SpinCo Stations: Contact Staff, Hoops, Aerial & Acro

Come experiment with Hula Hoops, Contact Staff, Aerials and AcroYoga at our second installment of SpinCo Stations where our team of volunteers offer to step up and teach their favorite tricks and concepts.

Introducing your Instructors...

STATION #1: Intro to Contact Staff with Reese

Maurice (Reese) Crawley has been practicing flow arts since January 2013. The passion and freedom found in these arts have taken him through many different forms of self-expression, but his love is for performance. From volunteering at the American Youth Circus Organization (AYCO) in Portland, Maine, to video shoots in Birmingham, AL, to fire performances at Burning Man, every endeavor receives all of his time and dedication. Most recent achievements include SpinCo's Social Engagement Chair, Bangarang showcases, PEX performances, and festivals all around the country. Reese looks forward to bringing that same energy to you.

Follow Reese on instagram

This beginner Contact Staff workshop will focus on pushing you beyond your breaking points. There are many break/pinch points around the body that can aid you in transferring, stalling and event reversing the direction of your prop. We will explore each of them and how one can connect to another. No prior training? No problem! Grasping these concepts will be quick and easy. 

Tricks you will learn:

• Contact staff balancing
• Finding your pinch points
• 1/2 Steve
• Neck Wraps
• Duck Outs
• Incorporating Cartwheels
• Techniques to link the above tricks

STATION #2: Single Hoop Circus Flair with Hannah Pinkos of Harmonia Hoops

Hannah is a fire and flow arts performer and hula hoop dance instructor from the suburbs of Philadelphia.  Hannah's first introduction to prop manipulation was via high school color guard where she was featured on the flag and weapon lines.  Looking to fill the void after guard season was over, she discovered fire and flow arts in 2012.  Hannah started spinning staff, but picked up hooping in 2014 and that has been her prop of choice ever since.  She began performing and teaching beginner hoop dance classes less than a year later.  As the owner of Harmonia Hoop Dance, Hannah is currently looking to introduce fun interactive hoop dance classes in Delaware and Chester Counties.

Follow Hannah on instagram

Artist Website: www.harmoniahoops.com

Add some excitement and whimsy to your flow with a little circus flair!  Learn a variety of techniques that are both visually stunning and surprisingly simple. Depending on skill level, the material will be tailored so both beginner and intermediate students walk away with things to practice and a short sequence that includes all skills learned in the workshop.

Tricks you will learn:

• Fancy hoops pick-ups
• Wedgie combos
• Escalator variations
• Two and one handed helicopters
• Flourishes and z-spins
• Tosses

Hannah will also be vending hoops at this workshop!

STATION #3: Acro Yoga with Rebel Circus Arts*

Eric Mamuzich is a Philly-based internationally recognized Certified Yoga Instructor RYS 200 from Hot Box Yoga in Manayunk and Certified AcroYoga Instructor through AcroYoga.org, a 2-year certification process. Sponsored by Lululemon and featured by CBS3, Philly.com, The Metro, PhillyFIT Magazine, PhillyAreaYoga.com, and Timeout.com, Eric believes that proper use and continued refinement of technique and timing are key to any partner acro practice. Eric studies under Jason Nemer, the founder of AcroYoga, and Niko Dowes, a well-known international acrobatic instructor based in The Netherlands.

Owner and head instructor of Rebel Circus Arts, Eric has taught countless adults and children at local studios including Philly Yoga Factory, Philly InMovement, Pryia Hot Yoga, Yoga Habit, Merge Dance Studio, Sol Yoga Studio Conshohocken, and more over 5 years of teaching and training across the world. Eric’s most notable appearances include Divine Play (Portland), San Diego Circus School, New York Acrofest, Philly Phlight Phest, and hosting instructor of yoga and acro retreats in Ecuador and Costa Rica. Surfer, athlete, massage therapist, and entertainer, Eric regularly performs at events city-wide with the goal to generate curiosity through the purposeful and therapeutic movement of AcroYoga.

Follow Eric’s journey on Instagram at @BeFreeYogi

Eric will cover foundation partner acrobatic movements that will leave you craving more.  Questions are encouraged and fun is unavoidable.  No partner required.

Tricks you will learn:

• Foundations to partner acro
• Continuous flowing between sequences
• Standing acrobatics
• Pops & Jumps

STATION #4: Aerial Foundations with Rebel Circus Arts*

Regina AKA Velocity Charms has been teaching movement arts, designing costumes and performing for over a decade.  After earning her degree in Physical Therapy and completing a 200 hour Yoga certification, she attended the New England Center for Circus Arts in Vermont and is certified to teach aerial foundations for lyra, trapeze and fabric. Additionally, Regina has been a street performer and costume designer for almost 10 years.  Regina specializes in instructing beginner students and currently runs a project in the Kensington area called Circus Trash Monster where she trades circus classes for trash.

Check out Regina’s projects Kensington Triangle and Circus Trash Monster

TRICKS YOU WILL LEARN:

• Basic rigging check points
• Conditioning
• Beginner aerial vocabulary
• Stretching

*Note that Rebel Circus Arts will be splitting the acro and aerial station so that they will be shorter in length as opposed to the hoop and staff stations.

The Guest Workshops Series is a performance education program with seasons that run annually October through April. Workshops are held among 14 partnering venues in Greater Philadelphia. Learn how easy it is to have fun with a prop and discover all the health benefits that come with it.

Join us as we celebrate movement in spectacular ways!

About the Studio

When to arrive?

Please arrive 5 minutes before class time in order to get acquainted with the space and ready for class to begin on time.

How to get there?

Rebel Circus Arts is located in a warehouse building on the Chatham Street side. We will have the door propped open with the SpinCo banner to help students find their way to the gym.

What to wear?

All shoes must be removed at the door. Wear clothes that you are comfortable moving around in.  

What to bring?

Bring a water bottle and your props. Krystal the Great will be vending hoops at this event. Please note, Guests/Guest Instructors are not permitted to use the aerial equipment without specific permission from a Rebel Circus staff member.

Parking?

Free on street parking is available, usually within a block of Rebel Circus.  Give yourself a few extra minutes to find a space.

Public Transportation?

Rebel Circus is located a few blocks off the Somerset stop on the Market Frankford Line. Although it will be daylight to come to this workshop, we will offer to drive students back to the stop to avoid nighttime walking in the area.