OUR INSTRUCTORS
Audrey Bonafé (Owner)
Audrey is the Studio Owner and is certified in AFAA Group Exercise Fitness, Zumba, Resistance Training , Yoga, Pi-Yo, AntiGravity Fundamentals 1 & 2, AntiGravity Aerial Yoga, AntiGravity AIRbarre and AntiGravity Restorative, and AntiGravity D-Kink. She says “Years ago I found myself interested in fitness and the beauty of a sculpted body. Since then I have realized there is more to fitness than having a sculpted body. It is a lifestyle that allows you to live a happier and healthier life and more than anything is the best medicine to relieve stress”.
Audrey received her certification for teaching Zumba in 2009. She has been teaching ZUMBA for about 7 years and still loves it!
ZUMBA was just a jumping off point for Audrey. She has continued to immerse herself into learning more about fitness techniques and nutrition by reading all she could on anything related to fitness or nutrition.
Since then she received her AFAA Group X certificate in Sept. 2012, Resistance Training certificate in Feb. 2012, and Yoga training in Jan. 2013 and Feb 2013. Her latest certificates include AntiGravity Fundamentals Fitness in April 2014 and AntiGravity Aerial Fitness in August 2014, AntiGravity AIRbarre fitness in May 2015 AntiGravity Restorative in April 2016, Barre training in 2015, Pi-Yo and Volee, AntiGravity D-Kink in 2017, and Bungee Fitness in 2018. She now offers classes in AntiGravity Fitness, Yoga, Resistance Training, Barre, Guns, Buns & 6 Packs (her own signature fitness design), and BUNGEE fitness. She is also a Personal Trainer who can design a customized workout around your specific needs and goals.
Audrey is eager to expand her knowledge and skills with the many different modalities she has studied over the past years especially with AntiGravity Fitness. She plans to continue to grow and bring new and fresh material to her studio.
As a wife, mother and Grandmother, she knows that life can get busy and often times seem stressful. One of the things she loves the most about AntiGravity Fitness is that you get an all-over body workout with increased flexibility and joint mobility, a decompressed spine to release pressure between the vertebrae and lengthened muscles but also get the best relaxation session that you have ever experienced. “I have never felt more relaxed then when hanging in a Hammock”. “It never gets old!” There is just something about it that closes you off from the hustle of the world and you feel safe and relaxed. She wants everyone to be able to experience that same feeling.
My goal is to serve the people of the Richmond area and offer something that is new, different, exciting, and most of all, fun.”
We Are Hiring! This could be YOU!
Hiring exciting and enthusiastic Lyra and Aerial instructors! If you have experience in either Aerial or Lyra and would like to become an instructor at Fighting Gravity Fitness, then we want to talk to you. Our Lyra is taught as a fitness class, not for performing, but we make it fun, and challenging and just as exciting, without the negative vibe in judged competitions.
Requirements: Must be able to choreograph to Lyra and Aerial routines, carry your own liability insurance
Must have either a certification in Aerial or Lyra or at a minimum of 2 years experience.
Looking for instructors with enthusiasm, great people skills and the ability of planning routines that are challenging, safe and innovative.
Give us a call 804-355-3700 or email fgf@fightinggravityfit.com
Michelle Tankesley
Michelle Tankesley is so happy to be an instructor at Fighting Gravity Fitness! She is currently a level one AntiGravity Fitness instructor with a specialty AntiGravity Kids certificate, but plans to become certified for AntiGravity Aerial Yoga soon.
Michelle is attending Virginia Commonwealth University, studying to become a Kindergarten teacher. She wanted to be an elementary school teacher almost her entire life and as soon as she tried AntiGravity Fitness she immediately knew she wanted to teach that as well. She fell in love with hanging upside down, swinging and flying. She feels it has really made her a healthier and happier person. Michelle wanted to start teaching AntiGravity Fitness so she can help other people receive the benefits of this practice because it has made such a big difference in her life. She also rides horses and has her own horse named Gump. She spends a lot of time at the barn riding and showing in Virginia horse shows. Michelle says AntiGravity Fitness has increased her strength and flexibility and has provided many physical and mental benefits. She can’t wait to help other people change their lives through AntiGravity classes at Fighting Gravity Fitness!
Heather Mazeika
Heather has been a fitness instructor for over six years. Before teaching, she completed numerous marathons, half marathons and triathlons. She enjoyed the active lifestyle, but slowed it down a bit and settled on exercises that were kinder to her body after having her son in 2008. Her journey into teaching started with her own shoulder injury and rehabbing herself. She loved what Pilates did for her and wanted to share it. She enjoys helping others get the best from their own bodies, and watching them getting stronger. She started teaching barre five years ago and has enjoyed the fun atmosphere of the classes set to energizing music, laughing and sweating with her clients. Heather prides herself on the relationships she builds with her clients and helping them achieve their goals. She is certified in STOTT Pilates, TRX, Core Barre, and Total Barre.
