Youth Classes Leveling and Prerequisites
We strive to maintain high quality and safe aerial arts education. As such, our leveling system and prerequisites are specific.
For incoming students, limited exceptions can be made if you don’t have as much experience on one apparatus (say more silks experience than sling), but an overall level of strength and vocabulary for the level. As our youth program is multi-apparatus, our leveling and prerequisite system is also multi-apparatus based. Please email us with any questions you might have!
Level 1
New to aerial and beginner students (beginner: some experience, but not meeting level 2 pre-reqs) will take a level 1 session. It is most typical for students to stay in a level 1 aerial class for a few sessions. The level 2 classes are a true Intermediate level, so students stay in level 1 to build up that necessary strength and endurance.
Prerequisites
- Ability to engage safely in moderate physical activity.
Level 2 (6-8yo)
Level 2 (youth, 6-8yo) classes are for students who have completed at least one session of aerial training or have prior experience, and meet the prerequisites below.
- One session minimum requirement
- Ability to come to sitting on bar apparatus unassisted (either through tuck, straddle, or pullover)
- Ability to come to a seated straddle on a sling, unassisted
Level 2
Level 2 classes are for students who have completed at least one session of aerial training or have prior experience, and meet the prerequisites below.
- Ability to climb silks (French and Russian climbs, both sides).
- Hip key (from Russian climb).
- Figure 8 footlock and double footlocks in the air.
- Inverted mounts on bar apparatus (tuck, straddle, and pullover).
- Double knee hang, hip hang, and straddleback on bar apparatus.
- Gazelle rolldown and standing arabesque on sling.
Level 3
Level 3 classes are for students who meet the level 2 prerequisites and below.
- Understanding of aerial vocabulary and ability to execute those skills without instructor demos.
- Ability to perform 3 minute sequence in air.
- Inversion in air on all apparatuses.
- Sling: Crossback straddle (IE from Georgia Twist) with inversion, cat’s cradle, corset wrap (aka hourglass), ability to execute controlled drops (in corset, or on silks): 360 drop, pullover knee drop, and bomb drop.
- Bar Apparatus: Catchers hang, ankle hang, elbow hang, single hip hang, single knee hang, front and back balance.
- Silks: Fan to hip key, crossback straddle (with inversion) from double dancers footlocks, wheeldown (aka windmill), 30 second hang with proper shoulder engagement.
Level 4
Level 4 classes are for students who meet the level 3 prerequisites and below.
- Ability to complete a 4-5 minute sequence in the air.
- Ability to improvise and create new material.
- Ability to cleanly invert in the air and working towards straight arm inversions.
- Sling: Understanding and execution of stacked and direction changing drops, 3 pull-ups in air (unwrapped).
- Bar Apparatus: Clean meathook and skin the cat, ability to perform at least one consecutive momentum skill (such as lion rolls, snake rolls, Russian rolls, hip circles, etc), knee beats.
- Trapeze: ankle beats, catchers beats.
- Silks: Clean wheeldowns and double star drops.
Interested in signing up?
Find class information here:
