in the show! I just wanted to express my sincerest gratitude that our amazing sisterhood can be there for each other for all of our endeavors! <3 I am always blown away at how supportive everyone is, not just in classes but outside of them as well. I’ve been paying particular attention to conversations at the studio recently between women. I get so excited when I hear everyone talking about their struggles at home or at work and being able to find that necessary support and understanding from other women. Having a place that we all can feel accepted for where we are today is so important and I’m glad to be a part of that support system.
Do things that scare you
“You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, ‘I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along. ‘ You must do the thing you think you cannot do.” – Eleanor Roosevelt Throughout the course of human evolution, fear has kept us safe. It has heightened our judgement, helped us make better decisions, and kept us aware of our dangerous surroundings. In our modern, developed country, however, fear is often more detrimental than advantageous. We grow through every experience that scares us, but fear often keeps us in our comfort zone, locked away safe from taking risky actions and pursuing our aspirations. I’m sure many of us were scared or nervous the first time we walked into a pole studio. What would it be like? What should I wear? I don’t know how to dance – can I even do this? I don’t belong here. Still, we consciously chose fear over the alternative – staying at home, safe from new experiences. Though we may have felt uncomfortable, anxious, and out of place, we quickly discovered a new passion, and have stuck with it since. Paula was scared when she decided to start her own business. Over 10 years later, she has built a thriving community of strong women (and men) who support each other inside and outside of the pole studio. If she hadn’t embraced that fear, we wouldn’t have the community we do today. It is only by embracing our fear that we make our lives worthwhile. Whatever it is that scares you, try it. Talk to that person you’re interested in. Try a new hobby. Quit your job and travel. Perform at an open mic night. Be vulnerable. You’ll surprise yourself with what you can accomplish. If you climbed this mountain, you can climb the next.
Change
Amy Hazel, a pole celebrity, made a post the other day about how her body and skills have changed. The lines that really stuck out at me were: “I definitely know my body can’t do the things I used to do. But what I do know is my body can do other things it never used to be able to. “And it got me thinking about change….. Since the return to in-person classes my instructors and I have fielded a lot of questions/concerns/fears about how our students feel different on pole now. That they can’t do what they could. And it really got me thinking about my own body and how much my pole skills have changed in the 13 years I’ve been doing this sport. When I started I was fearless. I tried every trick introduced. If something hurt I kept at it until I got. And, in time, I usually got it. (Now let’s be clear, 13 years ago the hardest trick was jade, not the crazy stuff people do now!!!) I was addicted to pole and the rush each new trick gave me. Since starting pole, I’m older. I’m a year away from 40. I’ve broken a tendon in my finger (ah the tomato incident) and my grip is weaker. I’ve had shoulder surgery on my right and am on the path at having surgery on my left thanks to my crappy genetics. I’ve gained 20 pounds. I broke a toe. I’ve retired from my career as a professional bassoonist and my body hurts a LOT less, but it is also not as strong as it was when I was playing. When doing pole I’m hesitant. I don’t want to take the chance of a fall so I’m overly cautious. I work towards things slower, spending more time on conditioning, and there are a whole lot of moves I simply don’t even do any more because my body doesn’t like how they feel. And I beat myself up that I am not as “good” as I was. That I’m lazy. That I need to work harder. That maybe I’m just not passionate about pole any more because I’m not “trying” as hard. So much about my physical body has changed. So why do I think my pole journey should feel exactly the same? Change. It’s the one thing we resist and fight. But it is truly the only constant in life. Things change. So many books have been written about embracing and accepting change. Yet, for me, I DO NOT WANT CHANGE! I want to feel and be the pole dancer I was 12 years ago. And as I type that my heart wants it so bad I have this visceral ache while my head screams “you idiot, of course things are different from 12 years ago.” And so the battle rages on. As I look towards 40 I’m starting to think I need to redefine what pole is for me. I never liked the flow but find myself being drawn to the different style of movement. I find myself following different pole stars online who are more in line with who I am becoming versus who I was in my pole youth. And maybe that’s the point! Maybe embracing the change and loving how our bodies change are what give us new opportunity. Maybe the change is actually a gift. I hope in time I can see it that way. I hope in time I can love my body for what I was able to do. And that I can love my body for what it can do now.
