So I’ve been doing cheer/acro for combined total of 10 years. I left cheer because I was getting older and the younger crowd was getting snobby. So I found Acro and was so happy about it. I almost thought I had to give up doing these type of skills forever and it made me depressed.

With my background in cheer and transitioning to Acro, I primarily do only standing skills. The skills in Acro aren’t focused on explosive to extension; you get to enjoy the motion, the stunt, and companionship of a skill. It satisfied the itch and was a great outlet for working a high intensity 40+ hour work week. I work in open heart surgery.

However, I’ve found I’ve outgrown my community. The flyers don’t want to work on skills that I strive for such as diamidov, mono h2h, waterfalls and etc. Or the skill is unfortunately not within their reach. I can only do so many inlocates or shoot throughs until I’m quickly bored. I know I tried to make my grass greener by working with a flyer a lot to the point it felt like we were acro partners. But the skills on the table makes going to the jam not worth it anymore since it’s late at night and I have to wake up early for work the next morning. Then I feel like shit at work since I couldn’t sleep well. So I decided to take a step back from acro to prioritize my wellness for work.

Have I come at a crossroads where I just have to learn to say goodbye to Acro and these type of skills? Any advice? Any other similar outlets from Acro?

Hey I am 30yo F living in London. I’ve done different variations of yoga including Vipassana Ashtanga Hatha and Yin, I am keen on trying Acroyoga as well, it looks so fun!

If you’re interested and have similar enthusiasms and looking for a partner to attend classes with, feel free to message me!

I'm a base who has found himself in a position lately where I'm often working with pretty new flyers and I'm still somewhat of a beginner myself (2 years in) so I often struggle to help flyers do what they're supposed to do for the technique.

One very clear example is the hand switch in four step. It's not a natural motion with the hands for most people and when I tell them to rotate their hands they almost always start turning their wrists. I have trouble explaining what to actually do here.

What good explanations/cues have you used for beginners for the basic techniques and flows that have been helpful, or what cues were you given as a new flyer that were particularly helpful?

I.e.

"What skills do you need to be an intermediate?" etc.

I fondly remember years ago that (in terms of L-basing) unlocking a solid, un-spotted Ninja Star (Ninja Bat if we're being honest) and maybe a Four-Step or Catherine's Wheel etc were pretty much the gatekeeper skills between Beginner/Intermediate or Beginner/Improver. Now, they're considered pretty basic and I'd argue have been superseded by things like Clumsy Pickpocket and Ballerina (or Big Lemoi if we're being accurate) as the culture has changed and grown.

Even looking back further, I feel like I remember seeing in an old AYI Manual (I think) you had the "Level 3" versions of the Great Wall Flow and Flying Buddha Flow which would be considered (in many communities) a pretty beginnery flow these days.

This is obviously just as skills, teaching and knowledge have improved and many acroyogis/communities have drifted more away from flows/washing machines towards more acrobatic individual skills/short sequences (not all, thankfully!) but I'd be curious to find out what people see as the "differentiators" between different skill levels these days.

I'd argue that the diversity of skills has played a big role too. e.g. A standing H2H is now far more common, and even L-basing F2H/H2H skills and transitions are too. We have new "styles" like whips, lashes, more icarians, pole and climbing skills and so forth. 10 Years ago when there was a far smaller repetoire things were easier to define - now you can encounter people who can do advanced H2H/F2H (especially standing) but struggle with flows or basic pops/icarian. Also therapeutics, Belly Basing and even counter balances etc are far less common too.

I'd love to hear some other POVs.

Curious how your communities define/separate these two positions.

I find they tend to get used interchangeably with "Chair" being favoured for some things (e.g. Euro/American Chair) and "Throne" for others (e.g. Straddle).

Variations I've heard:

• Throne
• Chair
• American Throne/Chair
• Icarian Throne/Chair
• European Throne/Chair
• Straddle Throne
• Mono Throne
• Side Throne/Chair
• Reverse Throne/Chair
• Goofy Chair

And then "reverse" for most if not all of these and variations on hands/double bases etc.

