Who can do aerial arts? Do I need upper body strength & flexibility?

Aerial Arts are for everybody! All experience levels, ages, and sizes are welcomed at Monarch Aerial Arts. We make classes accessible to individuals of all fitness levels and ages. Together, we will work on building the strength and flexibility you need to succeed. Upper body strength and flexibility are NOT prerequisites for aerial arts, they are outcomes of aerial arts.

What class should I reserve if it’s my first try?

We recommend that everyone take “Intro to Aerial Arts” as their first class. During this class, you will give aerial arts (silks & lyra) a try before deciding to commit to weekly classes. During our intro class, you will learn beginner poses, climbs, and wraps. We offer intro class 1-2 times per month to welcome new members to Monarch Aerial Arts.

What should I wear to class?

We recommend wearing cotton leggings/pants and a fitted shirt or leotard. Tight fitting clothing is less likely to get tangled in the silk and lift up as you are upside down. Additionally, ‘silk burn’ may happen, we can avoid this by covering our skin.

Shorts are not recommended.

We require all students to remove all jewelry, including rings, long necklaces, and dangling earrings - this is to ensure these do not get caught in the fabrics and cause rips to the silks and injury to you. Please no sequins, large zippers, and buttons.

What does a class consist of?

All classes last 1 hour. Aerial silks or lyra classes will begin with a 10 minute floor warm up to get our muscles and joints ready. Then we will move into reviewing, learning new skills and conditioning for 35 minutes on the apparatus. We do ‘free time’ 10 minutes and will end with a 5 minute cool down.

Our mini wings class is 45 minutes long.

Is there a weight limit on your equipment?

We are proud to have a state of the art aerial truss system in our studio that is rated for aerial activity. Additionally, aerial fabrics can hold over 2,000 pounds. They are safe for individuals or all shapes and sizes, and even can hold multiple aerialists at a time. Our equipment is inspected regularly.

What is open studio? Who can attend?

Open studio is a time for you to practice what you know. There will be an instructor present at all times to ensure your safety but new skills will not be taught during this time. Youth open studio may be structured to give our youth aerialists specific skills to review and practice.

Open studio is a perfect time to review a new skill from class or prepare for an upcoming showcase, performance, or competition.

Open studio is available for youth and adults aerialists - open studio is not available for mini wings students.

My child/I wants to join aerial arts, but what is the goal? Do you host competitions?

We strive to create a welcoming and positive environment at Monarch Aerial Arts, to achieve this we will remain a non-competitive space. Our goal is to provide a fun, unique way to explore movement and create a empowering community.

We host showcases (like a dance recital) every year for students to show off their skills and abilities to families and friends. Other performance opportunities in the Summer and photoshoots throughout the year are also available. We believe a showcase performance is a great goal for all.

For those who are interested in competing, there are multiple opportunities throughout South Dakota. We are happy to help you prepare for a competition and will support you through this!

How often should I come to class?

How often you can come to classes or open studio is entirely up to your availability, aerial goals, and financial situation.

We recommend 1 aerial arts class and 1 open studio per week. We believe this is the best way to learn new skills and retain them.

Do you offer private lesson or group parties?

Of course! We offer private lesson for those who want a personalized class.

Aerial arts birthday parties or private group lessons are a fun and unique way to celebrate! Contact us for availability.