Cross Training Makes a Difference
Recently, I’ve started some spring cleaning of my workout clothes. As not only an aerialist, but an instructor teaching on every apparatus that we offer at Aerial Dance, you can imagine what my wardrobe looks like. I swear my sports bra collection has been cut in half for being too small. Not because I gained weight, or my chest got bigger, no. My LATS. I can’t get them over my lats.When we exercise proper shoulder engagement, the latissimus dorsi is a major contributor. Shoulder engagement comes in to play on every apparatus the aerial arts has to offer. As do other muscle groups and movements. One of my favorite things about this sport is that there are so many ways the movement on one apparatus translates to another. For example, training knee hangs in lyra will improve your hamstring strength, and in turn improve your knee pit grip on pole. Gently spinning on pole is a good segue to more graceful and comfortable spins on lyra. And climbing unpredictable fabric makes climbing a solid pole a breeze.Not only that, but some of the grips and positions are the same. Standing climb on pole? Congratulations! You’re prepared for a french climb on silks! Straddle backs in hammock? A safe and comfortable way to practice pelvic tilt for a solid chopper. Especially if you are moving up to a higher level pole class and you’re nervous about inverting. Cross training just makes sense. If you find yourself getting bored or stagnant with your current apparatus, I encourage you to try another! You’ll be surprised at how easily the movement translates while offering new and fun challenges. Chances are, you’ve already made the first step by attending pole classes. Why not keep the adventure going!
Brain vs. Body vs. Emotion
Heading on back to the studio… Getting back at it… the joy of touching all the apparatuses again… seeing everyone. What if I’m not the same. What if I can’t do what I could do before. What if.. what if.. What if every single beautiful soul you encountered there is in the same place as you. What if every gorgeous gal was there to cheer you on. What if I told you that it will all be ok and honest to goodness you WILL FIND YOURSELF AGAIN!!!! You are not starting over, you are not. You enter with the thought of finding the person who left the studio when the pandemic occurred. This is where the war between brain versus body versus emotion are going to be STRONG. While you are the same person you were, you also are not. We are all meant to grow and change and in light of recent happenings we have. Guess what, this also is not the first time you’ve come back to the studio different, maybe not just this drastic. I had an injury that kept me out of aerial life last November for a couple months. Trust me, the fear of losing my abilities was overwhelming! My Brain screamed “Do the thing you did before!” and my Body yelled back “I am trying my best!” and my Emotions cried “Why can’t I do this like I did before!” It was a battle for a bit, my brain and body and emotions all fighting with each other. It was exhausting and defeating at times. One day, I decided to reassess my fears, look at my journey in a reassuring way and had a ‘conversation’ with brain, body and emotions. I went back to the studio and began again. I was going to be kind to myself. I knew I could do this. I believed in me. More so everyone around me filled me with strength and confidence and trust. I found then that my Brain excitedly whispered, “We’re doing this!”, my Body rejoiced “Yes, we remember this, we just need a little time!” and my Emotions lovingly replied, “This is incredible, I am so proud of me”. You will have your moments of doubt, and that is completely okay. However please believe me when I say, I have had to take months off of Aerial Dance. It was hard. Getting back at it, the joy of being there, seeing everyone… I came back exponentially more determined and grew because of it. I adore each of you and we are here for you.
Rest Up
During these crazy times, it is important to try to find some silver lining. For me, this has been in the form of much needed rest! I know, everyone talking about “get up, stay active!” and you should… but I’ve been giving my body the rest it needs from the tremendous amount of strain I had been putting on it for the past several months. What I mean: It started for me in the fall. We were preparing for the annual show and all that this entails – teaching my student routine, writing and working on the instructor routines, writing and working on my solo. At the same time, I started to choreograph for my high school’s large group numbers in the winter musical. As soon as the annual show finished, I started helping some of our women prepare to compete. This year, because I am a glutton for punishment, I also auditioned for and was cast in a community theatre musical. All of which wrap up at about the middle of February. I’d also been building my dream home with my husband since early fall. The cherry on top – I got dreadfully sick right in the thick of all this. My body needed a break. My mind needed a break. I have been trying to focus on being thankful for the forced slow down. I’m still trying to keep active – getting out and walking my dogs, cleaning and putting things away in my new house (that we were able to move into right at the start of everything changing). Being forced to rest my body from my apparatus work has been hard, but necessary for me. My wrists haven’t felt like this in ages. I’m making time to do little conditioning things for my extremities to keep and even build my strength so when I can return I’m healthier and better for it. Make sure you continue to listen to your bodies and do what you can to stay active, but also be grateful for the rest too.
