Between the Lines

Do you need permission to teach that skill? Independence, autonomy, and flexibility in aerial teacher training

If you teach aerial (or want to), how much freedom do you want in deciding how and what you teach? Do you want a clear list of skills you’ve been signed off on, or do you want to feel confident analyzing new skills, making your own progression decisions, and adapting to the student in front of you? When I built the Bloom Aerial Teacher Training, I broke the norm with a very intentional pedagogical choice around that question.. I wanted to give teachers strong structure, clear foundations, and rigorous progression, without making them feel beholden to one exact curriculum or one person’s way of teaching. In this episode, I talk about why I prioritize independence, critical and creative thinking, and how there are entire dimensions of teaching that don't fit into a "level" format at all - understanding risk, motor learning, nervous system awareness, safety psychology, and more. Because ultimately, I want your investment in teacher training to give you more freedom, flexibility, and autonomy - not less. the 4-month online Bloom Aerial Teacher Training is currently enrolling for Fall - if this format resonates with you, check out the link below for details. New 6 and 12-month payment plans are available! FALL ENROLLMENT open now for online certification & mentorship: BLOOM Aerial Teacher Training www.embodiedaerial.com/aerial-teacher-training FREE TRAINING: Aerial Teacher Upgrade: www.embodiedaerial.com/aerial-teacher-upgrade Aerial Silks Online Tutorial Library: www.embodiedaerial.com/aerial-silks-online Strength Programs - www.embodiedaerial.com/strength Cello Intro & Outro Music by Shaun Diaz Submit an idea or guest pitch www.embodiedaerial.com/podcast

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Aerial instructors are handling more than we think: teaching as a real skill, profession, and craft

Aerial teachers are doing far more than we tend to acknowledge. You’re not just demonstrating skills and correcting shapes. You’re constantly making decisions about readiness, fear, technique, communication, risk, attention, strength, mobility, and learning, and you're managing a dynamic learning environment with diverse students. And yet, as an industry, we still tend to treat aerial instruction like something you can mostly pick up by doing aerial long enough, shadowing a few classes, and eventually stepping in to teach. In this episode, I’m unpacking the hidden complexity of aerial instruction, why being a strong aerialist and being a strong teacher are not the same skill set, and why our profession deserves to be taken seriously. We’ll talk about the hidden curriculum of aerial, variability between students, the sometimes unseen consequences of limited teaching, why even successful classes can contain blind spots, and what changes when we start treating aerial instruction as a discipline in its own right. FALL ENROLLMENT open now for online certification & mentorship: BLOOM Aerial Teacher Training www.embodiedaerial.com/aerial-teacher-training FREE TRAINING: Aerial Teacher Upgrade: www.embodiedaerial.com/aerial-teacher-upgrade Aerial Silks Online Tutorial Library: www.embodiedaerial.com/aerial-silks-online Strength Programs - www.embodiedaerial.com/strength Cello Intro & Outro Music by Shaun Diaz Submit an idea or guest pitch www.embodiedaerial.com/podcast

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Trick Chasing & the Slow Aerial Movement

In this episode of Between the Lines, we’re talking about trick chasing - when it's a problem, when it's not, and how it affects your training. EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENT! ***The BLOOM Aerial Teacher Training Fall Session Launches October 4th: scroll down to learn more.*** We’ll also look at trick chasing from the instructor’s side: what happens when students bring you a constant stream of Instagram skills, why teachers can feel pressured to keep delivering something new and exciting, and how the culture you create in your classes shapes what your students learn to value. Plus, I share practical ways to work with trick-chasing students without killing their enthusiasm, how to set boundaries around Instagram requests, and what to do if you’re the one who can’t stop chasing the next trick. Between the Lines is for aerial instructors and aerialists who want the fuller picture and want to go deeper in their craft. FALL ENROLLMENT open now for online certification & mentorship: BLOOM Aerial Teacher Training www.embodiedaerial.com/aerial-teacher-training FREE TRAINING: Aerial Teacher Upgrade: www.embodiedaerial.com/aerial-teacher-upgrade Aerial Silks Online Tutorial Library: www.embodiedaerial.com/aerial-silks-online Strength Programs - www.embodiedaerial.com/strength Cello Intro & Outro Music by Shaun Diaz Submit an idea or guest pitch www.embodiedaerial.com/podcast

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Grace doesn't have to wait: we’ve normalized beginner chaos without questioning the instruction

