Accessible Aerial Classes at Flying Fantastic

Accessible Aerial Class on the regular timetable!

Aerial is for all- we really do believe that. Aerial isn't necessarily easy, but it is inherently accessible.   Over the last few years, we have been teaching a range accessible aerial courses and classes for both adults and children with disabilities and additional needs. The main thing that we have learned, is that everyone is different and the important thing is to get to know the individual, how they would like to learn and what we can do to facilitate getting them airborne. 

We've used aerial yoga slings as hoists, low slings as support, big hoops, small hoops, low trapezes, pyramids made out of mats to help you step up to the trapeze... whatever it takes to get our students flying. And we've most recently been learning to teach through touch and audio descriptions.

So, if you would like to come and try it for yourself, we have an accessible aerial class running on on Tuesday afternoons in Peckham from 4.30 to 5.45. Apparatus will vary but our warm welcome to new aerialists will not! Bookable using credits on our Mindbody app. 

If this sounds like something you'd be interested in, but you have questions, please get in touch with edel@flyingfantastic.co.uk. And if you do book straight in, it really helps if you get in touch with us in advance to tell us your access needs so that we can ensure the warm up and the class planned is as accessible for you as we can make it!

If you're still not convinced and need some circus inspiration, let us introduce you to some totally badass disabled superstars!

Meg Fozard
'When I became disabled, I had to give up my beloved pole dancing and aerial hoop. I haven't even considered doing anything aerial based in 3 years. I deleted all the pictures off Instagram of me doing aerial because they made me so sad to look at. Working for Extraordinary Bodies made me think that maybe EVERY body can do aerial. With the help and advice of Flying Fantastic, I went to an aerial sling class and it was fantastic!!"

Meg took part in our 10 week Accessible course and got her first invert which was a huge cause for celebration! She is now an aerial addict again and you'll no doubt meet her in the Tuesday Access Class!

Jo Westwood and Lyn Cox
These amazing ladies all took part in our 10 week Accessible Aerial Programme which was funded by Access Sport and Sispan. We were working on Hoop and Sling and the progress over 10 weeks was so brilliant to watch and everyone grew in both confidence and skills!

Jo emailed us to join our accessible aerial classes having never done any aerial before. We are amazed at how much Jo has learnt; no problem is too much for her, no challenge too great. Go Jo!

We met Lynn through our residency programme, as she is a fabulous wire worker. Since then she's been a regular at Flying Fantastic; coming to our weekly accessible aerial class. She is a total daredevil and we are so proud of what she's achieved! 

Both Jo and Lynn have been working with us to help our trainers understand how to teach aerial to visually impaired students.

We have a little video about the 10 week programme here but more details about the course are in a seperate blog post. 

We have never had the pleasure of meeting Charlotte, but we are so touched by her story of how finding the Flying Fantastic instagram account made her take up aerial. And now she's winning competitions!  In her own words, shes a " Badass one legged aerialist" and we love seeing her in our Aerial Addict merch! 

Charlotte Evans @aerialist_amputee 
'When I lost my leg and became an amputee just under a year ago I lost my ability to dance and due to the trauma that caused my amputation my stump is unable to take the pressure of a prosthetic leg so I'm confined mostly for a wheelchair which as a previous dancer has been gut renching. I was in a very dark place then about 5 months ago I came across some aerial videos on Instagram which happened to be Flying Fantastic's account. So then had a light bulb moment well screw it if I can't walk I will fly! And for the last 4 months I've been flying ever since and it saved me from a dark hole I never thought I'd get out of. I hate coming off the hoop or sling cause on the ground I'm disabled and reliant on others, when I'm up in the air I'm completely independent and can move around like any ambled person can. It's basically dancing but I don't need a leg to do it.'

Run out of excuses??! We thought so.

See you in the air!