Aerials involve being suspended high in the air by a support anchored to the ceiling. Using no safety lines or net, the performer relies solely on their own strength, agility, flexibility and endurance to remain safe. Moving through the air and using a series of wraps, or body positions, the aerialist creates a series of poses and vertical drops.
If your new to the sport you will need to develop the unique muscles involved with aerials. They are primarily the shoulders and core, but aerials also activate all your stabilizer muscles due to the dynamic movement of the silks. Most of your time will be in the air working on basic skills, conditioning, and developing your aerial strength.
Aerials are great for training a dancer in any discipline. It allows dancers to deepen their leg movement and mobility while using their active flexibility. Once comfortable in the air the dancer can start to experiment with leg, foot, arm, and body lines to see how they compliment or take away from a pose.