Lydia literally cut me in line at the grocery store when I happened to bump into her there. I was second in line with only a few items in hand waiting for the lady directly in front of me to finish checking out. When the lady got done, Lydia suddenly bursts, frantically, "I need to go ahead of of you- I'm in a hurry." as she cut in front and had already begun putting her items on the belt. I was just stunned to be honest and didn't know who she was until she cut up ahead and I saw her. It was none other than the lady that literally owed me a $200 refund for selling me a 10 class pass for pole lessons WHICH SHE NO LONGER OFFERED. How can you forcefully cut someone in line (Who does that?!) who you also have stolen money from? Insane and biggest coincidence ever. Then again, I see she's stolen money from many people, refusing to give a refund, so for her to bump into one of them isn't actually unlikely. Thankfully, my bank agreed with me that she was in the wrong and took my $200 back from her, returning it to me. Do not do business with this self-centered, RUDE, and greedy human. read more

Lydia was 10 minutes late and she did not even have the "class" set up when she arrived. This business felt like a scam. When a party of 8 girls showed up, there were only 3 silks and 5 people were to just stand around the corner while 3 people went one at a time. That's not how a group class works. We asked for a refund as this ended up being at a BASKETBALL COURT instead of a studio (as shown in pictures), we were not informed that we were going to be doing nothing for the majority of the class. We were told we do not have to pay the balance of the fee, but we did not get a refund of $150 even if we didn't take the class and was misinformed about the whole thing. Please go somewhere else. read more

See all

False Advertising! Lydia advertised that she hosted her "private" class in an aerial yoga studio. She did not let us know the location had changed. New location was a small open corner in a large indoor soccer field with only 3 aerial silks for 8 people fully visible to the public. Big red flag, the soccer staff said that she is always late. When Lydia arrived (9 minutes late) we were not happy or ready to enjoy a yoga class. We ended up canceling the session. She refused to refund us any money since we had already signed the written consent (which she cleverly sent and insisted we fill out before arriving). Don't get fooled, Lydia knows what she is doing, do not trust her with your money. read more

Four Elements Aerial and Creative Movement - 3 silks only - Dance Studios Near Me - Austin, Texas

See all

Lydia is such a pleasant, easy going, helpful person, I can't imagine how anyone could ever have any sort of issues. Wonderful experience. I see some negative comments. Get over it. read more

Yikes, there was not much to like about this experience. The soccer gym smelled terrible, the atmosphere is ugly, dirty and loud. The instructor was late and class was not extended to make up for it. The instructor was not personable nor did she give good explanations or much attention. My friend and I were so excited to try something new and we made the best out of it because that's how we roll... but I gatta tell ya the class was a big waah, waah, waah, waaaaaah. read more

What a wonderful experience! Where do I even start? I have taken four Aerial Asana classes here and I am officially in love with this studio! Lydia is the owner and Aerial Asana teacher. She is very knowledgeable, experienced and friendly! Each week she challenges the class more and teaches new poses. The class is fun and freeing! Also the space is absolutely gorgeous! Open ceilings, clean floors, everything is beautiful and new! If you are looking to try something new, look no farther! read more

See all

If the owner wants to keep her business going, this is not how she should be going about it. We booked Lydia's class because it was my bachelorette and I wanted to do something fun and active with my ladies. On the day of, we arrived early and excited to be introduced to the world of aerial yoga. And boy, were we disappointed. Before we even arrived, Lydia emailed my bridesmaid who was the contact to have us all sign the waiver on the website. Seems legit enough. Then we got there. We walked into a large gymnasium with an indoor soccer field, with lots of small children and families running around. It was nothing like what was represented on the website, which was a nice private studio fit for a PRIVATE BACHELORETTE PARTY. We were directed by the workers there to a corner in the gymnasium where three "silks" hung, looking like they've never been cleaned. Nothing was set up and no instructor there to greet us. We stood around waiting wondering if we came to the right place. Then my bridesmaid called the instructor and she said she was running late, had a minor emergency in the morning. Except the lateness seems like a normal occurrence, because that's what the gym worker told us when she saw us standing around. Ten minutes later, Lydia arrives, greeting us with no apologies as if she wasn't late. When we brought up our dissatisfaction with the misrepresentation of the "studio" and her lateness, she claimed, "I was only seven minutes late." I hope you've never said that in a professional setting because I can guarantee you won't get that job. After some discussion, Lydia said she may be able to give us a partial refund since we did not want to do a class where it was already starting off so wrong. Well surprise surprise, she's not giving us a refund. This is just really poor communication and representation by the instructor/owner. I would not recommend anyone to go to this business. I wish we had researched more into this because other reviewers seem to have similar experience. Do take your money and business elsewhere. read more

