Aerial Silks
Aerial Tissue Classes for Beginners: Your First Silks Class Guide
Aerial tissue — also called aerial silks or tissu — explained for total beginners: what the class is, what to wear, what to expect, and how to prepare.
Walking into your first aerial silks class can feel intimidating — soaring fabrics, dancers wrapped in elegant shapes, and a question pulsing in the back of your mind: am I strong enough for this? The honest answer from every instructor at Flexibility in Flight is the same: yes, and we'll meet you exactly where you are.
Aerial tissue vs. aerial silks: is there a difference?
No — aerial tissue and aerial silks are the same apparatus. "Tissue" (from the French tissu, meaning fabric) is the traditional circus term, and you will also hear aerial fabric, split silks, or simply silks. If you searched for aerial tissue classes, an aerial silks class is exactly what you are looking for. We use the terms interchangeably in the studio, and every one of our beginner silks classes is a beginner tissue class.
What is aerial tissue, really?
Aerial tissue is a circus art performed on two long pieces of fabric suspended from the ceiling. Students climb, wrap, invert, and pose — building strength, flexibility, and trust in their own bodies. It is equal parts dance, gymnastics, and meditation in motion.
What a beginner aerial tissue class looks like
- Warm-up and shoulder/grip conditioning on the floor (10–15 minutes)
- Foundational climbs: Russian climb and French climb, taught step by step
- Foot locks and single-footlock shapes just above the mat
- Your first inversion, spotted, with the fabric supporting you
- Cool-down, stretching, and questions with your instructor
Do you need to be strong or flexible already?
No. Strength and flexibility are the result of aerial training, not the prerequisite. Beginner classes start with foundational climbs, foot locks, and conditioning that quietly transform your body over the first 4–6 weeks. Most new students are surprised by how quickly they can hold their own weight.
What to wear to your first class
- Form-fitting leggings that cover the back of your knees
- A fitted t-shirt or long-sleeve top that covers your armpits
- No jewelry, zippers, or buttons (anything that could snag the fabric)
- Bare feet — no socks or shoes
- Long hair tied back and out of your face
What to expect in the first 60 minutes
- A warm-up focused on shoulders, core, and grip
- Foundational floor and low-flying drills
- Your first climb and foot lock
- A simple wrap or pose to take a photo in
- A cool-down stretch and Q&A with your instructor
How to prepare the day before
Hydrate well, eat a light meal 1–2 hours before class, and skip lotion or oil on your hands and arms — they need to grip. Arrive 10 minutes early so you can settle in, fill out a quick waiver, and meet your instructor.
Booking your first class in Chester, NY
Our Open Level Aerial Fabric class meets weekly at our boutique studio in downtown Chester, serving students from Goshen, Warwick, Middletown, Monroe, and across the Hudson Valley. Reserve your spot on the schedule page — small class sizes mean spots fill quickly.
