ADF 2025 Immersions & Classes: Descriptions, Prerequisites, Locations
Locations
Frequent Flyers Aerial Dance Studios
3022 E. Sterling Circle, #150
Boulder, CO 80301
“FFP 1” or “FFP 2”
Dairy Arts Center, Gordon Gamm Theatre
2590 Walnut Street
Boulder, CO 80302
“Dairy Gordon Gamm”
IMMERSIONS: WEEK A: July 28 – August 1, 2025.
Meet everyday from 9 am – noon, Monday-Friday.
Tethered Dancing: Rope & Harness (All Levels) with Valerie Morris
9am-12pm. Week A. Dairy Gordon Gamm.
Ages 14+. $380
Prerequisites: All levels. Comfort in a climbing harness over extended time and inverting in a harness. No previous aerial experience needed.
This exhilarating immersion will be structured around learning basic rope and harness dance techniques (not against a wall), as well as the rigging to take this dance form anywhere. We will be working both close to the ground and higher in the air, with ascenders and descenders. The vocabulary taught will be combined with guided solo and group improvisations as part of the exploration process. This is an amazing core workout and is not as intense on the arms for those taking other aerial classes at the Festival. No previous aerial experience is necessary, other than: be prepared to have fun and create!
Please wear multiple snug layers around your hips and waist for your comfort. If you have a harness and associated hardware, please bring it with you, otherwise, one will be provided
Circus as a Verb Curiosity as a Medium (All Levels) with Issac Endo
9am-12pm. Week A. FFP Studio 2.
Ages 13+. $380.
Prerequisites: All levels. Openness and willingness to explore, both in solo, partnering, and group contexts. movement or aerial background of any capacity recommended, but not required.
Tomatoes, Aerial Dance, Legs. When defining, how do we start? It’s easy to define through exclusion. Tomatoes aren’t vegetables; Aerial dance isn’t Circus, leg isn’t butt. We see things, their differences, and then we categorize things into nouns. It’s how we make the world make sense. But it doesn’t always. Do tomatoes feel like fruit: What really is the difference between Aerial dance and Circus; Is butt legs? Maybe it’s useful to think about things less as what they are, and more as what they can do. We don’t always use a tomato as a fruit, so why do we need to know that it is one? Maybe Circus isn’t Aerial Dance, but why did we need to separate them? Does it change how we move on a trapeze if we think about our weight as on our butt or our legs? These questions may not change what things are, but it can change what we do.
Lyra: Dive into Sequencing & Dynamics Technique (Intermediate/Advanced) with Artoor Voskanian
9am-12pm. Week A. FFP Studio 1.
Ages: 13+. $380.
Prerequisites: Comfortable with inverts from dead hang (no jumping). Hold an L or hanging pike. Good aerial stamina. Understanding of foundational skills (front/back balance, knee hangs). Openness to be bad at something new.
Aerial Hoop/Lyra is a versatile apparatus, it lends itself to choreography, spinning, dynamics, and creativity. In this immersive crash course, we will work on all the elements that make up a well-rounded hoop artist. The class will begin with a comprehensive warm-up both on the ground and in the air to reinforce the foundational poses and skills on the apparatus. After the warm-up we will explore dynamics and the progressions of momentum-based skills. The class will then go into transitions and combine skills into seamless sequences. Finally, we will work on spinning, from generating fast spins to finding your center in the spin. Ultimately the goal of this immersive course is to provide a safe and supportive space for students to enrich all aspects of their aerial hoop knowledge.
90-MINUTE CLASSES: WEEK A: July 28 – August 1, 2025.
Meet everyday Monday-Friday.
Split Fabric Drops & Theory (Intermediate and above) with Anastasia Timina
1:00-2:30 PM. Week A. FFP Studio 2.
Ages 12+. $190.
Prerequisites: Intermediate and above. Students must be able to invert to straddle in the air. Previous experience with Saltos and star drops is encouraged.