What if beginners looking like a lizard on a stick isn’t inevitable? In aerial, we often expect too much and too little from beginners at the same time. We give them complex skills that demand strength, coordination, memory, and courage, without teaching real body awareness, then attribute their chaotic, disorganized movement to being new. But what happens when we reduce the complexity enough for students to actually pay attention to how they’re moving, and teach them how to organize - not just survive the skill? In this episode, we’re challenging the assumption that grace is something you earn once you become advanced. We’ll talk about why body awareness and technical detail is a missing layer in so much aerial instruction, and why struggle and messy movement absolutely belong in training without needing to define the entire beginner experience. Grace isn’t an advanced skill. With appropriately scaled tasks and detailed instruction, every aerialist can experience intentional, beautiful movement from the beginning. ⚡ Want to put this into practice? Cleaner Lines: 7 Days to More Intentional Aerial Movement breaks down the fundamentals of body awareness and engagement details behind cleaner, more organized movement without needing an apparatus. It’s for aerialists who want to better understand and organize their own bodies and aerial teachers who want practical tools and language to help their students feel and look graceful from DAY 1, and develop body awareness instead of simply telling them to “point their toes." www.embodiedaerial.com/clean-lines-challenge FALL ENROLLMENT open now for online certification & mentorship: BLOOM Aerial Teacher Training www.embodiedaerial.com/aerial-teacher-training FREE TRAINING: Aerial Teacher Upgrade: www.embodiedaerial.com/aerial-teacher-upgrade Aerial Silks Online Tutorial Library: www.embodiedaerial.com/aerial-silks-online Strength Programs - www.embodiedaerial.com/strength Cello Intro & Outro Music by Shaun Diaz Submit an idea or guest pitch www.embodiedaerial.com/podcast

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New to Aerial? Safety, self-advocacy & getting the most out of class

Starting aerial can be exciting, intimidating, confusing, and a little hard to know what’s normal when you’re brand new. In this episode, we can't cover everything, but we'll get started with what every beginner aerialist should know before (and during) their first classes: green and red flags to look for in a studio, what to expect when you’re starting from zero, what good instruction can look like, how to navigate the challenges of class, how to participate in a way that makes the space safer for everyone, and how to advocate for yourself without feeling like a “difficult” student. We’ll talk about safe equipment, boundaries, pain & fear, consent and hands-on spotting, asking for modifications, communicating with your instructor, and why you absolutely do not need to be strong, flexible, graceful, or “in shape” before you begin. Rigging Safety Information from Momentum Aerial: https://www.momentumaerial.org/blog/2020/3/29/rigging-at-home-series-2-rated-gear-and-its-applications Safety in Aerial Arts Facebook Group (ask questions here) https://www.facebook.com/groups/622174321133562 Get online support with strength & skills: www.embodiedaerial.com/strength FALL ENROLLMENT open now for online certification & mentorship: BLOOM Aerial Teacher Training www.embodiedaerial.com/aerial-teacher-training FREE TRAINING: Aerial Teacher Upgrade: www.embodiedaerial.com/aerial-teacher-upgrade Aerial Silks Online Tutorial Library: www.embodiedaerial.com/aerial-silks-online Strength Programs - www.embodiedaerial.com/strength Cello Intro & Outro Music by Shaun Diaz Submit an idea or guest pitch www.embodiedaerial.com/podcast

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“Uncoachable” Students: let’s talk about it.

“Uncoachable” is a big label to put on a student and it's been making the rounds on social media. But it's time to retire the concept altogether - not because you should work with every student, but because there's a much deeper conversation hidden between the lines. In this episode, we’re unpacking the idea of the “coachable” student, the assumptions we make about students who challenge us, and how labels can shape the way we teach and create less diverse spaces. We’ll talk teacher-student fit, psychological safety, confirmation bias, and why the students who are hardest for us to reach might expose some of the most important gaps in our teaching. Not every student is the right fit for every teacher. But “this student is difficult for me to teach” and “this student is uncoachable” are two very different conclusions. ANNOUNCEMENT! The wait list for the "7 Days to Cleaner Aerial Lines Challenge" is open now. Add your name to get this program for $27 instead of $97. FALL ENROLLMENT open now for online certification & mentorship: BLOOM Aerial Teacher Training www.embodiedaerial.com/aerial-teacher-training FREE TRAINING: Aerial Teacher Upgrade: www.embodiedaerial.com/aerial-teacher-upgrade Aerial Silks Online Tutorial Library: www.embodiedaerial.com/aerial-silks-online Strength Programs - www.embodiedaerial.com/strength Cello Intro & Outro Music by Shaun Diaz Submit an idea or guest pitch www.embodiedaerial.com/podcast

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Learning Under Load - there's a reason you can't locate your right leg

