Frequently Asked Questions

We love doing birthday and celebration parties! Our aim is to make sure that everyone gets to be involved, have a lot of fun and to challenge themselves.

Your group will get to work one or more of our experienced tutors to explore what it means to be an aerial acrobat as they get to play on a variety of apparatus including fabric, rope, hoop and trapeze.

Many groups like to reserve our seating/dining area for post-workshop snacks etc.

The cost for this will vary based on the size of the group and the duration of the session.

Contact us HERE to check if we have availability on a day and time that suits you.

When?
We offer these during school holidays.

What ages can attend?
7-17 years. We have to be strict on this. We do not accept children under the age of 7 or over the age of 17.

What time?
These generally run from 10am to 1pm. Participants are given a short break in the middle. We recommend they bring a small snack and drink with them for that time. Please arrive about 15 minutes early if you're first time with us to allow for registration and to let your child settle in.

What will they be doing?
They will be doing a variety of apparatus from fabric, rope, hoop and trapeze.

What should they wear?
Tracksuit bottoms/leggings (to protect the back of their knees whilst on the apparatus). They may also have shorts for when they're not on apparatus. Long t-shirt that they can tuck in (to avoid fabric/rope burn on mid-riff). Please ensure that all clothing does not have zips or studs as they can damage the fabric.

Registration Forms
If your child is new to the studio, you will need to complete and sign a Registration Form. You can download it from HERE or fill it in when you arrive.

Taking Flight is dedicated to the development of circus arts through 3 strands: education, performance and community.

Education

We run a regular schedule of classes for children and adults as well as developing coach education. Classes include silks, rope, trapeze, cocoon, wall running, hoop, straps, and acrobatics, as well as a variety of workshops and bespoke courses. Our coach education includes a variety of pedagogical and technical courses with partners such as Ecole Nationale De Cirque, High Performance Rigging, LEGacy Circus, Sport Ireland, and many individual international circus artists and educators.

Community

We develop bespoke responses to local needs, working with community groups such as Wet n’Wild and BeLongTo, running family introduction days, as well as longer courses and performances such as the Schools Project in partnership with St. Marys and Trinity Comprehensive. We are currently working with Erin Ball of LEGacy Circus and Cara of Sport Ireland on our upcoming adaptive aerial syllabus with a focus of making circus accessible to people with disabilities.

Performance

We provide professional development for emerging and established artists through opportunities supported by Arts Council Ireland, such as artist residencies, act creation course the Create Project, specialist workshops, and dedicated choreography classes. Some of our performances include Culture Night, Bloom Festival, Electric Picnic, various student showcases including the Performance Project, in aid of Women’s Yoga Hub Gaza.

Yes, we do. Children can start at 7 years old. Each session is 90 minutes long. Children do not need any prior experience in circus arts, to join our classes.

Schedule

We run 4 classes per week for 7 to 10 year olds and for 11 to 17 year olds.

• Mondays: 4:30pm
• Wednesdays: 4:30pm
• Saturdays: 10am & 12 noon

Bookings

Classes run on terms, with each term having a different focus (vertical, supports, sequencing, performance etc.) We offer single Drop-In sessions for those who would like to try it out at €27 per session.

If there is space, you are welcome to register you son/daughter in the middle of the term - the online booking system will automatically calculate the number of sessions remaining and only charge you for that. Terms are based on the Primary School Academic Year. New term bookings open one week before the term is due to start.

Registration Form

Parents of kids and teens doing classes must fill out a registration form for each child, you can download it from here.

Yes, we do. You can either book in for a specialised private lesson with one of our tutors (use this LINK to contact us) or you can book in for a private workshop (a more general approach that is great for having fun with friends, celebrating a birthday or an event such as an engagement). Here are our current group rates, which vary based on the size of your group and the duration of time you'd like.

Contact us HERE to check if we have availability on a day and time that suits you.

Yes. Please contact us directly to discuss further. We aim to provide a fun, safe and supportive environment for anyone willing to try out circus. info@takingflight.ie or 00353 852617279

You may change your booking 24 hours in advance of class, as per our cancellation policy If you realise that you have made a mistake in your booking after the date/class has passed, we cannot give you a refund for a booking mistake.

The answer to this depends on when the mistake is noticed. You may book the wrong discipline e.g. fabric instead of rope. As per our cancellation policy you can cancel or change your booking 8 hours prior to class start time.

If you arrive for the class you have booked into and then realise that you have made a mistake in your booking, we will check if there is a place available in the class of your choice. If so, you may join in. We cannot give you another future booking in return.

Worst case scenario, you will get to try out a new apparatus!

Yes. In our booking section, click on gift vouchers. Here you can select the type of gift voucher you would like to purchase.

• Generic gift voucher: Purchase a gift voucher for a given amount, which can be used for any future booking.
• Specific gift voucher: For a specific drop in and number of people. The recipient will only need to pick a date and time, and will never see the price. To purchase a gift voucher click Here

Put your name on the waiting list. You will be sent a link to book into the class, if a vacancy arises. If there are high numbers on our waiting list, we will consider adding another class (if space permits).

