Making the jump last November to open her own aerial studio, Anna Conners headed into 2020 on cloud nine.
"We performed at Mayfair Mall on Leap Day and that was like our big thing. I was so excited. I was like so many people are going to see us and this is going to be great, and then we shut down two weeks later," says Anna, owner of Anna-Belle Aerial.
COVID-19 may have put a pause on anyone coming into Anna-Belle Aerial, but it hasn't stopped Anna from taking flight.
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"We've been teaching online and doing a lot more fitness classes and flexibility classes. We are also doing theory classes, so if you have a bed sheet you can start learning stuff," says Anna. "We're offering a few classes a week that are completely free. 30-minute classes, join us online. We Zoom it, so you can just sign up online and we send you the link and there's a donation link. So if you want to support us you can choose what fits your budget because there are a lot of people out of work."
Planning a soft reopening on June 1, Anna and her instructors will start offering private lessons in the studio.
"People are encouraged to bring their own equipment, but we are washing everything and disinfecting what I can after use. Anything that we can't clean, we aren't having out," says Anna.
With the community's support Anna-Belle Aerial continues to operate day-to-day. If you would like to help you can visit annabelleaerial.com or donate here.