Aerial and Acrobatic Workshops & Pop-up Classes:

Check this page for our most current workshop and pop-up class schedule and connect with a range of talented acrobats!

*If you are unable to see our Workshop calendar, click here to view it.

Upcoming Workshops (Listed Chronologically)

Saffron of Paper Doll Militia – Thursday, May 2nd and Sunday, May 5th, 2024

Weavy Silks Magic w/Saffron of Paper Doll Militia – Thursday, May 2nd at 7pm – 90 min – $65

(Int/Adv) Weavy Silks Magic: Uncover the secrets of fluid transitions, intricate sequences, and aerial theory as you elevate your skills to new heights. From weaving through mesmerizing transitions to crafting your own unique silk sequences, each moment in the air becomes a spellbinding journey. In this workshop you will discover how to infuse simple movements with a touch of magic, creating an experience that will leave you spellbound and inspired.

Twirly Whirly Sling w/Saffron of Paper Doll Militia – Sunday, May 5th at 2pm – 90 min – $65

(Int/Adv) Twirly Whirly Sling: Join us for a thrilling aerial adventure full of fun twirly choreography, creative entrances, and transitions. Delve into the art of dynamic movements and perfect your spin technique to twirl and whirl through the air with confidence.

About Saffron:

Saffron is a professional Circus Artist, Yoga Teacher, and the visionary behind Circus with Purpose. Through the transformative power of Movement and Creative Expression, Saffron has navigated her own healing journey from Complex PTSD, inspiring her to share holistic tools that unite body, mind, and spirit to foster physical vitality, emotional fortitude, and creative empowerment.

With a profound love for the creative process, Saffron dedicates her time to crafting mesmerizing aerial choreography, blending diverse movement styles and telling stories of healing through movement.

While she specializes in Aerial Silk & Sling, her passion extends to innovative combinations like Yoga-tortion, Hoop-Asana, Aerial Hula Hammock & Aerial Dragon Staff, Aerial Rilks (a fusion of rope and silks), and the groundbreaking Aerial Nervous System in collaboration with Rain Anya.

Beyond her aerial pursuits, Saffron leads the Circus with Purpose Annual Show Creation Retreat, a transformative initiative that raises vital funds for the Social Circus Schools of Nicaragua. These schools utilize circus arts to empower at-risk and underprivileged youth, embodying Saffron’s commitment to creating positive change through creativity and compassion. Additionally, she hosts an enchanting Aerial Sailing Retreat in Panama in collaboration with Paper Doll Militia, offering participants a magical escape into the skies and seas.

Join Saffron on her captivating journey by following her adventures on Instagram @saffron.magic and @circuswithpurpose.

Rain ANya of Paper Doll Militia – Sunday, May 5th, 2024

Swish, Sway, Swoop – Sunday, May 5th at 10:30am – 90 min – $65

This workshop will utilize both silks and rope, using momentum as a foundation for adding dynamic movement into your skill set. This workshop covers a broad range of dynamic techniques which will help you salt and pepper fanciful flair into your movement vocabulary. We will move away from static poses and into a world where circles and levers rule.

Students must have: – A solid understanding of intermediate skills including same and opposite side wraps, hip key, s-wrap, and various footlocks. – Endurance to stay in the air for up to 3 min at a time – Ability to invert comfortably multiple times throughout the duration of the workshop

Slacking Off w/Rain Anya of Paper Doll Militia – Sunday, May 5th at 12:30 pm – 90 min – $65

Silks – “Slag Drag” theory is a termed coined by Rain Anya and Sarah Bebe Holmes of Paper Doll Militia. We realized that there are countless ways that you can “drag” the “slack” of a piece of fabric or rope to create new and interesting ways into your standard wraps. In this workshop, every sequence taught will have some element of slack dragging, so that by the time you leave you will be thinking in circles and loops.

Students must have:
– A solid understanding of intermediate skills including same and opposite side wraps, hip key, s-wrap, and various footlocks.
– Endurance to stay in the air for up to 3 min at a time
– Ability to invert comfortably multiple times throughout the duration of the workshop

About Rain Anya:

With her 25 years of experience onstage in theatre, dance, music, and circus, Rain’s life’s work is in the integration of circus arts with other performance and movement disciplines. Rain’s aerial career began with the political circus company Wise Fool New Mexico in 2003. Out of inspired collaborations there, the seeds for the Paper Doll Militia were sown. Rain has been creating and touring original productions with the company since 2006, in the US and the UK.

Rain is also a passionate aerial arts instructor and travels around the world teaching PDM specialty workshops, teacher trainings, and aerial retreats (Greece & Mexico). When she’s not on the road, Rain offers private lessons out of her East LA home studio. Rain also works as a trainer and consultant for theatre and film, notable clients include top Bollywood actress Katrina Kaif for her role in Dhoom 3 and sports legend Serena Williams.

Carly Schuna – Saturday, May 25th & Sunday, May 26th, 2024

Introduction to Duo Trapeze – Saturday, May 24th at 1:30pm – 90 mins – $65
This workshop will give you an overview of all the basics of aerial partnering on duo trapeze. We’ll go over trust, timing, and working as a team, and everyone attending will have the opportunity to base, fly, or both. Come with a partner or by yourself! Bases will learn the two main basing positions, sitting and catcher’s, and flyers will learn how to hold body tension and fundamental shapes.
Prerequisites: None, but some basic previous trapeze experience is useful

Basic Dynamic Trapeze – Saturday, May 25th at 3pm – 90 mins – $65
This workshop will go over the fundamentals of dynamic skills on trapeze, including beats, circles, drops, and release moves. We’ll work on hip circles, sample different beats and talk about skills that come out of them, explore a couple of basic drops, and learn drills for release moves that will help you generate and use momentum for harder skills down the line. Come ready to be challenged and have fun!
Prerequisites: Must be able to mount the trapeze independently, have a comfortable knee hang, and be able to comfortably hold a pike under the bar position.