Was really looking forward to the group class I booked for my sisters bachelorette. but then covid hit and clearly we could not have the class. The date of the class passed and I have called, texted, emailed, contacted us page, facebook messaged, Instagram dmed and commented and have heard NOTHING. They owe me over $400 back and I have had no luck getting in touch. Very sad how unprofessional this place is because we would have definitely rebooked when we reschedule the party. Not anymore. read more

So it's a Monday night in Austin and I have nothing better to do so I start looking up workout classes within walking distance of my hotel. One of the first to pop up was Four Elements and after reading some reviews I was sold. They even had a 50% off your first class deal so I was double sold! I had never tried any kind of aerial class before but I had always wanted to because they make it look so graceful and easy. Let me tell you friends, it is not easy but it is a fantastic workout for your entire body. Apparently the class I signed up for (Aerial Conditioning) was one of their hardest classes but I didn't realize that because the description said it was an all levels class. Given that I had no prior experience, I think I held my own pretty well and it was still a good time. Check it out if you get the chance! read more

I've been to this studio many, many times for yoga, but after taking my first aerial silks class here, I will never go back because it was just ridiculous. I never had any direct conflict or confrontation because, frankly, I was so appalled by the rudeness of the teacher I felt no need to attempt to reason with this person (who, come to find out, is the owner). The teacher literally yelled at my friend (in an all-levels class where beginners were welcome) when they didn't understand the teacher's instructions. This was our first aerial class ever. The teacher/owner was well aware of this and specifically stated that we were welcome in this class. The teacher's instructions did not make sense to us, my friend and I both tried to follow them. For some reason, trying a different approach with your students when your instructions aren't making any sense is not this teacher's go-to plan. Instead, she went over to my friend and stood there repeating the same nonsensical instruction louder and louder, until she was literally yelling at her. My friend calmly told her, "I'm sorry, I don't understand" but the lady kept on yelling. I thought we were just regular paying customers, but somehow my friend became this lady's fodder. Very weird. I get that people have bad days, so I asked around to see if this is a typical experience when you're trying to learn aerial silks. Nah - this teacher just prefers a "hard discipline" approach. I went on to try all the aerial studios in town and had a good experience everywhere else but here. So, there are lot's of other choices in town! None of them are as crappy as Four Elements. read more

I've taken two classes here, and they were both amazing! I took an aerial restorative class on Free Yoga Day (yay!) and an aerial asana class a few weeks later. The space is beautiful, and the instructors are lovely and have lots of helpful tips. The only downside is parking - they don't have any, and since it's downtown street parking can be a bit difficult. However, their location is very easily accessible via public transportation. read more

I bought a 10 class pass for their pole program, but I never had a chance to try any classes before they called and told me they had to cancel the program entirely. Lydia offered to upgrade me to a silk pass (which is great and all, but I did not sign up for silks for a reason- not interested), which I at first considered and then decided I really was only interested in pole, what I had originally signed up for. I requested a refund seeing as they no longer offer the service I paid for, but Lydia refuses to issue one and continues to give me the run around read more

Wish I could give this 0 stars. We had a group class scheduled to do silk yoga. The class is located inside of a children's soccer field, not an aerial yoga studio like seen in the photos. As we were waiting for the instructor, Lydia, to show up another worker from the stadium walked by and said she is always late....that was the first bad sign. She showed up more than 10 minutes late and had nothing set up. There were only 3 silks for 8 people and she said only 3 of us would go at a time and the others would just stand around and watch. Nothing was as advertised or promised: the location, the class, the number of silks, the starting time, and the customer service. When we told her we were completely dissatisfied with our service she looked as if she could care less. When we asked her why the location is different than what was on her website she said she recently had to change locations, however none of this was conveyed to us beforehand. Because nothing was as advertised we decided not to do the class as we would just have paid to stand around inside a smelly soccer field. She told us in person she would give us a partial refund but did not. THIS IS SERIOUSLY A SCAM. Don't waste your time or any money on this. read more

