If Lookinglass Alice left you left you inspired and ready to try out some of your own Cirque du Soleil-style stunts, we’ve got you covered. Here are a few places around Atlanta where you can get trained in acrobatic arts:
The Circus Arts Institute
If you’re looking for a wide variety of training options, this is the place to go. The institute combines physical and mental training with therapeutic elements that focus on the skill and dexterity needed for circus arts. Experiential therapy, which utilizes ground and aerial equipment, is designed to help children and teens work through attention deficit disorders and other emotional and behavioral issues; adults can take part in fitness classes that were designed to keep trapeze and balancing artists in shape; and various workshops can be tailored to accommodate the skill level of groups or organizations. Circusartsinstitute.com
The Canopy Studio
Want to get the whole family involved? The Canopy Studio in Athens is a trapeze, movement arts and performance center for adults and children of all ages. There’s even a class for toddlers under the age of two. If you’d like to try trapeze, but swinging through the air isn’t your thing, consider the low-to-the-floor flying dance trapeze course. The studio also offers modern dance, belly dance, Afro-Haitian dance, improvisation and Pilates classes. Canopystudio.com
The D.A.I.R. Project
If your teen likes hanging around, they’ll love it here. D.A.I.R. (Dream, Accept, Inspire, Revolutionize) has a free after-school program for youth ages 7-18 that teaches accountability and other life skills through aerial dance, movement and performance arts classes. Adults also can join the fun with aerial dance and fitness instruction using static trapezes, dance trapezes and aerial fabrics. Thedairproject.org
Physical theater shows and training
If you’d rather watch others than test the limits of your own capabilities, check out: The Fly By Theatre, a physical theater company that combines various elements of drama and dance for visually engaging productions. Visit Flybytheatre.org for a list of upcoming shows and information about summer training classes. Out of Hand Theater is just as its name suggests, but in a made-for-the-stage kind of way. As an alternative to conventional theater, Out of Hand creates athletic and energetic performances using music, dance, puppetry, graphic arts and more. Its core company of actors offers a public boot camp twice a year, which gets the community physically and artistically involved. For more information, visit Outofhandtheater.com.