Intermediate Dynamic Trapeze – Sunday, May 25th at 9:30am – 90 mins – $65
Come explore the wide world of momentum on static trapeze! Students will have the opportunity to provide input on class content, which may include drops to ankles, half or full release moves from hands or knees, muscle-ups, and moves out of armpit beats, plank beats, or side beats. It’s recommended that students bring long sleeves and ankle protection.
Prerequisites: Must have an unassisted pullover on trapeze (tagging ropes with feet OK), have comfortable knee and long hang beats, and be able to do at least one pull-up. Comfort with ankle hang is useful but not required.

Intermediate Duo Trapeze – Sunday, May 25th at 11am – 90 mins – $65
Ready to dive into duo trapeze dynamics? This workshop is for you! We’ll explore how to dial in timing with your partner, how to generate momentum and height for flips and release moves, and how to hold tension and power in beats. Students will have the opportunity to provide input on class content.
Prerequisites: Bases must be comfortable in catcher’s, be able to successfully base waist wraps, and be able to do at least two pull-ups. Flyers must be able to invert independently, have some familiarity with beats (on any aerial apparatus), and be able to do at least two pull-ups.

About Carly Schuna:

One of only a handful of U.S.-based circus artists specializing in German wheel, Carly Schuna is a five-time competitive wheel gymnastics national champion. With over a decade of training, coaching, and performance experience, Carly also performs professionally in static trapeze, juggling, and tricks with her dog, Piper. With a style characterized by high-level technique and dynamic, momentum-based skills, Carly enjoys creating senses of tension and wonder in her work and lives for the moments when her audiences gasp. Carly is based in Madison, Wisconsin, where she is a founder and executive board member of the Madison Circus Space. The mission of Madison Circus Space, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, is to be a home for modern circus and movement arts and to foster appreciation for a variety of circus-related talent and creativity. Madison Circus Space is the largest community of circus artists in Wisconsin, with 70+ members, 50+ hours of weekly programming, and 16 public activities per month. To learn more: www.headoverwheelscircus.com and www.madisoncircusspace.com

Alissa Kaasa Pop-ups on Monday, June 3rd and Thursday, June 6th, 2024

In the Loop – 6/3 at 5:45pm – 75 mins – $25

Come learn some sequences and movements that utilize the Spanset loop on a lyra. The Lyra will be utilized some but most of the time will be spent above the bar. The goal is to gain more confidence, have fun, and learn some cool moves! Precious aerial experience recommended. No Spanset experience needed.

Ropey Lyra Time – 6/6 at 7pm – 75 mins – $25

A rope Spanset provides unique ability to combine vertical skills of rope while being on a Lyra. From beats to hip keys to roll downs there’s all sorts of fun possibilities. In this workshop you’ll practice beats, play with sequences, and do some conditioning to build strength and confidence. Vertical apparatus experience recommended: We will be inverting and climbing above the hoop.

About Alissa:

Alissa has been an aerialist for almost 10 years. From pole to straps, she’s done a little bit of everything. Alissa is a founding member of the Triple Trapeze performance group, TripleTease. She has taught Lyra, trapeze, and rope at multiple studios around the Twin Cities. She focuses on breaking down skills to manageable steps, learning and understanding technique and building strength. Alissa believes it’s worth taking your time and struggling through whatever challenges you. That’s what makes aerial work so enriching and therapeutic. The successes, big and small, are worth celebrating and building on.

Henry Koski Pop-ups on Tuesdays and Thursdays in June and July

Intermediate Silks with Henry Koski – Tuesdays – 6/25, 7/2, & 7/16 at 7pm – 75 mins – $25

So you want to further your silks vocabulary? In this class we will work on sequencing larger drops, beat theory and dynamic movement. Students should be able to climb the silks twice in a row without touching the ground and be able to execute a double star drop.

Dynamic Rope with Henry Koski (Intermediate) – Thursdays – 6/20, 6/27, & 7/18 at 7pm – 75 mins – $25

Learn how to generate momentum and power through your body. In this class we will touch on beat technique, open drops as well as build the foundation for half and full release moves. Students should be comfortable climbing the length of the rope twice in a row, be able to perform a double star drop and be comfortable doing beats.

About Henry:

Henry Koski is a jack of many trades within the circus, starting as an aerialist at age 5 at Xelias Aerial Arts in his hometown of Minneapolis he quickly grew to love the art form and by 13 he was juggling, tumbling, clowning and much much more. In 2021 Henry joined protrack at the New England Center for Circus Arts where he focuses on aerial rope & clown. In his free time he enjoys cooking, kite flying, and playing unusual musical instruments.

