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. And now, you get to learn a little more about them as we do a “Meet the Instructor” series.
The lovely and ever flexible instructor you get to read about today is Rene. Rene started in January of 2022 when her best friend bought her an Intro to Pole class for Christmas. (Let’s take a second to emphasize how amazing of a present to give someone an Intro class is. For real, if you are searching for birthday, Christmas, “just because” presents, gifting an intro class or gift certificate is a fabulous option.) Rene has been a dancer for over 20 years but had not yet tried the aerial arts. In January of 2025 Rene became an instructor at Aerial Dance. Having not been a life long aerialist, Rene says the most surprising aspect of doing aerial is how beneficial cross training between apparatuses is.
Similar to some of the current and former students, Rene found inspiration from our magical instructors at Aerial Dance, naming Instructor Ashley specifically as her biggest aerial arts inspiration. Rene’s favorite part of teaching is being able to see the people she is teaching grow and improve overtime. And Rene herself is no stranger to growth and improvement, constantly pushing herself to achieve new moves. Currently her favorite move is Jade on the pole. However, when sharing the move she struggled with over and over until it clicked, she named Spatchcock. And even though she is fabulous at every move I have seen her attempt, Rene says a Remi Bridge is one she never needs to touch again.
Upon becoming an instructor, Rene was surprised at how much planning goes into each of the classes she teaches. While you will see Rene teaching many classes and doing so with enthusiasm, her favorite classes to teach are the upper level pole classes added they “have my heart.” Regardless of the class Rene is teaching, she prepares for class by getting the moves she is teaching in her body so she is able to think through and articulate the moves to the students.
If you sign up for a class Rene teaches, which I strongly encourage you to do, she names her style as a “focus on making moves look pretty, flowy, and effortless.” Staying with the same theme, if Rene was to describe herself as an aerial move, she said “Juliet on pole, simple but can look beautiful with the right technique.”
Rene, a dancer most her life, shared her hidden talent of being able to dance the entire “Hoedown Throwdown” from the Hannah Montana Movie. Who else is now wanting a dance cardio to this song, because I am! And if we really want to see Rene jam out, her go to dance song is “Say Hey (I Love You)” by Michael Franti.
I hope to see you in a Rene led class soon!
