Meet the team.

 With an extensive background in both dance and performance, as well as education in sports and nutrition, Alyssa brings a fantastic skill set to the table. In addition to having completed training with ACE accredited Pole Art Athletics creator Dr. Misty Austin, Alyssa has studied the Veena Method of Instructor Training.  After declaring a major in Health Education, Alyssa fell in love with working out. "I enjoyed getting stronger and feeling happier." In 2015 Alyssa saw an ad in the paper describing a studio in Fargo that taught pole classes. She was immediately intrigued.  "Pole has become all of my favorite things mixed into one. I get to create, dance, build muscle, workout, and be in the air!"

Misty started pole fitness in 2012, and was hooked by the physical endurance and stamina required for advanced pole tricks. As a high school athlete, she participated in tennis and diving, which she later coached. Misty also trained in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Muay Thai kickboxing. She continued on to teach pole for a year before partnering with Gina Bushey to open ZG. “People get involved in pole fitness for many reasons. For some it is strength, flexibility, and athletic training, but for others it is an opportunity to get out and develop lasting friendships. Pole fitness has so much to offer!” Misty is a VAA Gold Instructor, teaches at-risk youth, and recently obtained  her PhD at the U of ND.

 Tina is a Registered Nurse and mom of two who started pole fitness in 2016. She grew up active in sports and riding horse but also had a passion for dance and gymnastics that was unavailable in her small town. Needless to say, she fell in love with the challenge, the variety and the combination of strength, flexibility, and artistic interpretation pole offered. Tina has a passion for pole, as well as helping others grow and understand their bodies. She is a Vertical Art Athletics Gold Instructor, CPR certified, a certified XaBeat Inspirator, has medaled in multiple pole competitions and holds a 200-hour yoga certification. 

Molly is a ceritfied personal trainer, with a degree in excercise science. She has been instructing various group fitness series to clients of all ages for the past 10 years. In 2014 she took her first pole class with a friend, and was hooked. Since then she has medaled at the Minnesota Pole Competition, performed in multiple showcases including Shake, Rattle & Pole in Minneapolis, and has achieved Gold status through the Vertical Art Athletics instructor training program. She loves the strength, flexibility, confidence, and community that Zero Gravity and pole have provided for her. 

Gina  began her pole journey in 2011. With a background in musical theater and passion for performing, she was thrilled to find a hobby that allowed her to express herself artistically, and stay fit. She is a Vertical Art Athletics Gold Instructor, trained in the Veena Method of Pole Instruction, CPR/FA certified, and has medaled in multiple pole competitions. Gina loves watching her students exceed their own expectations as they gain strength and confidence. She hopes that her performances inspire others to start their own journey, and discover they have the strength to reach any goal.

Meet one of our most diversely talented instructors, Alena F. Alena has been training with Zero Gravity for more than 5 years. After starting with pole fitness, Alena has ventured into both aerial hoop and chair dance. She loves working in heels, and has incredible attention to detail in both performances and instruction. Alena teaches Heels & Flow on Friday evenings, and often manages Freestyle sessions for students to rehearse for upcoming performances. She also holds a PhD and "daylights" as a software engineer. Zero Gravity is fortunate to have Alena bring her unique skillset to the studio each week. 

RyLee has been helping others on their pole journies for nearly 10 years. With experience in both yoga and the anatomy of stretching, RyLee brings extensive knowledge and talent to the Zero Gravity team. Her classes are well-crafted to include quality training as well as fostering confidence and creativity. Most recently, RyLee has used her skills to help students create performance routines, and coach them in preparing for competitions. She loves watching her students succeed!

Kirci has been poling for three and a half years, and has been a professional educator of all ages since 2012. She is a Vertical Art Athletics Silver Qualified instructor, and learns daily from her fellow colleagues. She loves the body positivity and sense of community that the pole world brings, especially at Zero Gravity. She also loves to empower people of all shapes, sizes, and athletic levels to embrace their potential and be successful in pole!