Circus for the broken-hearted w/ Dr. Sherry Walling

Sunday, November 19, 2023 – POSTPONED TBD
6:30p – 8:30p
$60

An aerial practice is many things: a performance art, a form of exercise, and a source of community. It can also be a healing practice. In this very special workshop local psychologist and aerialist, Dr. Sherry Walling, will help us explore how physical movement and artistic expression can support our wellbeing and emotional healing. Whether you’re holding grief, battling depression, or struggling with anxiety, we’ll find ways to move those emotions with your body. You will be invited to participate in a variety of embodiment exercises, including options to work with the lyra, trapeze, sling, rope, or silks. Our evening will also include some individual reflection time and small group conversations. Please come prepared to move, and help create a healing space for yourself and for others. All levels of aerial experience are welcome.

About Dr. Sherry Walling:

Dr. Sherry Walling is a clinical psychologist, speaker, podcaster, author, and mental health advocate. Her company, ZenFounder, helps entrepreneurs and leaders navigate transition, rapid growth, loss, and any manner of complex human experience.

She hosts the ZenFounder podcast, which has been called a “must listen” by both Forbes and Entrepreneur Magazine and has been downloaded more than 1,000,000 times. She was also the host of Mind Curious, a podcast series exploring innovations in mental health care via psychedelics.

Her new book, Touching Two Worlds, is a poetic, incisive exploration of grief and joy in the aftermath of loss. Her best-selling book, The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Keeping Your Shit Together, combines the insight and warmth of a therapist with the truth-telling mirth of someone who has been there.

Sherry and her husband, Rob, reside in Minneapolis where they spend their time driving their children to music lessons. She has also been known to occasionally perform as a circus aerialist.

Are you a traveling artist interested in teaching a workshop at Stomping Ground Studio?

If you’re a professional aerialist or acrobat traveling to Minneapolis, MN, we’d love to host you! Consider teaching a workshop (or more) at our studio by reaching out to us here!

Past Workshops & Pop Up Events

Ginger Snaps – Saturday, April 13th, 2024

Lines and Finishing – 90 minutes – 1:30pm – $65

This workshop is based on classical dance technique and is for aerialists who want to work on their grace and finesse in the air! We will cover basic techniques for clean lines and intentionality, soft hands, and graceful emoting through movement….even when it hurts! Attendees should have at least 1 year of consecutive aerial classes.

Lyra Spins: We’ve Gone Plaid! – 60 minutes – 3pm – $45

This workshop is for intermediate to experienced spinners who want to ramp up their speed and grace in spin! We will cover going warp speed, faux one-arm spins, and spins in back and side balance. Attendees should have at least 1 year of consecutive class experience and be comfortable with basic spins.

About Ginger Snaps:

Ginger Snaps, The Tastiest Tease in Texas, is an award-winning international burlesque performer, aerialist, and producer from Austin, TX. Voted Austin’s “Best Burlesque Performer” every year since 2016 by the Austin Chronicle Reader’s Poll, she is renowned for her unique burlesque and aerial performance creations. Ginger has been seen on stages and screens across the globe including on America’s Got Talent, Das Supertalent in Germany, performing at the illustrious Burlesque Hall of Fame Weekender in Las Vegas twice, headlining the Brasilia Burlesque Festival, and numerous viral social media videos and articles.

She is the Performance Manager for Sky Candy aerial arts, the founder of Legislate THIS – a series of burlesque fundraiser shows for Planned Parenthood, as well as the founder of the Aerials for Plus-Sized Bodies program and accompanying series of professional development workshops that she teaches to studios and instructors around the globe. In addition Ginger recently worked with Dell Medical School as a part of their weight bias curriculum in the Health Equity Program. When not instigating for glitter and social justice Ginger can be found on various social media platforms at @gingersnapsburlesque!

Learn more or follow this high flying weirdo on Facebook, Instagram, or on Tiktok (@gingersnapsburlesque)

Slick Slingers Choreo Pop Up w/ Coco

Wednesday, April 10th at 6:45pm – 2 hours – $30

Come and learn some fun, rhythmic choreo on sling! Song of choice is Buckle Bunny by Tanner Adell.

We will start the evening checking in with one another and listening to the song. The instructor will provide some details as to the plan for the night and then show the core choreo. Some choreo will be decided by the group and based on who and how many arrives. Come dressed in your country best, cow-babe outfit! I’m talking pastels, denim, floral, rhinestones, oh my, oh my!

There will also be an option to come hang out and while designing your outfit from 2:00pm to 3:00pm the Saturday prior at The Vivid Black Paint Community House for an additional donation to Vivid Black Paint.
For that activity RSVP Here.

Eleanor Parker – Thursday, January 11th, 2024 & Friday, January 12th, 2024

Thursday, January 11th, 2024

Rolls, Rolls, Rolls and MORE Rolls! – 90 minutes – 7:00pm – $50
Let’s do some more roll-up drills! We’ll explore different ways to use the roll-up technique, and even do a bit of partner work. When we’ve C-shaped our hearts out, we’ll move to some roly-poly drops. No need to have attended the first Rolls Rolls Rolls— this workshop is absolutely open to anyone comfortable with windmills and/or star drops.

Friday, JANUARY 12th, 2024

MORE Methods of Momentum – 120 minutes – 4:30pm – $60
After spending some time refining beat pathways (and trying out some new ones) we’ll dive into an exploration of dynamic skills—slides, flips, drops, semi-releases! This workshop will build on the first Methods of Momentum, but is absolutely open to anyone who can comfortably invert and hang by two arms for 30 seconds.

