Imposter syndrome? The skills and training you actually need before teaching aerial arts

Sara | WakefulAscent
Nov 25
5 min read

Updated: 5 days ago

(Spoiler: It’s less about being perfect and more about being prepared.)

In an industry that doesn't require certification to teach, it's very common for aerialists to feel less confident about whether they're “ready” to begin teaching aerial. People swing between:

“I need to be a super advanced aerialist to teach.”and
“I've been doing this for a while - I'm ready.”

The truth is somewhere in the middle.

Imposter syndrome comes in when we hold a belief that we should not be doing something. That we do not belong in our role, that we are fraudulent. Let's cut to the chase ask directly - are you qualified? If no, then seek further training and knowledge. If yes, ask yourself what holds you back from truly identifying as an aerial teacher. If you don't know, find out what your role really requires.

You don’t need cirque-level mastery to be an aerial teacher. But you do need enough embodied experience to know what you're talking about, demonstrate or communicate technical excellence, keep people safe, and navigate group dynamics. You do need knowledge and understanding of not only aerial arts, but also of teaching itself. To teach effectively and intentionally without the whole thing being trial and error, aerial teacher training is a major support, and ultimately, it's a shortcut. So - what do you really need to teach aerial arts? This is not a universal list but comes from training aerial arts seriously since 2015 and teaching aerial arts since 2018.

1. To teach aerial arts you need roughly 3+ years of consistent aerial training

Consistent, structured training builds your embodied understandings of aerial arts, whether that's aerial silks, aerial hoop, or any other apparatus. Disjunct, inconsistent training without lessons in technique creates significant gaps that you will then be liable to pass on to students.

Teaching aerial arts uses a lot of mental space. You want the fundamentals of aerial to be built in. Even if you are continually refining as you teach, which is perfectly fine and even to be expected, the starting baseline needs to be strong if you want to really set your students up for success. Could it be sooner? Possibly. Could it make more sense after more time? Possibly. Three years is not an absolute rule but a good baseline.

2. To teach aerial arts, you need solid fundamentals — not fancy tricks

Advanced skills are not nearly as important or relevant of a pre-requisite for teaching aerial arts as strong, precise fundamentals.

Think:

The angle of your arm as you wrap a footlock from the floor
Your posture as you wrap your second footlock in the air
The engagement of the lower abdominals together with the pelvic floor before inverting
The timing of a hip key
Fundamentals of anatomy and physiology so you have a context for mechanics, engagement, and the body systems at play in aerial work
The coordination of an inversion
Technical details for everything foundational
Knowing which hand on top, and why
Understanding how the transverse abdominis and the rectus abdominis work
and so on.

If you only learned tricks and nobody ever talked to you about key aerial shapes, engagement, details of wraps and drops, then you need additional training, through classes or aerial teacher training to help establish those foundations. Without the language and recognition for these details, you will not be able to set up your aerial students for success.

aerial-teacher-training-aerial-silks-lyra-hoop — Curious about teaching or want to take your practice deeper? Join this 100% free masterclass: Empowered Teaching in Aerial Arts.

3. To teach aerial arts, you need a growth mindset

No one is ever done refining themselves as an aerial teacher. There is no end point, just more discoveries. Nobody walks out of teacher training ready to teach perfectly. Being willing to continue to learn and evolve as you teach aerial arts is more important than getting things right on the first try. Plus, your students will ALWAYS come up with new ways to surprise you. Plan to adapt and improvise (which is a lot easier when you have strong foundations).

4. To teach Aerial Arts, you need a sense of humor

Learning aerial is hard. Teaching aerial is hard. Aerial classrooms are full of risks. If all of it becomes too serious, it's dead in the water. A sense of humor lets you bring levity to your classes, navigate challenges without pressuring yourself or students, and have fun even when things aren't going exactly as planned.

Getting your class laughing is also a surefire way to healthy nervous system co-regulation as a group, and this makes everyone feel safe and more receptive to learning.

5. To teach aerial arts, you need social-emotional understandings

Half if not more of teaching aerial is reading people and adapting to their needs. Having a grasp of the emotional, social, and psychological underpinnings of learning and group dynamics will go a very long way. This will help you identify potential issues before they arise (or nip them in the bud), give you frameworks for how to respond to difficult situations, and take care of yourself and the group all along the way.

To teach well, you need to:

be able to self-regulate under stress
communicate clearly
notice when a student is overwhelmed
redirect and provide feedback without shaming
handle fear responses
detach your ego from student performance
avoid projecting frustration

If you're still relaxed when someone misunderstands you for the fifth time…you’re going to have better learning outcomes (and personal satisfaction) long term.

aerial-teacher-training-neuroscience-silks-lyra-hoop-psychology — Want to learn more about the neuroscience at play in aerial learning? Join the wait list for this upcoming program, Neuroscience-informed Aerial Pedagogy.

5. To teach aerial arts, you need a grasp of how learning happens

Understanding basic theories of learning, especially for motor learning, is extremely helpful when navigating a dynamic aerial classroom. For example, knowing the three stages of motor learning, the difference between explicit and implicit learning systems (and why they don't work together) will prevent you from giving unnecessary cues that actually interfere, and help you identify where your students are at.

You do NOT need to be a neuroscientist to be successful at this. But having a grasp of how learning actually works will make you able to improvise and respond creatively as you teach.

5. To teach aerial arts, you need to value diversity

Aerial arts attracts a very very wide diversity of people, partially because it IS counterculture. Aerial classrooms are places that people can often find a sense of belonging that otherwise may be hard to find. Embracing diversity and difference helps create a safe and welcoming space where everyone can grow and learn together. It doesn't mean you have to tolerate anything that crosses boundaries - in fact it is your job to respond if and when that happens, to protect the learning environment. You do not need to be a diversity expert, simply open-minded and excited to support the people who walk through that door.

7. To teach aerial arts, you need a love of aerial

This will take you almost all the way. This will feed your curiosity, devotion, inspiration, and will literally ooze out of you as you teach. Loving aerial will get you through the challenging times and goes a very, very long way. .