A truly special studio with a very talented and skilled group of aerial instructors. I've loved my experience here. Upswing offers intimate class sizes and teachers are trained to teach all student levels for adult and youth classes. I started as a complete beginner here a year ago and have grown so much in my training on silks, hoop, and rope & harness! Also the studio offers optional performance opportunities for students via studio showcases that happen throughout the year. It's awesome - very rare to find a studio that allows you to perform! Love this place and plan to keep coming back! read more

UpSwing Aerial Dance - 4 Hanging colorful aerial silks above blue mats on a wood floor in a large studio - Dance Schools Near Me - Berkeley, California

I started taking the mixed aerial apparatus class in conjunction with the beginner tissu level 1 in July and I am hooked! All the instructors have been amazing, patient, encouraging, knowledgeable and make everyone feel so comfortable no matter what level you are at. I've already signed myself up for all the sessions through the end of the year. So happy to have found this spot! read more

I started taking the Level 1 Aerial Tissu series in September and I'm grateful to have found Upswing Aerial! I have been met with such a friendly and welcoming community. The classes are for sure challenging, but it feels so good to be in an environment where everyone helps each other and wants to see each other succeed. Jo and Chris are kind, fun, and knowledgeable instructors with many years of experience, they encourage us to get out of our comfort zone but always at our own pace and while prioritizing safety. There have been times at the beginning of class where I already feel defeated, but it's amazing how my mindset changes during the process and a big part of that is the patience and support we receive from the instructors. And it's truly the best feeling when you are able to finally pick up that skill you thought was impossible and your peers are there to cheer you on! It's inspiring to see such a difference range of ages in the space, it made me realize that aerial arts are for everyone, whether you want to push your body's limits or simply try something new. If you're on the fence about taking class I really encourage you to just go for it, even if you find out aerial is not for you the community at Upswing is the best! read more

My niece used to go there. She loved her time and enjoyed the classes. She's thinking of coming back soon.

I was so happy to find Upswing when I moved back to Berkeley after being gone for awhile. I fell in love with aerial dance when I lived in Santa Fe, NM. My first time on the trapeze was a "single point" trapeze, which means that both ropes meet at a single point on the ceiling, allowing the trapeze to spin while you do tricks. It is definitely my favorite aerial apparatus, because you can feel really graceful and etherial even before you have the strength and skill to do a lot of tricks. We are lucky to have lots of aerials studios in the Berkeley/Oakland area, but, as far as I know, Upswing is the only one that offers classes in single point trapeze. The other advantage to single point is that you don't have to be very far off the ground, which is helpful when you're new to trapeze and concerned about falling. I don't get motion sick, so the gentle spinning doesn't bother me (it's the opposite--I LOVE IT! I feel weightless and stress free!), but the teachers are really helpful for those who do feel a little woozy their first time, and the end of class candied ginger (helps with motion sickness) is a welcome treat. I highly recommend taking classes at Upswing! I have taken classes with Ashley and Cherie and loved them all! They are wonderful people who love what they do and love showing you how to have fun in the air! read more

Groupon makes you do weird things. You start off with 5 minutes of ice breakers where we went around in a circle saying our name with a funny movement and everyone else would repeat all the other names and movement. What a Berkeley thing to do. Following that are 30 minutes of yoga stretches which feel really great. After that, you do some exercises on the bars. Even though the bars were relatively low to the ground, I was surprised to see how there is no padding at all on the floor. You'll probably get some more advanced trapeze artists (is that what you call them?) in your class so they can get some practice time. It's entertaining to watch them swing back and forth on the trapeze while changing positions but... it poses a slight danger because trapezes can collide. Other than that, all attendees and the instructor had great attitudes. Very willing and patient. The price for a series of classes is a bit on the pricier side at about 5 classes for $90-100. After one class, you don't really feel sore like you do with other activities but the stretching leaves your muscles relaxed. Trapezing is such a graceful activity that you just feel more feminine afterwards... yes, even the dudes. read more

UpSwing Aerial Dance - Dance Schools Near Me - Berkeley, California

Studio 12 flys rocks! I found Studio 12 online after seeing an aerial dance performance in San Francisco. Cherie and her crew are fantastic instructors- as committed to the process of learning how to fly as much as the act, itself. The girls program, which I usually see a few minutes of at the tail-end of class, looks like a blast. Women empowering women! :-) The small classes and top-notch facilities make for a very safe, intimate flying experience. Check it out! read more

UpSwing Aerial Dance - Dance Schools Near Me - Berkeley, California

See all

Great performances, very talented dancers and riveting choreography. Not circus, no tricks, just innovative dancing in the air and on the floor. I love their alternative holiday show "Winter Solstice!". read more

***Studio 12 is an aerial dance studio specializing in low flying trapeze, sling, and rope and harness work. *** This class was uber fun! I had no idea what I was expecting when my friend bought this class for me for my birthday. When you get to class, you do a little warm up, breathing and stretching exercise. Then after that, you get your own Aerial trapeze and you do your thing! The instructor will ease you into it and tell you how to hang on, tricks and tips to keep you on your trapeze and so forth. This a great alternative to the gym, too! My friends and I were semi-sore for a couple of days since you get to work out your whole body, especially your arms! It's also a plus if you've had gymnastics experience and/or just flexible! I can't wait to go again! =) read more

This is the best little studio for trapeze, tissu, harness and arial dance. It's amazing for kids. My daughter has been learning arial dance there for the bast 2 years. She LOVES it. Hannah and Cherie are amazing teachers. We have even had birthday parties here and they have always been big hits with the kids. read more

