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EP# 262: From Gymnastics to Empyrean: Waverly Jones' 10-Year Journey in Performance Arts
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What makes Wavery Jones with Empyrean Arts a good neighbor?
Ever wondered what it takes to fly through the air with grace, build strength while creating art, or start a business that transforms lives through movement? Waverly Jones, co-owner of Empyrean Arts, shares her remarkable journey from recreational gymnast to aerial arts entrepreneur in this captivating conversation.
Waverly takes us behind the scenes of her movement arts facility, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this July. The studio offers an impressive array of disciplines including aerial silks, static trapeze, dance trapeze, pole arts, flexibility training, and inversion practices. Guest instructors regularly visit to teach specialized workshops in clowning, performance development, and acro yoga. What began as a passion project has evolved into a thriving community with 40 staff members and comprehensive teacher training programs.
What makes this story particularly compelling is Waverly's background. Without formal higher education or financial advantages, she built a successful business through determination and continuous learning. "When we opened I was 26 years old. I didn't go to college... I didn't graduate high school with the rest of my class - I dropped out and got a GED," she reveals. This candidness about overcoming obstacles makes her accomplishments all the more inspiring.
The most powerful message throughout our conversation is accessibility. Waverly shatters the common misconception that aerial arts require exceptional strength or previous experience: "Come as you are... You don't need to do 10 pull-ups to take a class." With equipment that can be adjusted for various abilities and instructors experienced in working with beginners, Empyrean creates a welcoming environment for people of all backgrounds, ages, and body types.
Ready to discover your own potential in the air? Follow Empyrean Arts on Instagram @empyrean_arts or visit empyreanarts.org to learn how you might surprise yourself with capabilities you never knew you had. As Waverly puts it, most people "leave kind of surprised at what they were able to do."
To learn more about Empyrean Arts go to:
Empyrean Arts
828-782-3321
Chapters
1. Welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast (00:00:00)
260 episodes
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