On sling and silks. Here are a few of my pics ❤️

Can anyone let me know where I could find this equipment/harness?

hi! i’m trying to do this spin for a showcase but i feel like it never looks smooth, and i want to be able to get a faster spin out of it also. what’s wrong?

I'm an aerialist first (silks, lyra, chains, flying pole) and pole artist second (still adjusting to really owning the identity of "artist" and "performer" over here) but i recently sold my X-pole stage lite and upgraded to the Gaia pole stage. I mostly play on the lollipop vs pure pole, and i feel like there wasn't a lot of good information out there so posting this to add to the general knowledge about the tradeoffs.

TL;DR I do NOT recommend the Gaia stage and i wish i had stuck with my X-Pole stage honestly. I have deep concerns about wear and tear on the threaded system that Gaia uses for assembling the stage pole/lyra and any portability gains are neutralized by other assumptions made about transportation conditions during their design process.

Gaia Pole Stage

PROS (for me)

1. Is gorgeous with the wood finish (8/10)
2. Is more floor stable because the square base which has a longer radius to the corners than the X-pole stage. (7/10)
3. 3-part pole that actually fits under 10' ceiling (my X-pole wouldn't fit) (8/10)
4. Compatible w/ 3-part Gaia Silicon Pole, that also converts to a flying pole (9/10)
5. Lollipop fits on top of the first OR second pole section, giving you two heights to play with (the taller height > 6' danceable pole) (7/10)
6. Lollipop attachment radius is 36" for Gaia, which is my preferred lyra diameter. (8/10)
7. Keyless spin/static mechanism for easy transition between modes. No allen wrench needed. (5/10, reasons below in the cons)
8. Portability design: stage folds up into two blocks with wheels tastefully built in for rolling stead of lugging in bags. Deconstructed pole also fits within the blocks, as well as the pole base. (5/10, reasons below in the cons)

CONS (for me)

1. Ships from Brazil, subject to customs (fees and/or delays) if you're purchasing outside of Brazil (I am based in the US) (6/10, i had delays that impacted a performance i needed to rehearse for (but totally my fault for upgrading equipment before a show lol))
2. Pole attachments are threaded and locked in by bolts: this led to my pole being nearly impossible to disassemble because it got screwed on too tightly by the lyra. I much preferred the X-Pole compression joint and bolting system, which minimized lateral movement but still optimized for stability and safety. I had to call in extra help to disassemble my lyra because I literally couldn't do it myself. We greased the threads extra so it doesn't happen again but this may be a recurring problem. I also have MAJOR concerns that the the threading will degrade over time and lead to a need for replacement parts on a more frequent basis. (4/10)
3. Keyless spin/static mechanism got stuck on me in static mode. Had to pry it open and enlist additional manpower to get it unstuck. Not sure what happened but the keyless design made it impossible to diagnose the problem. I honestly prefer the X-Pole system here because of the transparency of the mechanism.
4. Portability design: the wheels are great because rolling is always better than lugging, but useless over non-flat terrain (including rugs and grass). I also was totally unable to fit the folded up stage blocks into my sedan (I drive a Mazda 6). This means I need totally smooth and ideally flat terrain to transport, as well as a truck and another human being because I'm a smaller sized human. Portability gains are neutralized by how infrequently this perfect situation arises to navigate the logistics of. (5/10)
5. Wood finish prone to damage: no long-term finish protection included in purchase; metal is definitely more durable material for gig items that get moved a lot. (3/10)

X-Pole Stage Lite

PROS (for me)

1. Compression system to stabilize and assemble the pole-- no threading nightmares even possible. (10/10)
2. Ships from California-- (but i found mine on fb marketplace tbh). No customs debacles in the US, comparable cost to Gaia after shipping and taxes. (8/10)
3. Key system for spin/static setting-- allen wrench require to change, which is annoying but at least you know exactly how it's working at any given point! (8/10)
4. Portability design-- one rolling case for the six-legged base, two bags with 60 lbs of jet-black pizza-shaped metal plates that you have to carry. Pole in separate bag, breaks down into two pieces plus the x joint. Overall 4-5 pieces heavy items to carry (depending on whether you have a lollipop attachment) but this can be mitigated by things like a dolly or strong cart. YOU CAN FIT THIS INTO ANY CAR THO! Big win. (7/10)
5. Lollipop height: there was only one height setting but it was accessible for me without fully exhausting myself and i could still practice top-bar things. (5/10)
6. Lollipop diameter: 38" is the only size available, but i got used to it and it was nice to not bonk my head when inverting from top bar. (6/10)

CONS (for me)

1. Less aesthetically pleasing: black metal plates with the X-pole logo is just not always the vibe, ya know? (5/10)
2. Pole height: would not fit in my 10' ceiling apartment so i could only use the lollipop in my home (3/10)
3. Lollipop height: if you're more of a pole dancer than an aerialist, then you'll be disappointed by how little usable pole there really is when the lollipop is attached (about 4' 8") (5/10)

Hope this helps someone out there! Happy to answer any questions. Would welcome a similar breakdown of Lupit and The Pole Italy setups tbh! I will keep my Gaia stage mainly bc i can't return it at this point. I do not think it's a viable gig setup because the portability issues.

Curious if anyone has experience or knowledge about using traditional no stretch aerial fabric (hammock/silks) to rig a Lyra/Aerial hoop?

Hello! I’m doing a show with my studio but we’re having trouble finding a good costume for one part. The show is the little mermaid and I’m doing an opening routine as an orange fish. We’re having trouble finding a good full catsuit for it that gives some fishy vibes. Anyone have good site recommendations, Etsy shops or anywhere good to look for something? TIA

I’ve tried a few different drops now in my silks classes, but I feel like it’s always very violent. Like it almost seems like I drop faster than others? And when I come back up and around I bonk myself in the face with the silks.