About Eleanor:
A Minnesota native with over 15 years of experience in circus and aerial arts, Eleanor has shared her deep technical knowledge with students all over the country – from total beginners to pre-professional artists. Equally as passionate on stage, Eleanor has most recently finished a contract with AIDA Cruises, gracing international waters with fiery and dynamic performances. Eleanor is a graduate of the New England Center for Circus Arts and is currently furthering her studies and research on aerial rope in Montreal.

Four-Week Series – Inversion Clinic (with Lynn):

Sundays Jan 21 – Feb 11 at 2:30pm

Inverting is one of the hardest parts of aerial work. In this 4-week series, we will work on all things inversion. This series will focus on inverting on all apparatus. Join us to clean up your invert, or work on getting your first invert! We will work on ground exercises as well as active flexibility to get that ever elusive invert. All levels welcome!

Class will run for four weeks, meet for 75 minutes each week, and cost $95!

Duo Trapeze (with Kristen & Grant):

Sundays Feb 4 – Feb 25 at 1:15pm

Do you love partner trapeze? Well, you’re in luck because we do too! Join this four week series to learn how to move on a trapeze with a partner. We will explore various base and flyer tricks, how to mount, beats, and a few more dynamic moves as well. You do NOT need a partner to join! Come have some fun with us! Some aerial experience is required though you do not need to have partner experience.

Class will run for four weeks, meet for 75 minutes each week, and cost $95!

Handstand Intensive with Lynn – Saturday, december 30 at 10:30am and Sunday, December 31 at 10:30am

Come get upside down with your friends. We will spend quality time working on active flexibility, handstand fundamentals, and some fun shapes and entries. This is a two day intensive with each day being 3 hours long. There will be short breaks throughout each day. Each day will be different! Get a little farther on your long road to greatness and do with with friends! **ALL Levels Welcome!**

One-Day is $60 and Both Days is $110 (To get discount enter coupon code HANDSTAND-INT in checkout)

Click here to Register!

Triple Trapeze with TripleTease – Sunday, december 17 at 10:30am

Come learn some awesome triple trapeze skills with TripleTease! You’ll work together with other aerialists to create beautiful shapes, learn to fly and/or base, and put together fun sequences. It’s the perfect workshop to attend with a training buddy, group, or solo!
90 Minute Workshop – $50

Click here to Register!

December 2023 Pop-up Classes!

Throughout December, some of our regular classes will be replaced with pop-up classes! Choose from a plethora of subjects including:

Rope + Lyra= Awesomeness with Alissa – Have you ever thought of throwing a rope on top of a Lyra? It’s amazing! Come learn some fun skills and sequences that utilize a rope spanset. Requirements: vertical apparatus (rope, silks, pole) experience required. You must feel comfortable being up on a spanset. Bar apparatus experience recommended but not required.
Rope is Fun! – Hip Key Variations with Alissa – Unlock your hip key on rope! We will work on hip key variations and sequences and building strength in the many entrances and exits in hip. *Some rope or silks experience preferred.
Spanset Lyra with Alissa – Come explore being above the hoop on the Spanset. We will learn skills that utilize the movement of the Spanset, fun shapes using both the Spanset and Lyra, and ways to build strength and comfort being higher up. Come explore the security and beauty you can when you venture above the bar. Requirements: must have taken a few Lyra, trapeze, silks, or hammock classes.
Intro to Lollipop with Katie – It’s a pole, it’s a lyra, it’s the lollipop lyra! Join Katie and take a spin on the lollipop lyra. *Some aerial or pole experience is preferred, but not necessary.
Duo Lollipop with Kristen + Katie – Come alone or with a partner and get up on the lollipop lyra! We’ll work on making pretty shapes and sequencing them together. Some aerial experience is required. People who take Intro to Lollipop are able to take this workshop.
Belays for Days with Grace – Who doesn’t love a good silks belay? Rhetorical question. Obviously everyone loves silks belays. In this workshop, we’ll be covering the basic theory of belays before diving into a WHOLE BUNCH of examples. We’ll be looking at elbow belays, thigh belays, hand belays, and even toe belays. We’ll go through various entrances and break everything down step by step so you can begin to create your own belays. Students should be comfortable inverting and getting into a hip key.
Duo Trapeze with Kristen and Grant – Come embrace the joy of working with another person! In this class we will work on hand to hand moves with the base in a catcher’s, a couple fun ways to get the flyer to the bar or ropes, beats from hand to hand or from hanging by calves, and more! Having a partner is not necessary to join this class. You’re welcome to bring a friend or meet some new ones! Some aerial experience is required.
Floorwork with Jenn – Learn how to add that extra something to your routine with floorwork basics. We will break down leg twirls, floor poses, and shoulder rolls.
Hip Circles with Jenn – Are you working toward your hip circles on trapeze or lyra? Maybe you have your front but are unsure of how a back hip circle works? Or maybe you have one down but would like to get multiples? This workshop will break down all parts of the front and back hip circle with drills on the floor and in the air. Let’s get ready to bring it around town!
Swinging and Orbiting with Lynn – Take up space! We will be taking over the studio and working on swinging and working in an orbit. We will be on dance trapeze and lyra. Some aerial experience needed.

Each pop-up class is $25. You may use your class packages to purchase these one-off classes.

Click here to register!