This Fabric workshop breaks down and organizes all split fabric drops that start with an inverted double leg crochet. You will learn Mission Impossible, Infinity, 360, 720, Butterfly, Falling Angel, Tick-Tock, Crotch Flower, Wrist Lock drop, their variants, and the connecting theory between them! We will also cover other split fabric theory and sequences as well as explore other unique entrances into the famous double crochet, double thigh wrap! If time permits we can explore other dynamic split fabric potentials such as beats, elbow circles, armpit in-locks, and butterflies.
Flip it! A Horizontal Apparatus Exploration (Advanced Beginner and Up) with Ariana Papousek
1:00-2:30 PM. Week A. FFP Studio 1.
Ages 14+. $190.
Prerequisites: Foundational hoop and/or trapeze skills.
Come get creative as we explore the many different ways to manipulate our bodies around geometrical apparatus! Throughout the week we will be working with the triangle trapeze, aerial pyramid, and horizontal lyra. Students will learn exciting skills and sequences that will transfer on each apparatus. We will also create space to work in groups to find even more ways to make fun shapes together!
Act Creation Toolkit (Intermediate/Advanced) with Summer Lacy
1:00-2:30 PM. Week A. Dairy Gordon Gamm.
Ages 16+. $190.
Prerequisites: Intermediate to Advanced level students with a strong vocabulary of skills and the ability to safely execute those skills on their apparatus of choice. Endurance to stay in the air for at least two minutes. An open mind to creative movement. A willingness to receive constructive feedback in a safe space. Notebook and a pen/pencil or note taking device of choice.
What’s your story? Every choice an artist makes, from music, to costume, to movement enhances or distracts from their story. Who is your character? What is your why? This class is designed to give you a ste-by-step process and tools to find your own artistic expression and create your own compelling act. Whether you are a professional looking to get better at creating more compelling performances or you’re just looking for where to start, this high-level overview will kickstart the process of turning “tricks” and “sequences” into choreography and a compelling, narrative performance piece.
Dance Trapeze: Connectivity and Flow (Intermediate and Up) with Summer Lacy
3:00-4:30 PM. Week A. Dairy Gordon Gamm.
Ages 16+. $190.
Prerequisites: Intermediate. Basic proficiency on the dance trapeze (gazelle, mermaid, single knee hang, dragonfly, front balance, etc.). The student should be able to do a clean, unassisted pull-up straddle and/or tuck inversion and a pullover mount without jumping. Comfortable working in ropes. Endurance to stay in the air for at least two minutes.
Elevate the strength and flow of your single-point dance trapeze technique. This class will focus on sequencing skills together to broaden students’ connection to the trapeze and unlock their movement potential. We will break down all the skills in a sequence before building it back into a singular flow that can be modified and evolved to limitless possibilities. Students will come to understand what’s required to make the dance trapeze a “blank canvas” that they can create on top of, while cleanly executing dynamic transitions, and leave the course with a better understanding of sequencing with first hand experience.
Dynamic Sling Theory and Skills (Intermediate) with Anastasia Timina
3:00-4:30 PM. Week A. FFP Studio 1.
Ages 13+. $190.
Prerequisites: Must be able to do a full straddle up in the air (straight arm straddle up not required), must have some basic sling vocabulary: seated straddle, back straddle, single knee hang, single knee crucifix (half seated straddle), standing arabesque, crossback straddle, gazelle, front balance, hollowbody, half hip-key, ribhang.
This class will focus on the pathways of dynamic movement and transitioning that movement around the sling. We will be learning different beats and beat sequences, drops, and rotations (such as elbow circles) and the sling theory behind why different transitions work and how to connect them into your existing vocabulary. Great for helping anyone interested in learning beats and momentum on rope or fabric, for anyone wanting to add more dynamic movement into their sling vocabulary, or anyone interested in improving their sling theory understanding.
