Acro is a style of dance that combines classical dance techniques with precision acrobatic elements. It’s defined by its athletic character, its unique choreography which seamlessly blends dance and acrobatics. It is most popular in such circus productions as those by Cirque du Soleil. Acro focuses on flexibility, endurance and strength. A perfect add-on to build a well-rounded dancer.
Beginner Acro offers young children an introduction to acrobatic dance and will provide them with the necessary building blocks for their potential dance development and overall fitness. By learning the benefits of flexibility, balance, strength, and body control inherent in all aspects of Acro, your child will be better equipped to safely enjoy and excel in all of his or her future athletic endeavours.
Junior Acro offers the next step to becoming an acrobatic dancer providing them with professional and safe instruction while learning new skills and tricks. These students will continue their fitness journey to prepare for the next step with a focus on flexibility, balance, strength and body control.
Intermediate Acro offers experienced students new skills and tricks as they work towards their best self. Variations and in-depth guidance help create an advanced acrobatic dancer.
Acro VS. Gymnastics
This is the most asked question parents have when we mention that we offer acrobatics, not gymnastics. While the two are very similar, it’s the execution that makes them different. Both require the performance of extraordinary physical feats such as balance, agility, flexibility and mastered motor coordination.
Gymnastics is a sport practised on a spring floor, a mat with actual springs built into it, which allow gymnasts to get the most height in their tricks with the most forgiving surface possible to prevent injury while performing these extreme tricks. In gymnastics, you will typically train with a multitude of different apparatuses, such as beams, a vaulting horse, horizontal and parallel bars, rings and a pommel horse. While gymnastics is a sport with its own competitions, it is most generally incorporated in cheerleading, which requires more stiff, hard-hitting motions and hard-hitting, advanced gymnastic tricks.
Acrobatics also referred to acro in short, is thought to be a subdivision of gymnastics. Unlike gymnastics, acro is practised and performed on a stage. Acro requires dancers to train their bodies to withstand the impact safely. Acro is a softer, more graceful line movement with a more fluid prep and landing as it gets seamlessly integrated within the dance choreography. Acro also focuses more on body contortion and tricks that defy the centre of gravity, whereas gymnastics tricks are meant to be executed in straight lines. These advance tricks require a strong dance and acro foundation that is achieved with proper training and discipline.
In short, both sports will strengthen the body, motor coordination, flexibility and self-confidence, but the major difference is the approach, landing and which form of creative movement they're incorporated with when not performed alone. Both will be similar, some tricks will overlap and then each has their own tricks. If the end goal for your dancer is to have a well-rounded dancer who can handle advanced and exciting choreography, acro will condition a dancer for just that.
To register for an Acro class, email pauladaveydance@gmail.com