Hello! Thanks for your interest in the upcoming 2024 asynchronous/live-online Level 1 Aerial Performer and Teacher Training.
The training will cover overall aerial straps pedagogy, unspotted and spotted progressions, a skill dictionary with cues, potential injury risks, and common problems. The hybrid format incorporates independent study, group lectures/discussion, and personalized feedback; participate from your studio or on approved home rigs/rigging.
Created and produced by Aaron Koz, founder of CircSci, the Level 1 Straps Teacher and Performer Training draws on over 10 years of aerial and movement instruction in the field. Key information will be shared via lectures, group discussion, and practical application. Concepts addressed include: lesson and curriculum development, straps skills and progressions, spotting techniques, safety, anatomy, injury prevention, creativity,, grip strength training, dynamic and strength technique, and teaching tips.
The training will assist aerial teachers in building their teaching repertoire with a focus on periodization and straps-centered techniques (using straps and other apparatuses). Throughout the training, participants will learn a range of static straps skills, transitions, relevant progressions/regressions, and spotting/self-spotting techniques. The training has been built in collaboration from Australian and US physical and myotherapists focusing on decreasing injury through risk reduction.
While the training is built for future straps coaches, about 50% of the past attendees are aerialists who intend to use it to increase their own aerial training and straps knowledge, and to prepare them for the Level 2 training (which is geared towards coaching and performing straps at a higher level). If you want to take the training for yourself, but aren't sure if the program is right for you, reach out!
The training is scalable and will teach you to build lesson plans that incorporate safe progressions for every type of student in class. This is not to say lessons will focus solely on straps conditioning, but will enable all athletes to build strength and technical pathways over time). Functional anatomy/physiology and appropriate strengthening/injury prevention will also be covered to build biomechanic awareness on the apparatus.
Students will over the course of the 4 months have:
- Asynchronous independent study using the training platform (conceptual and practical video lectures, video tutorials, and homework - 20-30 hours
- Skill and progression practice - 20 hours
- Video reviewing and peer assessment/analysis - 5-10 hours
- Live Zoom class - 10-12 hours - each zoom class usually runs 3 hours, but sometimes we cover all the material/videos faster than that. The Zoom classes are primarily ran as discussions, Q & A, and practice cueing/reviewing videos.
Level 1 Zoom Class Times (recordings will be available for those in different time zones):
Specific Zoom Times TBA - 1 Sunday a month for 4 months starting TBA in 2024. Sunday's are:
May 5th, June 2nd, July 7th, and August 4th. Times to be voted upon! The pre-training portion of the course will start one month prior to the start of the course to allow you time to build a knowledge base in fundamental anatomy and physiology to assist in your coaching and training throughout the course.
Each section, students will have assigned practical (skill-review) and theory-based homework (including video lectures, quizzes, class planning, biomechanics, and periodization assignments.
Program Highlights • Guest Lectures by Max March-Steinman (@bo_ties), Sebastian Rojas (@aregularpieceofasparagus), Francesco Lanciotti (@ceccofoile), and more!
• Participants will receive the Aerial Straps Level 1 Skill Reference List for use after the training
• Skill reference (with videos) of static positions, dynamic techniques, skills and transitions
• C-shaping Foundations and Analysis for all apparatus
• Spotting and un-spotted teaching technique discussion
• Progressions/regressions using multiple apparatus geared towards training straps-style skills safely
• Curriculum development and class planning practice
• Identifying common problems in static straps techniques and pathways
• Developing effective teaching practices based on current learning research
• Focuses on both strength and conditioning as well as movement patterning
• Fun and varied warm-ups and lesson plans to use in the future
• Functional anatomy/physiology/kinesiology
• Shoulder/thoracic spine health/injury prevention
General Suggested (but not required) Prerequisites:If you do not intend to participate in the practical homework yourself, you can use a current student of yours for the video feedback section instead!
Physical/practical prerequisites are encouraged for embodied understanding, but are not required for the practical section:
• Minimum of 1-2 years aerial/gymnastics/movement teaching experience (does not include aerial yoga) OR 2-3 years seriously training vertical aerial apparatus
• 2-5 pull-ups from dead hang and 3-5 dips from support position
• Ability to safely straight arm invert in the air multiple times
• Comfort in skin the cat
• 30 seconds - 1 min single arm hold (in a wrist lock) with hollow body and shoulder engagement
• Ability to hold 1 arm meathook and support position for 5-10 seconds or more
• False grip leg raises (toes to bar) - 3-5
• Experience training spinning and swinging skills like flares and beats/swings
• Experience training for reverse meathooks (or at minimum back balances on rope/fabric)
Applicants are recommended to submit an audition video (including as many of the skills you or your student can safely do found in the video) in addition to the application form.
*The total time commitment is quite high, but you will have access to the skill reference videos forever. The in-depth tutorial and lecture videos are accessible during the teacher training and for a month after the training. You will also have the option of being added to the private FB group where you can bounce ideas off of other's who have done the training.
Full Pricing and Payment Plans:
The total price is $1,050 USD upfront (to be sent in no later than by March 28th, 2 monthly payments of $550 (the last to be sent in by the second month of the training), or 3 monthly payments of $385 USD (the last payment to be sent in by the third month of the training).
Once your application is reviewed, there may be questions about your application videos, or rigging.
To reserve your spot in the L1 training after the early bird deadline, a minimum non-refundable deposit of $300 must be submitted two months prior to the training start date.
Payment can be submitted via Zelle (
aaron.kozloff@gmail.com) preferred or via CashApp ($kozaaron)/Paypal (
aaron.kozloff@gmail.com, friends and family) OR Revolut (use this link
revolut.me/aaronkoz) OR Wise ( for international senders. All payment amounts must take into account any added fees/currency exchange fees. If you are based outside the U.S., you can use Wise to send the equivalent amount in CAD to aaron.kozloff@gmail.com
After the teacher training has started, the fee is non-refundable.
Financial Accessibility Promise
In your application, please make a note if you have financial need of payment plan, work trade, or otherwise (there's a question for this) an explanation of your financial situation, and the amount you are able to pay. The goal is to make the training as accessible as possible to everyone wanting to work their professional development as an aerial and straps coach.