Everything Peg Stilts (All Levels) with Valerie Morris and Danielle Hendricks
3:00-4:30 PM. Week A. FFP Studio 2.
Ages: 13+ or with instructor permission. $190.
Prerequisites: None. Please bring the following to class: 1. Your own pair of lace up, velcro, or bungee tied, close-toed sneakers/shoes, in your size. Bring these to attach to stilts for use all week-UNLESS: 2. If you have your own peg stilts, bring them. If shoes are already attached, great! 3. A set of THICKLY cushioned knee pads. We have a few that you can borrow. A hard shell is great, but not necessary. A thick pad is NECESSARY! You can also layer knee pads.
We will be contacting you ahead of the festival to see what you are bringing. If we can arrange a fitting for shoe attachment to a pair of stilts ahead of class, we will do so in order to save time during class! This class takes you through the basics of stilts. Danielle and Valerie each have over 20 years experience dancing, performing, and teaching stilts. We are co-teaching the class to ensure that everyone can learn, progress, refine, and uplevel their skill, no matter if they have years of experience, or are trying stilts for the very first time. We will try to get everyone who is borrowing our stilts (mostly wooden) fitted and up as quickly as possible. After being fitted, we will go over the options of how to get up and down, as well as proper falling techniques. We will learn some basic across the floor techniques on and off of stilts, as well as how to activate the appropriate muscles and maintain proper alignment. Valerie is a master of finding the perfect stilts placement and they are both sticklers for proper alignment. We will also be going over basic ground acrobatics both for solo and partnering. Later in the week, we can divide into groups to work on outdoor stilting for those who want to, and indoor acrobatics that take a little more space. Students who want to work on turns, leaps, running, jumps, and hops, will be given tools and techniques to learn and improve those skills. We will learn proper spotting techniques to do backbends, handstands, slide falls, and get-ups for those that are interested. You can even take this class if you just want to learn to spot and partner, and prefer not to be on stilts. Val and Dani will meet you wherever you are at, and help you advance your skill level.
Aerial Straps: Spins & Shapes (All Levels) with Cosmo Dudley
5:30-7:00 PM. Week A. FFP Studio 2.
Ages 14+. $190.
Prerequisites: Ability to complete three pull-ups, three pushups, and three leg lifts (tucked or piked legs). No shoulder injuries at the time of the workshop. Experience on straps not required, but experience with other movement disciplines: aerial, acrobatics, gymnastics, climbing, etc. recommended.
Learn the foundations of aerial straps shapes and how to make your meathooks, flags, and planches feel more efficient! We will also be developing spins and C-Shaping for all students. Beginner to advanced students welcome (with pre-reqs). Depending on the student’s level, progressions are available on 2-arms and developing strength for 1-arm shapes and movements.
Rope: The Dynamics and Art of Letting Go (Intermediate/Advanced) with Sarah Dawn
5:30-7:00 PM. Week A. FFP Studio 1.
Ages 14+. $190.
Prerequisites: Intermediate / Advanced. The ideal attendee has a grasp of bell, pike, and scissor beats and straddle climbs and is comfortable with multiple inversions on rope. Straight arm and straight leg straddle-ups are helpful but not required.
Momentum-based movements are a fundamental aspect of corde lisse training and performance, and the groundwork for these movements are beats. In this workshop, we will explore a variety of different beats and examine techniques to execute them with efficiency and ease. We will also explore where dynamic movement can take us, looking at continuing on those pathways to more complex sequences. Finally, we will work towards semi-release and release moves utilizing those moments of power and weightlessness found in momentum-based movement.
IMMERSIONS: WEEK B: August 4 – August 8, 2025.
Meet everyday from 9 am – noon, Monday-Friday.
Bungee Dance & Build (All Levels) with Danielle Hendricks and Laurel Johnson
9am-12pm. Week B. FFP Studio 1.