In her spare time she is a busy wife and mom to a son and the family dog and cat. She enjoys her weekly dinners and brunches with her girlfriends. When given the opportunity, she escapes to the beach. Work hard, play harder!
Liz Bowden
Liz fell in love with yoga during college as a practice to relieve tension inside and out. While she enjoys many forms of physical activity and group classes, Liz has always been in tune with the body and gravitated towards practices that involve fluid movement along with body awareness. Eventually, she began turning to Yoga more for its therapeutic benefits, finding it helped her through life’s unpredictable nature and with self-acceptance. Liz was also drawn to yoga because of its power to unite people. Inspired to create change and help others, Liz studied advocacy at James Madison University. She believes yoga can do the same as it is a beautiful way to inspire communities and spread the importance of mindfulness.
“When you’re on the mat, there is so much more going on than asana and physical movement. It’s an opportunity to root down within ourselves and confront our internal turmoil, healing the mind as well as the body. In this way, yoga creates more space for love and acceptance, making us a better person each time we step on the mat.”
As her practice blossomed into an integral part of life, she set off to India this past year to receive her 200hr yoga teacher training at Kashish Yoga. She is thrilled to be a part of the Fighting Gravity Fitness team and begin her journey as a yoga teacher.
When she is not on her mat, Liz enjoys backpacking the world, enjoying the outdoors, and getting involved in the community.
Jodi Bock
Jodi eagerly joins the fun and friendly atmosphere at Fighting Gravity Fitness! Jodi has been teaching Hatha yoga since becoming certified in 1999. She understands the mental and physical benefits of yoga personally and has found great joy in sharing them with practitioners at all levels of experience.
In June 2015 Jodi discovered aerial fitness and found how much it complimented her Hatha yoga practice in that both target the mind/body connection.In September 2015, excited to learn more and develop her aerial practice further, she became a Fundamentals Level 1 & 2 certified instructor. She feels the key to staying consistent with any fitness program is to enjoy what you’re doing.
Jodi is an artist, owns a stained glass studio and sells her crafts all over the U.S.. She lives with her dog, cat, and photographer husband, Dan Lott, in the museum district. She enjoys traveling, wine tasting, festivals, walking, reading inspiring memoirs and meeting new people.
Riley Louden
Riley is a certified AntiGravity® Fundamentals 1 & 2 Instructor and plans to continue her training in the near future to add AntiGravity® Aerial Yoga to her list of certifications.
As a former college athlete her passion for fitness met her passion for play when she discovered the AntiGravity® method. Riley has a Masters of Science in Exercise Science, and is hoping to pursue a degree in physical therapy. During her studies for her Master’s degree she worked as a Strength and Conditioning coach for the VCU Women’s Lacrosse team. Currently she works full time as a technician in a pediatric physical therapy clinic. In her free time she enjoys photography, drawing, hiking, and occasionally knitting.
Donna Bolan
Donna is so excited to join the Fighting Gravity Fitness team. Donna comes from a background in music and performance. She plays multiple instruments and is a classically trained vocalist who has performed in churches, theaters and Opera houses all over Europe. In 2010 she moved from RVA to Georgia to be closer to family and left the grind of corporate life. She began focusing on a healthier lifestyle and finding her passion again. In 2011, she became a licensed Zumba Fitness instructor and in January of 2012 she opened the doors to her own studio, specializing in Zumba and Yoga. In 2013, her family faced a health crisis and moved back to VA to receive better medical care. Since then she has continued to teach classes and pursue fitness and other group fitness formats including Piyo, Spin, Piloxing and more.
Donna can’t wait to bring Piyo Live to Fighting Gravity Fitness. Piyo Live is a Beachbody live format that is a music driven, Pilates and Yoga inspired cardio workout. It incorporates everything she loves. Awesome music! Strength Building! Increased Flexibility! And a fantastic cardio cleansing sweat session!
In her spare time, Donna enjoys spending time with her two beautiful grand babies, singing, dancing, and being the best wife and woman she can be.
Jade McGill
Jade McGill is thrilled to join the team at Fighting Gravity Fitness! Originally from upstate NY, Jade previously lived in RVA after graduating college, and is happy to be back. She is certified in INSANITY and Turbo Kick Live, and is a big fan of high-intensity formats. She loves helping her students unlock their full potential and can’t wait to see you in class!
Erin Chancellor
Erin has been a member of Fighting Gravity Fitness since November 2015! She is excited to be a fitness instructor because it combines two passions: teaching and a healthy lifestyle!
Erin used to be a competitive swimmer and diver, currently teaches 4th grade, and loves taking cool pictures of her food.
Come join the world of Barre fitness! It’s a 45 minute total body workout combining the principles of Pilates, Yoga, and ballet (but no dance background is required!) All ages, abilities, and fitness levels are welcome. Wear comfortable clothing and bare feet, and be ready for upbeat music and an energetic time: results show within weeks!
Erin believes that with support comes progress, and progress FEELS GREAT!
