Inspirational to Others
No matter your age, gender, or stage of life, having someone who inspires you to be the best version of yourself is always a positive thing. I truly feel there are so many individuals, students and instructors at Aerial that are true inspirations to me. I won’t name their names but if you get the chance to attend one class even, and get to interact with these beautiful people, I guarantee they are going to be the rainbow at the beginning of your path that guides you to become part of the Aerial Family. The first is so soft spoken, loving and reminds you of everything beautiful in the world. She is a tiny little power house, so graceful and elegant in every apparatus. She is devoted and hard working not just with Aerial, but with many other places, making a positive and beautiful impact on the world. Any conversation you have with her just melts your heart. The second, such a kind soul with the muscles of a goddess!!! She is cute, quirky, super dedicated to improving her skills, and helping others. Her personal drive to always do better inspires me, she clearly sets her mind to something and stays so focused, dedicated, and determined and to get to see her final results of it all in the end is so awesome. I strive to someday be even remotely as good as she is at everything. The third, another amazing strong woman, she has been going to Aerial for several years now, she is so devoted to her skill, booking practices and coming in knowing exactly what she is going to practice. It trips me up everytime she comes in, just watching the series of moves she puts together in a beautiful sequence and most of the time she will film herself and then go back and clean up or correct whatever she feels that she could improve on. I had never met someone so passionate about their skills /hobby before. My list could go on and on of amazing individuals anyone would be lucky to get to know. I am beyond grateful for the welcoming environment Aerial has to offer, for if it wasn’t for that I would not have made so many new friends and been able to build new relationships with people I would have never had the pleasure of meeting had it not been here. Start your journey today and meet amazing people along the way! Try Intro to Pole or Intro to Aerial today!
Thief of Joy
We have all heard the phrase growing up “comparison is the thief of joy”; and it still applies as an adult. You see, I have never truly been what others have considered to be athletically talented. Sure, I can pick up a game of volleyball or basketball, but I sure wasn’t going to be a Varsity starter! Except, I could have been if it weren’t for my own thoughts. You see, I was constantly comparing myself to others; peers, professional athletes, my coaches, etc. I was never perfect, therefore I wasn’t good at all. This stole every ounce of my joy and I have felt this throughout my journey at Aerial Dance as well. So now what? Comparison steals your joy, you have recognized it, and you are in a standstill. Stop, and take a minute to be mindful of your environment. As so many of my sisters have written before me, our studio is uplifting, empowering and helps you to embrace all of your strengths. It is so easy for us to see the beauty and power that each other holds, it is time to look in all of those mirrors, and see them in yourself as well. Easier said than done, I know. I thought about this a lot this term as my anxiety and self-doubt started to creep in, and I wanted to share a few tips that got me through. First of all, find a studio sister who can hype you up! Thankfully my best friend and I are able to take classes together so I have a built-in studio sister. I have also gained so many sisters throughout my journey, and lean on them when I am feeling down. Second, lean on your instructors! If you are feeling like you aren’t sure of a move due to confidence, skill level or memory, TELL THEM! They are here to help, and want to see you succeed. And last, be your own hype man! I started a playlist simply for my drive to class and it makes me feel like the queen I am! Sure, comparison can be the thief of joy, but there is so much the studio offers to support you through those struggles. Remember to utilize the relationships you have built in the studio with other students and your instructors! Rising above the need to compare yourself is tough, but you my dear, are so much stronger than that. Come be a part of a community! Try Intro to Pole or sign up for a Beginner Pole Term today!