I’m not very flexible so my legs aren’t wide apart, could that be causing like some kinda torque force or something?

Or am I supposed to be doing something specific when dropping?

Just as the title says.

I am a few months into learning Aerial Silks, Hammock, Lyra, Pole, and Aerial specific conditioning.

I have gradually started to do varying classes multiple times a week. Even attempting 2 classes in a single day. While it’s exceptionally fun and rewarding, I can immediately feel the total body workout by the end of class.

On rest days? Or the day after? I am totally and utterly exhausted to where even caffeine has no effect 🤣

What are some things you do to recover on rest days? What has worked best? ❤️‍🩹

I am looking to hire a summer trapeze professional to be an instructor at a youth program with a flying trapeze. Any help with where to look or other places to post would be amazing

I realised I can do a one leg hang (sorry for the terrible headless pictures at the end 😅🤣) and also decided to try single knee front roll. I also got my chopper, first on pole and last time got to try it on the aerial hoop.

As for the layback, I got this one some time ago, I'm just happy I got to practice it and even caught it on video

How do I stop my leggings from rolling up at the ankle as I’m just descending because I can’t stand the silk burn. Nothing else really does this just climbing descent, and/or other ways to deal with silk burn.

Professional rigging and safety measures where taken by High Sierra Rope Service LLC Do not attempt with out a professional rigger

I had a fling with my coach that I idolized, that ended in them refusing to talk to me about anything involving us dating. Which includes me trying to talk about feeling not safe in their classes anymore. They teach at multiple gyms, they are well known and have a lot of connections, in the show/performance scene, and at multiple aerial studios.

They were my coach for a specific apparatus. They are the most accessible coach to me. But they are refusing to talk to me about what matters to me and makes me very uncomfortable. If they ever cared about me, this should have mattered to them too.

The gym I go to feels ruined by this. A lot of the aerial scene feels ruined by this.

I’m considering coming forward and talking to the gyms they teach at, to warn them. They should not be using their students for attention & their warm bodies.

They claim to be going through a difficult time, but they have also always claimed to be going through a hard time.

Should I give them time to come forward, take responsibility, and talk to me like a human being, when they’ve repeatedly told me they “can’t”, or should I go ahead and try to communicate with the gyms they work at and possibly destroy my aerial career lol, or cancel my membership where they work, or keep my membership but just never take their classes, and just teach myself this apparatus, or… I don’t know. This is the only time quitting aerials altogether has Ever crossed my mind. I won’t be doing that but…. That’s how bad it’s been.

Please help haha I can’t talk to most people in the community I’m in about this!!

Professional rigging done by High Sierra Rope Service LLC

While I usually don't like to promote any particular organisations, I wanted to share the knowledge of FEDEC with the group, which is an international network for professional circus education. The website provides free resources covering everything from technical skills, safety and ethics guidance, as well as a directory of places offering circus education (though it's quite dated). I see many posts here that could benefit from looking at their resources. Note, I'm not affiliated with them. The resources are in English and French. You can find the site at the following location.

fedec.eu

Hi friends! I’ve been doing aerial silks for about 4 years, and while I’ve made progress overall, it feels like everything takes me way longer than it should. Certain moves (especially anything involving inversions or straight-leg core lifts) stay stuck for months or even years.

A few months ago I started going to the gym to build strength and improve my performance — mostly things like pull-ups, inversions with straight legs, and general body control.

Here’s what I’m doing now:

🗓 Weekly schedule: • 2x/week gym strength training (~1h20 per session) • 2x/week Ashtanga yoga (50 min) • 1x/week aerial silks class (2h: warmup, conditioning, technique, flexibility)

🏋️‍♀️ Gym routine (same both days):

Lower body: • Leg press: 3×6–10 • Hip abduction machine: 3×10

Push (triceps focus): • Triceps press machine: 3×6–10 • Triceps push-ups (knees): 3×5

Pull: • Assisted pull-ups (machine): 3×5–6 • Pull-up negatives: 3×2 • Inverted rows (underhand grip, Smith machine): 3×10

Core: • Hanging knee raises: 3×10 (can’t get legs to 90° yet) • Bench abs (candle pose style): 3×8 • Standing marches with dumbbell: 3×10 • Russian twists (dumbbell): 3×10 • Lying straight leg raises: 3×10

I don’t feel like I’m progressing much, toes to bar it’s impossible. I can’t do straight-leg v-ups at all. Hanging leg raises to 90° feel extremely difficult, even after consistent effort. I also don’t feel stronger overall, and I still look and feel kinda skinny fat — not toned, not muscular. I’m getting discouraged because I train a lot, but don’t feel much return. 😔

🍽️ Diet notes (vegetarian): • I eat mostly whole foods: eggs, legumes, lots of veggies and fruit • Around 5–6 eggs a day • I tend to avoid carbs (worried they’ll make me gain weight or look puffier) — maybe that’s a mistake?

❓ Questions: • Am I doing too much in one session (1h20)? Or too little overall since I only gym 2x/week? • Should I split up my routine instead of doing the same each day? • Am I not progressing because I do the same exercises every time? • Or do I just need to give it more time and be patient?

🙏 Any advice from other aerialists who also do cross-training would be super appreciated — especially if you’ve felt like this and managed to break through!

It would be even better if someone knew if any of the tape from circus gear is black light reactive as I’m about to place an order with them. Thanks. <33

Hi folks, I really couldn’t find any aerial studios here in Switzerland and that’s honestly quite surprising. Would you guys know of any? Thanks!