Most commonly associated with Cirque du Soleil, aerials are a thing of magic (or so it appears) – made humanly possible with the combination of upper body strength and, most importantly, artistic movement. Although feats like these are usually limited to circus performers, thanks to studios like Chattanooga Aerials in East Brainerd, the art of aerial silks and trapeze performance are now open to anyone willing to put their bodies to the test.
“Every tiny muscle you didn’t think you had will be incorporated into aerials,” says Jen Keehn, instructor at Chattanooga Aerials. “That’s why we love it, we feel like it’s the whole package. It’s so all encompassing, that just about anybody that is willing to push themselves can do it. We have toddlers and elderly people and all shapes and sizes; it just depends on what you want to get out of it.”
Although the sport can seem intimidating, Keehn says that there is nothing to fear but fear itself. “A lot of people are afraid of the height, but all of the equipment can be moved down,” she says. “And some people come in thinking you have to be a body builder walking in there. With both of those, it’s fear – fear of not being strong enough or fear of being hurt … fear of looking silly. It’s just fun and everyone looks ridiculous together and then polishes it up together.”
The important thing, Keehn says, is that it is “aerial dance.” Each student is given the opportunity to truly express themselves with movement, like ballet in the air. “It’s very interesting because the possibilities of aerial dance are unlimited,” she says. “It’s a puzzle. You have to figure out how to get from one pose to the next – and make it look really elegant.”
The classes are typically taught by demonstration before the students make their own attempts at the poses and try to work them into a sequence at their own pace. The studio offers beginner workshops, private classes and specialized group class options catered to the student’s level and what they want to get out of the practice – because although some of their students do, not everyone wants to join the circus.