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Aerial Glossary

Silks – (also called fabrics, tissu or ribbon) are one long piece of fabric attached in the middle to the ceiling to create two long tails. Students climb the suspended fabric and use the fabric to wrap, suspend, drop, swing, and spiral their bodies into and out of various positions.

Trapeze- a 1.5 feet (on average) wide horizontal bar hung by ropes from a support. There are several types of trapeze, but at Challenge Aerial we focus on dance and static trapeze. Dance trapeze is rigged from a single point and allows the performer to spin. Static trapeze is rigged from two points so it does not spin but allows for more dynamic moves such as beats and is often used for partnering. On both dance and static trapeze, the artist moves around the bar and ropes, performing a wide range of movements including balances, drops, and hangs.

Lyra- a circular steel hoop (also called aerial hoop) that looks like a hula hoop suspended from the ceiling, on which student can perform aerial acrobatics. It can be static, spinning, or swinging.  Performers usually combine trapeze skills with held poses and postures.

Aerial Sling– Utilizing the same material as aerial silks, the fabric is rigged to create a loop in which students can climb, suspend, drop, and spiral their bodies into various acrobatic positions. Aerial sling is also known as hammock.