In her free time, she enjoys lifting weights, bicycle riding, and finding adventurous activities to do.
Susheela Varky
I am a domestic and sexual violence attorney who works for the statewide legal aid office, Virginia Poverty Law Center. Throughout my life, I have participated in dance and fitness activities, including ballet, jazz, tap, bharata natyam, high- and low-impact, 80s-/90s-style aerobics, spin, lifting…you name it; I’ve done it! Now, I am excited to continue my career as a “dancing lawyer” by teaching BOLLYX!!
Justin Lowrey
Justin is a certified Acro Revolution teacher. He first tried Acroyoga in 2011 taking a class that would forever change his life in the best possible way. Since moving to Richmond, VA and finding a supportive community and a place that feels home, he’s been able to reach new heights and has dedicated himself to teaching and performing this amazing practice called Acro yoga. I love pops, whips and Acropeutics and really everything in between!
Liz Sykes
Liz has been practicing Acro yoga for almost three years, traveling all over the country to attend festivals and workshops to further her practice. As a teacher her goal is to create a fun, safe environment where people feel comfortable trying something new. Acro has brought a lot of fun and joy into her life and she loves sharing the practice with others
Kim Fuhrmeister
Kim is new to teaching and is absolutely thrilled to embark on this journey at Fighting Gravity Fitness. She strongly believes that you become your best self when you are challenged to get outside of your comfort zone. It’s no surprise then that Kim has sought out activities that don’t feel like exercise. She has a background in snowboarding, dance, cheerleading, ice-skating, and rock climbing. If it involves an adventure, Kim is going to be the first one on board.
Since beginning her journey with Fighting Gravity Fitness, Kim has earned her AFAA Group Exercise Certification, as well as a certification in Volee. Kim is excited to share Volee with the clients at Fighting Gravity. She credits the Volee exercise technique with strengthening her back muscles and therefore relieving the tension created by long hours sitting in the car or at a desk. Kim is also working on a certification in Buti Yoga. Buti Yoga is rapidly becoming the new “it” workout. With its unique combination of Eastern Religious Philosophy and Yoga technique, combined with tribal and hip hop dance moves this class will propel you into fun as you increase your strength and flexibility.
Molly McFadden
During the day, Molly McFadden is a special education elementary school teacher. She started to see how being active could help her students, and began her journey in fitness by receiving her Childlight Yoga Certification and working with kids and teachers. From there, her passion spread to wanting to help everyone experience the benefits of fitness on the mind and body.
In 2014, she joined a group called Fitness Warriors, which helped train her as a group fitness instructor. She volunteered to teach seniors in Richmond, helped train participants for the Monument 10k, and led various exercise classes around the city. Through this, she earned her ACE Group Fitness Certification in 2015.
Molly enjoys teaching all formats of exercise and working with all different ages and types of people. She hopes to share her passion for fitness with others! When not teaching classes, you can find her hiking with her dog Olive, gardening, or reading a good book.
Sigrid Lampe
Sigrid Lampe has been a dancer for most of her life and found that AntiGravity® was the perfect fit for her. She studied dance at the Kirov Ballet, Atlanta Ballet, South Carolina Governors School, and Covington Regional Ballet. She then went on to dance with the Richmond Ballet, which brought her to live in RVA and to becoming a dance teacher. Sigrid is transferring to VCU this coming fall, to major in environmental science and to pursue a career in oceanography. She has always loved the ocean and believes that it is very important to keep our biosphere safe.
She is thrilled to be a level one certified AntiGravity® instructor at Fighting Gravity Fitness and wants to soon pursue becoming certified in Aerial Yoga. She fell in love with AntiGravity® after her first class and believes that it helps heal and to understand our strengths within ourselves. She also believes that it is a great way to have fun and let go of stress within our everyday lives. She also discovered that it has been beneficial to minor joint problems that she obtained from many years of dancing. Sigrid can’t wait to share her experience with others and to help them find the benefits that come with AntiGravity®!
Haleigh Brown
Haleigh Brown began her dance training at the young age of two. Training at local studios in Colonial Heights, Virginia the next fifteen years of Haleigh’s life were immersed in a wide variety of styles including ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, contemporary, modern, and hip-hop. Upon graduation from high school, Haleigh continued to pursue her love of dance through the Conservatory at Shenandoah University in Winchester, Virginia. During her time at Shenandoah, Haleigh worked as a choreographer and dance educator at various studios in the Richmond Tri-Cities area. After receiving her B.A. in Dance in the Spring of 2017, Haleigh continued to expand her dance education under the guidance of Maurice Fraga while traveling to France, Greece, and Barcelona where she was introduced to aerial arts. Hoping to pursue a graduate degree in occupational therapy in the future, Haleigh is currently teaching children of all ages at Gotta! Dance School of Performing Arts in Prince George, Virginia and is excited to begin a new journey teaching Antigravity® at Fighting Gravity Fitness!