Acro
“Acro: Cartwheel, backbends, angel touch, back pull-up, straddle, limber, bridge, split, butterflies, walkover.”
– Unknown
Great option to build strength
If you are looking to sign up for a class where you will be challenged by a fusion of dance technique, precision, athleticism and acrobatic elements, then our acro classes are meant for you! Acro is for dancers looking to focus on flexibility, strength, balancing, limbering and tumbling. Our acro classes build on your foundation, through progressions, controlled moves, and acrobatic movements, while moving to the music and expressing your emotions. Acro is a great option to build strength, become more flexible and be fearless!
With roots in traditional Chinese dancing, it was not until the early 1900s that acro became popular to perform acts that combined dance and acrobatic movements. Individual dance and acrobatic acts had been performed in vaudeville for several decades prior to 1900, though acrobatic dance itself appeared gradually over time in a variety of forms. Sherman Coates, who performed with the Watermelon Trust from 1900 to 1914, was recalled by fellow dancers as the first acrobatic dancer they had ever seen.
Another of the earliest documented acrobatic dance performers was Tommy Woods, who became well known for his slow-motion acrobatic dance in Shuffle Along, in which he would execute acrobatic movements precisely in time with the music. Since the decline of the vaudeville era, acrobatic dance has undergone a multi-faceted evolution to arrive at its present-day form. The most significant aspect of this evolution is the integration of ballet technique as the foundation for dance movements, thus bringing into acro dance a precision of form and movement that was absent in vaudeville acrobatic dance. Acro dance movements are not restricted to these dance styles, but the complete absence of these styles will typically cause a dance to be categorized as something other than acro. In the modern day, acro quickly gained popularity due to circus productions, such as Cirque du Soleil, and programs such as So You Think You Can Dance.
Our classes start with a thorough warm up that builds foundational acro moves and strengthens your technique. The combination of stretch and strength can vary between teachers.
It all depends on personalized level and skill. After the warm up we go across the floor practicing basic acro and tumbling skills including cartwheels, forward rolls, walkovers, handsprings, aerials, and more! The class ends with choreography where sequences are put together to practice musicality and performance skills.
The acro classes at DanceFX combine dance, gymnastics skills, and synchronization. The engaging choreography you learn is sure to capture the audience’s attention with thrilling tempo and graceful balance skills! Sign up for a class today and enjoy learning a challenging style that’s sure to push you!