Ages 15+ or with instructor approval. $390. (includes $10 equipment fee)
Prerequisites: This class is open to anyone, but please realize that some bruising around the pelvic area from the harness is almost inevitable. To minimize this, be prepared with layers of clothing to wear around the hips, inner thighs, and waist. Padded cycling shorts or neoprene shorts with sweatpants/shorts over top are excellent choices. The harnesses we use do have some padding, but because you will be in the harness 5 days in a row, extra protection starting day one can make the week far more pleasant!
Bungee Dance: This class will cover the main uses for aerial bungee dancing in harness. We will begin each day with a Pilates Mat inspired warm up, in order to prepare the body for the rigors of being in a bungee harness. On day one, we will practice in the style “high bungee”; dancers will load in from the scaffold and will be unable to touch the ground. With attachments at R/L hip and two points in the ceiling, we can work on maximizing bounce and forward/backward rotations. Each dancer will have a partner and both groups will learn some choreography sequences to perform with each other. As the week progresses, we will lower the dancers so that they are able to touch the ground and use the floor to create additional bounce and control; then we will change to one ceiling attachment with a swivel and explore spinning and more directional changes, while still able to touch the ground. On day five, dancers will get to try the back, front, and single side attachment, hand loop/body loop bungee, and/or revisit styles from earlier in the week.
Bungee Build: The final 44-60 minutes of each morning will cover the full spectrum of bungee building, from the safety and inspection of harnesses, to where and how to purchase bungee and crimps, as well as how to build bungee for your own space and desired outcome. We will do “hands on” training with tools and materials necessary to build bungee sets. By week’s end, students should feel confident in how to select, build, inspect, and maintain safety with bungee and harness equipment.
Bring layers of clothing to wear around the hips, inner thighs, and waist. Padded cycling shorts or neoprene shorts with sweatpants/shorts over top. If you own a bungee harness, bring it, but one will be provided if not.
Dance Trapeze Immersion (Intermediate) with Summer Lacy
9am-12pm. Week B. Dairy Gordon Gamm.
Age 16+. $380.
Prerequisites: Students must be capable of doing an unassisted pull-up inversion on the bar, pull-over mount and inversion in ropes without jumping. Comfortable with partner-supported physical spotting and stretching. Desire to develop physical strength and creative movement vocabulary. Notebook and note taking is encouraged.
This three-hour dance trapeze workshop will unlock deep wells of foundational strength and immediately apply it to sequences of high-quality movements, incorporating the dynamic presence of acrobatics with the intention and emotional engagement of modern dance. Students will engage in a rigorous deep dive of skill development and conditioning in order to unlock the full physicality of the sequences. This will serve as the foundation for students to build upon with their own creative expression and choreography. Over the course of five days, the class will explore multiple aspects of movement quality and musicality, transforming a singular motion into a broad vocabulary of physicality that will enhance each student’s dramatic story-telling capacity. Students will leave this workshop series stronger physically AND creatively, with new tools to unleash their unique performance potential.
Silks Theory (Intermediate/Advanced) with Anastasia Timina
9am-12pm. Week B. FFP Studio 2.
Ages 13+. $380.
Pre-requisites: This is an intermediate to advanced level workshop. Students should be comfortable spending several minutes in the air, inverting to straddle, opposite and same side knee hooks, and hip key in the air.
This is a silks theory immersion on connecting drops, skills, and sequences on silks. We will learn how to effectively and smoothly stack drops, transition from wrap to wrap, create interesting transitions, and even invent new material! We will cover an organizational system that Anastasia created to break down silks theory into its foundational components. We will use this system to explore and understand the foundational connections between all aerial silks supports. We will cover some sequences exemplifying these concepts in theory and in practicum! This Immersion is perfect for anyone who is interested in improving and understanding transitioning on silks or anyone who wants to build more confidence with their wraps in the air.
90-MINUTE CLASSES: WEEK B: August 4 – August 8, 2025.
Meet everyday Monday-Friday.