Update to review below: Lydia immediately reached out to me to make things right. She offered to re-do the session again, but unfortunately, our whole party lived out of town. Lydia refunded us 50%. She was super sincere in trying to do what it took to make our group satisfied again. Given the chance, I would try out her studio again because it is a very nice studio and her regular classes and other instructors seem to have excellent reviews. First off, I was truly appreciative of Lydia, owner and instructor, agreeing to accommodate our bachelorette party on Thanksgiving weekend when she had plans to go visit her family. The studio was located conveniently downtown. It was small but very new and clean. And then it all went downhill from the booking. If a stranger were to walk in on our class, there would be no indication that we were having a bachelorette party because both the instructor and atmosphere were unenergetic, uptight and lifeless. Lydia, I quote "was tired because I stayed up late due to a new boyfriend." I am not a prude, I enjoy getting to know my instructor but I felt it was unprofessional when it interfered with her job. It was super hard to get pumped up when the music was playing super softly. None of us have ever taken an aerial class. Her instructions consisted of her showing us a complex movement ONCE and telling us to do it. She provided little assistance or unclear instructions on how to perform the move when we asked for help. She strictly prohibited us from showing each other how to do the moves, understandably due to safety reasons, but chastised us like children when we accidentally gave each other a tip. When I booked the aerial party for up to 9 participants costing $350, Lydia described it as an intro aerial class in which we will get to use the hoops and silks. It was supposed to be a 90 min session (75 min class and 15 min for chocolate and champagne and a photoshoot) What happened was we spent 15 min of the class just stretching. We only used the silks. The chocolate covered strawberries looked and tasted homemade in a bad way (strawberries were mushy). She gave us each a 2 oz sample of lukewarm champagne in a red solo cup. The photoshoot consisted of us asking Lydia to please take a picture of us. She took a single picture of us in front of the studio's sign. Then after that we wanted to do a silly pic where two of us would pick the bride up (hold the bride's bottom up and her arms around our shoulders, possible 1 ft fall, super dangerous right?). She refused to let us because of her insurance liability policy. Went on to rant about how her insurance gave her a hard time when she decided to take on bachelorette parties. Frankly, I do not care about your backend operations. Would I take another aerial class? Yes. Would I take a class with Lydia? No. Did we have fun? Always, with my super awesome friends. Was this a waste of money? Yes. read more

I've been here a few times and purchased a ten class pass. The studio is nice and the instructors are knowledgeable but the organization and classes lacked structure. It's a lot of, "so, what do you guys want to do next." I'd prefer a course plan, but that's just me. However, then I ran into a really poor customer service situation. I signed up for a Saturday class online in the middle of the week. When Saturday rolls around, I had an accident and was left with a busted and bloody knee. I didn't think I should attend class so I called ahead to let them know what happened and that I wouldn't be able to come. What happens next was surprising. They said that I had to come to class or I would be charged. I said I didn't think that was wise because I was bleeding and in pain. The man on the phone said that they had a strict policy on the 10 class pass that since it was so cheap they made zero exceptions. Therefore, this studio has confronted me with the following dilemma. Walk into their studio bruised and bleeding to complete the class or loose my money. Looks like I'll be loosing my money.... Bad business ethics. read more

I scheduled a private class for my friends and I to be held on Sat March 3rd. Due to the rainy weather in Austin, the class was scheduled the week prior to the 3rd. I was so grateful for the availability of the class on such a short notice! Upon arriving to the location (an interim location, which I was not informed about when I called to schedule), we realized the class was held in a kids soccer complex. There was no room, the silks were hanging in a completely open space where families and kids playing soccer all would be watching. Although I should have been informed of this (as the website promotes this business in a beautiful studio), we stayed . After waiting 30 minutes for the instructor to arrive, I decided to call Lydia and ask where she was. She claimed she "got the weekends mixed up" and could be there in 20 minutes. That would have been 45 minutes into our class time and we had other events afterwards. Mix-ups happen, so I kindly asked her to refund my $125 deposit, which she claimed she would . It has now been almost a month and I still have not gotten my refund. I sent multiple e-mails, left voicemails and spoke to another woman at the business . The women apologized and said I would have it taken care of by the next day (this was a week ago). I have yet to hear back from anyone. I HIGHLY discourage anyone to go to this disgrace of a business!! Terrible customer service and completely misleading on the website. read more

This studio is a decent option. Positives: 1. High ceilings allow for advanced practice and mats allow for beginner practice 2. Class length is sizable enough to practice things (assuming the number of people there does not hinder it) 3. Generally, most classes offer a new move to try or time to perfect a move learned last time Areas of improvement: 1. There are 3 silks, which means classes should be limited to 6 people (2 per silk), especially since each class is all levels. However, classes range from small to up to 9-10 people 2. Lydia is a good teacher, but she's very clearly stretched too thin in the classes. Since the class is all levels, she is trying to teach beginner, intermediate, and advanced all at once. If you are the only one at your level that particular day, then be prepared for minimal challenges and not a lot of practice. 3. Aerial conditioning is the foundation of any aerialist's practice and it would be great to have a more formal conditioning at the beginning of class (however, of the 3 studios in Austin, this is the ONLY one that actually does SOME conditioning, which is great!) One student told me that Lydia said she was "no longer a beginner" because this was her third class. Yikes. I have a hard time believing that any teacher would ever say that, but for anyone trying this sport, my advice: This is a beautiful, amazing, and challenging sport and you will likely remain a beginner for years... and that is OKAY! 3 classes in not a reasonable expectation to progress from beginner to intermediate. read more

