September 2024 Newsletter
As August wrapped up, we’re looking back on a month packed with excitement at Aerial Fun and Fitness! From the adrenaline of our Liberty Challenge to the new Zumba class that’s got everyone moving, it’s been a month to remember. And don’t forget—we just launched our brand video!
But we’re not stopping there—September is bringing even more excitement, including a super cool creative photoshoot and some amazing workshops. We can’t wait to share all the details with you!
Here’s what you will see inside this issue:
Highlights from the previous month
Updates on this month's events
Upcoming events to look forward to
Teacher and Student Spotlight of the Month
Aerial Tip by Zina
Class Highlight and Schedule
Teacher Training Updates
Recent Events
Brand Video Launch
We launched our brand-new video, and it was a great success! If you haven’t had a chance to see it yet, check it out now. It’s a fantastic way to get a glimpse of what makes Aerial Fun and Fitness so special.
Aerial Fun Liberty Challenge
We had fun during our Aerial Fun Liberty Challenge!
This Year’s Challenge Winner: Reilly Myhre!
We had so many great photos this year. Congratulations, Reilly Myhre, for best spirit and most photos - winning this year’s challenge! As a reward, you’ll receive a free class and get to choose a t-shirt of your choice!
Acro Aerial Workshop with Melodic Movements
We enjoyed an exciting afternoon with the dancers from Melodic Movements in our Acro Aerial workshop. The energy was high, and the creativity was through the roof as we explored new aerial techniques together.
New Zumba Workshop
We launched our first Zumba workshop and were excited to see how it would go. While it was our first workshop, we definitely enjoyed the experience.
Upcoming Events
Creative Photoshoot
Aerial Fun and Fitness is partnering with Erin Coyle Photography for a photoshoot against the green screen on September 7th, 2024 from 2pm to 5pm!
Get all decked out and show off all the hard work you have done to be amazing. Choose an aerial apparatus. Make sure to come early and be ready for your time slot, be ready and warmed up.
PRO TIPS:
Greens will not work well with the green screen background but other colors will be great.
Solid colors work well for the detailed backgrounds. Patterns can work for the plain backgrounds. If you have questions on colors, contact us and we can help you decide.
Contact Zina for details if you are coming to the photoshoot.
Student Showcase 2024
Our 2024 Student Showcase will have a movie theme this year! Interested in participating? Fill out the interest form below. LAST MINUTE Signups until Wed the 4th.
Pelvic Floor Workshop with Dr. Becky
Join us for an exclusive workshop with Dr. Becky Quintangeli on September 28th at Aerial Fun and Fitness! Discover the secrets to better movement, health, and well-being by understanding and strengthening your pelvic floor.
Date: Saturday, September 28, 2024
Time: 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
Location: Aerial Fun and Fitness at Hockessin Crossing, 2nd Floor
Did you know that you can get $20 off if you register before Sep 15th? Use code early-bird-gets20 . Make sure to apply it before you check out.
Only 15 spots available – don't miss out! Click the link below to register now.
Our Teacher of the Month
Laura
Meet Laura! After maternity leave, Laura is excited to be back at Aerial Fun and Fitness. With a decade of aerial experience, she’s ready to help you find your flow and bring your moves to life.
With showcase just around the corner my tip for y'all is to let your body and your feelings flow through each movement. Don't overthink it. Slow down and really accentuate each movement/pose. And finally, don't forget about the transitions, because the transitions are what really bring your choreography to life!
Hope to see you in the air!
Cheers,
Laura Rennegade
Hello! Laura Rennegade here. I’m just returning from pregnancy leave (or should I say postpartum leave) since I was teaching throughout most of my pregnancy and performed in the showcase 2 weeks before giving birth to my little man.
The past few months have been amazing being a new mom, though I've missed this community and am excited to be back teaching Lyra Intro foundations and choreographing for showcase. I look forward to teaching Lyra level 1 again soon and training to teach Lyra level 2 as well.
Before moving to Landenberg and joining the Aerial Fun and Fitness team, I lived in Philadelphia where I found my love for circus and aerials and have been performing for over 10 years! Creating and developing my own choreography throughout that time. My passion is partner Lyra or doubles as I like to call it. Though I also really enjoy cube, sphere, trapeze, and have dabbled in silks and hammock. I just love to spin and hang upside-down.
Our Student of the Month
Christine
What have been some of your challenges? For me, my enthusiasm for aerial was so great that it was hard not to realize I was pushing my body too far sometimes. I gave myself (small) finger injuries by relying too much on my grip for too long, and not enough on my core. Fortunately Zina realized what caused my injury and gave me a plan to heal as well as avoid creating that injury again in future, and now I’m all healed up and actually better off for the whole experience. This experience has made me more respectful in the way I treat and respond to my body.
