Today we’d like to introduce you to Misty Austin.
Hi Misty, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I started my pole & aerial journey during my Master of Physiotherapy studies in Australia. The first pole fitness class that I attended was a challenge that made me so frustrated that I had to keep coming back to concur this feat of acrobatics. With a health & fitness background, I started teaching pole dance & fitness when I later returned home to the United States.
As the sport grew in popularity with ever increasing physically demanding tricks, so to were pole sport related injuries. After seeing a multitude of preventable injuries among artistic athletes, I felt a moral obligation to use my sports physical therapy knowledge to create a service that would empower individuals with safe science based movement. I launched Performance Art Athletics LLC in 2016, the first pole teacher training program focused on dance science. Which later grew with a presentation team of Physical Therapists, Physiotherapists, Kinesiologists, Exercise Physiologists, & Dance Scientists, around the globe.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The last 2 years have certainly changed the world of teaching and training for many, as it did for Performance Art Athletics. I have to bite my tongue as I had said repeatedly that I would never turn my curriculum into an online training, as the hands on learning experience is so important for movement education. Changing the live course format that would still provide a positive movement experience virtually was challenging.
It was also a challenge cutting back from 20 live courses a year to 2 virtual courses a year with life being put on hold. But, I am hoping these experiences will make the training program even more accessible with our global reach.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Physical Therapist, Pole Dance Instructor, Continuing Education Provider.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.performanceartathletics.com/
- Instagram: @verticalartathletics
- Facebook: @PoleArtAthletics
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBR6B8ENs9Hvod4RHtolLPg
Image Credits
Erika Jarnes