No, we do not offer courses. We run adult classes on a drop-in basis. This means that you book classes for when you are available.

You can buy a bundle of 5 classes in our bookings section, under "prepaid" here to avail of cheaper session rates. With this bundle, you will receive 5 credits. Each credit will pay for 1 class. You are required to book into each class. If you you can commit to 1 class per week, we recommend a 5 bundle package. Ensure that you will utilise your bundle before the expiry date. You have 8 weeks from the date of purchase to use your credits.

We also offer a Monthly "No Limits" Membership Subscription. This is available for either classes or open training or both. It automatically renews on a monthly basis, but you can cancel the renewal anytime.

All kids and teens classes are ran on a term basis. You cannot book in for a drop in session. Each term varies in length inline with school holidays.

From time to time we run short courses for adults. If you book onto a course please ensure you are available for all dates throughout. Courses will be run based on enrollment numbers. We cannot refund or exchange classes for sessions you can not attend. The entire course fee is non-refundable once the course has started.

Physical Benefits

Aside from the very apparent upper body and grip strength training, circus arts work your entire body, from small stabilizing muscles to your largest leg muscles. Along with that it improves ambidexterity, hand-eye coordination, your reflex speed and reaction time. As well as your proprioception (awareness of your body in space) and your neuromuscular communication and balance (how your body talks to your brain). You do this all while learning and working from where works for you, of course aerial requires upper-body and core strength, but it develops as you do. With a small amount of consistency participants progress extremely quickly.

Psychological Benefits

It’s quite possible that the psychological aspects of aerial dance outweigh the physical. Although physically demanding, circus arts are just that. Art. Many people use aerial as an artistic release and a place to explore movement and their relationship with their body in a non-competitive and open environment. The complexities of doing dance in the air can challenge people to overcome fear of heights, increase focus and concentration and decrease general stress. ‘Circus delivers skills in a positive, non-competitive and supportive social atmosphere, making it particularly appealing to those who avoid traditional competitive team sports.’ Positive ‘effects are reported primarily by those who have problems tolerating failure and have issues with self-esteem’ - excerpt from ‘Effective Circus’ a publication from the University of Tampere.

Societal Benefits

The fact that circus can encompass all people in our society, from young and elderly to visually and physically impaired people instantly gives a sense of inclusiveness and community. Over the years there have been many studies linking particularly younger people’s mental health and benefits to society. As a group people learn the soft skills of team-work, hard-work, care, empathy and trust.
‘ 55 children partook in a six-month Cirkidz Tweenz program, where children had the opportunity to learn, improve and extend new skills in acrobatics, balance, juggling and aerial activities. Dr McGrath says after participating in the circus program children showed significant improvements in four areas of mental well being: stress relief; self-esteem; confidence; and socialization’. here

Circus is a practice open to all people, genders, sizes, physical abilities and all in between. The focus is on what your body can do. Its inclusivity offers a sense of community and support which allows for safe risk-taking.

We have weekly classes for total beginners schedule Our studio is open for everybody. If you have special needs or requirements please contact us directly here

Yes please.

Everybody is required to fill out a registration form.

Parents of kids and teens doing classes must fill out a registration form for each child, you can download it from here.

Adults doing classes must fill a registration form also, you can download it from here.

The registration form must be printed out and completed. Bring it with you on your first visit to the studio.

If you do not have access to a printer, we will ask you to fill in a form at the studio before you can start class.

Classes

Bookings are processed through our online booking system. If you know that you are going to be away you can change your booking, so long as you do it at least 8 hours in advance of the class (after that, the booking cannot be changed). We keep our classes small, with a maximum of 10 students per tutor, so spaces are very limited.

Outstanding bundle sessions at the end of the expiry date become void, and are non-transferrable and non-refundable. If you you can commit to 1 class per week, we recommend a 5 bundle package. Make sure that you will utilise your bundle before the expiry date to ensure no loss of payment. We also also Membership/Subscriptions for "No Limits" bookings on technical classes and Open Training (all bookings are on a first-come, first-served basis).

Workshops

Your fee secures your space, and as such we keep it for you: we do not give it to someone else. If you cancel 8 days before the event, your full-fee is refunded. If you cancel within 7 days of the event, there is no refund. Bookings are processed through our online booking system. If you know that you are going to be away you can change your booking, so long as you do it at least 1 week in advance of the class (after that, the booking cannot be changed).

Bookings are processed through our online booking system. If you know that you are going to be away you can change your booking, so long as you do it at least 8 hours in advance of the class (after that, the booking cannot be changed). We keep our classes small. If you miss a week (e.g. through illness), but have not cancelled the class 8 hours prior to the class start time, we cannot give you another class in exchange for the week that you're back. It is your responsibility to cancel/amend your booking.

