This Aerialist Mom Pursues Her Passion To Perform Onstage, Breastfeeds During Rehearsals

New moms tend to let their lives revolve around their newborns, thus forgoing their personal wants. This usually happens for the time being, but it can also go on and on until they're running on empty. That's why self-care is very important and highly recommended (read here).

Take it from first-time mom and aerial arts/pole/dance enthusiast Lorraine Grace Cardinal-Agnasin. She succeeds at caring for both herself and her 16-month-old son Sibol, with some adjustments and a lot of help from her husband and Sibol's dad Jelo Agnasin.

When Lorraine goes to her rehearsals at the Elite Aerial Arts studio in Quezon City, for instance, she's usually accompanied by Jelo and Sibol. She plays with Sibol during breaks, and also breastfeeds when needed. She just wears her nursing cover while giving nourishment to her son.

Pursuing passion to perform

Back in 2015, when Lorraine was around 24, still single, and working as a software developer, she started taking classes in pole dance.

She now recalls in an interview with Smart Parenting: "Work from home setup na kami noon and parang nakakalungkot na lagi lang ako sa room and puro wall ang nakikita. I wanted to go out, meet new people and do something na matagal ko na gusto i-try. So tried to look for pole classes again and luckily may nahanap within QC."

She adds, "Kumuha agad ako ng 20 sesh class card. Sobrang saya ko attending classes. I didn't have any form of exercise before, so tumutunog mga buto ko warm-up pa lang, pero sobrang saya whenever nagagawa ko 'yung tricks na tinuturo.

"Ang saya din ng crowd, lakas mang-hype ng mga classmates kahit di kayo magkakakilala or first time n'yo makita isa't isa. Over time nafi-feel ko lumalakas ako at na-enjoy ko yun so I kept coming back."

RELATED: How to Be Strong and Sexy at Any Age With Pole Dancing!

Two years later, in 2018, Lorraine and Jelo got married. She also started taking classes at Elite, which offers, aside from pole dance, aerial arts classes like hoop, hammock, silks, and other apparatus.

"Na-enjoy ko rin especially the hoop," she beams. "Sabi ko talaga, itutuloy ko ito. Never ko na-appreciate ang exercise before pole and aerials. Ngayon nae-enjoy ko na s'ya."

After a year of attending aerial arts classes, Lorraine got to perform onstage with her fellow students in a recital. It was for Elite's student showcase in 2019 called GRL PWR. She loved the experience so much that she vowed to do it again. Unfortunately, pandemic struck in 2020 that forced all studios to close, albeit temporarily.

When Lorraine got pregnant in 2021, she continued her aerial hoop classes with Elite's resident teacher Nesh Zamora online. "Para may guidance pa rin, 'tapos si Jelo nagsa-spot sa 'kin at home. Feeling ko mas magaan talaga naging pregnancy ko and pag-aalaga ng baby dahil sa strength na na-build ko sa workout."

In January 2022, she gave birth to Sibol via Cesarean section delivery ("di daw kasya sa hips ko si baby"). By November, she suited up for her return to performing, in an online show organized by Elite. This year, 2023, Elite returns onstage in a show called Dancing Through the Decades: A Pole, Dance, & Aerial Student Showcase, happening on June 3 at the U.P. Film Center. (Call 09178900757 for tickets and inquiries.)

Why pursuing your passion matters

"I wanted to push myself (and also encourage din ako ng husband ko) to keep exercising  and be fit," Lorraine, now 32, explains. "Siyempre we get busy with other things in life. Ang daling i-postpone or ipagpaliban ng exercise/workout. By joining recitals, may reason ako para pilitin sarili ko to show up.

"Saka na-enjoy ko din talaga recital. Mas intense 'yung training, mas napu-push 'yung boundaries, strength, endurance, pati isip para magkabisado ng routine. Pati chance magmaganda sa photoshoot at on stage. Haha!"

Here's another reason why Lorraine persists on attending her aerial arts classes: "Before pa kami nagka-baby, promise na rin namin ni Jelo talaga na we keep ourselves fit and healthy para pag may kids na kami we have all the energy para makipaglaro sa kanila.

"Ngayon na may baby na nga, mas na-appreciate ko na nagpo-pole at aerials na ako before. Ang hirap magdala ng baby for 9 months 'tapos aalagaan mo and sayo mostly dependent 'yung baby paglabas, all while you're also recovering from giving birth."

She has a message to fellow moms who also want to try aerial arts, pole, or other performing arts and joining a recital: "Go go go! Push n'yo mga mamshies! Ang saya! It builds strength and helps you do more 'tapos may ganda moments pa."

Read here on how another mom recovered from giving birth.

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