Acroyoga blends Thai Yoga Therapy, yoga, acrobatics, and other healing arts into a fun, supportive, and empowering practice. Acroyoga classes feature partner flow, flying and basing, strength training and inversions. No partner is necessary when coming to class since people pair up during class. Yoga District hosts a foundational acroyoga classes 7:45pm every Tuesday at the 14th Street studio for those newer to the practice, as well as an intermediate acroyoga class for those with more familiarity at 6:45pm Mondays at the 14th Street studio. Join us for class and read on for an informative interview one acroyoga teacher’s journey with acroyoga.

Interview with Christine S. on her acroyoga journey

Yoga District:  How’d you find out about acroyoga and what inspired you to take part in it?

Christine S.:  I found out about acroyoga by getting involved in the abundant circus community in DC.  I was inspired to take part in the practice because the excitement and community feeling was infectious.  It looked like everyone was having so much fun and working together so beautifully while gaining strength, flexibility, trust and getting to experience the world from another perspective.

YD:  It seems like it’s a partner-based activity, but also immersed in a community.  What kind of acroyoga community is present in DC, and do
you partake in it?

CS:  It is a partner-based activity, but also very rooted in the idea of building community with an attitude of play.  There are ongoing classes at studios around DC and in Bethesda.  Groups get together to “jam” on their own time, as well.  It’s also always happening at the drum circle on Sundays in Meridian Hill Park, which is where I first started to experiment with it.

YD: What are the various roles in acroyoga?  There seems to be a base and a flyer.  Could you explain these roles?

CS:  There are actually 3 roles in acroyoga:  A base is the person who supports the flyer and is often on the ground with their arms and legs reaching the sky at 90 degrees.  This person focuses on stacking their bones to achieve ease and stability while flying the flyer.  The flyer is the person who balances on the hands and feet of the base who moves through various poses, or series of poses that flow together.  The third roles is that of the spotter who makes sure the flyer is safe at all times and can also help give advice or directions to the base or flyer if their alignment is off course.

YD:  How does acroyoga differ from standard yoga?

CS:  It differs from traditional practices of yoga because it fuses a few practices together to then form acroyoga and it is done with a partner.  It combines the wisdom of yoga, the fiery excitement of partner acrobatics and the sweetness of Thai massage.  I love this combination because it opens up space to experience a feeling of connection, communication, and trust.

YD:  Do you have any favorite routines/poses?

CS:  I love washing machines which are flows that rotate you through a set of dynamic positions in a circular flow.  Here’s an example of one called Catherines Wheel.  Some of my favorite poses right now are: High hand to hand, High bird, Mermaid, Nataraj, Star and all therapeutic flying poses where I get to be inverted and let gravity lengthen and decompress my spine.

YD:  What are some health benefits?

CS:  I think the health benefits of acroyoga are endless.  The most obvious one for me is the happiness I feel while doing it and the way it decompresses my spine creating more length and ease.  It eases my mind and relieves me from stress, which can only be positive for all of my internal systems and overall well-being.  Performing inversions and backbends in acroyoga or yoga has so many health benefits. The lymphatic system is stimulated which in turn strengthens your immune system.  Being upside down is great for your cardio-vascular system because it helps improve your circulation and allows fresh blood to go to the heart.  The endocrine system is stimulated which helps regulate your hormones and metabolism.  The feeling of happiness and balance you achieve through acroyoga, which also engages the breath, soothes the the parasympathetic nervous system thus increasing the function of the immune system. Opening your heart in a backbending pose allows you to take that deep breath into each lobe of your lungs fully.

YD:  Some say that acroyoga is a healing art.  Do you agree?  If so, how is it a healing art?

CS:  I do agree that acroyoga is a powerful healing art not only for the physical body systems but for the spiritual body, as well.  It forces you to be fully present in the moment and asks you to look at the world from another perspective.  It helps you to energetically clear blockages or to bring them to your attention to be addressed.  It conditions the mind and body and roots itself deep within the ancient healing widoms of Yoga and  Thai Massage while daring you to trust in the strength of your body.  It fuses together parts of our inner and outer selves, as well as, supports us to build communities from a place of play and loving kindness.  It’s the yoga of relationship that’s undeniably beautiful to look at the way people can work together to create beautiful shapes, feats of strength and flexibility while moving as one, like a divinely choreographed dance.