

About Upside Aerial
Why is Circus Arts training becoming so popular? It's an awesome workout that feels more like playtime than exercise. Playgrounds shouldn't just be for little kids. Adults need playtime too! At Upside Aerial Arts & Fitness, we encourage adults of all ages, sizes, and fitness levels to dance, climb, play, and fly! We offer aerial and circus arts classes that build strength and flexibility while providing a fun, creative outlet. We pride ourselves on our welcoming, supportive, non-competitive environment. We offer aerial and circus arts group classes for adults (age 16+), private lessons (age 9+), parties (age 9+) and professional event entertainment.
How To Start
New to Aerial & Circus Arts? Get started with one of these:
Adult Beginner Classes
Intro to Aerial Silks, Lyra (Aerial Hoop), Sling and Intro to Aerial Sampler classes are open to beginnners, age 16+. Get our discounted Intro to Aerial package: 4 Intro classes for $76.
Pricing and Packages
Class Packages
Buying packages of classes & services is a great way to save money and make booking even easier!
Single Sessions
Just want to try it? Try a Drop-In class or Private Lesson. Try a Semi-Private Lesson to cut the cost by bringing friends!
Gift Certificates
Give experiences instead of stuff! Our e-gift cards can be used for group classes, private lessons, workshops and more.


🎪Flex Friday: Splits, Hips, & Straddles with @everydayaerialist Fridays at 4:30pm
🎪Intro to Aerial Sampler with @kirsten.j.barker March 21st, April 4th & 18th
🎪New Sling class times beginning April 2nd: Intro to Sling Wednesdays at 7:30pm & Level 1-2 Sling Thursdays at 7:15pm with @meg_clutter
🎪✨Performer Call✨Upside After Dark: Whimsy & Wickedness an Adults 18+ Showcase SATURDAY, JUNE 14th. Sign up deadline March 23rd!
🎪Spring Showcase Performer Check-in Sat. March 15th - Sat. March 29th.
🎪Dance Trapeze Workshop with @aether_alison Saturday, April 12th 4:45 PM – 6:45 PM.
🎪Silks, Sling, Lyra & Trapeze Workshops with @circusecho Friday, May 16th - Sunday, May 18th. You can also book private or semi-private lessons with her in a huge variety of disciplines (silks, corde lisse (rope), sling, lyra, trapeze, double sling or loops, chains, straps, aerial partnering, and more!)
🎪Arts Program Event for Alamance Public Libraries March 22nd from 12pm to 3pm. Volunteers needed! If you’d like to help, call/text/email and we’ll send you the details!
upsideaerial@gmail.com | 336-270-9854
🎪RSVP: Burlington Carousel Festival May 3rd & 4th.
🎪Upside Aerial Arts & Fitness owner, @michellespurlock, won the Alamance County Chamber of Commerce Entrepreneur of the Year Award! 🏆
🎪High Flyer Fund Financial Aid
Spring Application Deadline: Monday, March 31st. If you or someone you know may benefit from financial assistance please apply!
🎪✨New Student Deal✨
Intro to Aerial 4-Class Pass $76!
📰Read the newsletter📰
https://shorturl.at/99gGG


♥️🎪♥️🎪
An extra special celebratory lift goes to @_alex.oliva_ who many of you worked with on aerial pole and straps while the show was in town!
♥️🎪♥️🎪


Upside is more than just a place to train. Since 2016, Michelle has been building what has become a second home for many of us. In good times and bad, Upside has been a safe place (our “aerial bubble”) that challenges and inspires us. The Upside community teaches us to expand our previously held notions of what is possible (i.e., we can fly) and allows us the freedom to play and express ourselves.
For these reasons and many more, we are grateful for Michelle. Please join us in congratulating her on this extraordinary honor! ♥️🎪♥️
#circusfamilyforlife


💛 🩷 💛
This 75 min ground class will focus on mobility and flexibility for splits, hips, and straddles. In addition to developing your splits on the ground we will practice drills intended to strengthen your aerial splits and straddles so you can flex and fly!
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NO EXPERIENCE REQUIRED. Book on our website or app!


