Online coaching.

Online aerial coaching works for experienced aerialists (see below for more on what that means) who are confident with interpreting verbal cues from a coach in real time. Ideally, you warm up ahead our of allotted lesson time, then enter the Zoom room and I guide you through a class as we would in an in person 1:1. The main difference is that I usually use video demonstration (screen sharing from my library of teaching videos) to clarify any drills or cues as necessary. This works brilliantly for dynamic skills in particular, which are especially hard to slow down in live demos to show the detail/timing!

I offer online coaching to experienced recreational and/or professional rope and sling artists. Typically this is folks working at intermediate level up.

By ‘intermediate’ or ‘experienced’ I’m not referring to an established categorisation, but rather to knowing enough about your own level of skill and experience to make a judgement call about (i) your confidence to work without a coach in the room with you and (ii) your ability to safely interpret verbal cues.

Even in an in-person group class, we should all take ultimate responsibility for our aerial practice (physical presence of the instructor does not imply and cannot guarantee safety!). But for online coaching especially, students need to have a clear understanding of their existing knowledge, their inherent attitude to risk and the limits of their confidence.

Really this means that you should have sufficient aerial experience to:

(i) have an established core skills and vocabulary on your chosen apparatus;
(ii) know the limits of your strength, endurance and confidence;
(iii) be VERY comfortable interpreting verbal instruction and working without physical assists (spotting) from an instructor who will be teaching you remotely.

Here’s what you get when you book online coaching with me:

(i) live online 1:1s via Zoom - choose from 1 or 1.5 hours, singles or multipack (4 or more)

(ii) access to your own video library of skills, drills & sequences (continuous access to ongoing students; lasts for 3 months for one-off lessons)

(iii) class notes and training plan to guide your practice between lessons

(iv) form checks and feedback - if you’re an ongoing student with upcoming classes in the calendar you can send me training videos (2 mins max) in between sessions and I’ll send it back with voice over commentary .

1:1 $90 per hour
1:2 $65 per person per hour

Discounts are available for multipacks (4 or more classes). If full price 1:1s are currently out of reach but you know someone else working at a similar skill level on similar goals and who can get online at the same time as you, then 1:2s can be a more affordable way to get almost the same experience!

My pricing is something I settled on in discussion with some other online aerial coaches I respect, in an attempt to standardise somewhat. Also pricing the bulk of my teaching time equitably allows me to do pro bono work. I currently offer two full bursary places (or four half price equivalents) every year to students who can’t afford classes or full rate.

I offer discounted rates on all multipack bookings (4 or more classes).

I also offer two full bursary places (or four half price equivalents) every year to students who can’t afford classes or full rate. These places are currently full but you can request to be added to the waiting list.

If full price 1:1s are currently out of reach but you know someone else working at a similar skill level on similar goals and who can get online at the same time as you, then 1:2s can be a more affordable way to get almost the same experience!

I’m based in Wales in the UK so my timezone is GMT (and GMT+1 in summer = British Summer Time or BST). This is 8 hours ahead of Pacific Time or 5 hours ahead of Eastern time. It’s 1 hour behind Central Europe and 10-13 hours behind Australia/NZ.

I teach Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. If you’re based in the US this means I can offer you morning/early afternoon sessions on any of these days (9am-1pm Pacific or 12 noon-4pm Eastern). If you’re based in the UK or Europe you can work with me in the evenings on any of the above days and/or mornings on Thurs/Fri. I also have some clients in Aus/NZ - because of the big time difference, it’s best for you to contact me so that we can arrange a special time!

I’m so glad you asked! Because in a currently unregulated industry like aerial coaching, it is so important to establish if a coach has the experience and knowledge you need.

I trained as a contemporary dancer (BA and MA) then worked as an aerial harness performer and workshop leader in an inclusive (disabled/nondisabled) dance company every summer for over 10 years before moving into aerial circus full time in 2018. I also worked as a dance lecturer (somatics, improvisation and contact improvisation, community dance and professional practice) to undergrad dance students for 2 years.

I’m now team leader and coach at Syrcas Byd Bach, a small circus school in West Wales, having joined as dance/rope/sling teacher in 2018. I’m also a coach for the Circus Mobility membership The Parish. My relevant training and CPD includes:

• dynamic rope teacher training with Alex Allan (2020)

• Cardinal (200 hour teacher training) with Jessica John, Circus Mobility (2022-23)

• Inversion Conversion Method Certification with Jessica John, Circus Mobility (2023)

• Instructor Boost 3.0 with circus physio Emily Scherb, The Circus Doc (2022)

• Consent, Motivation and Alternative Approaches to Circus Pedagogy with Adam Woolley, Proud Coach (2022)

• I will be joining Rope Lab (200 hour teacher training for advanced rope) with Alex Allan and PJ Perry in Feb 2024.

I’ve also completed courses to support my students more generally

• Menopause 2.0 - understanding menopause for athletes with Dr Stacy Sims (2023)

• Neurodynamics in Performing Arts with Dr Jen Crane, Cirque Physio, (2022)

You must have access to:

• aerial apparatus and hardware in good working order and visually inspected for wear on a regular basis

• professionally installed rigging point or load tested aerial rig

• industry standard safety mat of a suitable thickness for the maximum height at which you will be working during lesson

To make the most of your lesson time you will also need:

• a good internet connection in your training space,

• a device with a good enough camera for me to see you clearly,

• a good enough audio set up for you to hear my cueing clearly when you're in the air (some students use Airpods or other in-ear gym-friendly headphones especially in noisy open gym)

Most students use their laptop camera, some use their phone, though a phone screen can be a little small for seeing the screen-shared videos. If studios are large, busy or noisy, then headphones are a must, but in quieter set-ups laptop speakers usually work fine!