Welcome to Acroyoga Austin!

Fortunately, Austin is home to one of the largest recreational partner acrobatics community in the United States, with a vibrant scene and many opportunities to play and learn each week. All we’re missing is you! Check out our free beginner’s orientation every Friday at Austin Gymnastics Club at 8pm.

What is Acroyoga?

Acroyoga is a Fusion

Acroyoga is a combination of yoga, dance lifts, partner acrobatics, cheerleading, Thai massage, gymnastics, circus and healing arts. Therefore, acroyoga draws from elements in these disciplines such as balance, breath, rhythm, technique, athleticism, and mindful communication.

Goals of Acroyoga

• Connect
• Co-creation of balance, strength, and flexibility
• Improve communication and interpersonal skills
• Release preconceived notions of what is or isn’t possible
• Surprise yourself by pushing the limits of your potential
• Develop greater body awareness
• Have fun!

Roles in Acroyoga

Acroyoga is a partner activity or shared practice. In essence, there are three roles: base, flyer, and spotter. Together they play, fall, and move as a team – creating trust and connection along the way. 

The base is the person on the ground serving as a platform for one or more people. Their goal is to support and balance the flyer by staying under them. L-Shape basing involves bases lying on their back with their legs and arms extended into the air. Standing acro and belly down basing are also options. Anyone can base, technique trumps size.

The flyer is the person who is suspended in the air on top of the base via one or more points of contact. The main goal of the flyer is to maintain predictable body tension, and move slowly with spacial awareness. Anyone who can engage their body properly can fly regardless of size. Tight is light.

The spotter is the person who makes sure the practice stays safe and sustainable. They stay close and attentive to prevent potential injury. Spotters may aid a potential fall or support the partnership by providing alignment, balance, or strength assistance. Spotting methods can range from various degrees of involvement such as hands-on spots to “emotional support” spots. It’s key for everybody involved to know what kind of spotting is appropriate.

Styles of Acroyoga

Lunar / Therapeutic Acro

Sometimes referred to as restorative or therapeutic acro, this practice is slow, steady, and relaxing. It can incorporate Thai massage techniques, and has been come to be known as “Thai Fly.” Benefits to lunar acro include gentle inversion therapy, massage, assisted stretching, and deep relaxation.

L-Base Poses, Flows, and Washing Machines

L-Base poses refer to the base’s supine position with arms and legs in the air to support the flyer. With a strong foundation in static poses, partners can move through a sequence of poses to form a flow. Washing machines are a special type of flow that starts and ends in the same pose, allowing it to be repeated seamlessly like a spin cycle.

Adagio / Dance Lifts

Adagio is an acrobatic activity that draws from ballet and partner dance. Dance lifts often involves a sequence of slow, graceful, and controlled movements performed with fluid transitions. Adagio focuses on balance, counterbalance, and dance techniques.

Standing Acro / Cheer

Originating from sports gymnastics and cheerleading, standing acro refers to the base’s standing position (as opposed to L Basing or Belly Basing). Impressive feats of balance and strength at significant heights require high levels of coordination, calibration, and communication between partners.

Slackro

Initially developed by YogaSlackers, this is an innovative blend of slacklining and acroyoga. While most acroyoga relies on bone-stacking and bases controlling the balance, slackro provides both parties an opportunity to co-create balance, often off stack. (Bone-stacking means that the base and flyers limbs are perfectly aligned for a stable and efficient foundation that requires less muscular exertion.)

Icarian Acro – Whips, Pops, and Whops

Icarian acro is an advanced practice marked by dynamic transitions in well calibrated partnerships. Pops involve a disconnection between base and flyer as the flyer is thrown into the air and softly caught. Whips involve a hands-free, momentum driven transition that allows the flyer to slide along the base’s feet into another position. Because these skills have a much higher risk profile, we strongly encourage you to please utilize spotters and progressions.

Counterbalance

The vast majority of acro relies on a concept called “bone-stacking,” which is alignment of the bones and joints in a straight, vertical line so that the skeletal structure, rather than the muscles, bears the weight. However, counterbalances tend to exist off of stack and require partners to either push or pull with a consistent, predictable amount of force to stabilize the collective equilibrium.

Getting Started with AcroYoga Austin

• First, please familiarize yourself with our Community Guidelines. For additional support, check out our blog.
• If you’re new to acroyoga, we recommend checking out our free beginner’s orientation every Friday at Austin Gymnastics Club at 8pm. No partner required! Please fill out our waivers in advance.
• Check out our calendar for the full list of jams, classes, and events!
  • Jams are unstructured, large-group gatherings perfect for playing and learning, don’t require a partner, and are friendly to all skill levels.
  • If smaller groups and more formal and structured classes are your thing, head for the classes and workshops!