Karolyn Aguilera- Lyra (aerial hoop), silks, and pole fitness instructor.
Ana Glacken- Aerial hammock, pole fitness instructor, resistance flexibility, and strength & conditioning instructor.
Liz Hall- Pole fitness instructor
Vivian Harbin- Pole fitness and pole basework instructor
Gretchen (Geegee) Johnson- Active flexibility and strength & conditioning instructor
Brenda Kennedy- Aerial hammock/sling, aerial yoga instructor. Registered Yoga Detour
Ashley Kulengowski- Adult & kids lyra (aerial hoop) and adult & kids silks instructor
Jackie (Kiki) Rodriguez- Pole fitness instructor
Eloisa Soto- Kids silks instructor
Raquel Urban- Silks instructor
TEAM MEMBER BIOGRAPHY
Karolyn Aguilera
Karolyn is our President and founder, head pole, lyra, silks and flexibility instructor.
Karolyn has kinesiology, personal training and nursing education. She began teaching pole fitness in 2012, flexibility since 2014, aerial hoop in 2015, stilt walkingin 2016, and silks in 2019.
In 2018 Karolyn began training her students to compete in various internationally recognized competitions such as: Americas Got Talent, Vivafest, Aerialympics, Capital of Texas Aerial Championships, Pole Sport Organization, and US Pole Sports Federation. Karolyn has taken her team to new heights earning medals and call backs for every audition with all of her competitors.
In 2019 Karolyn received her pole and aerial judging certification with Aerialympics and has since traveled the United States judging various competitions and categories within the circus circuit.
Along with founding AAF, teaching, choreographing and judging Karolyn also has performed on numerous stages. She has performed along side famous DJs such as: Deorro and Boregous ; most recently sharing a stage with Snoop Dogg in 2019 in Ruidoso Nm.
ANA GLACKEN
Ana Glacken is the Treasurer and co-founder and aerial hammock/ aerial yoga instructor of; Academy of Aerial Fitness.
Born in Ecuador, raised in New York, and served seven years in the United States Army as a Supply Sergeant, Ana Glacken currently holds a Bachelor's degree in Accounting from the University of Maryland.
Ana is a mother of two, and married to a soldier currently stationed in Fort Bliss.
Ana started off as a pole fitness instructor in 2013 and then went on to teach aerial yoga in 2015. An expert motivator due to her years of service in the Army, Ana also offers a unique perspective as an instructor as she lives with, works around, and has thrived as an instructor in spite of having back, shoulder, and hip pain that would normally be considered disabling.
This led her to devise workouts that are safe, effective, and beneficial not only to herself but most importantly her students of all health and fitness levels.
Ana has attended workshops with Miss Texas Pole Star 2012- Crystal Belcher, International Pole Dance Fitness Competitor, David C. Owen and World Pole Champion, Pantera Blacksmith
Gretchen Johnson
GeeGee is our current strength and conditioning coach as well as our active flexibility instructor. She has taught upper level pole and a variety of dance over the years with the studio and will continue to grow with these disciplines to offer occasional series and workshops. She holds her ACE Personal Trainer License, as well as accompanying specialist certificates in Nutrition, Injury Prevention, Functional Training and Behavioral Change Coaching. GeeGee also is part of the performance side of the Academy, AAF Entertainment, and has performed in pole, silks, stilt walking, lyra and is our lead gogo dancer. She has performed on stage alongside the rapper Snoop Dogg and has shared stages with famous DJs such as Borgeous and Sickick. Her goal as an instructor is to help students realize their aerial dreams AND add value to their daily living through strength training, mobility exercises, functional movement and active flexibility.
Brenda Kennedy
Brenda’s passion for the aerial arts ignited in 2014 when she set foot into her first aerial yoga class, four months after her fourth major bone cancer surgery. Aerial yoga helped her regain confidence in herself and her body, which she had lost when she was diagnosed 2009. She was thrilled to find an activity that allowed her to feel free while providing that healing support. Through aerial yoga training, she was able to go back to regular yoga classes, something she thought she’d never be able to do again.
Aerial Yoga also inspired her to begin teacher training and work to become a certified aerial yoga instructor. She knew how daunting it was to step into a gym/studio/class unable to move like an able body person.
Her goal is to create a positive environment for people of all ages and backgrounds, allowing them to feel comfortable and successful after every class.
Brenda became a Register Yoga Teacher200 in 2017 and received her aerial yoga certification in 2018. In 2020, she continued her movement education by becoming a Registered Yoga Detour™ instructor. She has also trained in aerial yoga with Kass McGivern and Karlene Marie. In addition to aerial yoga Brenda is also a student and instructor of aerial sling. She has studied with Holly Ann Jarvis, Rebekah Leach and Matthew Armenta. Brenda has also competed in sling, placing fourth at the Aerialympics Nationals in Utah in 2019.