I've been attending adult classes at Upswing for a couple of years now, and the classes are one of the things I most look forward to every week. I started classes here because I wanted to try something new; amazingly, I still feel like I'm trying something new every class I attend. Ashley and Cherie are marvelous teachers. I've found their classes to be well balanced between teaching skills on the one hand, and encouraging creativity on the other hand - both on and off the apparatus! Something that sets these classes apart is the focus on dance and on making fluid transitions. It's hard work, but the benefits are tangible - I think I'm stronger now than I've ever been. If I could give six stars to Upswing, I would :) read more

I was thrilled to find a unique place to have my daughter's 13th birthday party. My daughter and her friends are pretty athletic and love new things. We came from Sacramento to experience this and Cherie is so nice and did an amazing job. The girls loved the trapeze class and really enjoyed doing something different. In fact, my younger 9 year old daughter loved it so much she will be having her party here in the Fall! read more

Studio 12 Flys for birthdays and Phil Weglarz are as good as it gets! First, because I am so enthusiastic about Studio 12 I'll unabashedly plug them and let you know that they offer regular parent-child workshops, boys & girls classes, adult classes and performances. Studio 12 also does birthday parties, and this is what I'm Yelping about.... We did a birthday party at Studio 12 for my 3 year old son. It was such a success! Having a child with a November birthday, we run into the problem of wanting to do something fun but are limited by the space in our home and the weather if we plan an outside party in the park. We were recommended to check out Studio 12 and Phil Weglarz for a unique birthday party venue using static trapezes (now, lets be clear here... this is not the giant 40 ft. Ringling Brothers trapeze with a huge net underneath that you are thinking of. Its a low trapeze with an emphasis mostly on moving up and down the apparatus rather than football-field wide swinging motions). The Studio 12 space is bright, large, airy, and clean. Studio 12 has many, many trapezes and other fun things to hang from. A kids dream! What is especially great, is that its not an oh-my-goodness-every-kid-for-themselves birthday experience a la a bouncy house. Phil Weglarz, as the instructor sits them down in a circle, "warms them up" with stretching activities, and gives them a "lesson" in static trapeze and how to control their bodies. He is interested in what the kids have to say and do and the kids loved him. Even better, there are adult trapeze classes. But I digress.... I think you can see that I'm as enthusiastic about Phil Weglarz as I am about Studio 12. Phil is not only a wonderful Studio 12 instructor, but he is also an East Bay licensed Marriage & Family Therapist (MFT) & Expressive Art Therapist. His talents with children and families are endless as he also offers individual, couple, and family therapy, using play and the arts. He's currently starting arts-based play groups for boys in Rockridge. http://www.philweglarz.com/ And yes, I had to tell you all this because I really am THAT enthusiastic! read more

I attend the Upswing Aerial Dance class taught by Cherie Carson and I have the time of my life! I feel as if my dance has taken flight as I take flight. We have so much fun in the classes. My favorite has been material slings but now I also have learned to love the rope & harness, inversion swings, single pointed trapeze (they spin & swing), regular trapeze, bungee and hoops. Cherie spins magic with her ease and skill of teaching I am able to do things I never dreamed of! (I often have dreams of flying after a class.) I have learned the dynamics of choreography thanks to Cherie-she is so willing to teach these skills and offer me opportunities to use these skills in class and performances (National Dance Week-April & Improv Dance Night-August) If your a patron of the Arts the Upswing Performance Company is for you. Go to the website to see for yourself. They have been receiving recognition with invites to local as well as National and Worldly events and they are in need of monetary support &/or gifted airline miles. I have been moved and I have seen others moved by their performances-most notably they have a Snow Doves Dance that release snow over the heads of adults and children. The joy and appreciation of life through dance is exactly what dance is all about and Cherie and her Performers have got it right. See you at their next performance! read more

Working with Ashley and Cherie on the aerial equipment is one of the best things I've ever done. I absolutely love the feeling of lift that you get from swinging and spinning on the equipment. It's a completely different experience from dancing on the floor. You really can feel like you're flying! It's exciting, thrilling and exhilarating! Great joy comes from this experience. I've become much stronger than I ever did lifting weights, so I quit the gym after I started aerial dance. This is much more fun! Upswing Aerial Dance gives even new dancers opportunities to perform and show off their skills. We work both with choreography and improvisation. You can learn in a very supportive environment in a wonderful community of people. There is extensive focus on safety. I take great pride in my aerial work and would love to bring the same joy to others. read more

My two kids attended a free aerial dance class with a friend around eight years ago.They enjoyed swinging on the trapeze and joined Girls Who Fly which then evolved into Teens Who Fly. In the years they have participated in aerial dance they have fun and have learned a lot about dance from the different teachers they have had. Performing has given them confidence, poise and discipline. Thanks. Catharine T. read more

I recently held my daughter's 12th birthday party at Upswing and it was a huge hit ! The girls had a blast. The trapeze work was super fun , challenging yet doable. The staff could not have ben better . They emphasized safety but also placed a premium on fun. I also found it quite economical. All the girls talk about is going back for trapeze lessons. Now I am thinking of having my own party there ! Jessica A. read more

I love Studio 12!!! After seeing an aerial dance performance in the Mission, I had to try flying for myself! Cherie and her crew teach safe, adventurous, and ability-appropriate aerial dance classes- tissu, trapeze, and more. I am so happy to have found this flying community!! Check it out for yourself. 2 thumbs way, way up. read more

I attended a class with my friend who was taking a series. It was a lot of fun and a lot harder than it looks. I also brought my daughter and 10 of her friends for her 13th birthday party. They loved it. Cherie did a great job keeping all the kids engaged and making the birthday girl feel special. If it was closer to where I live I would probably sign both of us for a series of classes. read more