Eleanor Parker – Tuesday, November 21th, 2023 & Friday, NOvember 24th, 2023

Tuesday, November 21th

Methods of Momentum – 90 minutes – 7:00pm – $50
Learn how to use momentum to your advantage and everything you do in the air will look and feel easier! We will be breaking down beat pathways that can be used as transitions, prep for dynamic skills, or beautiful movements on their own. We’ll also apply some of these techniques to areas that may be more familiar, such as climbs and drops. To get the most out of this workshop, students should be comfortable inverting and hanging by two arms for 30 seconds.

Friday, November 24th

Rolls, Rolls, Rolls! – 120 minutes – 12:00pm – $60
Up, down, and all around! We’ll get into all kinds of twisty, roll-y, fun while we take a deep dive into the expanded universe of the mighty “C shape”. To get the most out of this workshop, students should be familiar with windmills and/or star drops.

Erika Valles – Sept 23rd and Oct 7th

Lauren Kehl – Saturday, July 8th, 2023 – Sunday, July 9, 2023

Saturday, July 8th

Beat Basics– 90 minutes – 12:30pm – $60
Explore the basics of building a powerful, effective, and efficient beat from start to finish. We’ll talk about the importance of a student’s connection to the apparatus, how to build awareness of that at all points during the beat, and to use that connection and awareness to develop power and control. The focus will be on forward/backward beats, but we will also touch on bell beat patterning and how the same principles of connection and momentum work in both beat types. Students will gain a thorough understanding of basic beat structure, preparing the body for beats, and progressions for skills such as beat to pullover. This workshop is taught on sling and trapeze. Students must be at an advanced beginning level or higher (actively working on aerial skills and looking for refinement on technique).

Sequencing on Dance Trapeze – 90 minutes – 2:15pm – $60
Having the bar of a dance trapeze to create space gives you a whole different set of options to explore while combining moves and transitioning between them. We’ll use that solid, heavy base to find sequences that capitalize on the extra real estate for movement, rolling, and transitioning. Rather than being choreography-focused, this workshop is designed to equip students with the sequencing concepts they need to develop their own choreography and transitions in their future practice. This workshop is taught on dance trapeze. All students must have comfort pulling over multiple times from the ground and comfort inverting in the air from standing on the trapeze.

Sunday, July 9th

Rolling Up/Rolling Down – 90 minutes – 10:30am – $60
Get into the details of leg roll-ups and roll-downs, the nuances of their pathways, and where they can lead in this technique-focused workshop. Analyze where your body is in relation to your apparatus and how your leg rolls change based on that positioning. Students in this workshop will learn how to build toward moves like one-arm, one-leg roll-ups and how various roll-ups and roll-downs can transition to many different skill options. This workshop is taught on sling, but its concepts are also relevant to other apparatus. All students with a comfortable, active aerial practice are welcome.

All About Armbreakers – 90 minutes – 12:15pm – $60
The armbreaker is a skill that’s applicable on many different apparatus and can be an interesting transition point into and out of a wide variety of skills. In this workshop, we’ll look at the basic armbreaker pathway, the theory behind the move, and how to use it for mounts, dynamic skills, and poses or shapes. We’ll also learn about what’s happening in the shoulder joint during the position and how to warm up for safely achieving the required range of motion. This workshop is designed to be taught on sling and dance trapeze but could be limited to just one of those. All students must have comfort pulling over multiple times from the ground and comfort inverting in the air from standing on the apparatus.

More about Lauren:

Lauren Kehl is an aerial coach, Pilates instructor, and GYROTONIC® trainer based in Seattle, WA. Starting her aerial journey as a recreational adult at age 28, Lauren has a particular gift for working with adult beginners and students who struggle, and strives to teach in a way that is accessible and inclusive.

Lauren attended the Intensive year at NECCA in 2011 before deciding to pursue coaching full time. Since then, she has helped to expand and develop the curriculum at Versatile Arts, her home studio, and is one half of the teacher training team there. She has led workshops at AYCOfest, the American Circus Educators conference, and NECCA’s workshop weekend.

You can learn more about Lauren at laurenkehl.com

Circus for the broken-hearted w/ Dr. Sherry Walling

Saturday, July 23, 2023
6:30p – 8:30p
$60

About Dr. Sherry Walling:

Sherry and her husband, Rob, reside in Minneapolis where they spend their time driving their children to music lessons. She has also been known to occasionally perform as a circus aerialist.

Kevin DeMaro (Aerialconda) – Sunday, June 25th, 2023

Hoop-o-graphy – 90 minutes – 10:00am – $60

(Beginner-intermediate) Students will learn how to flow on the hoop with the greatest of ease. Explore the different ways of using the bottom bar, middle, and top of the hoop, to create sequences that maximize energy conservation.Signature tricks and transitions will be taught throughout this workshop.

Silks – 90 minutes – 11:30am – $60

(Intermediate-Advanced) Want to learn how to conserve your energy while getting the best shapes, and lines? In this workshop Kevin will teach his intricate style of threads, bends, climbs, and drops. Students should be comfortable climbing the fabric. Prerequisites: Students should be comfortable in a single knee hang without assistance.

About Kevin:

Kevin started gymnastics at the young age of 4, coached by his parents. At the age of 8 Kevin began competing in men’s artistic gymnastics. After several years he decided gymnastics was no longer fulfilling him. At the age of 15 Kevin discovered aerial arts. He began with aerial silks, and later moved on to aerial hoop. Kevin Has been doing aerial for 6 years specializing in aerial hoop. In addition to incorporating gymnastics into his routines, Kevin also creates with an emphasis on flexibility and flow. He has since competed in the Vegas International Variety Act Festival and won bronze with his aerial hoop act. Kevin also has been performing in Las Vegas professionally for the passed few years. Most recently he was a featured hoop artist, and backup silks artist for the TUI cruise fleet.

