Aerial Silks

Aerial silks (also known as aerial contortion, aerial ribbons, aerial silk, aerial tissues, fabric, ribbon, or tissu, depending on regional preference) is a type of performance in which one or more artists perform aerial acrobatics while hanging from a special fabric.

Performers climb the suspended fabric without the use of safety lines, and rely only on their training and skill to ensure safety. They use the fabric to wrap, suspend, fall, swing, and spiral their bodies into and out of various positions.

Aerial silks may be used to fly through the air, striking poses and figures while flying. Some performers use dried or spray rosin on their hands and feet to increase the friction and grip on the fabric. (Source: Wikipedia)

Please note that aerial silks is very different from aerial yoga. Silks is a performative and acrobatic form; for more, please see these videos on YouTube. We have separate aerial yoga classes at Delhi Rock.

ABOUT SOHINI AND MANAN

SOHINI is a doctor of art history and a professional art historian, and an avid aerialist keen to share her unique skills with students. She has five years of intensive training on silks and hoop, and is a former state-level sprinter and volleyball player. She has a well-developed strength training background, and is an accomplished hand balancer (straddle, pike, and split press handstands). Her approach to a safe and injury-free aerial practice consists of rigorous conditioning, developing active flexibility and balancing the pulling of an aerial practice with bodyweight exercises for pushing, to ensure students develop a strong and balanced physique suited to this rigorous practice.

Sohini brings a technical and systematic training focus to our aerial practice and hopes to convey the strength and grace equally of aerial silks to students. Her classes are beginner-friendly, and consist of a thorough conditioning regimen, and a step-by-step approach to achieving tricks safely, with an emphasis on working to overcome the deficiencies every beginner brings to the practice. Do please join her at Delhi Rock to begin your aerial journey!

MANAN is an Indian dancer and choreographer, specialising in contemporary dance and aerial arts. He runs Udnriyta Dance Pvt Ltd in Delhi, and has choreographed aerial acts in Bollywood films like Bharat (2019), Total Dhamaal (2021) and Cirkus (2022), as well as musicals such as Bhumi and Déjà Vu, stage shows, TV shows India’s Got Talent 6 & 7, music videos and national dance competitions.

Manan was very inspired by the Bandaloop Dance Company in 2009 when they performed in Delhi,  and decided to learn vertical dance and made that possible after three years with his childhood friend Suraj Panchal. The pair performed vertical dance at India’s Got Talent in 2017, and the Zorba the Buddha and Jashn-E-Azadi festivals.

Sohini and Manan are a strong teaching team, and we’re excited to build a corpus of students and learning with them! Together they present a complete teaching program, with an excellent combination of strength training and conditioning, with dancerly grace and emotion.

SCHEDULE

TUE & THU

5.00 – 6.30 pm
7.00 – 8.30 pm

SUNDAY

3.00 – 4.30 pm
5.00 – 6.30 pm

Kids are welcome, but please schedule their sessions in advance so we can find a suitable slot with fewer students to get them started in. Please note that we limit each class size to eight students.

We offer a onetime trial, for Rs 500. You can check our live roster for availability and register online (enter 500 for amount, and the date & time on which a slot is available). This has to be booked at least one day in advance.

PRICING

Dropin
Rs 800

6 classes (valid 4 weeks)
Rs 4,200

12 classes (valid 6 weeks)
Rs 7,200

Private session
Rs 2,500

Prices include 18% GST. Click on one of the headings above to pay online.

NOTES

1)  If you are an experienced self-practitioner and would like to come train at the centre, please see our practice and rigging webpage. This also contains safety rigging notes, so its useful for review as well.

2)  Your passes are valid for 4 & 6 weeks from the first class taken for 6 & 12 passes. They’re non-extendable and non-refundable. Please read our passes policy page carefully, this lays out all the rules which apply!

3)  You need to reserve your spot in a class by contacting us in advance. If you have a spot, and don’t inform us at least 24 hrs prior you can’t make it, the class will count. Only 8 people are permitted per class.

4)  If you are more than 10 minutes late for a class, you are not allowed to take it. This will count towards your passes. This is for safety; warmups are important.

5)  Aerial silks attire is long leggings and a comfortable, tight-fitting t-shirt. No zippers, jewellery or other things which can damage the silks. Nails must be trimmed close on hands and feet.

6)  Please bring a water bottle for hydration. Each session is 90 minutes or more, so you should have eaten 1.5 to 2 hours earlier to have adequate energy for a good session.

7)  If you have any cuts, wounds or blisters please wait for them to heal before taking a class.

8)  Aerial is highly physically demanding, so we ask newcomers to demonstrate core strength by doing a thirty second plank.

9)  Private session charges are for up to two participants; each additional participant pays the regular dropin fee. We accommodate a maximum of six participants per private session.

10)  We are observing some simple but strict rules to ensure safety during the pandemic. Please see our COVID PRECAUTIONS webpage for our measures, and cooperate in helping us run classes safely.

CONTACT