Foundation Aerial Silks

You will need:

• to meet the minimum age requirement of 18 years or older
• a minimum of 1 years’ aerial silks experience (recommended)
• access to the internet via a PC, laptop, or mobile device
• access to at least 1 set of aerial silks, safely rigged in an appropriate training environment
• a minimum of 2 hours’ study/training time per week (to complete the course within the 1-year deadline)
• a device to film videos on (mobile phones are allowed)
• at least 1 student of a suitable ability level for the teaching assessment (aged 18 or older)
• basic first aid and anatomy knowledge is also recommended.

The theory section of this course will give you a range of teaching and coaching techniques to make you a confident and effective instructor, supported by relevant fitness theory covering safe warm ups and cool downs. We will also cover the practical aspects of running your classes, from business plans to session plans.

In the practical section, you will learn the first part of the Spin City aerial silks syllabus, a series of strength and conditioning techniques to help your students progress and we will complete your practical training with combinations, sequences and equipment-specific conditioning.

Coaching module units:

1. Running your own business
2. Choosing a venue
3. Equipment
4. Health and safety
5. Class planning
6. Teaching and coaching
7. Combinations and choreography
8. Warming up
9. Strength and conditioning for beginners (ground-based)
10. Cooling down

Silks module units:

1. Introduction to foundation silks
2. Hitches and footlocks
3. Foundation stands and climbs
4. Basic inverts
5. Progression skills
6. Foundation silks combinations
7. Aerial silks strength and conditioning

BASIC HITCH MOVES

• Tying a hitch
• Sitting on the hitch
• Standing on the hitch
• Straddle in hitch
• Pike and ball in hitch
• Gazelle in hitch

FOOT WRAPS AND FOOTLOCKS

• French wrap
• Figure 8 footlock
  • single footlock
  • double footlock
• Double wraps
  • Synchronised
  • Egg beater method
• Aerial dance footlock
  • single footlock
  • double footlock

 STANDS AND CLIMBS

• Russian stand
• French stand
• Russian climb
• French climb
• Footlock climb

BASIC INVERTS

• Straddle invert
• Split silks inverts
• Inside knee hook
• Outside knee hook
• Single crochet
• Double crochet

INTERMEDIATE INVERTS

• Brazilian invert
• Aerial invert

BEGINNERS PROGRESSION SKILLS

• Double crochet-double crucifix
• Goddess in hitch
• Hiplock in hitch from horse
• Hiplock in hitch from gazelle climb over
• Hiplock from standing
• Tourniquet
• Catchers
• Cross catchers
• Belay

INTERMEDIATE PROGRESION SKILLS

• S-wrap
• Cross back straddle

This course has two main parts to the assessment; a theory assessment and a practical assessment. Upon successful completion you will receive a certificate for each module of the course.

THEORY ASSESSMENT

Answer theory questions related to each unit of the course across both modules. Questions are multiple choice, or short answers.

PRACTICAL ASSESSMENT

Coaching module:

• Class Introduction. Deliver an introduction for a typical aerial class, as outlined in the course module.
• Warm Up. Deliver a full warm up, as outlined in the course module.
• Conditioning. Teach a ground-based conditioning move, using the techniques covered in the course module.
• Cool Down. Deliver a full cool down, as outlined in the course module.

Silks module:

• Practical demonstration. Perform a continuous sequence of five moves from the silks syllabus.
• Teaching demonstration. Teach three individual moves from the module to at least one student of a suitable ability level.

Online learners will have 1 year from the date you enrol onto the course to complete the online study and assessment.
Face-to-face learners will have the opportunity to complete their course within the course weekend.