I get this question ALL the time. You're not alone. And yes, it is completely ok! The vast majority of new students that I get in my class don't have a lot of upper body strength when they start out. We start off with easy moves that don't require a whole bunch. I keep my class sizes very small, so that I can personalize my lessons plans for each student, and everyone can progress at their own rate. I know a lot people are intimidated by the idea of trying out an aerial class. But I promise, you can do it!

My class has a very strong emphasis on safety. All students work over an 8-inch crash mat at all times. All beginner moves are done very low to the ground. As you become more advanced, we will slowly start taking moves higher as you get comfortable, but I never push anyone to do this before they're ready. I also always encourage students to be an active player in their own safety. That means, if I ask you to do something that you don't feel safe doing, then don't do it, and talk to me about it. If you are halfway through a move, and find yourself feeling unsafe, then come on down. That's always OK in my class! It's also always acceptable to wait for me to come and spot you before you do something. I typically walk around the room throughout the class spotting everyone one at a time, so if you don't want to do it by yourself, just wait and I'll come around and help you. There are certian moves where I'll specifically ask everyone to wait for a spot. I keep my class sizes very small, so that I can personalize my lessons plans for each student, and everyone can progress at their own pace, and I can spend a lot of time with each student.

First of all, I get this question a LOT, so any other new students in the class with you are probably thinking the same thing. I work with each student individually, so it doesn't matter at all if people are at different skill levels. I strive to create a non-competitive, judgement-free, positive environment in my class. Never compare yourself to other students; everyone learns at a different pace, and that is completely OK and normal in an aerial class! This is exactly the reason that I keep all my classes on a drop-in basis instead of a series; it allows each student to progress at their own pace, and not worry about "keeping up" with the other students.

Another question we get all the time! Let's get that second part out of the way: Yes, they will hold you. The silks themselves have a breaking strength of around 3,000 pounds. So no, there is no "weight limit" on our classes. Now, that's not to say that being overweight won't affect how quickly a person is able to progress in an aerial class; the class is inherently and unavoidably more difficult for anyone who is overweight. Because of this, if you have a BMI over 45, or a body weight over 300 pounds, I might recommend against taking aerial classes. That being said, we keep our class sizes very small so that we can work individually with each student, and everyone can progress at their own pace. The best advice I can give you is, just come try it out and see if you like it! The moves we do in the first few classes, while I don't want to say they're "easy", they are intended to be attainable for just about anyone with some practice and determination.

I'll start with the lower end, because that's an easier question to answer. My kids class is open to ages 8-14. My adult class is open to ages 12+. Students in the range of 12-14 have the option of ethier class. The majority of the students in my adult classes are in their 20s or 30s.
Now, as for the upper end of the age range. As a general guideline, I don't encourage people over 60 to take my class, but I even say that with caution; there can definitely be exceptions. It largely depends on the condition that your body is in. If you have a lot injuries, osteoperosis, or severe arthritis, my class is most likely not for you. But if you're very healthy and fit, you can start my class at any age! You'll definitely want to talk with me about any injuries you have. For more info regarding injuries, see the next question:

The short answer: Call me, let's talk. (423) 782-6479
The long answer: I definitely try my best to work with people who have injuries, medical conditions, or disabilities. I'm not a doctor, so if you ask me whether it's safe for you to take our class, the answer is usually: I'm not qualified to answer that question. You should ask your doctor. But, pending their approval, come try it out! Definitely talk to me about your injuries first though. In some cases, if you call me, I'll set up a time when we can meet privately at the studio, and I'll give you a little 10 minute "free preview" of some of the stuff we do in class, which can really help with evaluating whether the class is for you.

I get this question a lot. It's really difficult to answer, mainly because everyone is different. Also, everyone's definition of "really good" is different. There are two main factors that tend to largely determine how quickly a student will progress in aerial arts. The first factor is how frequently they take my class. I typically recommend students start out with once a week in the beginning, and progress to twice a week fairly quickly once they start to get comfortable with things. If you come to my class once a month, you're very likely to find progress extremely slow. You'll find yourself having to re-learn a lot of basic moves each time you come in. On the other hand, if you come in twice a week, you will progress much faster. The second major factor in how quickly a student progresses is whether they condition and exercise outside of my class. Things like yoga, pilates, CrossFit, weight lifting, rock climbing, gymnastics, dance, and martial arts are excellent ways to build strength, flexibility and endurance - but not the only way! I'll show you some exercises in class that you can do at home without any equipment, and if you can even dedicate 15 minutes a day to doing these exercises at home, that will make a huge difference! My conditioning class is also a great way to build strength, and will help you progress much faster.

Silks are for everyone! I'm a guy, and I'm the instructor! If anything, men tend to actually learn more quickly than women, because in many cases they start out with more upper body strength (there are, of course, exceptions to this!). Now, if you're picturing in your head that stereotypical female silks performance, where they're all sensual and feminine and beautiful, and they show off their amazing splits, please know this: Silks does NOT have to have that aesthetic! Do a YouTube searh for "male aerialist" and you'll find tons of strong men doing incredible acrobatic aerial performances, all while looking manly and awesome. Some men end up transitioning eventually from silks to an apparatus like aerial straps, trapeze, chinese pole, or corde lisse. While I don't offer classes in these apparatuses here, you can still start out with the silks and you'll be able to make the transition very easily down the road at another studio, because the skills are extremely similar. So yes, my class is great for men. Come try it!

You can view the class rules in the New Student Handout.

Most of the guidelines for clothing are optional, but there is one important requirement: No metal parts, such as zippers, buttons, clasps, etc. Very small piercings are ok, but larger piercings must be removed because they can get caught in the silks. If you have an exposed surface piercing, you should wear a bandaid over it.
Other than that, skin tight clothing is definitely recommended. Most people prefer to have clothing that covers the backs of their knees and armpits, but this is not required. Tights, yoga pants, or unitards work great. As you become more advanced and start working on drops, you will need to avoid clothing made of synthetic materials, which can melt. This is not an issue for beginners, although I do find that cotton clothes tend to give more friction on the silk than synthetics, which is good for beginners; but again, that's personal preference.

Not very often, but I do occasionally. Keep an eye on my Facebook; any special deals will be announced on there. I have occasionally been known to do various work-trades, so if you have something to offer, don't be afraid to make a proposal! But don't be offended if I say no.