When Los Angeles-born Cher Albrecht moved to Canberra to be with her Australian partner Justin Ryan, she never dreamed she would be running her own acrobatics studio in a few years.
Having been a professional stuntwoman in California, Cher had previously had ample venues to practice her skills and passions, such as Santa Monica Beach in LA (which has a dedicated workout area for gymnasts, acrobats and stunt people).
But when she moved to Canberra, she could not find a single location that offered drop-in aerial acrobatics classes for adults.
Sensing a gap in the market, and desperate for a place to practice herself, a chance encounter with a warehouse in Mitchell soon led to the opening of Aerial Sports – a space dedicated to enjoying, learning and practising the art of aerial acrobatics.
“It was really amazing when we found the location,” says Cher.
“It was light and bright, with beautifully high ceilings. Within a couple of months we had signed the lease and were working with a structural engineer to safely install anchor points for the silks, hoops and trapeze. We now have six points, which is fantastic as it allows us to run classes where almost everyone has their own apparatus for the entire class.”
Aerial Sports offers a number of classes, including Aerial Silks, Lyra (the large hanging hoop) and Static Trapeze. There are beginner and intermediate classes for aerial silks, which is the most popular, and mixed levels for the other classes – allowing people to work at their own pace with Cher’s help to build their skills.
“Aerial acrobatics is an amazing way to build strength and confidence while having a ton of fun,” Cher says.
“In a static trapeze class, for example, you learn to sit, stand and hang off the trapeze bar in your first session alone. After that, it’s about practising a number of tricks and learning how to hold your own body weight.
“People are always shocked by how much they can do, and to me the greatest joy is in showing them that they are more capable than they think they are.”
Aerial Sports currently has seven adult drop-in classes each week, and two teen classes. The teen classes are per term, and the drop-in classes are $25 per class – or you can purchase four or ten class passes for a discount.
They even have an enclosed seating area with glass walls where your kids can play while you exercise.
“I always wanted to have an adult playground,” says Cher happily. “When I was doing stunts in California I would constantly think about how I could make it happen. And I would never have imagined that it would be in a warehouse in Mitchell, Canberra. But I’m truly glad it is!”
Aerial Sports is located at 17a Darling Street, Mitchell. To find out more about their classes and timetable, call 6262 0215 or visit: http://www.aerialsports.com.au.
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