AcroYoga

What is AcroYoga?

AcroYoga is a practice that combines yoga, acrobatics, Thai massage and the creative process. It’s where two (or more) people work together to create something bigger than their individual selves. AcroYoga cultivates communication, trust and play. There is a reliance on your partner that is quite unlike any other. We trust this other person with our body – quite possibly the most important asset we have. How do we become comfortable to do this? There are spotters which may be the most important role of acro. Spotters help ensure the safety of the base and flier while also helping the skill be successful. 

Ok wait, what? What is a base and what is a flier? The base is the person on the bottom (grounded through the floor) who is doing the balancing of the flier. The flier is the person on top who is being lifted and helps hold their shape to make the base’s job easier.  

Acro is a movement modality that brings people together through human connection. People literally and figuratively elevate each other. This community-based practice encourages personal transformation as it presents opportunities to support and be supported, experience strength and sensitivity, to give and receive. 

AcroYoga has two integrated elements: the solar acrobatic practices and the lunar healing arts. These two elements balance each other. The lunar healing arts help the body rest and restore after working on dynamic acrobatic skills.

AcroYoga can be accessible to most people regardless of general fitness or yoga skill level. Once some basic postures are understood, the possibilities to co-create within the practice are endless. There is a dance-like grace as movements become fluid and refined. In addition, transitions from one posture to the next become this fun puzzle of physics with human bodies. 

What does a typical acro class with Kristen look like?

Classes begin by establishing the foundation for the connections that will be built throughout class. Everybody circles up and shares their name, how they are feeling in their body that day, and their response to a connective prompt aimed at getting to know one another better. Knowing and being known is super important for building trust and understanding one another’s bodies! Then, the tunes turn up and the warmups begin. Warmups consist of partner calisthenics to get heat moving throughout the whole body and encourage people to start working together in groups. Group members switch roles from spotter to base to flier as the energy and excitement in the room expands.

Kristen’s analytical engineering brain helps her to break down postures and transitions into clear and simple movements. These elements, or building blocks, are taught in a sequence that creates a foundation for more complicated moves. Each key element is presented through demonstration and then the class splits into groups to work on embodying the movements. The class continues building upon their skills through demonstration and practice as the layers grow and the skills get more complex. Kristen creates a supportive and safe environment that balances a focus on spotting with the freedom to play and explore personal limits. After all, we do acro to have fun!

As a teacher, Kristen gets enormous joy from watching students evolve throughout class. An initial look of anxiety when students see a demonstration transforms into triumph as they successfully complete the skill with their group after practicing and building upon their foundation. People get hooked on this feeling of co-creating and group achievement. The smiles speak volumes and class is sure to end acro-buzzed.