Aerial Arts Program

Aerial Arts Program Description

The art of aerial dance combines the gracefulness of dance with the strength and technique of acrobatics. As the students progress through the program, alongside skills they learn on the apparatus, they will build skills such as musicality, character development, and choreography, which will help them grow as performers. Students will not only learn to execute choreography successfully but will also be challenged to develop their own movements. Testing is required at each level to progress.

Pre-Aerial: This class is designed for students ages 6-9. It is supported by a two-year curriculum. Students meet for one hour each week for the class. Students will learn the foundations of aerial and develop the strength to succeed in Aerial 1 and subsequent levels. Students will explore apparatus besides silks such as lyra, sling, and even trapeze!

Beginning Aerial: This class is designed for students ages 10 and up. It has an ongoing curriculum. Students meet for one hour each week for the class.  

Aerial 1: This class is designed for students ages 8 and up. It is supported by a two-year curriculum. Students meet for one hour each week for the class. Students will develop critical skills such as footlocks, hipkeys, and inverts on silks and explore lyra. 

Aerial 2: This class is for students ages 10 and up. It is supported by a two-year curriculum. Students meet for one and a half hours each week for the class. Students taking this class are required to take an additional dance class each week. Students will begin to explore the various wraps of Aerial.

Int./Adv Teen Aerial: This class is for students ages 12 and up. It has an ongoing curriculum. Students meet for one and a half hours each week for the class. Students taking this class are required to take an additional dance class each week.

Aerial 3: This class is for students ages 12 and up. It is supported by a two-year curriculum. Students meet for one and a half hours each week for the class. Students taking this class are required to take an additional dance class each week. It is recommended for students to take an Acro class.

Aerial 4: This class is for students ages 13 and up. It has an ongoing curriculum. Students meet twice weekly for one and a half hours for a total of three hours weekly. Students taking this class are required to take an additional dance class and the Dancer Health class each week. It is recommended for students to take both Acro and Choreography as these skills help them to develop as artists.

Aerial 5: This class is for students ages 14 and up. It has an ongoing curriculum. Students meet twice weekly for one and a half hours for a total of three hours weekly. Students taking this class are required to take an additional dance class and the Dancer Health class each week. It is recommended for students to take both Acro and Choreography as these skills help them to develop as artists.

Adult Aerial:  This class is for students ages 18 and up. It has an ongoing curriculum. Students meet for one and a half hours each week for the class. The class will work through various progressions of skills meeting students where they are at to encourage skill development.  Absolute beginners to experienced aerialists are welcome!

Official Dress Code for Aerial Program
Female: For these classes, we will measure and order students a black tank leotard, black booty shorts, and tan tights to be worn during all Watch-Week Classes and during the Winter Recital. During the rest of the semester, students are expected to wear their Uniforms, or they may use a long-sleeved leotard and leggings if students are trying to avoid silk burns.
Male: For these classes, we will measure and order students a black tank T-shirt, and black shorts to be worn during all Watch-Week Classes and during the Winter Recital. During the rest of the semester, students are expected to wear their Uniforms, or they may use leggings if students are trying to avoid silk burns.

• Hair: Hair must be up and away from the face.
  No jewelry of any type. And please avoid clothes with zippers or things that can snag the silks.

Acrobatics Class Description

In this class, we will combine classic dance techniques with precision acrobatic elements. We will use unique choreography and blend dance and acrobatics. The students will get an opportunity to perfect and master, basic tumbling skills. They will also learn new tricks and that can be integrated into choreography. The students will work individually and with partners to explore duo tricks. They will also engage in exercises that will help them strengthen their bodies and become more flexible. These are mixed-level classes. This means that Levels 1, 2 and 3 might be working in the same class.

Level 1 students will focus on skills such as; forward and backward rolls, handstands, cartwheels (both hands/one hand), and bridges. This class is ideal for students who are starting. It is recommended for Aerial 1 students and above.

Level 2 students will focus on skills such as headstands, dive rolls, bridge kickovers, bridge walks, side aerial drills, and front handspring drills. This class is ideal for students who have mastered the skills in Level 1 or are in Aerial 2 and above with some gymnastics training.

Level 3 students will focus on fish rolls, chin stands, handstand walks, dive cartwheels, kip-up prep, headspring prep, round-off combos, side aerials, front and back walkovers, partner acrobatics, and more complex sequencing. This class is ideal for students who have mastered the skills in Level 2 or are in Aerial 2 and have extensive gymnastics training.

Official Dress Code for Aerial Program
Female: For these classes, we will measure and order students a black tank leotard, black booty shorts, and tan tights to be worn during all Watch-Week Classes and during the Winter Recital. During the rest of the semester, students are expected to wear their Uniforms, or they may use a long-sleeved leotard and leggings if students are trying to avoid silk burns.
Male: For these classes, we will measure and order students a black tank T-Shirt, and black shorts to be worn during all Watch-Week Classes and during the Winter Recital. During the rest of the semester, students are expected to wear their Uniforms, or they may use leggings if students are trying to avoid silk burns.

• Hair: Hair must be up and away from the face.
  No jewelry of any type. And please avoid clothes with zippers or things that can snag the silks.