what is aerials?

an unofficial definition

What actually are they?

“Aerials”, a shortened version of its longer name of “the Aerial Arts”, is a movement based practice that is a sub-genre of the wider Circus Arts discipline and involves tricks and skills performed on an object or piece of fabric known as an “apparatus”, suspended above ground. These apparatuses range in shape, texture and are created from all sorts of material, from steel to fabric.

Circus as a whole also includes many floor based practices such as juggling, hand balancing, contortion, clowning, hand-to-hand acro, hula hooping etc - but here at Aerial Academy we focus predominantly on teaching the air-based apparatus skills.

In short, strictly speaking “aerials” are circus skills and they belong to the circus world, but they are also such a large category of circus in and of themselves that they stand alone as their own separate and specialised practice.

Our members all have different reasons they come to practice aerials, a few are professional aerial artists and performers, but by and large most of our students are regular people with regular jobs who enjoy aerials and circus arts for the movement, community and fitness aspects. Aerials are for everybody! They are an excellent way to get fit, flexible and most importantly of all - strong!

Just the same way you wouldn’t walk into a gym and expect to bench press 50kgs on your first day, you don’t have to arrive to your first class with any built-in muscles! In fact most of us didn’t! We will give you the tools and training over time to slowly build up your strength and repertoire of skills - each new skill gradually extending and adding to your strength, flexibility and sense of achievement!

why do it?

The world of aerial based apparatuses is literally endless. If you can suspend it in the air and do tricks on it, it could be classified as aerial apparatus! Some aerialists even spin and do tricks hanging from their own hair! But there are three foundational aerial apparatuses and they are Silks, Lyra/Aerial Hoop and Hammock. Aerial Yoga is also is also a relaxing and gentle introduction to aerials.

We teach an array of apparatuses at the Aerial Academy, but always have plans to add more in the future as we continue to grow. As it stands now we currently offer regular classes in the apparatuses of: Silks, Lyra/Aerial Hoop, Hammock, Trapeze and Rope.

Our talented staff also have skills in apparatuses such as Straps, Chains, Loops, Fly Pole and many other aerial apparatuses.