Growing up, I was fortunate to always be involved in some sport… competitive swimming, basketball, cross country, and track. I’ve always felt most at ease when I’m involved in some kind of movement.This all came to a halt around my 16th birthday due to a shoulder injury. My confidence plummeted and I lost my love of movement, thinking that I couldn’t do it anymore. Fast forward a few years and, with the encouragement of a friend, I walked into my first yoga class. There was a lot of “self-reflecting” and maybe a couple cuss words as I awkwardly moved through the poses.
While I still wasn’t sure if yoga was for me, there was something there that drew me back, again and again and again, until I quickly became a regular at the studio. This is where my most recent obsession with “mindful movement” started.A few years after finding my yoga practice, I was ready for the next thing, or a new way to level up. Also, around this time, a new studio was opened whose focus was “Aerial Yoga”. One thing led to another, and a year later I was making weekly trips to Ft. Collins to train at the Fort Collins Circus Center while teaching 2-3 aerial yoga classes each week in Laramie.
We all know movement is great for our minds and bodies, but for me it’s the greatest way to reach a “flow state”. Where my mind can stay truly present in the activity while everything else disappears and time stands still. Aerial arts, circus arts, aerial yoga, whatever you want to call it, is my favorite type of movement. These activities are truly great for all ages and can easily be modified for all abilities. The silk or fabric can be anything from the greatest prop to assist in getting into poses, getting a deeper stretch, or it can become an extension of you as you move through the air.
I am so excited to bring aerial arts to Elevation Now. Classes will be private or semi-private (due to space) and will be designed to meet each student’s needs. My credentials include 200 YT, Silks Level One, Aerial Yoga, Children’s Yoga, and many more hours of workshops and continuing education. Because of my diverse background, classes can be a blend of yoga, aerial arts movement, or pilates. Number one, we will bring out our inner child and have fun.
I love to talk about Aerial arts and Yoga, so if you have any questions, or would like to schedule a session, just reach out 970-263-9100!
~Jessie
Grand Junction Aerial Yoga