October at Aerial Fun and Fitness: Fall into Flight!
As the leaves change, we’re embracing the season with new classes and exciting events. September was full of inspiring workshops and performances, and October promises even more to help you reach new heights—literally!
Whether you're perfecting a routine for the upcoming showcase, exploring a new aerial skill, or simply looking for an exciting way to stay fit, we’ve got plenty in store to keep you soaring through this season.
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
Pelvic Floor Workshop With Dr. Becky Quintangeli
The more you learn about your core, the better you’ll be.
A big thank you to Dr. Becky Quitangeli of The Movement Paradigm® for joining us and sharing valuable insights on enhancing movement, health, and well-being through understanding and strengthening your pelvic floor in the Pelvic Floor Workshop.
Upcoming Events
Student Showcase 2024
Showcase Rehearsals and Updates
We’re in full swing with showcase rehearsals! Performers, please keep an eye on your emails for important updates.
This year, we’ve added a second show to accommodate more attendees. If you couldn’t make it to the live show, we now have a Sunday Matinee, which will be open to the public.
Seating and Availability
The maximum seating capacity for the weekend is approximately 25 to 30 people, with some standing room available.
Stay tuned for social media updates regarding ticket availability after November 1st!
Showcase Tips from Zina
Our 2024 Student Showcase is just around the corner!
For all performers, the most important thing to remember is breathing. Before you start your performance, take a deep breath — a full inhale and a full exhale.
Try to let your face show how much fun you're having. I know there’s a lot going on in your mind, but remember how enjoyable this is.
And if you make a little mistake, that’s okay! Keep going. Mistakes happen, especially live, but if you keep moving and have a good time, the audience will too.
Remember to point those toes or flex your feet strongly, depending on what your character is doing. Be definitive with your ankle joint — make sure the audience knows it was a deliberate choice.
For hands, generally, the palms should face away from the audience. Lead with the back of the hand, then the elbow, the wrist, and finally the fingers. Complete the entire line, whether you're placing your hand in the air or creating a circle. Hands tell a story, but they’re probably the hardest part.
Remember to take a breath and engage your core when you climb — it will make your movements look effortless.
Most of all, have fun!
Spotlight of the Month
This month, we’re shining the spotlight on Alicia and Sheperd! They have been an incredible source of inspiration in our community.
Our Teacher of the Month
Alicia
Meet Alicia, our dedicated student turned teacher at Aerial Fun and Fitness. Alicia Rivera has been a part of our community for nearly ten years!
My name is Alicia, and I have now been an aerial student for 7 years and teaching for 2+ years. I stumbled into Aerial Hammock when my sister gifted me a class at an aerial studio in the area. Unfortunately, that studio was not at a convenient location for me to attend regularly, but a year later I found AFF and have not stopped practicing since.
My advice to our current students is to allow yourself time to progress. We all start at different levels and all too often we see students not giving themselves the appropriate grace to progress safely. If you find yourself absent from class for an extended period of time, don't be afraid to humble yourself and level down until you get back to where you were. Being smart and safe with your progressions will allow Aerial to be in your life for a long time.
Cheers,
Alicia
Our Student of the Month
Sheperd - Age 11
Meet Shepherd, our Student of the Month! Shepherd, 11 years old, started at Aerial Fun and Fitness in August 2023 after being inspired by YouTube videos. What kept hercoming back?
When did you start at Aerial Fun & Fitness? I started in August 2023.
Why did you start aerials? I started aerials because it looked fun! I first saw it on YouTube and that made me want to try it. I love to try new things.
What made you come back and stick with it? I really liked the people. Everyone was really nice. I love aerial.
What would you tell someone just starting aerial fitness? Keep trying and do your best. It can be hard at first but don’t give up!
What have been some of your challenges? Some tricks are challenging if you try them for the first time. But after trying them a few times, I can figure it out.
What apparatuses do you train on? I do hammock, lyra, and sling.
Your favorite pose(s), and why do you like it? All drops, cross back, seahorse, and double horse. I like drops because they’re scary at first but after you’ve done it, it’s fun! Something I like about cross back is it’s challenging at first, then you can learn to do a lot of things from it. Seahorse is pretty, fun, and you can do perch from it! I love the drops from double horse.
One word that defines you? Courageous. I’m not scared to try new and challenging things!
What path would you like aerial to take for you? I want to perform in concerts, musicals, and the circus!
Zina's Aerialsophy
In aerial fitness, injury prevention is key to staying safe while having fun. The PEACE and LOVE method is a simple approach to help manage injuries and support recovery, both short-term and long-term.
PEACE
When an injury first happens, follow PEACE to minimize damage and start healing:
P – Protect: Avoid moves or tricks that could make the injury worse.
E – Elevate: Raise the injured area above your heart to reduce swelling.
A – Avoid anti-inflammatories: These can slow healing, so let your body do its thing naturally.
C – Compress: Gently wrap or compress the area to control swelling.
E – Educate: Learn about your injury and listen to your body to avoid overdoing it.
LOVE
Once the injury starts healing, switch to the LOVE method to recover fully:
L – Load: Gradually reintroduce movement and weight to strengthen the injury.
O – Optimism: Stay positive—recovery is just as much mental as physical.
V – Vascularization: Keep blood flowing with light exercise, like gentle stretching or walking.
E – Exercise: Regularly work on strengthening and flexibility to prevent future injuries.
By following PEACE and LOVE, you can manage injuries smartly and get back in the air safely. Aerial fitness is all about balance—both in the body and the mind!
Classes
Check our website for the latest class schedule and join us for some fun and fitness!
Special Highlight: Lyra Classes
Wednesday at 4:30 pm
Friday at 10am
Learn the fundamentals of Lyra and master the basic poses to prepare for advanced classes. Build strength, improve balance, engage your core, and most importantly, have fun!
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!