In this episode, I break down the common barriers to entering an aerial class and the unusual demands students face once they get there (yep, why you can't find your leg or remember your first name when upside down), and why teaching to the nervous system reduces risk and supports better learning outcomes. I share the story of a student who barely convinced herself to try aerial, and explore how a teacher’s ability to recognize and respond to what students are managing can directly influence safety, learning, and their experience in the classroom. I also introduce my High-Load Teaching Framework and Beyond Technique Professional Development workshop for aerial studios. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: Beyond Technique: The hidden curriculum of high-load learning for aerial and movement educators High-Load Teaching Framework FALL ENROLLMENT open now for online certification & mentorship: BLOOM Aerial Teacher Training www.embodiedaerial.com/aerial-teacher-training FREE TRAINING: Aerial Teacher Upgrade: www.embodiedaerial.com/aerial-teacher-upgrade Aerial Silks Online Tutorial Library: www.embodiedaerial.com/aerial-silks-online Strength Programs - www.embodiedaerial.com/strength Cello Intro & Outro Music by Shaun Diaz Submit an idea or guest pitch www.embodiedaerial.com/podcast

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How Losing My Studio Led Me Here - the messy road of becoming

In this episode, I'm sharing the story of my aerial teaching journey from day 1 to where I am today, including the joy and grief that happened in between. We'll talk about letting go of something you still love, surviving the seasons that feel like brutal endings, and why what looks like an off-ramp may be something else altogether. Whether you're an aerial teacher, studio owner, artist, or simply standing at a crossroads in your own life, I hope this conversation brings a light to your journey and what matters most for you. FALL ENROLLMENT open now for online certification & mentorship: BLOOM Aerial Teacher Training www.embodiedaerial.com/aerial-teacher-training FREE TRAINING: Aerial Teacher Upgrade: www.embodiedaerial.com/aerial-teacher-upgrade Aerial Silks Online Tutorial Library: www.embodiedaerial.com/aerial-silks-online Strength Programs - www.embodiedaerial.com/strength Cello Intro & Outro Music by Shaun Diaz Submit an idea or guest pitch www.embodiedaerial.com/podcast

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Evolving Past Generic Instruction - and how it's an equity problem

In this episode we explore how deeply understanding skills makes you stand out as an instructor, and how generic aerial instruction is actually an equity problem. Because describing movement you can see isn't teaching - it's narration. FREE TRAINING: Aerial Teacher Upgrade: www.embodiedaerial.com/aerial-teacher-upgrade FALL ENROLLMENT open now for online certification & mentorship: BLOOM Aerial Teacher Training www.embodiedaerial.com/aerial-teacher-training FREE TRAINING: Aerial Teacher Upgrade: www.embodiedaerial.com/aerial-teacher-upgrade Aerial Silks Online Tutorial Library: www.embodiedaerial.com/aerial-silks-online Strength Programs - www.embodiedaerial.com/strength Cello Intro & Outro Music by Shaun Diaz Submit an idea or guest pitch www.embodiedaerial.com/podcast

Listener Question: Gaps in Foundations & Nonlinear Pedagogy

Today we consider a question from listener Rachel Lamb (@rlamb_leg) who observed that many studios have a trick-focused curriculum with significant gaps in the foundations. We explore how this is a common pattern, when nonlinear pedagogy can workand when it introduces risk and limitations for students. We talk about what it means to really devote ourselves to the craft of teaching and rising to the challenge of becoming an expert, not just guessing our way through. For students who want more foundational work: www.wakefulascent.com/aerial-silks-online Www.wakefulascent.com/strength (technique-focused strength) Free Hidden Gaps Training for instructors and instructors-to-be: www.wakefulascent.com/aerial-teacher-training FALL ENROLLMENT open now for online certification & mentorship: BLOOM Aerial Teacher Training www.embodiedaerial.com/aerial-teacher-training FREE TRAINING: Aerial Teacher Upgrade: www.embodiedaerial.com/aerial-teacher-upgrade Aerial Silks Online Tutorial Library: www.embodiedaerial.com/aerial-silks-online Strength Programs - www.embodiedaerial.com/strength Cello Intro & Outro Music by Shaun Diaz Submit an idea or guest pitch www.embodiedaerial.com/podcast