Split Fabric: Transitions & Tangles (Intermediate/Advanced) with Artoor Voskanian
1:00-2:30 PM. Week B. FFP Studio 2.
Ages 13+. $190.
Prerequisites: Comfortable with inversions (bent or straight arm). Comfortable with basic aerial silks skills (S-wrap, hip key, foot lock)
In this workshop, we’ll explore transitions from familiar poses. Splits and shapes are staples in many aerial acts, and the sequences to and from these shapes are just as important! We will chain together poses and tricks with unique transitions.
Heavy Metal – Invented Apparatus (Intermediate) with Nancy Smith
1:00-2:30 PM. Week. B. FFP Studio 1.
Ages 15+. $190.
Prerequisites: Must have an intermediate level of experience on horizontal aerial apparatus (lyra, dance trapeze or static trapeze) AND enjoy improvisational exploration.
This class will engage you in an exploration through guided improvisation on a variety of suspended “heavy metal” apparatus from Frequent Flyers’ stash! Learn how to work on structures that are unpredictable using shared weight and gravity to advantage. We’ll play with solo, duet and group improvisations while building the skills to be able to approach any new apparatus safely and with a fresh approach. Open your mind and explore to unlock your creativity.
Choreographic Games (All Levels) with Issac Endo
1:00-2:30 pm. Week B. Dairy Gordon Gamm.
Ages 13+. $190.
Prerequisites: This class is open to all, regardless of movement background. Comfort with physical contact, both in partner and group settings is recommended, but all structures are designed to take differences in comfort level in mind.
Building upon, but not requiring attendance of the Circus as a Verb immersion in Week A, this class will leave the denser theory behind and focus instead on play. Demonstrating a range of choreographic games, we will seek to foster the curiosity central to “Contemporary Circusing” (as well as Aerial Dance), and through participatory structures demonstrate the potential this curiosity allows. Structures will be demonstrated on the ground, with an optional transfer to aerial exploration on spanset loops, once systems are embodied.
Bring a laptop, tablet, phone. or something to take notes and clothes that can be moved in.
Ecstatic Low Flow: Lyra and Dance Trapeze (Advanced Beginner and Up) with Ariana Papousek
3:00-4:30 pm. Week B. Dairy Gordon Gamm.
Ages 14+. $190.
Prerequisites: Open heart and mind.
This workshop will open participants up to new and creative ways to enter and exit your apparatus through guided ecstatic movement. We will use music and guided visualization to evoke emotions that will translate into movement. Basic floor work will be introduced and we will explore the ways the inner world can guide us to and from our apparatus. Students have the option to work with trapeze or lyra.
Loops Lab: Sequencing & Choreography (Intermediate) with Casey Pottle
3:00-4:30 PM. Week B. FFP Studio 2.
Ages 13+. $190.
Prerequisites: Students must be at an Intermediate aerial level (but not necessarily have done loops), be able to comfortably invert in the air with straight legs, and perform multiple pull ups.
Come experience the fun and variety that is aerial loops! A combination of traditional straps and aerial sling, loops are a fun apparatus to explore unique shapes that are all its own. In this workshop, we will learn intermediate level skills, sequences, poses, and descents on aerial loops. This workshop will end in an accumulation of the material learned, providing us with the vocabulary to put our own sequences together, as well as add variety to your aerial skills and training.
Rope: From S to Z (but don’t forget C) (Advanced Beginner and Up) with Sarah Dawn
3:00-4:30 PM. Week B. FFP Studio 1.
Ages 14+. $190.
Prerequisites: Advanced beginner to Advanced. Attendees should be able to invert multiple times in the air and remain up for 1-2 minutes at a time, and have knowledge of basic entrances into s-wrap and z-wrap. Basic wheeldown skills will be beneficial.
