A list of beginner-friendly skills to work on in your beginner acrobatics dance classes:
Foundation Skills:
- Bridges / Backbends
- Handstands / Half Handstands (L Kick)
- Hurdle
- Cobra (View Acro Lesson Plan #1)
- Needle
- Candlestick
- Forward Roll
- Backward Roll
- Carthwheel
- Heel Stretch (View Acro Lesson Plan #1)
- Right, Left and Middle Splits
- Swim-through Middle Splits
Bridges, handstands, cartwheels, etc are essential foundation skills for any acrobatics class. Once the students are confident in these skills, you can add in some variations listed below. The goal is to continue building strength and flexibility all year so they can progress towards the intermediate level, where they would be expected to connect several of these moves together in a more complicated sequence.
Variations & Beginner-Friendly Challenges
- Straight-leg Forward Roll
- Arch-Up (from the ground, pushing up with one or no hands)
- Straddle Jump
- Tuck Jump
- Chainne Turn
- Bridge with One-Leg extended up
- One-Handed Cartwheel
- Bridge into elbow-stand
- Elbow-stand bridge into chest roll
- Handstand to bridge
I am currently working on posting my full beginner acro syllabus and lesson plans with explanations of how to teach these skills. For now, please start with Lesson Plan #1 that breaks down teaching heel stretches, cobras, and other beginner steps. Be sure to join our mailing list to be notified when these lessons are posted!
Please note that these skills are geared towards an acrobatics dance class, not a traditional tumbling or gymnastics lesson. Acrobatics in dance can incorporate a mix of different styles like ballet and jazz, so you will need to include some of that technique. For example, you will want to teach the proper technique of a chainne because that is a common transition step in an acrobatics dance, even though it’s not technically an “Acro” move!