Lollipop Lyra Combos w/ Katie Capistrant

Saturday, May 13th, 2023
1:30pm – 3pm
$40

Friday, May 19th, 2023
6:30pm – 8pm
$40

Get spinning and learn pole and lyra moves put together in fun combinations.

No experience on lollipop necessary, but experience on pole, lyra, or another aerial apparatus will be helpful.

About Katie

Katie is a Twin Cities based artist. She started her circus performance journey with fire flow arts and puppetry and then got introduced to acroyoga – later on teaching and hosting acro jams- which led her to circus style handstand training and partner acrobatics. The journey continues into dance, pole dance and lollipop and beyond. She has been performing on and off for 13 years and is excited to get back into teaching and hosting skillshare in circus arts.

Vivid BLACK PAINT Vivid Artistry Festival Workshops

Friday & Saturday, May 26th and 27th, 2023

Vivid Black Paint is excited to host a weekend in May at SGS!! These two days will be packed with workshops taught by both local and traveling coaches including Clara Younge, Trinity Morgan, Gaia, Josie Hoffman, SunChile, Kevin Oatis, & Jolissa Ladson.

Vivid Black Paint May 2023 Workshops Schedule!

Hula Hooping w/ Danielle Doncaster

Friday, April 7th, 2023
6pm – 8pm
$40

This hula hoop workshop will go over the fundamentals of trick style hula hooping. We will focus on the building blocks of hula hooping including building momentum, stop/stall, grip changes, and much more! After we get everyone moving in the flow, we’ll explore some combinations that connect tricks together to wow your audience! This is open to all, with modifications as needed for advanced participants. At the end we will jam out and practice what we have learned and create our own combinations.

About Danielle

Danielle has been hooping through life for over 8 years, in that time she has been working professionally with many companies to provide a wonderful circus experience. She specializes in hula hoop, prop manipulation, fire dancing, and bellydance. She has a passion for teaching, and is happy to modify her courses based on her students wants and needs. Beginners all the way up to Advanced prop manipulators are welcome to join in the fun of learning.

Splits, Splits and More Splits w/ Gunnar Field aka Splits_Whisperer

Friday, March 24th, 2023
5:30pm – 7pm
$35

Have you been working on your splits but want to take it to the next level or just looking for a new drills or sequences to work on? In this workshop we’ll focus on how to get deeper into our hips, hamstrings, and adductor safely. Using active flexibility drills and strengthening exercises we’ll make that split line even better. Focus will be on active flexibility, quad and glute engagement, hip flexor openers & stabilizers Prerequisite: Forward pike touching toes and no existing injuries.

About Gunnar

Gunnar Field is a contortion and hand-balancing coach based in the USA, he has been teaching contortion for over a decade. Gunnar teaches Mongolian contortion techniques infused with his own flair and influenced by his past training in gymnastics and ballet. Gunnar began training contortion in Minneapolis, MN, coming from gymnastics and having a natural inclination towards flexibility he fell in love with the art immediately. He went to study contortion Ulaanbaatar Mongolia and trained under the guidance of Nargama Baatar. He has furthered his training in China at the Beijing international school of acrobatics and arts. He has performed around the USA, Thailand & China. Using his 30 years of accumulated knowledge of body movement and mechanics he has taken a somewhat different approach to teaching the art of contortion.

WORKSHOP w/ Dr. Sherry Walling – Wednesday, Feb 15, 2023

In this very special workshop local psychologist and aerialist, Dr. Sherry Walling, will help us explore how physical movement and artistic expression can support our wellbeing and emotional healing.

The integration of circus and healing has generated some interest in the larger community. There will be a film crew on site for this workshop. By participating, you consent to your image being included in the filming. Any interviews or personal sharing are completely optional.

Circus for the Broken-Hearted with Film Crew

Wednesday, February 15th, 2023
4:00p – 5:30p
$50

About Dr. Sherry Walling:

Sherry and her husband, Rob, reside in Minneapolis where they spend their time driving their children to music lessons. She has also been known to occasionally perform as a circus aerialist.

Shannon McKenna (The Artist Athlete) – friday, Jan 19th, 2023 – Sunday, Jan 22, 2023

We are so excited to have Shannon McKenna visiting us in January 2023. She will be offering stand alone workshops and a 2-day Silks Intensive. More details about her and what will be offered below.

Thursday, January 19th

Leg Flexibility Training– 1 hour – 4:30pm – $35
Come for a hip opening, hamstring lengthening, toe cramping good time. This workshop is great for people looking to improve their leg lines in the air or on the ground. Prerequisites: the ability to breathe in, then out again multiple times. Also, must have legs.

Back Flexibility Training– 1 hour – 5:30pm – $35
Come for a chin lifting, rib cage widening, pelvis tilting good time. This workshop is great for those who want to strengthen and stretch their backs safely, and learn proper techniques to safely gain flexibility. Prerequisites: the same as for “Leg Work.” Additionally, you must also have a spine.

