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Aerial Silk

Aerial Silk is a type of performance in which one or more artists perform aerial acrobatics while hanging from a fabric. The fabric may be hung as two pieces, or a single piece, folded to make a loop, classified as hammock silks. Performers climb the suspended fabric without the use of safety lines and rely only on their training and skill to ensure safety. They use the fabric to wrap, suspend, drop, swing, and spiral their bodies into and out of various positions. Aerial silks may be used to fly through the air, striking poses and figures while flying. Some performers use dried or spray rosin on their hands and feet to increase the friction and grip on the fabric.

Warming up⚑

Arm twist⚑

. Leave the silk at your left, take it with the left hand with your arm straight up and you thumb pointing away from you. . Start twisting in z > 0 your arm from your shoulder until the thumb points to your front. . Keep on twisting and follow the movement with the rest of your upper body until you're hanging from that arm and stretching. You shouldn't move your feet in the whole process. . Repeat with the other arm.

Ball controlled inversions⚑

. From standing position with each hand in a tissue, give it two or three loops to each hand and invert passing your legs between each tissue. . Bend your knees so that you become a ball and from that position. . While alive: . Keep on rotating 90 degrees more until your shins are parallel to the ground facing down. . Change the direction of the rotation and rotate 180 degrees until your shins are parallel to the ground but facing up.

Inverted arm twist warmup⚑

. From standing position with each hand in a tissue, give it two or three loops to each hand and invert passing your legs between each tissue. . Move your legs up until your body is parallel to the tissues and your shoulders are rotated back so your chest goes forward. . While alive: . Start lowering your feet using the tissues as a guide, while doing so start twisting your arms at shoulder level so that your chest goes to your back in a cat like position until your body limit. . Go back up doing the twist in the other direction till you're back up.

Inverted knee to elbow⚑

. From standing position with each hand in a tissue, give it two or three loops to each hand and invert passing your legs between each tissue. . Move your legs up until your body is parallel to the tissues and your shoulders are rotated back so your chest goes forward. . While alive: . Start lowering your feet using the tissues as a guide for your knees until they are at elbow level. Don't bend your knees! . Go back up.

Horizontal pull-ups⚑

. From standing position with each hand in a tissue, ask for a partner to take your legs until you're horizontal hanging from your hands and feet. . While alive: . Keeping your body straight, do a pull up with your arms. . Slowly unbend your elbows and stretch back your arms.

The next level would be that you use your leg strength to grip your partner's hips instead of her holding your feet.

Basic movements⚑

Splitting the tissues⚑

. Go to the desired height and get into a comfortable position, such as seated over your feet on a Russian climb. . Open the palm of one hand at eye level holding the whole tissue . Keep your bellybutton close to the tissue . With the other hand pinch the side of the silk and start walking with your fingers till you find the break between tissues.

Figures⚑

Waist lock⚑

. Climb to the desired height . Leave the tissue to the side you want to do the lock to, for example the left (try the other side as well). . Leave your right hand above your left, with your arm straight. Your left hand should be at breast level with your elbow bent. . With straight legs with pointed toes, bring your left leg a little bit to the front, while the right one catches the silk . Bright the right leg up trying to get the silk as close to your waist as possible. . Rotate your body in z>0 towards your left hand until you're looking down . Release your hands.

Ideas⚑

Locking shoulder blades when gripping the silks⚑

When you are going to hang yourself from your hands:

. Unlock your shoulder blades moving your chest to the back. . Embrace the silk with your arms twisting your hands inwards . Grip the silk and lock back your shoulder blades together as if you were holding an apple between them. That movement will make your hands twist in the other direction until your wrists are between you and the tissue.

Safety⚑

  • When rolling up silk over your legs, always leave room for the knee, do loops above and below but never over.