WHAT IS ACRO YOGA?!
Have you ever come across these crazy poses online and wondered, "What are they really doing?!"
Allow us to introduce you to AcroYoga—a captivating fusion of yoga and acrobatics!
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Acroyoga takes elements from yoga such as presence, groundedness, breath, and mindfulness and mixes it with elements from acrobatics such as technique and athleticism.
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Acroyoga is a partner activity where you share your practice with others. Prepare to play, fall and move together – creating trust and making connections along the way.​
what does acroyoga have to do with yoga?
When watching people perform an acroyoga flow it can sometimes be hard to figure out where the yoga aspect comes in.
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What makes acroyoga so different from classical acrobatics or circus arts is that there is a much bigger emphasis on
the how – the process of the practice together and the connection between the base and the flyer. These values are highlighted in acroyoga preserving the mindful aspects of yoga in the practice.
The roles of acroyoga:
Base, Flyer & Spotter
The base – this is the person who is closest to the ground. Often times in acroyoga it is the person who is lying with on her/his back on the ground and the legs and arms extended into the air. The main goal of the base is to carry and balance the flyer on top of her/him.
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The flyer – this is the person who is flying on top of another person in one way or another. The main goal of the flyer is to move with spacial awareness and hold good body tension so the base can control their position in the air.
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The spotter – this is the person that makes sure the acroyoga practice stays safe. The spotter’s main goal is to keep the flyer safe. They do so by staying alert and close to the flyer at all times so they can catch a potential fall or support the flyer and base with hands-on spotting.
SPOTTER
FLYER
BASE
it's all about cooperation, communication, and trust
Compared to yoga, acroyoga requires much more cooperation, communication, and trust since it takes two or more people to perform an acroyoga pose or flow. The practice of acroyoga will expand your comfort zone and challenge you to face many of your emotions honestly and kindly.
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The process of learning acroyoga requires open communication in order to work well. All three roles; base, flyer, and spotter need to openly share what they need in order to feel safe and get the trick to work.
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Since each person in a group has a unique role in the acroyoga trick, they have to communicate their perspective on the trick for every part to get a fuller understanding of the trick as a whole. Therefore, it can also be a great idea to switch roles every once in a while, so all three roles have a better sense of what it takes to accomplish the trick.
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Acroyoga also teaches you to hand over trust to other people. Most acroyoga tricks don’t work unless the flyer really commits to the trick and trusts that the base and spotter will support them until they have safely returned to the ground.
interested in giving acroyoga a whirl?
We've got a beginner-friendly intro to acro class, perfect for those who are new to acroyoga
No need for a partner – feel free to join us solo or bring your friends and loved ones!