Aerial silks (otherwise known as tissu, fabric, ribbon, or contortion), is a relatively new and emerging art form that is most commonly known to be in circus performances like Cirque Du Solei.
Overview Of Aerial Silks
Aerial silks use two stunning pieces of fabric that drape down from a single point that is connected on a ceiling or outdoor rig (as seen above) using steel/aluminum hardware. An artist will then climb the silks and do all kinds of acrobatic drops, splits, and sequences on them. It could be for a photo shoot or performance. This requires a lot of body awareness and mental strength to be able to execute skills.
Aerial silks as a hobby for non-circus professionals have gained popularity in the past 7 years. This is due to the rise of digital media and content sharing through television, movies, shows, and social media. Before then, it was really only seen as an art form that only circus professionals pursued.
History
It is unknown who invented the aerial silks. The first-ever recorded mention of aerial silks was in 1959. A student in a circus school presented an act and it as showcased on a small French newspaper article.
Most credit André Simard from Canada, as he was hired by Cirque Du Solei in 1987 to research and develop the art. André had an extraordinary background in Olympic level gymnastics, art, and clowning. He transformed the art of aerial silks into what it is today with unique expressive movements and facial expressions to capture audiences, tell stories, and elicit emotional responses.
Danger/Risk
Any activity that requires a tremendous height, proper hardware, safety mats, and strength does have inherent risk. We’ll dive deeper into the rigging, hardware, and safety mats a little later. HOWEVER, the beauty of aerial is that you can minimize those risks by taking precautions in certain moves you execute. It is definitely recommended that you are fully prepared in case something goes wrong in the air.
Some precautionary steps:
1) Start low on the ground, and only climb higher if you feel 100% secure and you trust yourself
2) Practice the same move at least 5x without failing once before moving up
3) Ensure that you have enough strength to do the same moves 3 times in a row without failing before moving up
4) Fully understand fabric theory, which is the theory on how the wrap catches, holds, and rotates. It goes into movement in 3-dimensional space and takes into account the limitations of gravity.
Fabrics
The color of the fabrics and the length is what gives aerial silks the ‘WOW’ factor. It is truly stunning to see the fabrics whip around and having two fabrics makes it double the fun!
The fabrics are two way stretch made of low stretch nylon tricot. There is also medium stretch which add more bounce and softness when you land drops.
Rigging
Rigging is the highest barrier to entry when pursuing your aerial silks practice if you are looking to do this solo. If you are just going to be attending a studio, no need to worry about any of this! Trained instructors will set it all up for you.
A certified and proper rig will cost at least a couple grand – plus all the costs of the mat, hardware, and silks. There are other options like beam mounts and ceiling mounts as well.
Hardware
Hardware for aerial silks is also another aspect that factors into safety. Recognized studios always use the best equipment and if you are looking into purchasing hardware for your own aerial rig you’re at the right place!
There are a few pieces that join together for the full assembly of aerial silks. The pieces are an aerial swivel(left), two steel carabiners (right), and an aluminum Aerial-8(middle).I purchased my hardware from Aerial Essentials.
Crash Mat
Crash mats have manufacturing specifications and those mats have undergone tests to see the impact it could reduce. When pursuing your aerial practice, I recommend that you get a mat at least 8″, but I prefer it to be a little thicker at 12″ since I love practicing drops. If you’re interested in learning the specifics on all this equipment – check out my article on Why Safe Aerial Equipment is Crucial
Tricks/Sequences
There are so many tricks and sequences that lead up to an an aerial act. It takes a lot of stamina, endurance, and practice to be in the air for 3 minutes at peak performance!
The mental and physical challenges are the reasons why I LOVE aerial. Thinking about which way the wrap goes and having to hold yourself up with your hands is so rewarding when you finally get that trick or sequence.
There are many kinds of tricks and sequences that involve different locks and wraps on the feet, wrists, arms, stomach, etc. I won’t go into detail in this post but here are a couple of pictures to help you get the idea:
Drops
Drops are so exhilarating and thrilling. It feels like hitting the top of the roller coaster peak and then falling and hoping that it will be over soon. As soon as you hit the bottom and plateau, you only to want to go on the roller coaster again! The adrenaline sends my heart racing but I can’t help but smile so wide whenever I do a drop ☺️
There are two main types of drops – open and closed. Open drops mean that you have to catch the tail end of the silk and if you don’t you may be a little doomed. If it is a “closed” or “secure” drop, that means that you are holding onto the fabric and as long as you don’t let go and wrapped everything correctly, you are good to go!
I personally like both for different reasons. If I had to choose, I would say I lean more toward “closed” drops since I trust my wraps more than my ability to catch the silk. My Instagram account showcases many drops @aerialkatelyn if you want to check it out!
Getting Started
The best way to first learn is to attend a class taught by a professional at a recognized aerial studio. This is because the coaches have years of experience under their belt personally training and also teaching others. An aerial coach will be able to guide you through the necessary steps to help you gain strength and confidence. They will also be able to guide you through the wraps and the common mistakes and how to navigate them.
It can definitely be super intimidating to sign up for an aerial class and go to a new studio alone. It’s just a natural human tendency to worry about our capabilities and what other people will think but know that you ARE worthy. If you’ve even considered it or possibly dreamt of it – think about what it means to live your fullest life every day.
To me, that means taking action even if I’m feeling nervous or unsure of myself. Know that you are not alone, and that why beginner classes are very popular! Everyone has to start somewhere. Every aerial coach that I have met teaches because they love the sport/art and are passionate about sharing their knowledge and skills.
If you still feel like you need to tone up and gain strength before attending class – I recommend you do any kind of upper body exercise to increase body awareness and mobility. This could mean push-ups, plank holds, biceps curls, etc. That’s all for now, my aerial friends! Stay tuned on Aerial Fitness Daily for more tips and tricks for all things aerial ☺️
