Classes
This is an opportunity for kids ages 5 – 15 to spend time in the air exploring movement, strength, and creative expression, plus having lots of fun! Each week we will sample a variety of aerial and floor techniques, and learn age appropriate ways to keep our bodies safe and strong. Perfect for total beginners or kids with previous aerial experience alike.
Current class schedule
5-9 Year Olds – Sundays at 3:45pm with Josie
10 – 15 Year Olds – Sundays at 3:45pm with Staaj
YOuth Summer Camp 2026
Stomping Ground Studio summer kids camp is back! There are two different camps for different age groups. Each session runs for five days from 9am – 3pm. Make sure to read about both below!
Pricing*
$340 Early Bird – Register in February 2026 to get this reduced price.
$375 Full Price – Register on or after March 1st, 2026.
*If money is a barrier please email us and we can set up a payment plan.
Youth Summer Camp Ages 6-10
Session 1: June 15 – 19
Session 2: July 13 – 17
This is an opportunity for kids ages 6-10 to spend a week in the air exploring movement, strength, and creative expression, plus having lots of fun! Each week we will sample a variety of aerial and floor techniques, play games, and learn age appropriate ways to keep our bodies safe and strong. Perfect for total beginners or kids with previous aerial experience alike.
*Snacks and lunches will need to be packed and brought from home. We have a water bottle filling station so students should bring a re-usable water bottle.
A Typical Day for 6-10 Year Olds
9:00-9:50 Flex & Warm-up
9:50 – 10 Snack Break
10 -11:30 Mixed Apparatus Aerial Classes
11:30 – 12:15 Lunch Break
12:15 – 1:15 Ground Tumbling, Acro, and Handstands
1:15 – 1:30 Break
1:30 – 3:00 Games
*On the last day of camp there will be an opportunity for parents/caregivers to come at 2pm so the campers can show off some of the skills they learned throughout the week. This is not a formal show but more of a show ‘n tell.
*New* Young Performers Camp for Ages 11 -15
Session 1: June 22 – 26 Youth Performance
Session 2: July 20 – 24
This year our older youth camps will focus on artistry, performance, and the skill of developing a circus act! Students will spend the week training on chosen apparatuses as well as finding their creative voice through improv, exploration, and collaborative movement exercises. As a group we will learn to expand beyond memorizing specific “tricks” and into the exciting world of using circus arts as a tool for self expression. The week will culminate in a small showcase for parents where students will have the opportunity to perform solo and/or as part of a group act.
*Snacks and lunches will need to be packed and brought from home. We have a water bottle filling station so students should bring a re-usable water bottle.
A Typical Day for 11 – 15 Year Olds
9:00 – 9:50 Warm-up
9:50 – 10:00 Snack Break
10:00 – 11:30 Creative Movement/Choreography
11:30 – 12:00 Lunch Break
12:00 – 1:30 Aerial Training
1:30 – 1:45 Break
1:45 – 3:00 Group Rehearsal time (Floor/Tumbling + Aerial)
*On the last day of camp there will be an opportunity for parents/caregivers to come at 2pm so the campers can perform the piece that they created throughout the week.
FAQs
Who is this camp for?
Stomping Ground aerial camp is open to kids ages 6-15 (email us to ask about age group exceptions) with aerial experience ranging from total beginners to intermediate aerial students. Please double check that you are signing up for the correct age group. Please note groups are arranged based on age, not skill level. No aerial or other experience is necessary and all students will get the chance to try something new. We welcome students of all body sizes and abilities-please reach out with any questions!
Do campers need to pack a lunch?
Yes. Food is not provided.
What will my child need for camp?
We recommend campers bring a bag in which to store a lunch box, water bottle, mid-morning and mid-afternoon snacks. Campers should write their names on everything they pack.
What should campers wear?
We recommend wearing comfortable clothing in which they can move (for example, tank tops and leggings). The studio can get warm in the summer so your child can wear shorts but do bring a pair of pants to layer over to protect the backs of knees. It is also recommended to have long hair pulled back and jewelry removed.
What is the cancellation policy?
You will be notified by May 15 if registration for your week hasn’t reached our minimum enrollment threshold. At that time, we can look at combining with another week. If we don’t meet our registration by June 1, we will have to cancel and you will receive a full refund. If you voluntarily withdraw your camper, there are no refunds.
Do you offer refunds?
We do not issue refunds for any of our classes or camps. If it is before 7 days of camp starting, we can issue class credits to be used for our weekly classes.
If a camper misses a day of camp due to illness, can they make up the day?
Due to the nature of the program, we do not offer make-up opportunities.
