Acro Mel
Aerial Acrobatics
Aerial acrobatics or "aerials," includes silks (fabric or tissue), rope (corde lisse), hoop (lyra or cerceau), trapeze (static and dance), straps, and aerial pole, as well as duo aerials such as duo trapeze, duo silks, duo rope, duo hoop, and duo (trio or quad) cube. Classes and workshops range from one to three hours depending on number of students and ability level.​​​
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All classes and workshops can be tailored to studio and/or student needs, including requested skills, combinations, conditioning, or teaching and spotting. For ease of use, classes are broken into beginner, intermediate, and advanced. ​
Aerial Classes
Specialty Workshops
Aerial Silks​
Aerial silks uses two pieces of fabric for dynamic movements and finding beautiful wraps and shapes. ​
Beginner: for students who are new to silks and working on foot locks and inversions.
Intermediate: for students who can invert, learning sequences from crochet, hip lock, and S-lock, and doing wrapped drops, to students starting to work dynamic movements such as hip lock roll ups and swings.
Advanced: for students who have a thorough understanding of aerials and are progressing to unwrapped drops, dynamic movements such as dislocks, handstand drops, and release moves.​
Rope (Corde Lisse)
Aerial rope (corde lisse) is a single rope that is great for grip and for students who want to focus on dynamic movements.
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Beginner: for students being introduced to rope and working on inversions, front balance, and back balance.
Intermediate: for students who have a comfortable invert, are working on unwrapped drops such as cartwheels and hip lock rolls ups, and dynamic movements and swings.
Advanced: for students who are comfortable working on dynamic movements, unwrapped drops such as Moses twist, release moves, and saltos.
Aerial Hoop (Lyra)​
Aerial hoop (lyra or cerceau) uses a hoop with one or two tabs where aerialists can move and spin creating dynamic movements and unique shapes.
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Beginner: for students learning basics of hoop, such as entrances, inversions, and sequences such as mermaid, man on the moon, and birds nest.
Intermediate: for students who are working on intermediate poses such as Russian split and toe hang, as well as introductions to basic drops, tombes, and spins such as belly rolls and elbow rolls.
Advanced: for students who are working on advanced spinning and flares, skills such as meat hook and side planche (reverse meat hook), drops, advanced balancing poses and splits, and connecting dynamic movements.
Dance Trapeze
Aerial dance trapeze has the trapeze from one point (versus two) and includes sequences for both spin and static focusing on dance and performance.
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Beginner: for students learning basics of trapeze, such as entrances, inversions, and sequences such as mermaid and amazon.
Intermediate: for students who are working on intermediate poses such as toe hang, basic drops while spinning, as well as rolls including belly rolls and elbow rolls.
Advanced: for students who are working on advanced spinning and flares, moves such as meat hook and side planche (reverse meat hook), and connecting dynamic movements.
Static Trapeze
Static trapeze uses a double point trapeze that is best used for dynamic movement and swinging.
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Beginner: for students learning basics of trapeze, such as entrances and inversions, as well as learning swinging and basic drops.
Intermediate: for students who are working on drops such as cut catches, drop to ankles, and penny (hox) drop, as well as rolls including belly rolls and elbow rolls.
Advanced: for students who are working on connecting advanced dynamic movement, such as pullover to straddle drop, penny (hox) drop half twist, and twist to ankles.
Hammock
Aerial hammock (cocoon) is a single loop silk similar to aerial silks. Hammock is great for students who are interested in learning silks but have a harder time working on the traditional two fabrics, or who want the ease of a loop at the end like a hoop and without so much additional fabric.
Beginner: for students learning crochet and inversions and front salto wrapped drops.
Intermediate: for students comfortable with hip keys and unwrapped saltos and knee and ankle hangs.
Advanced: For students who are comfortable spinning, connecting dynamics moves includes flares, and more dynamic drops.
Straps & Loops
Straps and loops allow for both dynamic movements and flexible sequencing. Although beginner classes are available, it is recommended students already have experience with aerials and have a long arm (straight arm) invert.
