This week’s instructor spotlight is on Laina! Data Nerd by day and Aerial Dancer by night. Get to know Laina in her BollyX interview!
Q: Tell us about yourself – what you do for a living, and where you teach BollyX classes.
A: A little about myself. I’m all about using both sides of my brain. That means that I make a living off of being a data nerd. I’m a director of healthcare informatics at a health plan. After I’m done with the workday, I’m usually running to an aerial dance class, a rehearsal for a musical, or spending time with my goofy little family in the Chicago burbs. I teach BollyX in a few different locations. I have a class at the Oak Lawn Park District Sundays at 10:30am, a class at XSport in Chicago Ridge on Tuesday nights at 7:30, and a rotating class at one of my favorite places in the world to take classes, Rising Goddess Fitness in Westmont.
Q: How would you describe BollyX in one word?
A: SATISFYING! I love the rush of energy I get from a great workout that gets my heart racing, the happiness on my students faces when they’re dancing their faces off, and the overall feeling of accomplishment I get from showing people how amazing Bollywood music is when they’ve never been exposed to it before.
Q: What is your favorite part of BollyX class?
A: The performance section – duh! When people really get to stamp their own style on that final dance, it’s exciting to watch. People really love to cheer on their friends and family during performance. I have an entire family who attends one of my classes, and this is where they really get goofy and let go!
Q: How has working with BollyX changed you?
A:BollyX has introduced me to something I’ve never had the chance to do, which is teaching. In my job I have often been frustrated with attempting to explain something that other people aren’t grasping. It’s helped me realize how differently people learn. Cueing was definitely not natural for me, but now that I understand the purpose and how it works, I think it applies to more than just teaching dance fitness.
Q: How long have you been with BollyX?
A: I certified for BollyX in February of 2015, and I’ve been teaching since April. Not even a year and it’s been quite a journey!