There are a lot of cool and challenging things to learn as a beginner. The really nice thing is that you get to have all the excitement of flying without driving yourself crazy with expectations. We want you to take your time getting used to the flying trapeze and learn as much as you can about the basic skills, language and rigging before pushing for the big tricks. Building a solid foundation will perhaps be less showy, but ultimately make you a much better flyer and, if you wish, performer.
Basic Skills
As a beginner, you will work on getting a really nice take off, basic knee hang, splits, planche and whip (all fun tricks you can throw to the catcher). You'll also begin learning the basics of building your swing for higher tricks.
At the end of every flight, you'll need to practice falling safely in the net. Your instructor will have you in lines at all times, but your ability to fall with skill and grace will go a long way to building confidence in your flying.
Moving to the Next Level
In order to move into more advanced classes, you will need to learn the skills of take off without assistance. Many new flyers get so focused on making catches, they forget to become independent on the platform. It's a bit odd to see someone throwing intermediate tricks who still requires a staff member to hold their belt for take off. So, one of your most important goals as a beginner is to push yourself to be strong, solid, safe and independent up the ladder, on the platform and in the net.
An added benefit of learning to be independent on the rig is that you will be invited to join classes that are less expensive, since they require less staff to run.
Beginner classes are a time to strengthen your body, learn basics, build trust with the instructors and make connections with other flyers. The atmosphere is often more relaxed than the higher-level classes and therefore is a popular choice for casual flyers. We look forward to teaching you skills that will create a strong foundation for flying and also translate nicely into other parts of your life.
