I have always been intrigued by pole and aerial classes, but I never felt confident enough to attend any (even going so far as to sign up for them and then chicken out at the last minute). When I worked up enough courage and finally took a pole class, it was at a studio with absolutely no structure, and as you could imagine, it felt nearly impossible to get involved in pole as a sport. When I found RGF and saw that they offered a variety of levels for pole, lyra, and hammock, I immediately signed up for all three foundation classes, felt extremely supported by all the instructors I was fortunate enough to learn from, and never looked back.

By day, I am an occupational therapist working in the therapeutic day school system and the community with neurodivergent clients, while also completing my doctoral research on topics related to autism. In my free time, I still actively attend ballet classes, spend time cuddling with my two lab mixes, and travel to new places with my husband (bonus points if it has phenomenal food!)

The feeling of being an absolute beginner at a sport again, and learning it as an adult. I have been a dancer for most of my life, but my ability to train with instructors who prioritize safety and technical development as an adult makes me feel confident to try new moves and know I am developing both pole and aerial technique in a safe and fun way. As a dancer who has spent a significant amount of time rehabbing knee injuries over the past 10 years, finding a creative sport I could pursue for years, while respecting my body and its needs, is so important for me.  I also love leaning into both the creative and feminine side of these activities, while simultaneously becoming the strongest version of myself, which is needed to make these moves look flowy and effortless. The duality embodied in practicing these apparatuses speaks to me as a person and my experience of being a woman who finds herself wanting to fill both creative and analytic roles.