Starting Aerial Yoga….why now…
In 2014 when we opened our Aerial program I swore I’d never have a class called “aerial yoga”. Here we are in July 2020 with our new “Aerial Yoga” class premiering. So….why now? First, I agree with Glennon Doyle that there is a reason Jesus wrote in the sand, so he could change his mind! When I had decided to launch our aerial program I started by taking a bunch of classes and then instructor courses in all things aerial for a year. I went around the country taking “aerial yoga” classes as one piece of our aerial puzzle, the hammock apparatus. The one thing I thought about all those classes was that the term “aerial yoga” was used to describe such a wide variety of classes that it didn’t actually mean anything. At a class in Milwaukee “aerial yoga” was a tricks class with a Shavasana at the end in the hammock; at a studio in San Francisco “aerial yoga” was an intense stretching class; at a class New York it was an actual yoga class with the hammock as a prop. There was no industry standardization of what the term “aerial yoga” meant and, to me, it felt like a poor marketing effort by the studios to get non-aerial people in the door with the term yoga. And that really bothered me. I am not a Yogi. I cannot pretend to be one and I do NOT want to disrespect this ancient art form/religion/practice by using it for a marketing ploy. So I was adamant that we would not use the term. We launched our version of an aerial yoga class and called if Fabric Flexy and I felt I had done the right thing. Moving forward to 2020, the world is in a global pandemic. Our women are super stressed and fear is real. During the “safer at home” period when we moved to online classes Instructor Olivia, who is a yogi and certified teacher, started doing Yoga classes for our members. They were popular. Students like the quiet reflection they brought. When we resumed our in-person program, some of the Yoga classes have stayed. And it got me thinking. The calmness that can be found in a Yoga class is more needed than ever. What would an Aerial Yoga class look like in my program? How could we help our members with it? Fabric Flex hadn’t been around for a few years as our hammock program grew it didn’t fit. So what would fit with our program and fill the need for calm in this turbulent time? It is important to me that when students come to a class we are able to meet their expectations and when there is a generic term that is used to describe a LOT of things around the country, that can present a challenge. So my first step in creating our new class was to set very clear parameters of what Aerial Yoga at Aerial Dance is. We already have a tricks class (Beginner Hammock & Intermediate Hammock) so that would NOT be part of our Aerial Yoga class. We also already have a sculpt/fitness hammock class (Hammock Fit) so this is class is not going to duplicate parts of that class. What we don’t have at Aerial Dance is class for quiet reflection and stretch. We have an excellent stretch class (Bendy Babe) but that class is as much group therapy as it is stretching with all the talking, sharing, and support. The best Yoga class I ever went to was at a studio in Boulder, Colorado and it was a silent class; I loved how having no speaking except the instructor voice allowed my to find a deeper level of myself. I’ve looked for a similar class in the area since and have never found one. In a loud world, quiet seems to be lost. The hole in our program is a quiet style class that would allow our members to search within themselves. So, that was a focus in creating our new “aerial yoga” class. Talking is not forbidden in our class, but in the class regulations instructors are encouraged to keep dialog to a minimum to encourage reflection and to use ambient class music. When writing the class, class pace was also critical to create the feel we needed. There are SO MANY styles of yoga. Which also means that with a hammock you can make it anything you want. My favorite yoga style is the “Yin Style”. This slower paced class holds poses longer and gets into a deeper level of stretch after your body stops guarding the muscles. For me, this gives me a chance to exhale and trust my body to let go. And if the popularity of Frozen is any indication we can all use some “Let It Go”. For this reason our Aerial Yoga class is more similar in style to Yin with slower movements and longer holds. Lastly, I wanted spinal decompression to be a focus of the class. Inverts are so good for our bodies and the hammock is a safe and effective way to invert. Instead of doing lots of inverts, Aerial Yoga classes will focus on one invert every class and give you ample time to come in and out of it, however feels good for your body. This checking in and listening to your body while upside down we hope helps cultivate body awareness while also lengthening your spine. Walking out the door of an Aerial Yoga class we hope you feel taller, calmer and fluid in your skin; that’s our goal and what I developed the class to achieve. 2020 has brought a lot of changes. As much as I feel like a hypocrite launching a class I swore I never would, I truly believe it is time for it. We have the equipment. We have the knowledge; we have the training (as an instruction team I think we have 6 different Aerial Yoga
