Guest Instructor: Caitlyn Larsson

Class Descriptions:

Hand to Hand AcroBalance (1.5 hr)
Take your acro off the floor! This workshop will give you the foundation to be a solid base, a tight flyer, and a hands on spotter. Learn the basics of basing on your legs, shoulders, back and hands in a safe and supportive environment. For the more advanced students, there is the opportunity to try some hand to hand (doing handstands on your partner’s hands) and some dynamic transitions and combinations. No experience necessary.

Handstands and Flexibility (2-Part Series) (1.5 hr each)
Although standing on your hands seems fairly simple, there is a lifetime of technique in mastering the skill set for a solid and steady handstand. In this class, master the basics and figure out how to turn yourself upside down safely and efficiently. If you already have your handstand, learn techniques for improving your form and the steps necessary for moving onto more advanced moves, like lever ups and one handed handstands. In addition, we will delve into some deep partner stretching and go over some ways to increase and maintain your flexibility. No experience necessary.

Lyra – Innovative Ways to Bruise Yourself (1.5 hr) – a feisty lyra workshop
Discover new ways to navigate this circle of metal pain that will impress an audience and generally leave some impressive marks on your skin! This workshop will break down dynamic beats, continuous rolls, and traditional drops while showing you how to sequence them and take it one step farther. Layers of tight fitted clothing are recommended. The best bruise photos win a spot in the bruise gallery on my website. Prerequisites: Ability to invert solo, do a pullover and a front balance on the lyra.

Silks – Creative Climbs (1.5 hr)
Take your fabric work to the next level with new ways to ascend and wrap. Discover just how many options there are to get high as you delve into unexplored aerial territory, twisting and contorting in awe-inspiring, but secretly simple, ways. Find new paths into and out of old tricks and create new ones in the process. Prerequisite: Ability to invert at solo, foot locks.

Silks – Falling with Pizazz (1.5 hr) – inventive silks drops and transitions
Take your silks practice one step further with some unconventional transitions and clever drops. Learn how to do a handstand on the fabric and end up in a split silk windmill. Discover how a basic foot lock can lead to a very intricate belay entry. Try some drops and triple downs that don’t have the word star in them. Tight fitted clothing with the option for sleeves is recommended. Prerequisites: Ability to climb, invert in the air multiple times in a class, and basic knowledge of beginner drops (double star, windmill, etc).

Silks – Spread ‘Em and Smile (1.5 hr)
Take your fabric work to the next level with new and creative poses, splits and transitions. Discover just how far your legs will go as you delve into unexplored aerial territory, twisting and contorting in awe-inspiring, but secretly simple, ways. Find new paths into and out of old tricks and create new ones in the process. Prerequisite: Ability to invert at top of silk, dance locks.

About Caitlyn:

Caitlyn Larsson is a jack of all trades, and attempting to become master of a few. She is a flying trapeze and aerial artist, who moonlights as a travel and content writer in her spare time. She received a BFA in theater and education from New York University and after a brief stint as a professional tour director (If you look out the right side of the bus, you’ll see the Statue of Liberty), she discovered and fell in love with circus. After sprinting off to England for some whirlwind training at Circomedia in flying trapeze, aerial arts and acrobatics, Caitlyn became a roving circus vagrant, traveling the globe performing and teaching. Quickly realizing that the wandering circus lifestyle is not always the most lucrative or stable, especially when attempting to keep up with those pesky NYU loans, she fell back on her impeccable grammar and highly praised writing skills to help pay the bills. Now, with a ‘work hard and smart’ work ethic, Caitlyn balances out her life as a teacher, performer, director and writer with grace and dignity, and only a few harried late nights.

She can be found teaching workshops and performing original circus acts around the world, all the while enjoying the freedom of writing on the go. She spent 2 years in San Juan, Puerto Rico, employed as the new rig manager for Trapeze School New York, crafting shows for Bahia Urbana in Old San Juan, helping with the inaugural International Circus Festival in PR, and plotting ways to bring Clowns Without Borders to the island. She took some time to gallivant around Fiji and New Zealand, attempting to surf and teaching workshops to locals. There was a stint in San Francisco, meeting colorful West Oakland locals, and the direction of a full length circus show in Dallas before fleeing the country for some rest, relaxation and more workshops and performance in SE Asia and Australia. Currently she can be found in Melbourne, studying exercise science by day and moonlighting as Marilyn in her one woman comedy show at night.