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Beginner: for students learning swings, beats, and spinning, as well as combinations where the straps can be "looped" to create two separate loops.
Intermediate: for students who are working on spinning combinations and flares, meathook, side planche (reverse meathook), and drops to ankles through splits.
Advanced: dynamic movement while spinning including dislocks, inlocks, butterfly, roll ups, crusifix roll ups, side planch (reverse meathook), and progressions toward switches.
Duo Trapeze
Duo trapeze is great for students who want an introduction to working in aerial doubles that require a base/porter and a flyer, usually of mixed sizes.
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Beginner: for students learning the basics of porting and flying, poses, entrances, and exits. Poses include splits and sleeping beauty, in addition to learning how to tempo.
Intermediate: for students learning intermediate sequences that require porters to be in position for more than two minutes at a time. Sequences include hangle dangle, shin to shin, and ankle hangs.
Advanced: for students who are working dynamic and release moves that include drop to hands, pop and swing to ankles, dislocks, and cut catches. Porters primarily work in catcher's position.
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Prerequisites: students do not require experience on trapeze but should be familiar working with aerials and at height. All students should be able to invert easily.
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Note: learning how to port can be painful and it is recommended new students wear multiple layers of pants to help protect against the bar and ropes.
Aerial Duos
Aerial duos is great for students who have mastered the basics of aerials and are keen to work with a partner. Same size pairings are particular good for aerial hoop and aerial straps.
Sequences include spinning, flexibility, moving between partner and apparatus, and focusing on ways to dance together. Students will learn the basics of of how to base/port and fly.
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Prerequisites: students must be familiar with aerials with have a comfortable invert. Students should also have the endurance to stay in the air for up to three minutes.
Dynamic Drops and Releases (Silks & Rope)​
For student feeling comfortable swinging around their vertical aerial apparatus! Learn how to use swings to harness momentum for advanced and dynamic movement.
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Students will learn how to swing, spot, and safely land for practicing release moves, including free back and front saltos (rope), neck hang pirouettes, suspension beats, dislocks and free dislocks (silks), half inlock or front pike salto (silks), and pirouettes (rope) and elbow pirouettes (silks).
Prerequisites: students should be comfortable with long arm (straight arm) inversions and be familiar with dynamic swings.
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Note: due to the nature of swinging, pulley systems over dead rigging is recommended.
Open Drops (Silks & Rope)
Ready to take drops to the next level? Open drops are great because they don't require getting in and out of wraps, which allows for fluidity of movement. Students will start with progressions, learning how to control wrapped drops by going slow and stopping in various position. From here, students will learn entrances into unwrapped drops and add-ons, such as cartwheels, front/back salto carthweels, moses/terry twist, porn star saltos, half inlock or front pike salto (silks), handstand drop (silks), and the difference between dynamic and static unwrapped drops. Great for students who want to take their practice to the next level!
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Prerequisites: students should have a comfortable propeller/windmill/ wheel down/helicopter.
Dislocks (Silks & Straps)
Dislocks?! Not quite sure about this skill? Take a full workshop to breakdown all the progressions and key movement patterns that make this skill happen. When done correctly, dislocks do not strain or stretch the shoulders. A common misconception is that flexible shoulders are required - not true! Starting from the ground working on the body angle and shoulder rotation, as well as swings and shoulder strength, we progress slowly to allow students to adjust to the movement pattern in order to complete the full skill. Advanced students can progress to multiple dislocks and free dislocks (no hand locks - silks only).
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Prerequisites: students should have a comfortable long arm (straight arm) inversion and be familiar with swings and beats.
Slack Drops (Silks & Rope)
Love the simplicity of slack drops? ​Slack drops are an easy and awesome way to wow the audience and fly through the air! Learn new and fun ways to get in and out of slack drops making them short or long. Slack drops include various catchers, crochet, stag, and crucifix drops!
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Prerequisites: ability to invert, familiarity with various lock positions such as hip and catchers lock, and comfortable working at height.