What apparatuses do you train on? Lyra, Sling, and Hammock
Your favorite pose(s), and why do you like it? Inverted crossback! It makes me feel tied up, free, and challenged at the same time.
One word that defines you? Passionate 😂
What path would you like aerial to take for you? I’d love to be a teacher someday, and personally I’d love to get into silks! The little I’ve tried on them so far was …illuminatingly addictive.
When did you start at Aerial Fun & Fitness? July 2023 - just over 1 year ago!
Why did you start aerials? I was about to begin a new job I was dreading, and so I decided to sign up for the most fun activities I could think of to take my mind off work. I signed up for art classes and aerial. And aerial stuck!
What made you come back and stick with it? I was shocked by how much fun it was. I realized I had never done physical exercise that was that fun or exhilarating before in my life, and I couldn’t bring myself to consider quitting.
What would you tell someone just starting aerial fitness? Keep showing up, and it will get easier, and you will be improve faster than you realize!
Zina's Aerialosophy
(Get it? aerial +philosophy)
Those of us in aerial arts all want splits. We all want those ever-elusive splits...
But did you know that the shape of your pelvis could affect which type of splits you might be better at?
What if your hip bones are more to the side? What if your hip bones face more forward?
There are so many factors to consider when we start working on more advanced positions of the body. For example, everybody has a different amount of collagen and varying muscle fiber types. Are you hypermobile? Are you not hypermobile? Are you stiff? What type of job do you have? Do you sit all day? Do you stand all day?
The next big thing is, "Oh, flexibility will give me splits." Flexibility is a great buzzword, but do you have the strength to hold a limb or your body at end range?
We need to create core strength and mobility. Holding those extreme positions without getting injured should be the goal versus trying to do something more intense too quickly and possibly ending up injured.
Now, does that mean we can't do splits or we shouldn't do splits? Quite the contrary! It's always great to train these skills. After all, we are doing aerial and circus arts, so there are some shapes that need splits. We just need to learn to train them safely.
Consider these points: core strength, keeping your hips square, knowing how to use your core, keeping your quads and your hamstrings active. Do you know how to use your hip flexors and your glutes on the other leg? Do you think about how you breathe and use your core and pelvic floor? Are your ribs down in line with your hips?
I know that's a lot, but it's important to start thinking about these things when you want to start training. A quick fix for a lot of this is making sure you know where your core position is and that you can breathe properly.
Are your ribs over your hips? It sounds too easy, but if you can't breathe in a position, then you're not strong there.
If you have any questions, please reach out.
Classes
Check our website for the latest class schedule and join us for some fun and fitness!
Special Highlight: Apprentice Classes
Saturdays at 4:30 PM
Join our Apprentice Class! We are offering discounted INTRO Hammock classes for just $20.00 to help our new teachers get their hours.
Don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity to learn and support our budding instructors.
Weekly Class Schedule
Hammock:
Intro Beginner - Sunday 10 am and 4:30 pm / Saturday 8:45 am
Mixed Level - Mondays 6:35 pm / Tuesdays 4:15 pm / Friday 8:30 am and 7 pm / Saturday 10 am
Level 2 Intermediate - Saturday 2 pm
Level 2/3 - Monday 5:30 pm / Friday 5:45 pm
Level 3 - Sunday 4:30 pm / Thursday 6 pm and 7:05 pm
Advanced Multi Apparatus 3/4 - Wednesday 5:30 pm / Thursday 10 am (ADV* Instructor permission needed)
Lyra:
Lyra Intro Foundations - Monday 5:30 pm
Lyra 1/1+ - Sundays 2 pm / Tuesday 6:35 pm
Lyra 2 Intermediate - Sunday 3:15 pm / Friday 4:30 pm
Lyra 3 - Tuesday 5:30 pm (ADV* Instructor permission needed)
Bungee Fitness:
Bungee Intro - Sunday 1:10 pm
Bungee Mixed Levels - Sunday 12:15 pm / Wednesday 6:45 pm
Specialty:
Mixed Apparatus ADV* - Wednesday 5:30pm / Thursday 10 am (Instructor permission needed)
Aerial THAI Stretch - By Appt.Private Lessons/Group Parties are by appointment. Contact us for more details.
Class dates/times subject to change. Confirm on the calendar.
Teacher Training Updates
We’ve got something exciting in the works—a brand-new Hip and Core Challenge! Get ready to fire up your muscles and strengthen your practice or learn the details to have safe splits and back bends in a whole new way. More details are coming your way soon, so stay tuned!
Special shout out to Elena for helping us compile our newsletter. She does a lot of work behind the scenes for us.
Zina DiTonno
Owner, Aerial Fun & Fitness Studio
Founder, Aerial Technique Teacher Training and Studio Programs
Aerial Fun & Fitness is a Veteran-Owned and Operated Business. Thanks for your support.
Try something new. Save your spot in class.
Special Thanks for all those who serve others.