Studio Staff Interviews - Zorena

Greetings avid blog readers! After a short break we have a new studio staff interview!

I'm sure that most of you will know our next interviewee! I sat down with the one and only Zorena to find out a little bit more about her and the recently renamed Solent Fitness and Aerial Arts!

Hi there! My name is Zorena, I'm the head instructor and proprietor of Solent Fitness & Aerial Arts.

Hi Zorena! Can you start us off by telling us an interesting fact about yourself?

I completed a degree several years ago in modern languages - studying German, Spanish and Italian, lived in Italy for a year and qualified as an EFL teacher, before becoming a pole, hoop & fitness instructor. Although I do still hope to use my education at some point....

Isn’t that what Italian stretch classes are for? Do you have any hobbies outside of the studio?

I am a bodybuilder & competitive fitness model (or at least, was until I got pregnant - hope to return to it at some point!)
I'm also a keen reader and like to go ballroom & latin dancing with my husband when we get the chance!

Awesome! Now for the quickfire questions….
Do you have any pets?

I have one cat who chose to move into ours one day, and hasn't left in 10 years...

What music do you like to listen to?

I listen to a bit of everything but I guess rock is my favourite - Muse etc. although there is a special place in my heart for a bit of Shaggy.

Favourite food?
I literally eat everything. I can't think of a favourite... I rely on coffee to keep me going and it would be the last thing i would give up I think... Although Decaff is THE WORST THING EVER.

Oh dear! Best get you back on the coffee as soon as we can! Now, tell us a bit about Solent Fitness and Aerial Arts… What do you offer at the studio?

Solent Fitness & Aerial Arts offer: Pole tricks & fitness classes, aerial hoop classes for adults and youths, circus arts classes for kids, stretch and body sculpt classes, Kettlebells, and practice sessions.
I also offer personal training plans, and sports/relaxation massage sessions.

Blimey! Something for everyone then? Who mostly comes to your classes (apart from me)?

All sorts of people come to our classes. Circus arts is aimed at younger children ages 5-11, while the youth hoop is for 8-16 year olds.
A wide range of people come to our adult fitness and tricks classes, mostly women but we do welcome men too!
All ages and abilities are welcome.

Great! What do students get out of your classes?
Fitness, friendships, and fun! :D

Aww sweet! Now, moving back to JDStudio, can you tell us a bit about your relationship with the studio?
Julie was the one who introduced me to pole back in 2009! After a couple of years of training with her, I did her instructor course and started teaching pole with her at the studio. Soon after I started teaching hoop too and Julie decided to hand the reigns over to me to expand so she could focus on the studio, and on teaching her classes - leaving more of the admin to me - luckily I quite enjoy admin!!!
I started learning pole with Julie over 7 years ago, and started teaching when Julie opened the new studio in it's current location almost 5 years ago!

Is there anything that sets JDStudio apart from other locations?
It is always warm and cosy in the winter, and nice and cool in the summer! There's a real family feel about the studio and Julie is always trying to improve the studio and what we can offer there.

Anything else that you would like to tell us about the studio?
Julie has also let me hire one of the office spaces upstairs for her and I to share, meaning i don't have to do all of my admin at home (where it never gets done because Jeremy Kyle is so much more interesting hehehehe!)
This is where I do my massage, plan lessons, do instructor training etc. and also where I eat the majority of my meals at the moment!!

Can you tell us a funny story that happened at the studio?
Oh gosh............ There have been a fair few to be honest!!!

I've taken a few kicks to the head/face, spotting students - including one from fellow instructor Lauren just last night!

I've had to go rewind the CCTV before now to watch myself falling over before now - more than once! Usually straight after I've told someone a move is "really easy"

Emily has run across the studio to give me a high five during class before, only to slide and trip over before reaching me and skidding across the floor.

An adult class warmed up once with Julie's new party game of hungry hippos...

I was teaching hoop rolls in baggy trousers once, they became rolled up around the hoop and I was completely stuck there hanging onto the hoop by just my trouser rolls! We've also had multiple leggings split - and even a couple of pairs of underwear breaking!

We frequently attempt some of those really unachievable viral videos/photos you see on Facebook and they very often go completely wrong, resulting in hilarious fails, our favourite one so far being "the floor is lava chair trick"

The last one that comes to mind is all the silly, often completely unintentional photo bombs - usually involving me trying to get out of the photo, only for it to be a video of my jumping out of my skin and running away!  

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Haha! So many good times!! Any messages or thanks?
Just a HUGE thank you to Julie for introducing me to pole, encouraging me to keep going and improve, enter competitions, become an instructor and generally pushing me to become better!
Also a big thanks to Darren for looking after all the equipment and putting it all up for us all the time!
A shout out to all my instructors, helpers, and everyone who makes me coffee.
And finally a huge thank you to all of our wonderful, loyal students who continue to support us and are absolute superstars.

Thank you so much for your time today Zorena, anything else you would like to add for our blog readers?
My website is: http://solentfaa.weebly.com
Thanks for reading and hope to see you in classes soon (over the next couple of weeks please, I'll be off giving birth soon enough - then you can come in to visit bubba too!)