Anna Lyapunova is what you would describe as ‘scarily flexible’, but she has the grace and agility of a gazelle when performing one of her pole or hoop routines at Pole Fit Dubai.
The 31-year-old bagged the 2016 Pole Art Championship title in Cyprus and is now set to take the stage of the first Dubai Pole Cup and World Calisthenics Games to be held on December 8 and 9 at the World Trade Centre.
She sat down with Sport360° to talk about her journey so far and how she stays fit.
Tell us a bit about yourself ?
My name is Anna Lyapunova. I live in Dubai and I am an aerial arts instructor and a performer.
How did you get involved with aerial arts?
Ever since I was a little girl, I was involved in rhythmic gymnastics and then pursued it professionally for 10 years. I was awarded the title of “Master of Sports” in the Republic of Kazakhstan. However, afterwards I got involved in contemporary dancing and eventually found myself gravitating towards aerial arts, as it is a combination of the two things that I excel at, which is gymnastics and dancing.
One of my most recent and proudest achievements was winning the first prize at the 2016 International Pole Art Championship in Cyprus, in the category of semi-professionals.
What challenges did you face when transitioning from rhythmic gymnastics to the aerial arts?
Thankfully I can say haven’t faced too many challenges in my pursuit of gymnastics and aerial arts. I just have a very deep appreciation for my body and I know what it is capable of.
Since both of these disciplines have pretty much the same principles, it wasn’t hard for me at all. However, the only minor concern I had was that in professional gymnastics you are always taught to not show any strain or emotions on your face.
But dancing is a whole new ball game. You have to emote, not just with your body, but your face as well. So, I can say that I struggled a bit with showing my emotions in dancing and expressing myself through dancing.
Afterwards, I decided to give pole dancing and hoops a shot, and I just immediately fell in love with it.
People still seem to have a very negative perception of the aerial arts, what is your take on that?
I respect people’s opinions and I understand not everyone can have the same view on a subject. It is something they are entitled to, but I do believe that it is wrong to just write it off as something bad without at least giving it a shot themselves.
Aerial arts are definitely worth trying before one can jump to any conclusion about it. I am sure, most of the people would appreciate it as a great sport and may find it absolutely beautiful as well.
What do you think of the Dubai Pole Cup and how are you training for it?
It is the first competition for pole in Dubai and it is a very positive step forward, especially in this region. It shows that aerial arts are being accepted as a legitimate sport. I am training very hard for it and let’s see what happens.
I am obviously very excited to be part of this event and I am happy that people will be able to see my performance live, instead of just watching on the internet.
Your level of flexibility can be quite daunting for many, how do you maintain your immense physique?
Everyone can be flexible and it is only a matter of working out and stretching regularly. Sometimes people don’t realise how strong their bodies are and end up not working to their body’s full potential.
I stay in shape with daily workouts. I don’t stick to any diets, but I just try eat clean and healthy. Pole dancing also really changed my life and helped me find a great way to stay active. It has also helped me realise my talents as an artist, choreographer and as a coach.
What is your advice to women pursuing aerial arts?
Do not be afraid and be patient. Love yourself and believe in yourself. You cannot imagine what our bodies are capable of, and one can truly reach their fullest potential if they only try.