I went to this studio because they offered a discounted week & I knew a couple of the instructors otherwise, I wouldn't have bothered because of the inconvenience of parking downtown. THE OWNER WAS TERRIBLY RUDE. She brings her pet rabbit to the studio and asked me & my son to wash our hands before touching it...she didn't make that request of anyone else. I guess she thought we were dirtier than the floors that the rabbit was laying on. Also, the studio has so much "air freshener" sprayed that when I left, my nostrils were soaked & my skin was permeated with the smell. It was nauseating. As much as I like the instructors, I will never go back. read more

I signed up for my first class and was very excited to try out this place. I arrived to the sports complex it is in and proceeded to wait twenty minutes just for the instructor to never show up. Extremely disappointed and frustrated by the lack of customer service shown. read more

I just had my first class at Four Elements - an aerial yoga class. Lydia is a fantastic teacher, and it was both an intense workout and stretching/relaxing/freeing all at the same time. You really are challenged to use your core when doing yoga suspended from the air - and the feeling of being cocooned in the silk hammock is something I never wanted to end. BEAUTIFUL studio as well, very peaceful vibe. Love it! read more

I started taking pole classes here and I love it! The teacher is so welcoming and makes everything noobie friendly.

Four Elements is a beautiful studio in downtown Austin. I have been going to Four Element since summer 2013. Their smaller class sizes give individual attention you will not get anywhere else. They have the best aerial and pole teachers in town. I love Lydia's air conditioning and aerial asana. Both are challenging and fun which will bring your training to the next level. Lydia always takes extra time to address your alignment and that you are effectively doing the exercises. Caty Mae is the best Lyra teacher in town. She challenges your movements to make them precise and perfect. Luki, Lindsey and Summer are amazing pole instructors. Their knowledge of the apparatus and skill are unmatched. They are always willing to help when discouraged and will work with your level to help with conditioning and placement for beautiful poses. All the instructors have a great love for what they do and it translates to their teaching. I can't wait to take more dance and yoga classes here!!! Parking is the only issue but that goes with being downtown. Usually I can find a spot close on the street, if not there are plenty of parking lots nearby to pay for parking. read more

By far the worst aerial silks experience I have had. Lydia was extremely rude and negative. Her teaching style basically consists of her snarkily saying you're doing it wrong and not telling you how to improve. She prides herself on being a "tough" teacher, however, her toughness is more like bullying than constructive criticism. read more

Saturday class was canceled by the instructor. The owner refuses to refund my group's money after several requests. She offered to give a credit for a future class however we do not live in Austin so it really doesn't make sense. I explained this about three times over email, but it just appears that the customer service here is really lacking. read more

Lydia is a professional aerialist and instructor. She is dedicated, passionate, and brings out the best in her students - more so than they believe they are even capable of! I have known Lydia for quite a few years, and have trained on silks, and recently Lyra-o'graphy with her. Lydia's teaching style allows you to both build strength and learn the technical moves, but also to move creatively and DANCE... which often is a-miss in aerials classes where the instructors teach one move at a time with no focus on choreography or creative expression. Lydia allows you to play... always under guidance of good form and providing supportive instruction... but still with the freedom to allow you to explore your own creativity and style of movement. Lydia is an extremely talented choreographer, and encourages her students to contribute and even construct their own choreography. Everything I have learned (and am still learning) from Lydia, has had a positive effect on the rest of my life, in terms of approach to challenges, and finding beauty and peace in the simplest moments or small accomplishments, both inside class and outside. With Lydia, you will grow, not just as an aerialist or athlete, but as a person. Oh, and she has a bunny who is super cute! read more

WOW!!!!!!!! Can I give Lydia and Four Elements 5 million stars! I took my first silks class with Lydia at Four Element's interim location (which at the moment ~ 7/19/2017 ~ is at located a the Soccer Zone in Manchacha, TX.) I am newer to Texas, and at first I thought it was going to be a bit odd doing silks at a soccer place, but Lydia was so amazing I hardly noticed it. It was also really nice not having to drive into Downtown Austin. Lydia is a phenomenal instructor. It is very obvious that she has an extensive background in dance and ariel arts. I was a bit nervous to attend the class, because I am always nervous to try something new, but Lydia and the other students made me feel so welcome, and the class was amazing! My arms were noodles (in a good way) by the end of the class. I can not wait to go back! If you are a bit nervous or have concerns, reach out to Lydia, she is so kind and knowledgeable! read more