The joy & responsibility of working with absolute beginners

In the final episode of our 3-part series devoted to beginners, we explore the emotional landscapes of new students and experienced instructors. We consider how respecting the art form develops appreciation for the significance of the teaching role itself, fostering self-respect, and how caring for the art form helps us better care for our students as well. We take you back to your first ever class, and explore how it informs your ever-evolving journey. If you know teaching is more than a list of tricks, a job, a hobby, and you want the education and mentorship that can take you to the next level of your craft, check out the free training on the hidden gaps of aerial instruction and how we can close those gaps with the BLOOM Aerial teacher training - linked below. Thanks for listening ;) DM on instagram @sarakaiser.aerial or email info@wakefulascent.com to continue the conversation. FALL ENROLLMENT open now for online certification & mentorship: BLOOM Aerial Teacher Training www.embodiedaerial.com/aerial-teacher-training FREE TRAINING: Aerial Teacher Upgrade: www.embodiedaerial.com/aerial-teacher-upgrade Aerial Silks Online Tutorial Library: www.embodiedaerial.com/aerial-silks-online Strength Programs - www.embodiedaerial.com/strength Cello Intro & Outro Music by Shaun Diaz Submit an idea or guest pitch www.embodiedaerial.com/podcast

The Retention Problem - what makes beginners stay or leave?

In this episode we explore the common experience of the beginner student and some of the biggest reasons that contribute to their decision to continue or call it quits. We explore how studios can organize to create an outstanding beginner experience and inspire students to keep coming back - without rushing foundations and skipping to fancy tricks. The retention problem is a very layered thing, and we need many different pieces to be in place for it to happen. From what kind of student you attract to how you create psychological safety and belonging, retention requires intention. Learn more about the ASCEND Retention System and book a free consultation: http://www.wakefulascent.com/ascend-retention-system Take your teaching skills to the highest standards with the BLOOM Aerial Teacher Training - free training: http://www.wakefualscent.com/aerial-teacher-training The Body Positive PDF: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/118sL_XpnvhmJNHTZ4JZXTGllWsaNid5K?usp=sharing FALL ENROLLMENT open now for online certification & mentorship: BLOOM Aerial Teacher Training www.embodiedaerial.com/aerial-teacher-training FREE TRAINING: Aerial Teacher Upgrade: www.embodiedaerial.com/aerial-teacher-upgrade Aerial Silks Online Tutorial Library: www.embodiedaerial.com/aerial-silks-online Strength Programs - www.embodiedaerial.com/strength Cello Intro & Outro Music by Shaun Diaz Submit an idea or guest pitch www.embodiedaerial.com/podcast

Beginner Class Isn't the Easiest to Teach - Part 1 of the Beginner Aerial Series

As an advocate for beginner aerial students (and teachers!) I am delighted to take this episode to challenge the conventional wisdom that beginner class is the easiest class to teach and therefore best suited for beginner teachers. We also explore how beginner classes absolutely can be great for beginner teachers, with a few caveats. Wait list for the Beyond the Tricks Teaching Retreat Www.wakefulascent.com/teaching-retreat Full BLOOM Teacher Training & Certification www.wakefulascent.com/aerial-teacher-training FALL ENROLLMENT open now for online certification & mentorship: BLOOM Aerial Teacher Training www.embodiedaerial.com/aerial-teacher-training FREE TRAINING: Aerial Teacher Upgrade: www.embodiedaerial.com/aerial-teacher-upgrade Aerial Silks Online Tutorial Library: www.embodiedaerial.com/aerial-silks-online Strength Programs - www.embodiedaerial.com/strength Cello Intro & Outro Music by Shaun Diaz Submit an idea or guest pitch www.embodiedaerial.com/podcast

Holding the Room - master your teacher presence with Chandler Price

In this guest episode of Between the Lines, Voice & Acting Coach Chandler Price, who also teaches aerial arts and yoga, shares powerful insights on what it really means to hold the room and why it matters when the stakes are higher such as in aerial arts. We explore how teachers can create a learning environment that supports safety, trust, and attention, how to navigate nerves and imposter syndrome, and how how to step into authority with clarity and warmth. Join us for the Holding the Room Masterclass on May 31st. Replay included. Work with Chandler: www.chandlerprice.com connect@chandlerprice.com FALL ENROLLMENT open now for online certification & mentorship: BLOOM Aerial Teacher Training www.embodiedaerial.com/aerial-teacher-training FREE TRAINING: Aerial Teacher Upgrade: www.embodiedaerial.com/aerial-teacher-upgrade Aerial Silks Online Tutorial Library: www.embodiedaerial.com/aerial-silks-online Strength Programs - www.embodiedaerial.com/strength Cello Intro & Outro Music by Shaun Diaz Submit an idea or guest pitch www.embodiedaerial.com/podcast

