Contortion Classes at Aerial Cirque Over Denver
Become more Flexible in our all-levels contortion classes for youth and adult students!
What is Contortion?
Contortion is an athletic pursuit where the athlete bends and twists their body into complex shapes. Introductory contortion tricks include side splits, center splits, balances, such as leg scales, and backbends. More advanced contortion tricks include forearm balances, oversplits (a split of more than 180 degrees), handbalance, chest stands, and other deeper backbends.
Our contortion classes at Aerial Cirque Over Denver are ground based but are wonderful to increase in-air flexibility! These classes are ideal for aerial dancers, pole dancers, synchronized swimmers, gymnasts, and yogis. We emphasize safety. Read on to see what to expect from a contortion class at Aerial Cirque Over Denver.
Contortion Classes At Aerial Cirque Over Denver
In these classes, students learn the fundamentals of contortion. Contortion isn’t about just working on “tricks” the entire class, it has a strong emphasis on conditioning the body. A strong body is a flexible body – and one that’s less prone to injury.
All classes start with heavy conditioning to work the major muscle groups. Tiring the muscles in this way also helps prime them to relax into deeper positions, which is important for the later part of class. The next part of class focuses on soft tissue release using a lacrosse ball to open tight areas. Finally, once conditioning and soft release is done, our instructor will guide you through a trick series. Examples of tricks might include side splits, center splits, leg scales, backbends and shapes in backbends, or forearm stands. Each class alternates between a focus on leg or back flexibility. You do not need previous experience or level of flexibility to take this class!
Meet your Instructor
Kimberly Liska
Kimberly is a Denver-born circus artist with a deep love for movement and performance. She began her aerial journey with five years of training in lyra and silks before diving into formal contortion training in 2021. Her dedication led her to study under renowned Mongolian contortionists in Las Vegas, where she elevated her skills and set her sights on a career in both performance and coaching.
Committed to understanding the body beyond the stage, Kimberly is also a certified personal trainer and nutrition coach through the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM). She actively continues her education in wellness, recovery, and sports medicine to support her students and her own practice.
Kimberly’s greatest passions include flexibility training, holistic wellness, and—of course—cats!
Class Schedules
Adult 8 Week Sessions
Week of September 1st – October 26th
Week of October 27th – December 21st
Week of December 22nd – February 15th, 2026
Week of February 16th – April 12th
Week of April 13th – June 7th
Youth Semester Sessions
Summer 2025: June 2nd – August 17th
Fall 2025: August 20th – December 17th