 Heather has been in the fitness industry since 2008, teaching a variety of different classes/levels. Her focus now is on Pilates, Barre, and Fundumentals Pole. She has training through Vertical Art Athletics, Freestyle Academy, and Nike/Mossa. Heather is also a certified trainer through American Heart Association for First Aid, CPR, and AED. She enjoys meeting and getting to know her students and watching them grow physically, emotionally, and in confidence.
Heather has a passion for helping others find and see their full potential.  She reminds her students that everyone's journey is different, but it is their own.

 Emily is a 200hr Registered Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance. Emily started her yoga journey in 2010 and has found yoga to be healing for the body, mind and soul. She believes yoga is for everyone that can breathe. Emily is also a pole fitness student and loves how complimentary a yoga practice can be to pole fitness. With a background in speech and theatre, Emily has taken her pole talent to the stage, and placed 2nd in intermediate performance theatre at the 2019 MN Pole Competition. Emily loves to teach yoga because she enjoys helping others with their goals and being part of a supportive and empowering community.

Dani has been poling for over 5 years. She fell in love with pole after snagging a punch card on SaveCoin (who doesn't love a good deal?!), and fell in love all over again when she discovered aerial silks. She has competed in pole sports three times,  placing 2nd in her division at MN Pole Competition in 2018, and 3rd at PSO Mountain in Denver, CO. She loves weird shapes and transitions, and is excited to continue competing in both pole and silks in the post-covid world. Dani teaches Pole Fundamentals, Spin Pole, and Aerial Silk Tricks. She's completed the Vertical Art Athletics instructor training in both Vertical Foundations and Vertical Yoga.

 Marni is a native to Moorhead, MN where as a teen she was a figure skater for the local club. In 2012 she took her first pole class and was hooked!  Within 2 years she became an instructor, it was then she was introduced to Pound.  She was certified to teach Pound in December 2017 and has been sharing her love for Pound ever since.  Marni loves workouts that are above all fun, but also challenging and ones that let her make personal connections with her students and classes!  She was recently certified in Cirque It fitness as well. 

Back in 2016, Kristin took her first pole class with no expectations of success. Since then, she's excelled beyond anything she'd imagined. Kristin is a certified XaBeat Inspirator, and continues to train in pole fitness, with hopes of one day conquering her fear of the stage. "I've learned not to be afraid to try new things, despite maybe not being good at them. [Zero Gravity] is an incredibly supportive, non-judgemental environment. Everyone is welcoming and kind. Maybe you'll love pole, maybe you won't...but you won't know until you try!"

Meet ZG's newest instructor! Ariel started her pole journey in 2016. She loves that pole fitness offers a sense of achievement, piques curiosity, and pushes creative boundaries. Ariel loves to add a little sparkle and zest to everything she does, and is excited to bring that sparkle to ZG and share it with her students! She has a bachelor's degree in Exercise Science, as well as experience teaching various group fitness classes over the years. 

Meet Kate! With a career dedicated to education, Kate brings confidence and experience to every class she teaches both in the studio and the classroom. Kate is a 200-hour certified yoga instructor, and has been teaching mixed-levels yoga for almost 10 years. She also teaches dance (salsa and bachata), and previously taught XaBop kids' fitness classes as well. Outside of work, Kate can be found riding/breeding/caring for her horses. 

Kate is excited to bring her talents to ZG!

 Sondra is an experienced athlete. She did pole vaulting throughout high school, and is also a marathon runner. "I first came to Zero Gravity in 2016 for a bachelorette party and got hooked! I started talking every silk class that was available. I worked hard for about 4 years, and was eventually offered a job teaching beginner silks." Sondra now teaches Intro to Silks, Beginner Silks, and Youth Silks workshops. She loves the environment and the friendships that she's made, and seen made at Zero Gravity. She's a talented and valued member of the ZG team!

Dylan started working out with silks at Zero Gravity in 2019, when a coworker invited him to a class. Right away, he started to take as many of the classes as he could, having found the first fitness activity he enjoyed and actually wanted to keep going back to. When Lyra was first brought to the studio, Dylan signed up right away and found the same passion as he did with silks. Dylan teaches both aerial silk hammock and Lyra. He is an enthusiastic and talented addition to the Zero Gravity Aerial team!