A Note About Safety & Aerial Training
Aerial arts are beautiful and challenging. But if not taught safely, aerial arts can be dangerous. At Upside Aerial, safety is our top priority. Injuries occur mainly when:
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The body is not physically strong enough or flexible enough for a particular skill.
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A skill hasn't been set up correctly. (Setting up skills like drops can be quite complex!)
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Improperly installed or unsafe aerial rigging or equipment is being used.
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Skills are being taught be someone with inadequate aerial training or instruction experience.
Safety takes Top Priority at Upside
Our studio has a custom-made, professionally-installed pulley system by Circus Gear® that undergoes daily safety inspections. We use only professional-grade circus equipment with appropriately-sized safety mats at all times. All our aerial instructors have multiple years of aerial training experience and all have completed aerial instruction certification programs that meet American Circus Educator guidelines...in many cases, several! If you visit ANY aerial studio, you should always ask about their equipment, safety inspection procedures, and instructors' backgrounds. Your safety depends on it.
Our Class Progressions
How will you know which classes you are ready for? At Upside Aerial, we use skill progressions to help prevent injury while you build the strength and flexibility needed for more advanced skills. You'll only work on skills your body is ready for, and you are encouraged to go at your body's own unique pace. Our classes use the following naming structure:
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Intro classes are for complete beginners - absolutely NO EXPERIENCE necessary!
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Foundations classes are for students who have completed our Intro curriculum on their chosen apparatus (or have equivalent previous aerial experience) and are ready to build the strength, stamina, and flexibility needed to progress safely into higher-level skills and pathways. These classes focus on honing body awareness and proper technique.
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Intermediate and Advanced classes are for students who have received instructor approval to take their training to the next level. Various class options are available at the intermediate and advanced levels, including skill-focused classes, sequencing & pathway play classes that link skills together in more intricate ways, and special focus classes. Special focus classes have a variety of different names, depending on their specific theme. These classes might focus on drops, dynamic/momentum pathways, specific movement qualities, creative artistry, and more! Before booking Intermediate or Advanced classes, read the class description to confirm you meet the prerequisites and check with your instructor(s) to ensure you’re ready to take these classes safely.
How Long Does it Take to "Level Up?"
Everyone follows their own unique timetable because everyone's bodies and past experiences are so different. Some people will take 3 or 4 intro classes and be ready to move up to Foundations. Others prefer to spend many weeks or months in our intro classes before feeling physically and mentally ready to move up. There is no rush and no competition. Likewise, just because you have "leveled up," doesn't mean you aren't encouraged to revisit previous classes to work on strengthening your foundations, form, and technique.
What Does "Advanced" Really Mean?
What is considered "advanced" can vary drastically from studio to studio based on each studio's student population and instructors. We have found what is considered "intermediate" at one studio is considered "advanced" at another. And even the challenge level in the same class at Upside can vary from week to week because our instructors tailor their lesson plans to the students signed up. So after you review the prerequisites in each class description, talk to us! We highly encourage open communication. Not feeling challenged enough? Let us know! And likewise, our instructors will let you know if certain classes are preferable for you based on safety and where you are in your unique aerial journey.