We trust them to keep us safe and frequently to lift our butts. We get to see them at the studio. We often share much of our lives with them; frequently entrusting them with our secrets and life happenings. Who are these magical creatures I speak of? They are the instructors who make up Aerial Dance.
The instructor being highlighted today is Meg. Meg has been with Aerial Dance since the spring of 2022 when she was searching for youthful joy she used to feel and a “gym” to call home after moving to the area. Being a gymnast most of her life and also teaching gymnastics through her teens and 20s, Aerial Dance seemed like the place to try. It helped, the person she heard about the studio from lit up when she talked about being a student.
After joining the studio in the spring of 2022, she was asked to become an instructor and began her instructor training in January of 2025. Meg shared, her first video is of her “trying” a closed grip tuck in April of 2022. Explaining how Aerial Dance not only changed her physically but also mentally at a time she needed it most.
Like many students, Meg loves going upside down. And also had a hard time narrowing down her favorite move (and other favorites.) Meg loves herself a good handspring on the pole and creature crawl while playing on the silks. Hammock is one of Meg’s jams, and she shared she loves all things hammock, especially if it incorporates a straddle back position.
Even being a gymnast and someone who has been athletic most of her life, there are still moves Meg has struggled to concur. Superman on the pole being the one that comes to mind. You may be asking, how did Meg overcome the struggle? She believed in herself and went higher up the pole. Meg shared, like other moves, sometimes you need a little height to force yourself to commit and that is exactly what she did.
When sharing about the move she never needs to do again, Meg shared something I found quite profound, and something many of us seem to struggle with from time to time. Identifying it is not exactly a move, she said she would name “self doubt.” Wow, that hits different, let it sink in a little. Something Meg, and as I am writing this, myself hope to never experience again, in big part thanks to the studio is self-doubt. When it comes to actual moves, Meg did share she could do without ever doing a hooked layback with the right leg hooked. Not to let that stop her though, a hooked layback on the other leg or a straight legged layback are all fair game.
Whether it is taking the class or leading it as an instructor, Dance Cardio is Meg’s absolute favorite. Meg said “There is something about this space where you can shake your booty as if no one is watching and no one cares, it is a blast.” In trying to name a “go to dance song” Meg shared “Now you’re asking the real hard questions! It can’t be just one…it depends on my mood, but a few that jump right into my head are: Outta Your Mind by Lil Jon featuring LMFAO, Soul No. 5 by Caroline Rose, Alive by Sia, as well as anything Lady Gaga, Lizzo or The Black Keys.
My vote is she leads a dance party to her saved songs on shuffle.
When it comes to being an instructor, Meg stated her favorite part is how rewarding it is to be part of someone’s journey and see the growth. She identifies we do not all have good days, herself included, but seeing the women continue to show up for themselves and attempt to be the best version of themselves is not only rewarding and beautiful but also fills her heart in a way words cannot adequately capture. Similarly, when naming who has been her biggest inspiration, Meg shared it’s the other instructors. “Some old, some new, but they are all so special in their element and each of them are so diverse. They truly amaze me!” **Hey Meg- they, and you, also inspire all of us students.
When asked what the most surprising element of being an aerialist is, Meg shared something I think we can all relate to. It is hard. We do hard things and once we do one hard thing, we start working on the next hard thing, be it a variation or new move all together.
For those of you who have not gotten to take many of Meg’s classes yet or do not know her well, she named her instructor style as a “melting pot.” Continuing to share “In my own opinion, I am a bit of a lot of odd things. My brand would say “Upside down and inside out”. And when sharing how she would describe herself as an aerial move, she said a bat sharing “Likes hanging upside down, is a little creepy at times and likes the dark, but when you look closer its really cute and just wants to be free.” Meg prepares for class by having the perfect playlist to set the mood for the class.
A few last tidbits about Meg you might not be aware of but add to the amazingness she is include, her being part of a traveling stunts and tumbling team based out of Chicago. The team visited most states to do clinics and performances and even represented the United States in Prague for their opening Gala in 2006. Despite all of her success, Meg stated she has a “man’s center of gravity.” And the fun fact she shared was that at a “really fancy French restaurant” she didn’t like the food she tried, and promptly spit it out onto the open table.
Meg stated she is a firm believer that “if you are not happy, do something about it.” So, she joined Aerial Dance. Meg, like many other Aerial Dance members, heard about the studio through word of mouth. So for those who are already students, remember, the more you talk about and share about the studio, the more others will join us. For those of you who are not yet members, what are you waiting for? Come join us in a location many find as our happy place.