That’s a wrap…but which one? Get ready to get nerdy…this workshop series dives into the theory of s-wraps and z-wraps (or u-locks). We will cover the many ways we can enter, exit, and utilize S-wraps and Z-wraps on rope, with both dynamic and static movements. We will also spend time integrating c-shaping drills and pathways…because c-shaping on rope is invaluable.
Everything Peg Stilts (All Levels) with Valerie Morris and Danielle Hendricks
5:30-7:00 PM. Week B. FFP Studio 2.
Ages 13+ or with instructor approval. $190.
Prerequisites: None. Please bring the following to class: 1. Your own pair of lace up, velcro, or bungee tied, close-toed sneakers/shoes, in your size. Bring these to attach to stilts for use all week-UNLESS: 2. If you have your own peg stilts, bring them. If shoes are already attached, great! 3. A set of THICKLY cushioned knee pads. We have a few that you can borrow. A hard shell is great, but not necessary. A thick pad is NECESSARY! You can also layer knee pads.
We will be contacting you ahead of the festival to see what you are bringing. If we can arrange a fitting for shoe attachment to a pair of stilts ahead of class, we will do so in order to save time during class! This class takes you through the basics of stilts. Danielle and Valerie each have over 20 years experience dancing, performing, and teaching stilts. We are co-teaching the class to ensure that everyone can learn, progress, refine, and uplevel their skill, no matter if they have years of experience, or are trying stilts for the very first time. We will try to get everyone who is borrowing our stilts (mostly wooden) fitted and up as quickly as possible. After being fitted, we will go over the options of how to get up and down, as well as proper falling techniques. We will learn some basic across the floor techniques on and off of stilts, as well as how to activate the appropriate muscles and maintain proper alignment. Valerie is a master of finding the perfect stilts placement and they are both sticklers for proper alignment. We will also be going over basic ground acrobatics both for solo and partnering. Later in the week, we can divide into groups to work on outdoor stilting for those who want to, and indoor acrobatics that take a little more space. Students who want to work on turns, leaps, running, jumps, and hops, will be given tools and techniques to learn and improve those skills. We will learn proper spotting techniques to do backbends, handstands, slide falls, and get-ups for those that are interested. You can even take this class if you just want to learn to spot and partner, and prefer not to be on stilts. Val and Dani will meet you wherever you are at, and help you advance your skill level.
Lyra: Smooth Maneuvers (Intermediate/Advanced) with Artoor Voskanian
5:30-7:00pm. Week B. FFP Studio 1.
Ages 13+. $190.
Prerequisites: Comfortable with inverts from dead hang (no jumping). Hold an L or hanging pike. Good aerial stamina. Understanding of foundational skills (front/back balance, knee hangs). Openness to be bad at something new.
The focus of this class will be to introduce and improve transitions.Transitions are necessary for building any sequence. Smooth transitions can help elevate all your aerial poses and sequences. We will work on mounts, rolls, climbs, and just about any other way you can move in and around the hoop. Students can expect to learn versatile transitions to add to their existing practice.
Sculpting Theatricality: Lights, Camera, Actions (All Levels) with Issac Endo
5:30-7:00 PM. Week B. Dairy Gordon Gamm.
Ages: 13+. $190.
Prerequisites: All levels. There will be components featuring recorded video components, so comfort with direct light in the eyes is recommended
We come into Aerial Dance with our apparatuses, but what other instruments do we have at our disposal? Our bodies and apparatuses may be our primary medium, but what else can we use as we create? We are familiar what happens on our bodies (makeup and costume being familiar territory), but our medium also includes what happens around us. For this class, we can call that Theatricality. Light, sound, tech, space: so often afterthoughts, can also be an integral part of how we create. We are limited by the spaces we train in, but it doesn’t require a theatre to think theatrically. This class will take accessible tools and equipment, and explore how we can integrate them into our process, both on and off stage, as well as on both sides of the camera. We will be moving on the ground or in spanset loops but any body/capacity/practice is welcome, as the focus will not be on physical techniques, rather in environmental effects on our movement perception.