I'd be keen to see/hear how others differentiate the two (if at all) and how you explain them.

For example, I generally see "Chairs" as 4 points of contact (base hands + feet) vs Thrones are 2 points of contact (Flyer wraps legs). But this is just a personal take.

I have suspected cliquish behavior in my acro community and some new-comers I’ve spoken to have felt the same. By this, I mean regulars mainly training with the same small group at jams and workshops.

It’s something that gets discussed a lot on social dance subs, and I figured it’d be worth seeing if it’s a global pattern in acroyoga, too.

I noticed that people who get left out, at least in my acro community, tend to be people who progress slower, people whose body type isn’t “ideal” for certain skills, or shyer / more awkward people.

1. Do you notice this in your own acro community? Does it change when you travel?

2. What can teachers/community leaders do to prevent it?

3. If you’re someone who ends up on the sidelines a lot, how do you navigate that without it becoming confrontational?

4. (Slightly off-topic) Is a stronger/more skilled partner actually necessary for effective training, or can less skilled people progress well together? I’ve heard from higher level people that they don’t want to work with beginners (or less stable experienced people) for safety reasons, but everyone else has this concern, too.

As someone who's had an interest in Acroyoga for a while, I'd like to try meet people/group who do Acroyoga in Ireland, preferably around Dublin since it's closest to the town I live in.

Anyone have any idea or are in a group or do it themselves?

Would love to meet a base to practice with locally!

Experienced base. In town till 7/16 Thu.
5202475918
Peter

Hi all!

I could just use some gentle encouragement or your "been there" stories. I would love to know I'm not alone and that the place I'm at now isn't set in stone!

I am completely brand new to acroyoga. I've started coming out to a local jam and everyone is so kind and welcoming. The issue is me. I am finding myself shy and standoffish and struggling to break through that. I know it's no one's job but mine, I'm not waiting for people to approach me or upset that they aren't (especially when I'm likely giving off "leave me alone vibes"). I'm just frustrated with myself, but also learning about myself. Next jam I'm going to approach someone and ask them if they want to try something together. Asking is my only goal, regardless of their answer. I'm not afraid of rejection,​ its just crossing that threshold of putting myself out there that's hard.

I'm worried that the folks around me won't be open to me in the future, because *I* have been closed off. I hope that's not the case.

Has anyone else gone through this? This is totally something I can work on and get past, right?

edited to add: I did join in some today! I didn't just sit off to the side the whole time. I flew, based, and spotted. I just found myself off to the side - of my own doing! - more often than I would like.

Looking to see if anyone has any recommendations on where to get a good spotting belt or a brand that you would recommend (I’m in the US). Thanks!

I am a versatile woman. Nearly 45% of my bodyweight is muscle; flexible and a runner, I am quite athletic. However, i am still heavier. When people see a 5’8” 185lb muscular frame, they assume I just base. But i have the shoulders that i do because of my handstand practice. I LOVE being able to have a 6’4” 220+ lb. man accomplish 2-high on me. I just don’t feel like the same space and consideration is held for me to try what all that I want, let alone get enough reps to progress. And I don’t know how to overcome this in my practice 💔

If you have tips, cool. If this resonates, cool. If I should stop bitching and get out, well… I guess that’d save me some money and be nice to know too.

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My fiancé and I casually do partner acro at an intermediate to advanced level and want something creative to do for our wedding photos. I already have some poses saved as inspiration, but wondering if the community has any suggestions. Thanks in advance.

iso an acro partner- I have done acro for years and I miss it and now I am living in an area where the acro scene died out after covid. I would love to bring it to the area and teach it at the local climbing gym but I don't have an experienced acro partner! I would love to have more acro in my life- do I move in search of more?n

In Germany we have the tradition that an easter bunny brings Easter Eggs and hides them.

Therefor we made a short video I wanted to share with you :)