Aerial anything can be so intimidating to try! We promise the benefits make it so worth it. Know that we work with people of all backgrounds and ages; most of our students have zero aerial experience before attending with us, so no worries if this is your first time (in fact, we LOVE you beginners, you keep us young and fun and curious). You are invited to progress at your own pace when you feel comfortable and confident doing so; we feel like more of a movement community with a serious sense of adventure than a more traditional circus studio.

As much as we can wax poetic about the benefits of an aerial practice (the stretch! the lower back release! the strength! the FUN!), there is truly no substitute for just jumping in and giving it a try to see if it’s for you. If you are looking for a class 100% tailored to brand new beginners, we highly recommend our Intro to Aerial Hammock Sling drop-in or our 2.5 hour Flight Foundations Intro Workshop.

You can attend a Level I class without taking Intro to Hammock/Sling or Flight Foundations, but you will feel most comfortable and secure in the apparatus if you’ve had the intro class to show you the basics.

Zen Flight is another gentle introduction to the silk; there aren’t always inversions, and there’s little aerial technique taught, but it’s a great way to dip a toe in! Check out our Our Classes and our New Student pages for more class descriptions and curriculum information.

Pro tip: plan to take at least 3-5 classes before solidifying judgment. Aerial movement certainly CAN be uncomfortable in the beginning while your body (and nervous system) get used to the tension and pressure the silk puts on your body. If you’ve never put your body through this sort of experience, how would it be ready, how would it know to feel safe? If it’s been ten years since your vestibular was challenged with a 180 degree inversion, of course it’s not going to feel natural. We design our Intro class with this in mind. Many students report feeling comfortable after 3-5 Level 1 or Intro classes.

The magic is worth it, we promise! Find your best starter plan here.

We highly recommend you start with Intro to Aerial Hammock/Sling or Flight Foundations. Both classes are specifically designed to help you acclimate to the silk and direct it (and yourself) through space. We understand schedules can be challenging but request you refrain from attending Level II classes until you meet the pre-requisite; this is both for your safety and the experience of our students who appropriately level themselves.

That being said, all of our Level I classes are suitable for brand new folks!

You have several fitness options in which you use the silk as a tool for both stretching and strengthening:
Barre Blast • Fit Flight Level I • Abs & Arms

A more restorative, gentle way to start would be: Zen Flight • Yin Flight

You’re always welcome to schedule a 1-on-1 private session as your first or your fiftieth experience; all of our instructors are comfortable working with brand new folks.

Tips for having an awesome first class:

Wear comfortable clothing that feels good to move in (ie: whatever you’d wear for a regular yoga class). More form fitting clothing tends to be less “in the way” and less likely to leave you exposed during inversions, but you do you. We mentioned the pressure of the silk a bit ago - you may prefer to have armpit and knee coverage for your first few classes.

Please arrive 10-15 minutes early so we have time to show you around, answer any questions you may have about your first class & get you set up with a hammock at the proper height.

• We also ask that you remove all jewelry that may get caught on or snag the hammock. Especially rings! Students who damage silks with ornamental jewelry will be charged for their replacement (around $175).

• A yoga mat is NOT needed for our classes. We provide all props.

Our rigs are easily able to accommodate a student weight of up to 400lbs. One concern for students in larger bodies can be pulling up into the fabric and additional compression from the hammock, but there are many ways we can help accommodate any issues that come up. You will be encouraged and welcomed at any size!

Ballard Studio (2821 NW Market St)

Located in the Public Storage building near the Ballard Locks (between Portage Bay Cafe and Edgeworks Climbing Seattle), there is free parking in the shared lot in front of the studio. Street parking is available to the east on Market Street, or to the north in the neighborhood. Paid parking can be found for a very reasonable price at the Ballard Locks, which is free on Sundays. There is also paid parking behind the Nordic Heritage Museum. Parking can be a little tricky (particularly on weekends during brunch hours), so we encourage you to plan a few extra minutes to hunt for a spot if needed. The Ballard studio offers complimentary snack bites, a bottle refilling station, cubbies to store your personal items and restroom down the hall. The studio floor is padded, so mats are not required. Blankets are available for use during floor time, such as shavasana.

Lower Queen Anne Studio (114 W Denny Way, Suite A284)

Located in the northern triangle of Northwest Work Lofts, where Denny splits off from Elliott, there is free street parking on Denny in front of the building. A mix of free and paid street parking can be found behind the building on Elliott Ave. Additional paid street parking can be found further south on Western Ave at a very reasonable hourly rate, or in the lot across Denny by the Queen Anne Beer Hall. Like the Ballard studio, we recommend budgeting a few extra minutes in case you need to hunt down a spot. The studio has complimentary snack bites and cubbies for personal belongings. A water fountain and restrooms are in the hallway just outside the studio doors. This studio features hardwood floors, so mats are available for student use, but feel free to bring your own if you prefer.

The Lower Queen Anne studio has secured access from the street and requires a door code for entry. The code will be provided to you with your reservation reminder, so be sure to check your email and text messages from the studio. Once you enter the building, proceed down the stairs and turn left. The studio door will be on your right as you pass through the large doorway down the hall. You will pass the restrooms and water fountain along the way.

Please see our Instagram; there is a pinned post with visual aids.

We use Walla as our reservation system to book classes, so you’ll need to create a Walla account. Because certain classes do sell out, we suggest you pre-reserve your class in advance! After you’ve created your online profile and purchased your class package or plan, you’ll be able to secure your spot.

Ready to book? Schedule your class here.

Please note: we require 12 hours notice for cancellations. Late cancels will result in a $20 late cancel/no show fee (unless canceled for illness or emergency.) If you need to late cancel for an unavoidable reason, please do so online and then email us at info@chrysalisaerialmovement.com and we’d be happy to remove the pending late fee.

Good news: most people who sign up on the waitlist end up getting into the class! If you sign up on the waitlist, please plan on making it to the class.

You can be added to the class up to one hour before the class begins. You will receive an email and text notification (as long as you haven’t opted out of SMS messages) that you have made it into the class.

If you make other plans after signing up, be sure to cancel your waitlist reservation to leave room for the people who can attend. No shows/late cancels from the waitlist are also subject to the $20 late cancel fee.

Plan cancelation requests can be submitted in one of two ways:

—Via email to info@chrysalisaerialmovement.com

—By clicking “cancel plan” within your Walla account.

Please note that membership payments are not refundable for any reason and generally require a minimum of three days cancellation notice. Some plans require longer cancel notices; please see your particular membership contract.

To place your plan on a complimentary hold (up to two months in a calendar year), please email info@chrysalisaerialmovement.com at least three days prior to your hold date with the dates of your absence.

• While we love your kids & pets, please note that for everyone’s safety they need to stay at home.

• Please remove rings or jewelry that may snag or rip the silk.

• Let your instructor know if you have a medical device that may come in contact with the silk; your instructor will guide you away from wraps or transitions that would interfere. We’re always happy to offer alternatives!

• We are unable to accommodate guests who would like to watch a class; please check our social media or read our “our classes” page for more curriculum information.

• Service animals are warmly welcomed.

• These are adult movement classes; we cannot accommodate children in class or in the lobby.

• Ages 13+ are welcome to attend with an adult; ages 15+ are welcome to attend alone

• Chrysalis reserves the right to refuse service to anyone. Behaviors such as yelling/screaming, becoming physically aggressive, or being verbally disrespectful to our students or staff will result in your removal from the studio.