Circus Arts

Circus Classes & Workshops in the GRR Studio (upstairs)

FLEXIBILITY FOR AERIALISTS

Location: Studio (upstairs)
Class Type: Single classes / Drop-in
Instructor: Erika Lui
Date/Time: Wednesdays 8:30-9:30pm
Cost: $30+tax

This beginner-friendly class is designed specifically for those looking to improve their flexibility with a focus on the movements and positions required in aerial silks, and other aerial disciplines. Whether you’re new to flexibility training or have some experience, this class will help you safely and effectively increase your range of motion and mobility to enhance your aerial skills. This class will focus on helping students develop a deeper understanding and relationship with movement in the body by learning how to safely deepen your stretches, increase mobility, and prevent injury through proper technique and alignment.

This class is designed to be accessible for beginners, with modifications offered to accommodate different levels of flexibility and experience. Perfect for aerialists and movement enthusiasts who want to improve their flexibility in a safe, structured, and supportive environment. No experience is required—just bring a willingness to stretch, learn, and grow!

Max 15 students per class, min 2 to run.
(registration closes 24hrs prior to start of class)

HANDSTANDS

Location: Studio (upstairs)
Class Type: 6-week course OR Drop-in
Instructor: Erika Lui
Date/Time: Wednesdays 5:30-6:30pm | Jan 7 – Feb 11
Location: GRR Studio (upstairs)

Handstands are an excellent work-out and cross-training activity to build full body strength, mobility, flexibility, focus, and alignment. This 60-minute class will focus on building and strengthening core-body awareness and stability, prehab for shoulder and wrist strength and mobility, and explore techniques and drills for finding balance in increasingly demanding body positions. Material difficulty can be adjusted to suit the skill level of each student, so that everyone can benefit regardless of if you’re brand new to inverting or are an experienced hand balancer!

Max 10 students per class, min 2 to run
$150+hst (6-weeks) / $30+hst drop-in

ACROYOGA

Location: Studio (upstairs)
Class Type: 6-week course
Instructors: Erika & Andrew
Date/Time: Thursdays 8-9pm | Jan 8-Feb 12
Cost: $150+tax for 6 weeks (or sign up for remaining classes!)

AcroYoga is a partner-based movement discipline that blends acrobatic movements with yoga, often drawing on concepts from circus, cheerleading, and dance acrobatics. This teamwork-based activity involves a base, flier, and spotter when learning new skills, and focuses on developing both verbal and nonverbal communication to build trust, body awareness, balance, and strength. This 60-minute beginner-focused acro yoga class series will build on and strengthen the fundamentals of L-basing, covering topics such as foundational poses, inversions, standing basics, and transitions and flow. Material difficulty can be adjusted to suit the skill level of each student, so that everyone can benefit regardless of if you’re brand new or already experienced. Register with a partner or as an individual! We encourage students to come with an openness to meeting and working with new people!

Max 30 students per class, min 4 to run.
$150+HST per 6-week course.
(registration closes 24hrs prior to start of first class in the series)

Aerial & Circus Workshops

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR: Mark Segal is a Toronto-based aerialist and performer. He graduated from Sheridan College’s illustration program and went on to work in film before finding circus and dedicating himself to that art form. He has been working professionally in circus for the last 14 years. As well as pursuing his own solo and collaborative projects, Mark’s main discipline is Dynamic Rope (or corde lisse), and he has now taken on Aerial Straps as his next serious discipline. Mark is a core member of the Deflying Feets circus company with whom he is also presently training teeterboard. In addition to performing, Mark has been coaching for over 18 years teaching regularly in Toronto, as well as giving workshops in circus and movement communities throughout Canada.

INTRO TO DYNAMIC AERIAL ROPE WORKSHOP SERIES

Location: Aerial Training Space, 1st floor at the back
Class Type: Workshop
Instructor: Mark Segal
Date/Time: Friday, Feb 27th | 5:30 – 7:00 PM
Friday March 6th | 5:30 – 7:00 PM
Friday, March 13th | 5:30 – 7:00 PM
Cost: $45+tax per workshop

Mark is a veteran circus artist who specializes in dynamic rope. This workshop will introduce the fundamentals of dynamic aerial for both rope and silks, although these techniques are foundational to dynamic aerials for any discipline. In this workshop, we will introduce big swings, and the dynamic relationship between the artist, the apparatus and the floor. We introduce and break down the concept of catch release – which is the basic system of creating dynamic energy – and work on straight arm inversions as a starting point for lifting/ loading and releasing through centre-mass for momentum-driven movement. We will also work on controlled swinging and spinning, and exploring different ways of getting on and off apparatus and using the floor as a necessary part of the aerial performance equation. As the students practice develops we will introduce more traditional drops and positions toward the creation of a well rounded act. Dynamic rope technique is an exciting addition to any vertical aerial practice from beginner through advanced. Dynamic technique brings momentum-based movement flare, energy and grace to any vertical aerial act.

This workshop is open to all levels and is for anyone interested in learning more about this dynamic art. This series of classes will build on previous content from its prior workshop, such that learning and skill-building will be progressive, however there will be enough review of the previous workshops content such that students NEED NOT to attend all classes to build their skills, but students can get the MOST benefit from attending each workshop in the series.

Max 8 students per class, min 3 students to run. Ages 16+.
Registration will close 24hr prior to class.

INTRO TO AERIAL STRAPS WORKSHOP SERIES

Location: Aerial Training Space, 1st floor at the back
Class Type: Workshop
Instructor: Mark Segal
Date/Time: Friday, Feb 27th | 7:00 – 8:30 PM
Friday March 6th | 7:00 – 8:30 PM
Friday, March 13th | 7:00 – 8:30 PM
Cost: $45+tax per workshop

Aerial straps are widely understood to be one of the most challenging and physically demanding of any aerial discipline. Straps require a level of strength, mobility, dynamism and positional control that can seem “impossible” when done at a high level. However it can also be used as an excellent cross-training tool for other aerial disciplines. In this workshop we will work on the fundamentals of aerial straps conditioning and movement/ mobility. We will explore progressions for straight arm inversion, levers, support work (i.e. work with your bodyweight above the wrists – imagine gymnastics rings), as well as breaking down the the more straps-specific techniques such as front back meat hook/levers etc., so that students are not only building strength/coordination, but also understanding HOW these techniques work.

This workshop is an aerial straps technical/ conditioning class series open to any aerialists at the beginner to intermediate levels of their practice or any student interested in learning the fundamentals of aerial conditioning. This series of classes will build on previous content from its prior workshop, such that learning and skill-building will be progressive, however there will be enough review of the previous workshops content such that students NEED NOT to attend all classes to build their skills, but students can get the MOST benefit from attending each workshop in the series.

Max 8 students per class, min 3 students to run. Ages 16+.
Registration will close 24hr prior to class.