Knot Tying with Style (Introduction to Fabric Theory) 2 hours – 6:45pm – $65
Never get stuck again! This workshop breaks down the basic components of “fabric theory” to explain how different wraps and drops work in the air. Using sequences and puzzles, we will play with different and surprising entrances and exits to popular skills. Great for anyone who wants to understand WHY fabric works, build more vocabulary, or pick up new sequences quickly. Prerequisites: Must be working on inversions in the air and confident with inversions on the ground.

Friday, Jan 20th – Saturday, Jan 21st

Continuing Education Silks 2-Day Intensive – $450
Take a weekend deep dive into your aerial silks practice! For those who just can’t get enough, this two day intensive has creative exercises to help your explorations, conditioning drills to assist you with your strength and flexibility goals, and fabric theory to increase your overall understanding of the apparatus and tricks.
The goal is to provide you fresh information about the mechanics and biomechanics of aerial silks and reinvigorate your own aerial practice. This course is excellent for instructors who want to focus on their own practice and experienced students who want to explore advanced aerial concepts.

Skill Prerequisites for Students:

Long arm hang on silks open fabric 30 seconds
Long arm hang on silks closed fabric 30 seconds
Clean single and double foot locks
Multiple clean aerial inverts in the air (bent arm/bent leg is fine)
Clean cross-back straddle invert entry and exit
Clean star drops, both sides

10am – 4:30pm (with a 1.5 hour lunch break) 3 hour morning session and a 2 hour afternoon session
*Please message us if you have more questions!

Sunday, January 22th

Inversion Clinic- 2 hours – 11:00am – $65
Going upside down in the air is the first step for many exciting wraps and drops, and when done correctly, a beautiful movement in and of itself. Yet, for many aerialists, inversions are elusive devils that can bring the most determined practitioners to tears. This workshop is dedicated to giving you the targeted help you need to get upside down. It is packed with drills on and off your apparatus so you can master your inversion- suitable for all body types! Prerequisites: A desire to work on your inversion, or a desire to do one for the first time. At least 6 months of aerial experience recommended, though not required.

Dancing Your Drops (Fabric Drop Workshop)- 2 hours – 1:30pm – $65
As aerialists, we seek control over our bodies at every moment we are in the air. When we are climbing and posing, this control is easy, however, it gets complicated when we try to drop! This workshop reviews several basic drops rotating forward, backwards, and sideways. We will explore how the wrap, the body positioning in the set up, and the body positioning during the drop can change the speed, shape, and aesthetic quality of the skill. This is a fun workshop for those who are looking to clean up their drops as well as add their own dramatic flair to the movement! Prerequisites: Must be able to cleanly invert and hold oneself upside down in the air.

Dance Straps- 2 hours – 4:00pm – $65
This workshop explores spinning, twisting, turning, and flipping using aerial straps. Going from the ground to the air and back again, this workshop explores movement, partnering, and flight! Prerequisite: 30 second straight arm hang on fabric or rope, 3 bent arm inversions on any apparatus

More about Shannon:

Shannon McKenna is a 10+ year international aerial coach, performer, and life-long student! In 2018, she founded The Artist Athlete to help bridge the gap in knowledge between “professional” artists and practitioners who use aerial arts as a creative outlet/hobby. Through her e-book publications, weekly podcast, and weekend workshops, she is dedicated to the growth of circus as an art form, particularly my primary focus: aerial arts! For more information, please visit her website: http://www.theartistathlete.com

December Pop-up Classes!

Throughout December, some of our regular classes will be replaced with pop-up classes! Choose from a plethora of subjects including:

Intro to Straps
Rope Palooza
Rope is Fun
Above the Bar Spanset Lyra
Lollipop Lyra
Duo Aerial
Experimental Partner Movement
Basic Floorwork Concepts
Floorwork Choreography
Belay for Days
Silks Theory
Beginner Circus

Each pop-up class is $25. You may use your class packages to purchase these one-off classes.

Also, check out Handstand Happy Hour with Lynn! Click here to read more about that!

WORKSHOP w/ Dr. Sherry Walling – friday, nov 18th, 2022

Circus for the Broken-Hearted

Friday, November 18th 2022
7:00p – 9:30p
$75 – This costs includes an SGS journal!

About Dr. Sherry Walling:

Sherry and her husband, Rob, reside in Minneapolis where they spend their time driving their children to music lessons. She has also been known to occasionally perform as a circus aerialist.

WORKSHOPS w/ THE CIRCUS DOC

Join Dr. Emily Scherb a.k.a. The Circus Doc for a day of learning! We will learn the biomechanics of a circus body, assessments, exercises, and more! You will leave these workshops understanding your own body better and have tools to unlock more mobility and strength to achieve your circus goals.

Core and Hips: Balancing Mobility and Stability

Our spine is made up of 24 vertebrae and our hips are made to roll and glide. How do we balance this natural mobility with the strength and stability demands of circus skills? In this workshop we will discuss how to harness this mobility to achieve splits, bridges, and beats and the biomechanics behind how it all works. We will also work on exercises to improve your mobility and strength at the same time!

Shoulder in Handstands and Hanging from Bent Arms to Planches

As circus artists we often use our shoulders to support our entire body weight. We may stand on our hands trying to press our bodies upwards into a handstand, or hang from our elbows, or with our arms extended behind us. In this workshop we will answer the questions How does the shoulder work in all of these positions? How can we be sure we are using the most mobile joint in the body safely? What can you do starting today to gain range of motion in your shoulders safely?

