5 Steps to Mastering the Aerial Silks
Cheat Sheet:
1: Be Informed (Train
like a beast!)
Take as many Aerial
Silks classes as you can, with as many different teachers as you can. Travel if
need be, spend weekends in the city nearest you (or different cities if
possible) and take back-to-back classes at a reputable studio. Different
teachers will teach different tricks and have unique variations as well as
introduce you to new and exciting styles of movement on the apparatus.
2: Seek Inspiration
(Troll the web)
Explore YouTube and
other online sources, go to live shows, find acts and/or artists that inspire
you. Ask yourself what makes this performance so inspiring. Is it the tricks or
movement quality? The artist’s interpretation or musicality? Try to identify
what it is that speaks to you about this performance and begin to cultivate
this quality in your own practice.
3: Identify Your Strengths
Look back at your training
videos. What looks good to you? Is it your back flexibility? Your ability to
hold a challenging strength move (e.g., planche)? Do you have perfect form in
your drops? Ridiculously good splits? Do you spin like a dervish? Identify your
strengths and then focus on developing them.
4: Find Your Signature Moves (‘Like!’)
Once you have
identified your strengths, focus on the tricks that best show this off. Drill
them in class with your teacher, record and review them. Analyze (in the most
loving way possible J) what you could do better, then get
up and try again. Your signature moves will the cornerstone of your Aerial
Silks act and/or the most popular posts on your social media!
5: Be Committed
Whether it is two
hours per week or 32, regular training is imperative. Keep your strength up if
you are not able to train daily by doing pull-ups and crunches. Stretch often, not
only does it feel awesome but it will give you beautiful lines in the air.
Visualize yourself performing your favorite tricks perfectly. Put in the hours
both mentally and physically, enjoy the process, mastery awaits!