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https://www.upsideaerial.com/booking-calendar/aerial-straps-private-lesson
https://www.upsideaerial.com/booking-calendar/aerial-straps-semi-private-lesson
https://www.upsideaerial.com/booking-calendar/aerial-pole-private-lesson
https://www.upsideaerial.com/service-page/aerial-pole-semi-private-lesson


🎪 🏴 ♥️
#circusfamilyforlife


Swipe for the moment we surprised him with the certificate. 🥰
Join James for Intro to Lyra Saturdays at 10:30am! ⭕️♥️
Thanks to @raeacro for capturing the moment. 📸


🎪 Fabric Theory 101 Workshop with @michellespurlock - 2/23
🎪 Feb Aerial Classes
🎪 Sign up to perform in our Spring Showcase or Chicago production
🎪 Join us for locally touring circus shows: Solstice & Rouge
🎪 Spring Financial Aid Application Deadline
📸 @paulholmesphoto




✨🎪 Upside Aerial’s biannual showcases are a chance to celebrate our community, share our art with family and friends & get excited about what we do as aerialists!
✨🎪 At Upside, our goal is to support adults of any age, size, color, fitness background, sexual orientation or gender identity through the joy of circus arts & aerial dance!
✨🎪 The performer sign up deadline is FEBRUARY 10th so make sure to read the showcase newetter and sign up to tell us you’re interested!
https://shorturl.at/pwhPR


🎪Hang, swing, wrap and spin! Single-point dance trapeze is a versatile aerial apparatus that allows exploration of both soft and hard apparatuses: soft aerial apparatuses (like aerial silks and sling) allow you move the apparatus around your body. Hard apparatuses (like lyra/aerial hoop) don’t change shape so you move your body around them. Trapeze is unique because it combines a soft apparatus (the ropes) with a hard apparatus (the steel trapeze bar). You get the best of both worlds with trapeze!
🎪This intermediate-level 75-minute trapeze group class is for adult students (age 16+) with previous trapeze experience. Students should have solid straight arm and bent arm hangs and the ability to invert in the air. Familiarity with foundational trapeze skills (Catcher’s, Corset, Double Knee Hang/Hocks, and various mounts - tuck under, pullover, and angel/single knee hook mount) are ideal. Not sure if you have adequate experience? Contact us! New to trapeze? Book a Private or Semi-Private Trapeze Lesson to get you ready to join this group class.
#Trapeze #AerialTrapeze #DanceTrapeze #CircusLife #CircusArts #Aerialist #AerialFitness #ncaerialists #burlingtonnc


🎪 Inclement Weather Policy
🎪2025 Community Questionnaire
🎪New Lyra Teacher, James Dodd
🎪February Class Offerings Update
🎪Dance Trapeze, Intro Aerial Sampler
🎪Performance Opportunities
🎪Spring Financial Aid Application
Deadline
Check your inboxes or visit the url to read about all the exciting things happening at Upside!
https://shorturl.at/G2C2q


🎪♥️Aerial and circus arts classes are more expensive than typical fitness classes. Class sizes are kept small to allow for personalized instruction from highly trained teachers with years of specialized experience. In addition, the high cost of liability insurance and expensive aerial and rigging equipment means we have to charge more for our classes to keep the studio running.
🎪♥️The High Flyer Fund is supported by community donations and stems from Upside’s deep commitment to making quality aerial education more accessible.
🎪♥️If you would like to give the gift of flight please consider donating to the fund!
🎪♥️For more information, to donate to the fund, or to apply for a scholarship please visit the url below:
https://www.upsideaerial.com/financial-aid-donations


🎪♥️🎪
Single-point dance trapeze is a versatile aerial apparatus that allows exploration of both soft and hard apparatuses: soft aerial apparatuses (like aerial silks and sling) allow you move the apparatus around your body. Hard apparatuses (like lyra/aerial hoop) don’t change shape so you move your body around them. Trapeze is unique because it combines a soft apparatus (the ropes) with a hard apparatus (the steel trapeze bar). You get the best of both worlds with trapeze!
🎪♥️🎪
PREREQUISITES: This intermediate-level 75-minute trapeze group class is for adult students (age 16+) with previous trapeze experience. Students should have solid straight arm and bent arm hangs and the ability to invert in the air. Familiarity with foundational trapeze skills (Catcher’s, Corset, Double Knee Hang/Hocks, and various mounts - tuck under, pullover, and angel/single knee hook mount) are ideal.
🎪♥️🎪
Not sure if you have adequate experience? Contact us! New to trapeze? Book a Private or Semi-Private Trapeze Lesson to get you ready to join this group class.
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Sign up under the classes tab on our app or website!


❄️Winter Schedule
❄️Financial Aid Application Deadline
❄️Merch Pick-up
❄️Intro Aerial Sampler 1/3
❄️Gift Certificates and More!


🎁🎪Get a gift card for the aerialist in your life under the Pricing tab of our website!