A text is appreciated to let us know if you’re going to be late, or indeed if you can’t make it. Once you arrive we insist that you do the full 20 minute warm-up. Warm up is an essential part of the training and injury-prevention.

Wear comfortable, yet fairly tight fitting clothing. Tracksuits and long-sleeved tops are a good idea. Please make sure there are no zips or sharp objects on your clothing, as these can damage the equipment. Similarly, all jewellery must be removed before class starts. When on the apparatus we train in bare feet, but it’s a good idea to have a nice pair of socks for when you’re down on the ground.

Try out our aerial taster workshop! Check out our news items and Social Media for upcoming dates.

Alternatively, we recommend that you take a single drop-in session of the class that you're most interested in.

If you enjoy it, and want to book in for more, then purchase a bundle of 5 sessions or take out a "No Limits" monthly membership/subscription to avail of cheaper session rates.

We have lots of options for you.

Physical Preparation

• Condi-Flex on Mondays and Saturdays
• Aerial Fitness on Wednesdays

Mixed Level Technical

• Fabric or Rope on Mondays, Tuesdays and Saturdays
• Trapeze on Tuesdays
• Cocoon on Wednesdays
• Hoop on Thursdays
• Hoop or Trapeze on Saturdays

Aerial Hoop on Thursdays and Hoop or Trapeze on Saturdays.

A mixed level class that focuses on building strength, coordination and flexibility on aerial hoop.

All levels of experience are welcome. If you are new to hoop you can expect to work on inverts, spinning basics and combining interesting shapes to create a sequence.

More advanced hoopers will spend time on rolls, drops, adding artistic flair to their movements and creating fast and more complex combos.

What to bring?

Hand chalk, layers to cover any exposed areas (let’s avoid the burn), if you are prone to travel sickness - bring ginger sweets!

MIXED LEVELS

Our mixed level classes cater for all levels, from beginner to skilled.

BEGINNER/EXPLORER

No Pre-requisites, open to all who want to try.

This class is to introduce you to the world of aerial silks and rope. We will take you through a thorough warm-up, exercises and conditioning drills to help you in the air, and then onto the fundamentals of vertical aerial apparatus. This class will build your knowledge of footlocker, being safe in the air and learning to ascend and descend safely.

IMPROVER/INTERMEDIATE

Pre-requisites

Understanding of Footlocks, 2 short arm straddle in the air, 2 consecutive climbs without touching the floor Russian and French, 3x negative pull ups, Catchers in the air, Hipkey in the air.

This is the next class up from our beginners class. This class will build on your fundamentals and begin to teach you how to move in the air. You will begin to learn the technique of drops and basic dynamics. It covers conditioning and sequences that will challenge your new skills and start to combine all the things you’ve learnt so far. This class is recommended if you have experience in aerial but have taken a break or you are unsure where your level is. This class is our middle ground between absolute beginners and those with years of experience under their belt.

SKILLED/ADVANCED

Pre-requisites

4 short arm straddles in the air or 2 long arm straddles in the air, Same Side Straddle Climb, 1 meathook on each side, Helicopter entry and descent with control, 3 consecutive climbs without touching the floor.

This class is for experienced aerialists. Here we push the limits of what each individual would like to achieve. However no matter what level you get to conditioning will always play an important role. These classes are for those who have been consistently attending classes for a few years or meet the prerequisites mentioned above. We hope these classes will give you the skills and techniques to begin to create your own sequences, and will tackle the more challenging skills like rolling, wrap fluency and dynamic techniques.

Yes. When making a booking you will be asked if you have your own apparatus. Tick yes. When you arrive, inform your tutor that you have brought your own apparatus. Your tutor will safely rig it for you. There is no storage facility for customers equipment. If you bring your own apparatus to train on, you must bring it away with you after your session is complete.

You are welcome to our supervised open training sessions if you have experience in the discipline you wish to practice. Open training sessions are for practicing skills already learnt. You may not use this time to learn new skills from other participants.

Not taking classes at the studio?

If you are not a current student with Taking Flight, we will need video evidence from you , practising on your chosen apparatus. Contact us HERE.

Your own apparatus?

When booking you will be asked if you have your own apparatus. If you do, our tutor on duty will safely rig it for you. There is no storage facility for customers equipment. If you bring your own apparatus to train on, you must bring it away with you after your session is complete.

Drop In & Membership Options

You can book inf or a single session or take advantage of our monthly membership/subscription for "No Limits" Open Training. This can be taken alone or as part of bundle for Classes and Open Training. Subscriptions automatically renew every month but can be cancelled at any time.

This is something that can be facilitated in a private daytime session with one of our tutors. Contact us directly for rates here

Alternatively you can register for one of Professional Development Courses that are funded by Arts Council Ireland: Explore - Create - Perform.

Oftentimes this can be accommodated in our Improver - Skilled Classes. People who are advanced can book in for private daytime sessions with one of our teachers.

Contact us directly for rates.