Acrobatic training teaches flexibility, balance, strength, muscle control, and above all, discipline and concentration. The high degree of discipline and concentration required for acrobatics carries over to many aspects of a student’s life, including academics and other athletic performance.

Good acrobatic schools give great freedom of expression to a performer. In an acrobatic dance, you can add dance elements from ballet, jazz, modern, or even tap to make your dance an expression of your personality. There are no rules limiting the movements you may perform, the length of your dance, or the type of music you must use.

You are able to add partner stunts to a group presentation, and the possibilities for using props and equipment are many. One of my most successful pieces of ensemble acrobatic choreography was a Can-Can for an advanced class of sixteen high school age dancers. The audience reaction to more than a dozen people walking on their hands across the stage to the beat of the music was phenomenal. Those young performers were thrilled at the tremendous applause and positive feedback they received that evening, and came back to acrobatic class re-energized.

Basic tumbling skills can be an added bonus for any dancer or athlete.  With careful, quality instruction, a dancer will gain more flexibility and upper body strength, giving him or her a substantial advantage in today's demanding choreography.  It is an excellent way to learn spatial awareness, an important element in partnering and ensemble work. The acrobatic skills taught using Ms. Voelpel’s syllabus are compatible with ballet. Those schools which teach only acrobatics or gymnastics fail to integrate the proper body alignment taught in classical ballet.

Follow this link to see Acrobats in Action: Acrobatic Photos

Ms. Voelpel

(Click to see larger view)