Dynamic Beats & Swings (Silks & Rope)
Ready to take your verticals to the next level? This workshop teaches the four basic swings for dynamics and how to harness the momentum to go into advanced and dynamic movement. Students will learn different shoulder positions and grips that work best for starting and finishing dynamic movements in addition to learning exercises that will help prepare students for advanced dynamic movements. This class will primarily be focusing on long arm.
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Prerequisites: students should be familiar with either rope or silks, have a strong grip, and be able to invert easily in a long arm (straight arm) position.
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Note: due to the nature of swinging, pulley systems over dead rigging is recommended.
10/20/30/40 Ways to Belay (Silks)
Be the master of the belay! Learn 40+ ways to get into belay and belay variations such as single, double, or triple loop belay, as well as waist, neck, and leg hang variations and different belay poses, plus different types of exits to make your sequences performance worthy! This class includes information on the basic belay wraps and how and why belays work.
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Note: number of belay entrances will depend on ability level and amount of time.
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Prerequisites: students must be able to invert.
Dislocks (Silks & Straps)
Dislocks?! Not quite sure about this skill? Take a full workshop to breakdown all the progressions and key movement patterns that make this skill happen. When done correctly, dislocks do not strain or stretch the shoulders. A common misconception is that flexible shoulders are required - not true! Starting from the ground working on the body angle and shoulder rotation, as well as swings and shoulder strength, we progress slowly to allow students to adjust to the movement pattern in order to complete the full skill. Advanced students can progress to multiple dislocks and free dislocks (no hand locks - silks only).
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Prerequisites: students should have a comfortable long arm (straight arm) inversion and be familiar with swings and beats.
Splits and Splits (Hoop, Silks, Rope, Trapeze)
Everybody loves splits! Make the audience wow with so many ways to split! Learn various entrances and exits to classics!
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Silks: basic splits from foot locks, thigh splits, and stellar split, to bow and arrow variations, belay, and more!
Hoop: learn so many ways to split on the hoop, from side split, feed through split, and Russian split, to splits using the top of the hoop and the ropes!
Trapeze: splits high and splits low, splits standing, and splits upside down! Learn different ways to wrap in the rope to find splits, such as back split, angel split, and standing split!
Rope: learn more challenging unwrapped splits that require good grip and flexibility, as well as how to take these splits into swings!
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Prerequisites: students should be familiar with the apparatus of their choice and have their front splits or be close to a front split position.
Add On - Working with Double Star (Silks)
Love the feeling of flying through double star? Learn how to add on! From back saltos and front saltos, to beehive, pullovers, sits, and more, add on top of your double star for longer and more exciting drops! Students will learn wraps to add on as well as how to control drops that move from different body positions.
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Prerequisites: familiarity with double star and minimum ceiling height of six meters or 20 feet.
Specialty Aerial Apparatuses
Specialty apparatuses include:
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Aerial cube
Aerial pole (flying pole)
Spanish web
Hair hanging
And other apparatuses custom made such as spirals, anchors, rings (small hoops), and more!
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Aerial Yoga
For Aerial Yoga - see Yoga Classes
Intro to Spinning (Hoop, Trapeze, Silks, Straps)
This workshop is great for students who want an introduction into intense spinning as well as learn how to control the spin. Students will learn how to "read the spin" to find the most efficient ways to move and harness the spin's power.
Hoop and trapeze: students will learn pivot spinning from high, side, low. and stag, flares, flares to meat hook, and wide spinning away from the center.
Silks: students will learn how to spin using the fabric as well as positions that allow for tighter spinning movement.
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Prerequisites: students should be able to invert easily.
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Note: motion sickness does happen! Try not to eat too much before class!
Getting Performance Ready!
Are you thinking of performing or getting ready to perform? Performance training is very different from classroom training and putting together an act or performance takes a lot of time and effort to showcase your skills, but also to represent a theme, character, abstract concept, or showcase musicality. Learn how to feed choreography together in ways that allow a showcase of amazing skills yet allow time to rest and breathe, while most importantly including small touches that make performances memorable.