I'm not usually one to write negative reviews but I've experienced much better. I purchased a ten class pass for $100 and was so excited to find silk classes for such a good deal. I had taken silks before in California, and another studio in Austin but it had been a while and I was excited to get back into it. The studio space and location was great, but that's about the only positive thing I have to say about my experience. The class started half an hour late with no communication until arriving. We were told that we could go to the cafe down the street and wait. I was happy that the instructor extended our class to give us our full time, but very irritated that we didn't start as scheduled. I was very disappointed that there was absolutely no structure to the class. The class itself was a mixed level group of mostly beginners who needed direction and help. The instructor would just call out names of things for us to do without demonstrating or even explaining. The other students in the class were more helpful than the instructor, whom was sitting hardly and paying attention for the majority of the class. The only time she got up was when another student got tangled up so bad that she couldn't get herself undone. I learned nothing new from this class and was so disappointed that I didn't even bother returning. It was such a waste of time and money. Maybe I've just been privileged to take silks from some excellent instructors, but I will not be returning to Four Elements. read more

Worst fitness class experience ever. Lydia was very rude, disengaged and by far the most condescending person I've ever came across. I was honestly shocked, especially since I'm not easily offended. First, she was 20 minutes late, with a bad attitude (didn't introduce herself) and only said she'd give us a small discount if we took another class again. I had called her before the class to make sure the class would be adaptable for someone with a fair amount of shoulder problems and she ensured me it would. I was the last to try each of the moves which is fine but when I asked for help she rudely asked me if I remembered what she said when she gave standard instructions to the 2 students who went before my turn. She repeatedly talked down to me. She was negative about every move she had us do when it came to my turn instead of being positive and trying to help me find even a basic move adapted so that I could do it. I repeatedly had to ask her to show me a modification because she'd walk away and pay no attention to me. I just expected a similar amount of time and assistance as the others had. Time was dedicated to videotaping another student through a full 3-4 minute performance but she refused to take a quick picture of me at the end saying we had no time but then instructed the whole class through stretches. I ended up leaving early feeling very disrespected. This is something I've wanted to try for years and thought I'd be happy checking off the bucket list but strongly regret choosing her business to try this at. I feel it was a waste of my money, even with getting the first class promo for 50% off. I would never ever intentionally interact with this woman again so I hope she doesn't contact me to argue about my experience. read more

My daughter and I went to Four Elements and had a wonderful experience! The instructors/owners were welcoming, kind and patient (we were new to the whole experience). It's a beautiful studio and has many options for classes. I would highly recommend it! read more

Had a bachelorette party here, and it was amazing. Lucky was our instructor and she knew her stuff. She was attentive and made the class fun and exciting. The owner and rest of the staff were also friendly and excellent. At the end we had champagne and some amazing chocolate covered strawberries. Highly recommended!!!! read more

The studio is beautiful, classes are so much fun, and teachers are wonderful!

When looking to find a new way to workout and find some saucy self love I came to Four Elements Aerial and Creative movements and could not have been more pleased. For starters I love the location. It is in downtown, in a beautiful little lofted building with long windows that allow you to see out but virtually goes unnoticed as you walk by (so you don't have to worry about being watched and self conscious as a beginner). I loved the energy of getting out of a class and being downtown! I have loved all of the pole teachers I have had and even more so appreciate their different styles of teaching. Further, Four Elements has been really understanding as I went through an oral surgery and have been experiencing some complications that made it to where I have not been able to workout or take advantage of the classes I have already paid for. They told me they understand that life happens and I can add the missed time on when my contract ends (and then most certainly begins again). I couldn't be more appreciative as it isn't inexpensive (but totally worth it) and I want to be able to get out what I put in. The owner, Lydia, was helpful when I first started looking into the classes and was sure to call me back and provide me with as much information as I asked for. Side note: her mascot bunny is adorable. I have really liked all of the different styles but I have spent most of my time learning with Jonna who is my favorite pole teacher. It was great taking a pole class with Jonna because she keeps it from being awkward or weird as a beginner - she gives you advice, makes jokes about the sexy positions you get into, and facilitates a great environment between first time beginners and slightly seasoned beginners. I could not be more happy with my experience and look forward to getting back into my pole routine once I am fully healed! read more