Taking the Windy City by Storm!
This weekend Aerial Dance’s very own Instructor Kim will be competing. She is competing in The North American Pole Dancing Championship in Chicago! She will be performing in two solo events. On Friday, Instructor Kim will be performing her solo pole routine and on Saturday she will performing her hoop solo.
For those of you who are new to Aerial Dance, let me introduce you to Instructor Kim!
Getting to Know Instructor Kim
Instructor Kim stumbled upon pole through a random acquaintance at a bachelorette party. The party did not attend a pole party at Aerial Dance, the person that Instructor Kim met, had to leave early the next morning to attend a pole class. Before the girl left, Instructor Kim asked her about pole. The following week, Instructor Kim found her way to Aerial Dance, where she signed up for a beginner class. After her first class she was hooked! (I feel like this is a common theme for anyone who takes aerial classes!) Prior to dancing at Aerial Dance, Instructor Kim danced all through high school and during college she was on a competitive cheer leading team with the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point.
Becoming An Instructor
Instructor Kim was a student for a year and three months before she started training to become an instructor. Just as Instructor Kim started training Aerial Dance was just beginning to expand. Hammock and silks were the first new apparatuses to come to Aerial Dance. Kim started training on hammocks and silks, shortly after hoop came to the studio.
As Instructor Kim continued her training, she was able to play on both hammock and hoop. She was beginning to experiment and play with hoop before it was introduced to students. Pole would always be her first love, but she soon fell in love with hoop.
Competition
This past January Instructor Kim was invited to judge a pole competition in Minnesota. With her extensive dance background Instructor Kim has a keen eye for technique and detail! She knows what a solid pole routine is. She is able to build a balanced routine that incorporates the correct amount of pole tricks, transitions, and floor work. Judging this competition was a great stepping stone for Instructor Kim.
Competing had always been in the back of her mind. This competition allowed her to see how a pole competition worked. She was able to see the judging score cards to see what the judges were expecting. She learned more about the different levels and the requirements for each. In May Instructor Kim helped guide one of our very own Aerial Dance students to a first place standing.
After judging the Minnesota competition and helping another student train for her competition in May, she caught the competition bug herself! Hoop (lyra) is her favorite apparatus and she was excited to have the opportunity to compete! On Wednesday we got to see her pole routine at the end of pole practice! Let me tell you! She nailed it! She has amazing stage presence and the right amount of sass to draw your eye! I know she is going to nail it! I just wish I was able to attend!
Instructor Kim made her way down to Chicago on Thursday! We are all anxiously awaiting to see photos and videos of both of her routines!