Interested in Straps?

This month, we have guest instructor Kevin Wellens joining Fly Circus and Aerial Arts conducting his popular straps workshop as well as offering select private straps lessons. "Aerial straps are two flat strands of nylon (think car seatbelts) with hand loops on the end for you to hold onto and experiment with body positions. Straps are different from other aerial apparatuses because you will find yourself hanging below them for quite some time. If anyone has an interest in straps, I'd recommend conditioning the upper body, especially working on/towards pull ups and scapular control. For your shoulders sake, be ready to hang by your hands for a while! This is what I focus on in my workshops and private lessons at Fly Circus; proper shoulder positioning and movement, and upper body conditioning using straps. My goal is for students to come away from the workshop with more knowledge on how to strengthen yourself towards straps, and how to properly progressive overload yourself."Kevin hasn't always trained on straps, in fact, he started his aerial journey on pole and aerial silks. "It was something extremely different for me, and it was challenging to do something out of my comfort zone. I have since set aside those apparatuses, but they still have a place in my heart. These days my attention is focused on an invented aerial apparatus with two good friends called Piano in the Sky, but I'm also very passionate about flying trapeze, and aerial straps. I also occasionally train handstands, juggling, and tramp wall for fun."Kevin's initial interest in the aerial arts stemmed from seeing a few Cirque du Soleil shows while on vacation in 2018. "I was at one point in my life I was looking for something new to try. On that same trip, I found a performer who showed me a few things on silks and lyra and loved it. When I came back home, I told a good friend about it all and we agreed to start classes at Fly Circus. Needless to say, I got hooked very quickly and life hasn't been the same since."Training in Las Vegas has played a big part in Kevin's aerial journey. "Vegas training has been an incredible journey. I've met so many amazing and talented people, and feel fortunate to call a lot of them friends. I look up to Sai'len Jaeger on straps because he performs in such a unique and nontraditional style, Russell Woo and Brittany Sprung for their creative talents and their unique perception on how to build an act and show, as well as too many individuals to name here for flying trapeze. There are so many inspiring people here, I highly recommend those serious about training aerial acrobatics to come visit at some point in their life." 

Be sure to take advantage of the straps workshop January 4th, 2024 (Prerequisite: Must be able to invert consistently with bent or straight arms) at Fly Circus and Aerial Arts through Schedule House. You can also contact Fly Circus via Email regarding the remaining private straps lessons at info@flycircusandaerialarts.com 

Written by: Alicia Schroder