Wendy Hillard Gymnastics Foundation by Wendy Hillard- Live Like An Acrobat Podcast Ep.70
On this episode of the Live Like An Acrobat Podcast, host Shenea Stiletto interviews founder of the Wendy Hillard Gymnastics Foundation, Wendy Hillard. Wendy made history by becoming the first ever Black to represent United States globally, and she remained on the Rhythmic Gymnastics National Team a record-setting nine times, serving twice as National Team Captain. She competed in 3 World Championships and the 1984 Olympic Trials and traveled to over 15 foreign countries. She was a 4-time U.S. National Team Coach and coached 1996 Olympia Aliane Baquerot Wilson. She is a Master of Sport, an honor for developing an Olympic athlete. In 2008, Wendy was inducted into the USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame. Wendy’s non–profit organization, the Wendy Hilliard Gymnastics Foundation (WHGF), has provided free gymnastics for over 25,000 urban youth in NYC since 1996 and expanded to Detroit in 2016. Hillard was also a founding member of the international performance company Antigravity.
Shenea Stiletto (Shenea Booth) is a two-time World Champion Gold Medalist in Acrobatic gymnastics, a USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame Member, and World Acrobatic Society Inductee. Her career includes a decade of collaborations with Cirque Du Soleil including the coveted hand balancing role as "The Promise" in Varekai, becoming the first-ever African American female soloist to play a lead character in a Cirque Du Soleil production.
Shenea was also a finalist on America’s Got Talent and has continued to be a featured artist with prominent circus entertainment companies worldwide.
Shenea was also a finalist on America’s Got Talent and has continued to be a featured artist with prominent circus entertainment companies worldwide.
Editor's Note: At StageLync, an international platform for the performing arts, we celebrate the diversity of our writers' backgrounds. We recognize and support their choice to use either American or British English in their articles, respecting their individual preferences and origins. This policy allows us to embrace a wide range of linguistic expressions, enriching our content and reflecting the global nature of our community.
🎧 Join us on the StageLync Podcast for inspiring stories from the world of performing arts! Tune in to hear from the creative minds who bring magic to life, both onstage and behind the scenes. 🎙️ 👉 Listen now!