Training Strategies to Meet Your Goals

How do we get the most out of our training? In this workshop we will talk about what training does to our body and what happens when we take time off. We will discuss warm-ups, the most up to date stretching science, and how to structure training to match your individual training goals and needs.

About Dr Emily Scherb

Dr. Emily Scherb is a physical therapist with a lifelong passion for understanding human movement.

She’s been a practicing aerialist for almost 30 years and has dangled from balloons, danced in the air, and swung from trapezes. That background inspired her to specialize her practice on circus and aerial artists. She has a proven track record of helping patients who have not seen results with traditional physical therapy due to her unique perspective on how the body works both on the ground and in the air.

As an educator, she travels the world teaching circus artists, instructors, and healthcare professionals about the unique physical demands and challenges of training the body to do incredible feats.

She received her graduate degree from Washington University in St. Louis and now lives in Seattle, where she works with professional and pre-professional circus artists. She is the Resident Physical Therapist at the School of Acrobatics and New Circus Arts and the Company Physical Therapist for the contemporary circus company Acrobatic Conundrum. Emily is on the board of Seattle Dance and Performing Arts Medicine which helps Seattle performing artists get the healthcare they need.

Her first book, Applied Anatomy of Aerial Artists, was published in August 2018.

Emily is an internationally recognized lecturer and has presented at conferences for organizations including Performing Arts Medicine Association, International Association of Dance Medicine and Science, American Circus Educators, and American Physical Therapy Association.

WORKSHOPS w/ CIRQUE DANCER

We’re so excited to welcome Sofia Rodriguez aka Cirque Dancer to Minnesota for lyra workshops on November 5th and 6th. She will be hosting workshops at SGS and at Phoenix Flight.

Pirouettes & Arounds the Worlds

Some of my most sought after sequences on Instagram came from my exploration with pirouette turns and around the worlds. If you struggle with these transitions, not a problem, I will also be giving you tips, tricks, and drills on how to make these more accessible. Pre-requisites: Must be able to do 3 pull-ups and invert.

Lion Rolls

Lion entries, exits, and rolls, oh my! In this workshop we will explore unique entries and exits out of lion in a tree. We will also look at the many types of 1/2 & full lion rolls (also called snake rolls or music box). Come learn all the tips and tricks on how to make these rolls more attainable! Please bring sleeves to class. Pre-requisites: Must feel comfortable inverting, must know how to get into lion, knowing inverted man in the moon is a plus, but not necessarily required.

About Cirque Dancer:

Sofia has been expressing herself through movement since she was five years old, beginning with the study of Ballet and Jazz in her hometown of Monterrey, Mexico. She moved to Austin, Texas at the age of 10, and her involvement in dance was slowly replaced by other responsibilities.

It was not until she was working as a 4th-grade teacher that she turned back to dance as a pastime. That is when she discovered aerials and contortion. After several years of practicing as a hobby, she decided to leave teaching and become a professional performer and instructor.

She is in her 6th year of teaching aerials and currently teaches in Colorado. Her specialty is single point lyra with a focus on creative pathways, artistry, and technique.

Silks – w/ Kevin DeMaro (Aerialconda)

Hoop-o-graphy – w/ Kevin DeMaro (Aerialconda)

Hang In There – w/ Kevin DeMaro (Aerialconda)

(Intermediate-Advanced) Students will practice the 3 major hangs on the bar (Heel, Toe, Neck). Through gradual stepping stones, and proper technique, students will safely navigate these nemesis moves. Prerequisites: Students should be comfortable in a single knee hang without assistance.

Static Trapeze I – Tactical Technique w/Camille Swift

Augment your technique on static trapeze by learning the key concepts behind dynamic movement and fundamental drills designed to increase power and efficiency. Beneficial to any student, beginning or advanced.

Single-Point Trapeze w/Camille Swift

Take your trapeze skills to the next level and learn to move with confidence on a trapeze that spins, orbits and swings! This workshop will focus on spin technique and flow sequences that work well with orbiting, spinning, and swinging, in addition to single-point beat styles to add extra power and flourish to your movement. Students must be able to pull over from standing on the floor with trapeze at head height and have strong single-knee and one-arm hangs.

Character & Artistry – Any Apparatus w/ Camille Swift

Learn how to explore your own inner world in order to create the language of your aerial act. Everyone knows the importance of interesting transitions, but what is “quality of movement”? Learn to find the right rhythm between tricks, punctuate a particular shape, and convey emotional tone through movement. Explore the infinite possibilities of shape, movement and expression. Shake up your usual habits and discover a spectrum of creative movement, from bizarre to beautiful, pretty to peculiar.

Stop, Drop, & Roll Advanced Lyra Workshop with Jenna Ciotta

This course is for the accomplished hoop artist who has a great level of comfort on the bar, but isn’t sure how to approach training for large, dynamic skills. We will discuss beat theory and how to generate momentum from various hanging positions, including some less common positions (ankle hang beats, anyone?). We will work progressions for skills such as elbow circles and inlocates, cutaways, casting from bottom bar to top, knee beat half-twist to hand catch, and more upon request.

Creative Movement Workshop with Juliana

In this workshop, Juliana Neves will lead a session of dancing, improvising, creating, and composing together. The workshop starts with a warm-up, including some floor work, dance acrobatics, and small choreographic phrases. The workshop moves into the creative part, where she will share paths and tools with some specific themes and tasks, based on free and guided improvisations. We ask questions and try to answer them physically.