Teaching presence, micro-boundaries, and believing you were born to do this

This episode is for the aerial teachers out there (or those who want to get started)... We'll explore how teacher presence influences felt safety, learning outcomes, retention, and the teacher's own experience. We talk about co-regulation, confidence signaling, boundaries, and what it takes to truly let go into joyful, natural teaching. Because yes, you were born to do this. HOLDING THE ROOM MASTERCLASS WITH CHANDLER PRICE: www.wakefulascent.com/holding-the-room-masterclass FALL ENROLLMENT open now for online certification & mentorship: BLOOM Aerial Teacher Training www.embodiedaerial.com/aerial-teacher-training FREE TRAINING: Aerial Teacher Upgrade: www.embodiedaerial.com/aerial-teacher-upgrade Aerial Silks Online Tutorial Library: www.embodiedaerial.com/aerial-silks-online Strength Programs - www.embodiedaerial.com/strength Cello Intro & Outro Music by Shaun Diaz Submit an idea or guest pitch www.embodiedaerial.com/podcast

Fright in Flight: The neuroscience of fear in aerial arts

Why do we feel afraid in aerial? How do we work through it? When is it right to push or back down? How can instructors ethically support students? We'll talk about some simple neuroscience behind fear, fear extinction, and concrete ways to work with fear as an aerialist and as an instructor. Plus, the time a tidal wave hit me while I was on silks dangling from a highline over a treacherous ocean. FALL ENROLLMENT open now for online certification & mentorship: BLOOM Aerial Teacher Training www.embodiedaerial.com/aerial-teacher-training FREE TRAINING: Aerial Teacher Upgrade: www.embodiedaerial.com/aerial-teacher-upgrade Aerial Silks Online Tutorial Library: www.embodiedaerial.com/aerial-silks-online Strength Programs - www.embodiedaerial.com/strength Cello Intro & Outro Music by Shaun Diaz Submit an idea or guest pitch www.embodiedaerial.com/podcast

The hidden layers of safety shaping every aerial class

Physical safety is the first conversation we have in aerial. But what comes next? In this episode we explore how psychological, social, and emotional safety affect an aerialist's ability to learn and how these layers shape the learning environment. We talk about how to establish these layers of safety, why it can be complex and why it's so worth it. FALL ENROLLMENT open now for online certification & mentorship: BLOOM Aerial Teacher Training www.embodiedaerial.com/aerial-teacher-training FREE TRAINING: Aerial Teacher Upgrade: www.embodiedaerial.com/aerial-teacher-upgrade Aerial Silks Online Tutorial Library: www.embodiedaerial.com/aerial-silks-online Strength Programs - www.embodiedaerial.com/strength Cello Intro & Outro Music by Shaun Diaz Submit an idea or guest pitch www.embodiedaerial.com/podcast

Aerial Isn't for People Like Me - belonging and identity in aerial arts

The first time I ever saw aerial, I was certain it was not something for someone like me. In this episode, we explore the common underlying belief that “aerial isn’t for people like me,” and why it's so powerful to break through that. I share a personal story and an unexpected realization 18 years after the first time I saw aerial for the very first time. This conversation also touches on what it means for teaching: how our approach, presence, and small choices can shape whether someone feels like they belong from the very beginning. There is a very cool surprise ending to this story (and no, the surprise is not that I decided to do aerial after all!) Access the film "Wings of Desire" (Der Himmel Über Berlin) here Learn about the BLOOM Aerial Teacher Training FALL ENROLLMENT open now for online certification & mentorship: BLOOM Aerial Teacher Training www.embodiedaerial.com/aerial-teacher-training FREE TRAINING: Aerial Teacher Upgrade: www.embodiedaerial.com/aerial-teacher-upgrade Aerial Silks Online Tutorial Library: www.embodiedaerial.com/aerial-silks-online Strength Programs - www.embodiedaerial.com/strength Cello Intro & Outro Music by Shaun Diaz Submit an idea or guest pitch www.embodiedaerial.com/podcast

Between The Lines Trailer

Welcome to Between the Lines. A space to explore body, culture, and the science of aerial all in one place. This podcast looks at the hidden layers of learning and teaching as well as what's going on in the aerial world - stories, projects, how people learn, how aerial shapes identity, all through a trauma-informed lens. This is a space for the many layers of aerial and the everyday aerialists and teachers that make this community. Because some of the most important stories are happening between the lines. FALL ENROLLMENT open now for online certification & mentorship: BLOOM Aerial Teacher Training www.embodiedaerial.com/aerial-teacher-training FREE TRAINING: Aerial Teacher Upgrade: www.embodiedaerial.com/aerial-teacher-upgrade Aerial Silks Online Tutorial Library: www.embodiedaerial.com/aerial-silks-online Strength Programs - www.embodiedaerial.com/strength Cello Intro & Outro Music by Shaun Diaz Submit an idea or guest pitch www.embodiedaerial.com/podcast