Performing in the Annual Show
To be in the annual show is one of the most empowering, exhausting, challenging, and rewarding things you can do with Aerial Dance. The list of reasons to participate in the show is far far longer than I could write about. And every show I participate in adds to the list. At the top of the list is the people you meet and the bonds you build. For those who have played team sports, there is a similar level of camaraderie that is created with your dance group and instructor. You get to see the instructors’ personalities more and spend additional time with them outside of a class. Every group I have performed in introduced me to new, amazing women and brought me closer to women I already knew from classes. The practices and the other time spent with the people in your routine, coupled the closeness that is naturally created by doing doubles on a pole, fosters the ideal environment for making other bada** female friends. Another item on the list is the practice and time you get to take on learning specific moves and really mastering them. I know I am not the only one, but when I am in classes, I work on the moves that are being taught and then whatever I am specifically working on getting cleared on. But I have never repeatedly put forth as much practice into specific moves as I did while I was practicing for any of the shows I have been in. It also pushes you to occasionally learn and practice moves that are not your favorite or are not ones you would ever think to repeatedly practice. Thanks to my first show, I can do a remi sit like no one’s business. Continuing on the list is the opportunity to do doubles tricks and group acro. Unless you are someone who signs up for the workshops that Aerial Dance offers, chances are the doubles and the acro are not things you practice or are even exposed too. And even if you do sign up for the workshops, they do not happen super frequently. The shows offer students the opportunity to do those things, see what you are capable of and try out things outside of the “norm” at the studio. The last thing up at the top of this list is the empowerment that comes from performing. The encouragement everyone gives. The cheers you hear. The love you feel from the audience. Performing in my first annual show was one of the key things that led to me embracing and publicly sharing aspects of my aerial journey. Start classes at Aerial Dance today and you can perform at show, too!Try Intro to Pole or Intro to Aerial to begin your journey!
Bonus Benefits of Aerial
I want to share my experience on unexpected benefits along my journey. When I started my journey with Aerial Dance I was shy and timid. It didn’t take long after I started to feel like like I belonged to a supportive family. I could see that this was a true sisterhood. I made friends quickly and I have connected with several of these girls on Facebook and other platforms. It’s nice to interact and get to know other adult women who share similar interests as me. My confidence levels rose quickly just from the girls I did pole with. Everyone is so supportive and kind. When you feel like you are not growing or getting anywhere with progress they are there to encourage and give pointers. We help each other, like a team. You can’t ask for a better support network. Aerial Dance has also helped me grow strength and confidence. Never did I imagine that I would be able to be as strong as I have become whilst doing pole. I remember the first time I saw I had triceps that popped. I was in a conditioning class with Instructor Olivia. She was working me hard because we were just one-on-one for that class. She was full of energy and pushing me to my fullest potential. I was on the ground doing some form of push-ups and she complimented my triceps. I got so excited I swear I felt invincible. After, I remember showing my family with a sense of accomplishment. I don’t know if I would have noticed without her pointing it out, but I am so grateful she did. I felt very proud and motivated. Thank you to all of the instructors for never giving up on us and always pushing us the way we need to be. Join our community and gain, strength, confidence, and meet amazing people along the way!Try Intro to Pole or Intro to Aerial and see what classes are all about!
Photoshoot of a Lifetime
Shortly after starting my journey with Aerial they had announced they were going to be hosting a free fall themed outdoor photoshoot and I was ecstatic! I had never done a photoshoot before and had no idea what it was going to entail, but I was ready to take it on anyway. They had picked a beautiful park with stunning fall colors in the trees. It was a little chilly of a day but we all did the best we could to make it work. When I had gotten down to the area where they were shooting the photos, I was so amazed to see how many people showed up. I knew there were a lot of people that went to the Appleton location with me, but I had no idea just how many people between both locations there were and I’m sure what I was seeing was only a small fraction. There were students, instructors, and the photographer all set up waiting while everyone was all lined up getting ready to go. Being able to watch the people in line ahead of me definitely helped calm the nerves a little bit. It was really amazing to watch students who are newer like myself at the time, instructors, and students who have been attending for years walk up with such ease and do their moves. It was really nice how Paula (the founder), an instructor, and the photographer would help each of us out once it was our turn. Everything was a fast paced, yet the event ran smoothly. When it was your turn to go, you would simply walk up let them know what poses you were going to do and then once you were in the pose if you needed assistance to not spin as fast, add a little spin, adjust the outfit you were wearing, fix your hair, reminder to point your toes, whatever it may have been, they were right there to help. It was such a relief. I have the worst time at remembering the names of the moves. When it was my turn I was asked what I was going to do first, I simply told them I honestly didn’t know the names. I was just going to go into it and hope for the best. They were so great at helping me adjust my pose and let me know the names of them once I was in it also letting me know when to hold it for the photographer and it just made the whole experience so rewarding especially for it being my first one. Start your pole journey today! Try out Intro to Pole or sign up for a full, Beginner Pole term!
