Have you met Instructor Eliza, the 28-year-old administrative assistant by day, Aerial Dance powerhouse by night? She tried pole exercise with her sorority sisters in college, and fell in love with it while participating in a pole club while studying abroad. In her personal life, Eliza is especially enamored with her one year old nephew, whom she loves to spoil!
Q: Tell us about the first class you took. What was it like?
A: I remember just having so much fun and wanting to nail everything that was taught. I wanted to be good! I loved the challenge that was pole and figuring how to hold on with my body.
Q: What is your favorite apparatus? What are your favorite moves (or combos) to teach on it?
A: Pole – I love teaching most inverts but introducing Archie is a favorite. I also love a good crunch spin introduction.
Q: How do you handle days when your own progress is slow?
A: Not gonna lie, it’s frustrating, but reminding myself it’s okay not to get something. If I’m working on something in a class that I can’t get, or just isn’t making sense to me, I try to break it up into pieces and work on it that way. Or I try to review something I do know or work on something else from the class that I better understood. Taking a step back and to look back at how far I’ve come from when I first started is a good reminder that I’m doing hard stuff! While I sometimes cringe at old videos, they’re also good reminders to see the progress I’ve made.
Q: Do you ever get hit with imposter syndrome? How do you handle it?
A: Omg all the time. I try to remind myself of the phrase: Comparison is the thief of Joy. Every instructor and student is so talented and it’s hard to not compare myself to them. But remembering that we’ve all had a different journey. Some have been doing this way longer than me. Some have a different favorite apparatus than me. Some learn faster than me. I have to remind myself that where I’m at is okay. My journey is just a little bit different than somebody else’s. Everyone is always so supportive too, we constantly lift each other up even if we’re having an off day.
Q: What’s one trick or skill you’re currently working on mastering?
A: At this moment, it’s a press up to monkey on pole. Otherwise just trying to master different Ayesha and Pegasus transitions.
Q: What do you hope students take away from your classes?
A: To have fun and not take yourself so seriously! We’re all here for a different type of workout than going to the gym and aerial is such a fun challenge!
Q: Please share a favorite class or performance memory.
A: It was at one of the Light the Night Markets in Appleton. I was helping run it with another instructor, and I always love watching all the students and others perform. But what made this one so special was that after I had come off the hoop from my turn, my old dance teacher from my childhood was there and had watched me perform. I haven’t seen her in almost 10 years but recognized her instantly and she had told me how cool what we were doing was. She helped shape me into the dancer I am today and inspired me so much and to see her again made my heart so full. She’s the person who helped me fall in love with dance, and it was just such a wholesome and kind of full circle moment!
