Acro Dance at Flatirons
Acro Program
Our Acro program uses a leveled structure that helps dancers build specific Acro and gymnastics skills. A dancer's skill level determines their class level — please refer to our skill sheets to choose the appropriate level.
Warm-Up for All Levels
Every Acro class starts here, regardless of level:
- Jumping jacks
- Lunge side to side
- Noodle arms
- Head roll, 4 right & 4 left
- Wrist and ankle rolls, balance right & left
- Hula hoops, 4 right & 4 left
- Arm circles with square shoulders, 5 back & 5 forward on right and left
- Chin tuck, roll to standing pike, press to full body tuck, to stand — 4x
- Tondu to acro first, flex wrist to show wide hand position (alternate sides, 8x total)
- Roll down, walk out to front support plank hold (emphasize wide hand position, flat on the floor), lower to belly…
- 10 open body holds (start with 5 sec hold)
- 10 hollow body holds (start with 5 sec hold)
- Pull to child's pose, roll up to knees
- Split preparation on right & left
- Table top hold 30 sec, drop and roll into candle
- 5 rock and rolls to sitting, 5 rock and rolls to sitting with hands over head, 5 rock and rolls to acro first, 5 rock and roll…
Skill Breakdown by Level
Tap a level below to see the specific skills dancers work toward at each stage.
Acro 1Handstands · Floor Stands · Cartwheel · Rolls · Bridges · Tinsica ▾
Handstands
- Pike handstand (both feet on wall) 10 sec
- L Handstand (single leg on wall, right & left)
- Pre-handstand, Tondu, kick, tondu
- Facing wall 20 sec hold
- Shoulder shrugs (3+)
Floor Stands
- Teddy Bear Stand 10 sec hold
- Headstand tuck position 10 sec hold
Cartwheel
- Open body cartwheel (toaster cartwheel) right
- Open body cartwheel (toaster cartwheel) left
- Open body cartwheel following a straight line, right and left
Rolls
- Forward roll to stand without pushing off ground with hands
- Pike roll
- Straddle roll
- Rock and roll to candlestick
- Backroll
Bridges
- Push up following knees, feet, wrist
- Wave right and left
- Posse right and left
- Crab walk with weight in shoulders, maintaining hand/foot placement
- Kneeling half bridge
Tinsica
- Table top roll over
Acro 2Handstands · Floor Stands · Cartwheel · Rolls · Bridges · Tinsica · Handsprings ▾
Handstands
- Facing wall 40 sec hold
- Handstand shoulder shrug (20)
- Center of the floor, 5 sec hold, ankles together
Floor Stands
- Forearm stand, legs split (20 sec)
- Headstand press to straddle (10 sec)
Cartwheel
- 1 hand, right
- 1 hand, left
- Closed (square), right
- Closed (square), left
- To the floor
- Round off
- Donkey kicks
- Hurdle, cartwheel, rebound
Rolls
- Dive, 2-foot push off
- Roll to headstand
Bridges
- Bridge prance
- Right & left retire to develop
- Bridge walks, maintaining proper hand and shoulder alignment
- Wall walk from standing to floor
- Standing to bridge
- Standing to bridge with recovery
- Handstand to bridge
- Front limber, 8 count
- Front limber with recovery
- Bridge with kick & jump
- Kickover off mat
- Bridge kickover with tondu leg
Tinsica
- Inside out, right and left
Handsprings
- Rocking bridges
Acro 3Handstands · Floor Stands · Cartwheel · Rolls · Bridges · Tinsica · Handsprings · Aerials ▾
Handstands
- Facing wall, 1 minute hold
- Handstand shoulder shrug (20)
- Handstand shoulder taps (10)
- Handstand walk
Floor Stands
- Forearm stand, legs together & extended (20 sec)
- Headstand, legs together & extended (20 sec)
Cartwheel
- Windmill
Round Off
- Hurdle round off
Rolls
- Handstand forward roll
- Roll to handstand extension (back extension)
Bridges
- Bridge with straight legs, feet together, armpits open
- Bridge recovers, 3x in a row, 8 counts down, 8 counts up
- Backwalkover
- Front walkover
- Tick tocks
Tinsica
- Spider, right
- Spider, left
Handsprings
- Back Arabian limber
Aerials
- Introduce drills
- Introduce 4-step system
Acro 4Aerials · Bridges · Tinsica · Handsprings ▾
Aerials
- Aerial prep, step 1
- Aerial prep, step 2
- Aerial prep, step 3
- Aerial prep, step 4 (Aerial)
- Side aerial to knee
- Side aerial from knee to knee
- Flying front walkover
- 4-step aerial system
- Front aerial
Bridges
- One-handed backwalkover
- Valdez
- Moon walkover
Tinsica
- Tinsica from kneeling
- Tinsica from standing
Handsprings
- Back Arabian walkover
- Standing backhandspring
- Round off backhandspring
- Front handspring
- Headspring
Acro 5Teacher permission only ▾
Acro Classes Perform in the Spring Recital!
Every Acro level gets its moment on stage — one more reason to love this program.
Location
Questions about Acro placement? Reach out to Jessica Fitzgerald at jessica@flatironsdance.com — or register here to save your spot.