Lauren Kehl is a Seattle-based aerial coach, Pilates instructor, and GYROTONIC® trainer known for her technical expertise and innovative approach to coaching. She began her aerial training in 2008 and has been coaching for over 15 years, dedicating her career to refining technique and advancing coaching methodologies. As a curriculum developer and co-leader of the teacher training program at Versatile Arts, Lauren specializes in mentoring other coaches, helping them build a strong foundation in biomechanics, progressions, and student-centered teaching strategies. She has developed Movement First Aerial, her own methodology that focuses on understanding foundational movement patterns to create strength, efficiency, and artistry in the air. Lauren works with students of every level, tailoring her teaching to meet individual needs while fostering growth and confidence. Her approach blends aerial arts with Pilates and The GYROTONIC® Method, creating a holistic foundation for strength, flexibility, and injury prevention. Her work is a trusted resource for aerial instructors and students alike, providing tools to deepen technical understanding and refine their practice. Learn more about Lauren and her resources at laurenkehl.com.
Dispatches from the teaching trenches
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Hey Reader, I’m going to be writing more on the blog about my thoughts and feelings about teaching aerial. While I won’t be sending out the full posts to this list, I will be sharing some blurbs so you can check it out if you’re interested. This post is about some of the challenges recreational adult aerialists, and their coaches face: My students want to be inverting in the ropes, but they’re struggling with it. Some of them still rely on jumping off the ground to get upside down, and that strategy doesn’t work very well when you’re inverting from the bar or in the air. So we spent some time breaking down the components of an inversion: bent arm hangs, the action of tipping back to invert, and getting your legs up into a tuck. At one point, one of them said, “I feel like I’ve been doing everything wrong the whole time!” That’s a shitty, but very understandable way to feel. And it really gets to the heart of the challenge of being a recreational aerialist. Beginners aren’t starting at zero We tend to think of beginner students as starting at zero and building from there. A blank slate, if you will. And that is certainly true conceptually, and in relation to our understanding of aerial skills. But when it comes to physical preparedness? It’s a really different story. Here in Seattle, we’re starting to move into the damp and grey that will last till next spring. It’s definitely making me really excited for the Slingstravaganza retreat that I’m hosting with Luna Finn in March 2027! This retreat is going to combine all of my favorite things: teaching aerial, talking about aerial, hanging out with cool people, and vacations in tropical paradise. Luna and I have a pretty fantastic week planned: 2 classes a day where we get deep into sequencing and movement exploration, delicious meals, excursions to town and the beach, and some really amazing people. I think it’s going to be magical, and I would really love you to join us! You can check out all the details here, and if you have questions, I hope you’ll get in touch! Love, Lauren |
Lauren Kehl Aerial Fitness
Lauren Kehl is a Seattle-based aerial coach, Pilates instructor, and GYROTONIC® trainer known for her technical expertise and innovative approach to coaching. She began her aerial training in 2008 and has been coaching for over 15 years, dedicating her career to refining technique and advancing coaching methodologies. As a curriculum developer and co-leader of the teacher training program at Versatile Arts, Lauren specializes in mentoring other coaches, helping them build a strong foundation in biomechanics, progressions, and student-centered teaching strategies. She has developed Movement First Aerial, her own methodology that focuses on understanding foundational movement patterns to create strength, efficiency, and artistry in the air. Lauren works with students of every level, tailoring her teaching to meet individual needs while fostering growth and confidence. Her approach blends aerial arts with Pilates and The GYROTONIC® Method, creating a holistic foundation for strength, flexibility, and injury prevention. Her work is a trusted resource for aerial instructors and students alike, providing tools to deepen technical understanding and refine their practice. Learn more about Lauren and her resources at laurenkehl.com.