Thank you for attending Aerial Dance Festival 2023! Stay tuned for information about ADF 2024!
ADF 2023 Immersion, Class, Workshop, & Panel Schedule
SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE | IMMERSION AND CLASS DESCRIPTIONS
WEEK A: July 31 – August 4, 2023
WEEK A IMMERSIONS: Meet everyday from 9 am – noon, Monday-Friday.
- Trapeze Witchcraft with Jenn Bruyer
- Fabric Sequencing 101: A Guide to Aerial Act Creation with Veronica Blair
- Co-sensing: Relationality in Aerial Practices and Performances (Fabric) with Danielle Garrison
WEEK A 90-MINUTE CLASSES: Meet everyday Monday-Friday.
1:00 – 2:30 PM
- Dynamic Sling Theory and Skills with Anastasia Timina
- Rope and Harness: Tethered Dancing (All Levels) with Valerie Morris
- Lyra Authentic Movement with Gena DuBose
- Fundamentals of Contortion with Janelle Peters
3:00 – 4:30 PM
- Aerial Choreography with Jayne Bernasconi
- Traveling Rings (All Levels) with Sam Tribble
- Lyra Sequencing with Gena DuBose
5:30 – 7:00 PM
- Depth and Texture: Movement quality and musicality: Inroads to act development with Janelle Peters
- Int/Adv Cyr Wheel with Sam Tribble
WEEK A WORKSHOPS (at Frequent Flyers’ Studios)
- Wednesday 8/2, 8:00-9:30 PM: Chair Burlesque Dance with Midnite Townsend
WEEK B: August 7 – August 11, 2023
WEEK B IMMERSIONS: Meet everyday from 9 am – noon, Monday-Friday.
- Bungee Dance & Build – All Levels with Danielle Hendricks
- Fabric Theory with Anastasia Timina
- Lyra Authentic Exploration with Gena DuBose
WEEK B 90-MINUTE CLASSES: Meet everyday Monday-Friday.
1:00 – 2:30 PM
- The Aesthetics & History of Low-Flying Trapeze with Jayne Bernasconi
- Straddle Up! The Breakdown with Veronica Blair
3:00 – 4:30 PM
- Twisted Trapeze with Jenn Bruyer
- Beginning Cyr Wheel with Sam Tribble
- Depth and Texture: Movement quality and musicality: Inroads to act development with Janelle Peters
5:30 – 7:00 PM
- Sling Theory with Jenn Bruyer
- Roll-Up Clinic: Aerial Straps with Veronica Blair
- Low Suspending: Alchemizing Pressure and Pleasure on Fabric with Danielle Garrison
- Fundamentals of Contortion with Janelle Peters
WEEK B WORKSHOPS & PANELS (all meet 8:00-9:30 PM at Frequent Flyers’ Studios)
- Monday 8/7: Boundaries and Good Practice for Circus Professionals with Janelle Peters / Cirque Psych
- Tuesday 8/8: Sensing the Nervous System in Aerial Pedagogy & Performance Practices: Engaging somatic and biometric tools to facilitate awareness via the Polyvagal Theory with Danielle Garrison
- Wednesday 8/9: BIPOC Aerialists & Circus Arts Performers Panel (FREE)
- Thursday 8/10: Still Drinking from the Cup While Passing it Along: Aging in Aerial (FREE)
ADF 2023 Workshop and Panel Information
Register now for Aerial Dance Festival 2023 Workshops & Panels! All are open to the general public and meet 8:00-9:30 PM at Frequent Flyers’ Studios. Workshops: $20. Panels: FREE
WEEK A:

Wednesday 8/2: Chair Burlesque Dance with Midnite Townsend
Pull up a chair and learn a sassy little routine with both femme and masculine movement offerings. As aerialists we sometimes feel lost when we’re grounded, but Chair dancing can be a unique way to get airborne without any aerial apparatus. Explore basic floorwork and chair tricks that is sure to spice up any choreography, class, or bedroom!
WEEK B:

Monday 8/7: Boundaries and Good Practice for Circus Professionals with Janelle Peters / Cirque Psyche
Creating and maintaining healthy boundaries, based in our values is key to functional professional relationships. the life of a circus professional can be chaotic enough without strained or broken relationships with our colleagues directors, managers and more. This workshop explores categories and qualities of healthy professional relationships and provides concrete tools and exercises for assessing, adjusting, and maintaining good boundaries that help our relationships flourish.
Tuesday 8/8: Sensing the Nervous System in Aerial Pedagogy & Performance Practices: Engaging somatic and biometric tools to facilitate awareness via the Polyvagal Theory with Danielle Garrison

This workshop explores Polyvagal Theory to navigate differences in what “safety” feels like for different folx in aerial pedagogy and performance practices. Polyvagal Theory creates a mapping of the different nervous system states. We will be using tools to somatically sense, imagine and communicate different states of our nervous systems, and workshopping how this can affect and be applied to aerial practices, particularly noticing the fear and trauma-based fight, flight and freeze responses.
Wednesday 8/9: BIPOC Aerialists & Circus Arts Performers Panel (FREE)
Panelists: Veronica Blair, Gena DuBose, and Sam Tribble with moderator: Midnite Townsend
It can sometimes feel isolating to identify as BIPOC in the circus/aerial dance world. In this fishbowl-style facilitated conversation we center BIPOC voices and experiences in the hopes of cultivating community and connection through sharing stories, space, and suggestions. We are honored to have Veronica Blair, Gena DuBose, and Sam Tribble as our featured panelists as Midnite Townsend moderates a discussion exploring how our BIPOC identities intersect with circus/aerial identities in various ways (i.e. auditioning/gigging, code-switching, what is “circus aesthetic,” etc).
Thursday 8/10: Still Drinking from the Cup While Passing it Along: Aging in Aerial (FREE)
Discussion led by Jayne Bernasconi and Nancy Smith
We’ll discuss physical / mental / heart-centered changes that occur as we age, the longevity of creative practice and everything that brings, and especially passing knowledge along. How do we get the most of training as we age – rhythm, frequency, intensity and what tools we can gather to ensure we stay in optimum condition while understanding the impact of aging.
ADF 2023 Class & Registration Information
Locations
Week A and Week B classes, workshops, opening reception, and Intimate Encounters: Frequent Flyers Aerial Dance Studios: 3022 E. Sterling Circle, #150, Boulder, CO 80301. “FFP 1” or “FFP 2”.
Week A and B classes and the Performance Showcase: Dairy Arts Center, Gordon Gamm Theatre: 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, CO 80302. “Dairy Gordon”.
Housing Information
Frequent Flyers® Productions does not provide student housing. For additional information about other accommodations, visit the Boulder Convention & Visitors Bureau.
You may also visit the ADF 2023 Students, Performers, & Participants Facebook Group to network with other festival participants also looking for housing options.
Transportation Information
Students should not schedule back-to-back classes between the Dairy and the Aerial Dance Studio, unless the student has a car/ ride / bike. It is not walking distance. Boulder is bike-friendly and has a public bus system but isn’t quick to and from the Dairy to FFP on the bus.
Registration & Payment Instructions
Participants must be at least 12 years of age. An online liability waiver, photo release, and insurance form must be signed by each participant 18 or over, or by a legal guardian or parent if the student is under 18.
***Students will be placed on the waiting list if a class is full at the time of registration.
Students must register for the full week-long class as material is contiguous. All Classes are ONE-WEEK and meet Monday – Friday.
IMPORTANT: For credit card payment and online registration: You will set up an “account” for Frequent Flyers payments at https://clients.mindbodyonline.com/ASP/adm/home.asp?studioid=12867.
Please review the refund policy carefully.
Refund Policy
Switching classes after registering is not permitted, except by requesting a refund (if the date allows) and re-purchasing the new class at full price. Please read prerequisites and class descriptions carefully.
- 100% of the payment minus a $20 processing fee, is refundable through May 27, 2023.
- From May 28 through July 7, 50% of the payment, minus a $20 processing fee, is refundable.
- After July 7th there will be NO REFUNDS.
If you pay by check or money order, your refund will be made after the Festival finishes.