Elan Kleckner on Strength, Surrender, and Taking Up Space
Step into Funk Flow Studio and it feels different immediately - silk hanging from the ceiling and music filling the space. Elan Kleckner moves through the space with an ease that makes you want to follow. It’s not just a workout. It’s a wake-up call for your body and mind. Elan didn’t always imagine herself leading a room like this. For years she thrived behind the scenes as a personal assistant, comfortable in the background. But movement has always been her future, when life got heavy, it was the place she came back to. Eventually, she realized she wanted to share that feeling with others.
From Mat to Air: Finding Freedom in Aerial Pilates
Her journey started on the mat, teaching Pilates at Funk Flow. A few aerial classes sparked her curiosity, and soon she was blending the two for something entirely new. Aerial Pilates challenged her in ways she didn’t expect. It required trust, courage, and a willingness to get uncomfortable.
“The challenge of trusting yourself and breaking out of the fitness comfort zone has me hooked,” she says. In her classes, strength and surrender meet in midair, from climbing, to holding positions, to flipping your world upside down (literally and figuratively). And somewhere in the effort, you find your own power. Elan carries one core belief into every studio she steps into: you don’t have to change yourself to fit the space. You get to take up space as you are.
A “Try Day” Mentality
Perfection isn’t the goal, effort is. “It’s not a perfect day, it’s a try day,” Elan reminds her students. Letting go of the need to nail every move is part of the work. Her classes are more than movement. They are part therapy, part celebration, and sometimes a full-on confidence boost. People leave feeling lighter, stronger, and more themselves. Elan stays a student in her own practice and leans on her support system to stay grounded. Her husband, in particular, is her spark. His hard work and sacrifices gave her the chance to step into fitness as a career. He is also the voice that reminds her she can do anything, or nothing at all, and still be worthy.
Outside the studio, joy looks simple. Trash TV nights with friends. Laughing without apology. Traveling for sports with her husband. Work hard. Play harder.
Movement as More Than Muscle
Across Pilates, aerial, boxing, and strength work, Elan sees the same thread. Movement is bigger than the body. It is connection, kindness, and self-discovery. People come to class looking for strength. They often leave with community. When someone takes her class for the first time, she hopes they walk out with a few truths. Strength isn’t about appearance. Perfection doesn’t exist. Putting yourself first is powerful.
For now, Elan is embracing the season she’s in. She is saying yes to opportunities, staying present, and letting curiosity guide her next move. If you walk into her class, expect to sweat. Expect to laugh. Expect to surprise yourself. And most of all, expect to leave taller on the inside than when you walked in. Because for Elan Kleckner, movement is more than the body. It’s taking up space, trying without fear, and believing that everything really is working out for you today.