What are your COVID policies?
In order to ensure the safety of our coaches and other students, Stomping Ground requires a negative rapid test from all family members on the Sunday or Monday before camp begins, and recommends testing at least once mid-week. Students must stay home if they are sick. Students are not required to mask during the day but are welcome to do so! To reduce unnecessary exposure we will eat outside as weather permits and we recommend that parents mask during pickup and drop-off, especially when staying to watch class.
Youth Pop-Ups
Our pop-ups aren’t just for the adults we also have some youth options! For our youngest fans we have some fun planned! **12-hour cancellation policy for all classes
Youth Coaches
Bailey Shatz-Akin – Head Youth Coach
Bailey (they/them) has over a decade of experience working with kids of all ages in environments ranging from circus and gymnastics coaching to backcountry wilderness trips. They started aerial as a kid as well and have been training and performing on and off since age 6, and at Stomping Ground since 2019. Bailey’s approach to coaching encourages self-confidence, creativity, and safe risk taking. Above all they aim to support kids in having fun while forming a positive relationship to their bodies.
Valerie (she/her) is very excited to be joining the Stomping Ground Studio youth coaching team! She has 15+ years of experience working with children and teenagers in a variety of roles, including as a nanny, tutor, camp counselor, classroom teacher, pottery instructor, and researcher. She holds a Ph.D. and M.S. in developmental psychology from the University of Michigan and a B.A. in cognitive science and educational studies from Carleton College. Valerie started practicing aerial arts in 2023 when prolonged bad air quality in Michigan made it difficult to spend time outside and has never looked back! She is an avid practitioner of both aerial silks and lyra (aerial hoop), and also has experience on aerial sling. As a youth coach, Valerie strives to help her students explore new and fun ways of engaging in movement and developing their voices as aerialists. She can’t wait to fly with you!
Allie Affinito – Youth Coach
Allie Affinito is a children’s librarian by day and aerialist on nights and weekends. She’s been training aerial with a specialization in vertical apparatus (silks, rope, and spanish web) since 2018, has been working in education for over 15 years. She loves working with young people to explore new interests and build community relationships, and is thrilled to join the SGS Summer Camp crew for another year of camp!
Ella VanLangeveld – Youth Coach
Ella is an aerialist from Philadelphia with a love for movement and performance. She grew up as a dancer and has been training in circus arts since 2018. Specializing in Silks and Lyra, Ella brings positivity, and creativity to every class. She is passionate about helping students build strength, confidence, musicality, and technique in the air.
Josie Hoffman – Youth Coach
Josie started her aerial journey in 2015 and began teaching aerial sling in 2018. She grew up with a range of movement practices from figure skating to fancy shawl pow wow dancing. Josie has a dancerly and artsy style of teaching. For Josie, aerial arts have been a source of healing and growth, and she loves to share these tools. Josie has a BFA in Fine Arts Studio with a Teaching Artist minor from Minneapolis College of Arts & Design. She has incorporated aerial into her fine arts and installation work, and also has done multiple teacher trainings in aerial and yoga arts.
Past Youth Programming
Fall 2025 Showcase and Performance Prep
Performance classes start on Saturday, September 27th and runs through Wednesday, November 5th
Dress Rehearsal on November 6th
Showcases on November 7th and 8th
Saturdays at 10:45am – Youth Performance Prep – Staaj
Toddler Play Time! with Bailey
Saturday, December 28th, 2025, 9am
$30 for one adult and one child.
$10 for each additional child (please email the studio if you have more than one child)
Come to the studio with your little ones (potty-trained toddlers and older siblings welcome!) for some supervised play time! We will warm up together, play movement games, and explore circus by tumbling and swinging around the gym. Great for burning off some winter vacation energy! This is structured play time and will be focused on trying out new types of movement rather than teaching specific skills. One adult per family must be present throughout class. Please reach out with any questions or access needs and we will do our best to accommodate!
Intro to Youth Contortion with Gunnar
Wednesday, Dec 18th, 4:30pm
$25
Contortion is the art of moving the body with flexibility and poise. It is a classic circus art dating back hundreds of years. We will learn to stretch deeply and safely, do bendy tricks on your own or with friends, and learn basic acrobatics like walkovers and cartwheels. Prerequisite: Bridge chest to wall with straight arms (or close to it) and able to kick up to handstand at the wall for 5 sec.
Youth Open Gym (Ages 10-14)
Thursday, Dec 26th, 4:30pm
$10
Join open gym times to practice material you learned in class. *Please refrain from teaching fellow students during Open Gym.