Instructor demo on dance trapeze performed by Beth Del Nero and Kat Saxon. Visit our gallery to view past shows.
New Kid Classes for the new school year begin Monday, August 8. Choose from Teen/Tween or Young Aerialist Classes. Classes are filling quickly so register today. Email us with questions if you aren’t sure which class is right for your child.
Special Events at the Studio
- Saturday Night Student Spotlights– Mark your calendar for Saturday, September 17 for our first Saturday Night Student Spotlight. Members of our aerial family will amaze and inspire you with their strength, creativity, passion, and agility at each performance. We know you will want to see them all, so add October 15 to your calendar too.
- Handstands! Yes You Can! Have you ever wanted to learn a handstand, but couldn’t get over the fear of going upside? Have you ever wanted to achieve a freestanding handstand?
This workshop is designed to help you get over your fear of inverting and allowing handstands to become part of your everyday practice. We will learn how to properly prehab and rehab our bodies with conditioning exercises that target the primary components when learning the handstand shape. Also, we will talk about handstand theory and the many factors that contribute to building a healthy and stable practice. In the end, you will feel more confident and powerful within yourself to practice handstands more often. See our workshops page for more information. - Intro to Aerial Silks– Intro to Aerial, a 4-week class for adults, is a series that helps students develop strength, flexibility, and coordination while learning the basic techniques and terminology for exploring aerial silks (fabrics). This class is packed with moves and is designed to prepare you to enter into a Silks 1 class. Class will focus on building strength, cross-training, and clean technique in order to progress to a Level 1 class. Suitable for any fitness level, this class provides a broad foundation in the aerial arts. Wednesdays at 7:30pm, 9/7/2022-9/28/2022.
- Intro to Aerial Sling (Hammock)– Start your Hammock journey! Learn gorgeous poses and basic inverts. Improve your flexibility, balance and upper body strength while wrapping yourself between the strands of an aerial hammock. This 4-week series will introduce students to the aerial sling. Students will work on the foundational skills needed to join a Sling Level 1 class. No experience needed. Sundays at 8:00pm, 9/11/2022-10/2/2022.
- A Southern Aerial Explosion: Benefit for Connie Palmer–
Saturday, September 24, 7:30 pm.Moved to February 2023. For the first time ever, aerialists from Canopy Studio (Athens), Aerial CLT (Charlotte), Akrosphere (Alpharetta), Artists Asylum (Marietta), and Challenge Aerial (Atlanta) will perform together to raise money for Connie Palmer, an aerial legend (and one of the Southeast’s first aerial studio owners) who has instructed, trained and mentored aerialists across the country. A recent skydiving accident left Connie with scores of broken bones and she now needs to lean on us to help her through her long recovery. Tickets are $20-$200. Mark your calendars. More details will be coming your way soon. - Aerial Yoga- Hang upside down while staying close to the ground and working to increase your flexibility and strength. And yes, savasana is always in the hammock (which makes it so hard to leave!)
- Hot Mama Hoopers- Hey parents, do you need some time to yourself while building strength and a community? This is the class for you! Led by a Certified Exercise Physiologist, it will focus on the specific challenges post-partum bodies face, this class uses lyras (steel hoops) and hula hoops to help you spin your stress away. All post-childbirth bodies and genders are welcome. Saturdays @11:15 am.
- Techno Ballet Returns Wednesdays at 6:30 pm. No dance experience required. What a great way to end your work day.
- Hula Hoop Flow- Build skills and learn to dance with hula hoops while developing your own flow. Suitable for all levels. Saturdays at 10:15 am.
A Message from Rene Esler, Challenge Aerial Owner
Black Lives Matter is the civil and human rights movement of our time, because it addresses a fundamental inequality in our society: that Black lives are too often undervalued.
Challenge Aerial stands in solidarity with our family, friends, neighbors, and community who are voicing their despair, anger, and frustration with systems that not only fail to protect, but actively oppress and devalue Black lives.
We have searched for and embraced vulnerability and discomfort to make art. We must now also be courageous enough to peel away our own protective coatings, and accept the vulnerability and discomfort required to dismantle our structural, institutional, and personal biases. Only then can we create communities that celebrate and value every person equally.
Just when you think you’ve challenged your body and know your limitations, we will reach out to challenge your perspective. We are Challenge Aerial. Welcome to our beloved community.
Challenge Aerial provides aerial instruction to students of every skill level from beginner to advanced aerialist. We offer aerial silks classes, trapeze classes, lyra (hoop) classes, sling classes, aerial fitness classes and aerial yoga classes. Classes are designed for tweens, teens and adults.
Aerial arts are a blend of physical and creative exercise, cardiovascular and strength endurance, and flexibility, and are a challenge for even the most skilled athletes (which is why we all love it!). You don’t need a dance or gymnastics background, you don’t need to have abs of steel or totally cut arms, and you don’t need to be a contortionist, or even able to do a split. Whether you are a curious and striving beginner, or a highly skilled aerialist looking to hone your performance technique, Challenge Aerial is your home.
At Challenge Aerial, we work every day to help everyone find magic and joy in aerial arts. Challenge Aerial provides a safe, supportive and creative environment for the Atlanta community to learn, explore, share, and perform aerial arts.
Did you know…
- We are available for Private Lessons! Contact us to discuss your goals!
- We love to hear from you! Can’t find a class that fits your needs? Click here to fill out our class interest form!
- We love to host workshops for you to hone your skills or learn something new. Visit back often to see what workshops are coming.