Meet Angelia Hubbard

We were lucky to catch up with Angelia Hubbard recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Angelia , really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?

I have always been a mover. I started dancing when I was 5 and have been doing it ever since. As I got older I started to explore other forms of movement and how I could use movement not just in an artistic expression but also a health and wellness way as well. I was introduced to Pilates when I was in my early 20’s when I moved from the states to Bermuda. It has literally helped keep me dancing still at age 45. I know the benefits it has given me in knowing how my body works and what I can do to keep it safely moving is something I love teaching other people how to do. Genuinely knowing how your body works from the inside out is a game changer in how you approach fitness and wellness. That is something my Pilates knowledge has given me and I thrive on helping others find that connection as well. I started doing yoga when I was in my early 20’s as well. I didn’t do it for the poses or flexibility aspect but more for the need for meditation and breath. I have always suffered from panic attacks and anxiety since I was a child and in my late teens and early 20’s I went through a very difficult time with it. I turned to yoga to help me learn how to take control of my breath and give me something to help in those times I needed to take a bit of control back in my mind and body when my anxiety set in. Now I use yoga as a way to connect with younger students and help them know that even when things feel out of control, if we use the breath to reset the mind, it can help us move past tension and anxiety and find clearer thoughts. I really do love all aspects of what I teach and I am finding my purpose in bringing all of this knowledge to each and every clients individual needs. I love helping my dancers develop strength outside of their dance technique to prolong their dance careers in a safe and efficient way. I adore helping elderly clients find their strength to effectively move through their life and continue to enjoy the things they like to do. I also love helping clients that may have found that the exercise they love to do is causing injury or pain and how we can strengthen them to get back to what they love in a better and more efficient way. I think in the end being a mover is my purpose and helping others to find the movement they enjoy is a true gift that I love sharing.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I am a fully certified NCPT Pilates Instructor, Yoga instructor, NASM Personal Trainer, and Dance Educator. I started as a professional dancer and have always been a “why” person. I started exploring other avenues of movement and was introduced to Pilates and Yoga. Pilates helped me answer a lot of questions about how my body moved through space while at the same time learning how to move it efficiently. As I started to learn more of the “why” of movement it really changed the way I approached teaching dance. I wanted to really help dancers understand their body mechanics so they can have a long and successful dance journey like I have had. I also teach clients in my Pilates studio the same foundations so they too can move with ease and as pain free as they can be in the things they love to do the most. I went back to college in 2020 to get my bachelors degree in Exercise Science to really understand the science behind movement. I have found it so valuable to have added to my understanding of anatomy and exercise. I currently teach through my studio Three Little Lotus. I offer Pilates, Yoga, Personal Training, and Dance Coaching. I am also a huge advocate for dance in the community. I currently live in Bermuda and have founded the Bermuda Dance Convention. It is a free event to bring dance to the community and give students an opportunity to study dance from skilled and talented local artists from Bermuda.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

I think it is important to have resilience, good communication skills and remain open minded. I am continually learning and improving as a student myself and it is important to be able to always put yourself in the position of the person you’re teaching. I have been told I would never make it as a dancer many times in my life but I never let that stop me. I might not have had the most traditional path in my dance career but I made my own path. I have found that as an educator and teacher you have to be able to speak the language of your students or clients. Everyone learns differently and it our job to help them get to where they need to go in the way they can understand and find success. When Covid hit I had to completely rethink my teaching as so many others had to do. I had to put myself out there in a way I never had before and keep an open mind about how that might look. Through that process my communication skills grew ten fold and I found that to be resilient I might have to risk something new and fail but learn from the process and grow.

Do you think it’s better to go all in on our strengths or to try to be more well-rounded by investing effort on improving areas you aren’t as strong in?

I think it is great to know your strengths but it is also vital to know what you don’t know. I always say ” I know what I know but I also know what I don’t know”. I find that knowing what you need help in gives you permission to reach out to others who have the knowledge to help you get there. I did not finish college and there where many times when I would talk about wanting to pursue a certain career goal and I was always met with “well you don’t have your degree so…” That inspired me so much to push myself to go back and finish my degree. I started my degree in dance and 20 years later realized that degree wouldn’t really serve the career I was in and pivoted to an exercise science degree. If I had already at 20 just rested on my strength in dance I never would be where I am today. Having to step out of my comfort zone put me into a career that is so fulfilling and I am able to reach more people with what I do now.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.threelittlelotus.com
• Instagram: @threelittlelotus
• Facebook: @threelittlelotusllc
• Other: tiktoc: @threelittlelotus