“Hello, 

I am new to teaching aerial silks and just looking for tips and advice as a woman teaching male students.  There are some anatomical differences for my male students that make certain moves like the thigh lock harvest painful.  I’ve advised my male students to invest in a jock strap or dance belt but not actually sure this will help.  Will this help or is it more about positioning and technique? Any advice on how I can help these students would be much appreciated as there are certain moves they are giving up on. Thanks”

Thanks for the inquiry! You are right about the anatomical difference occasionally getting in the way…literally! Thankfully, Clayton Woodson is an awesome team-member on our advisory board and an expert on this subject. He has been advising me on which moves are “male-friendly” and which ones aren’t as I write my teacher training program. As for the dance belt topic, ultimately, it’s going to be different for every male. Each will have to form their own opinions, but the important part is disseminating the information and at least letting them know that this option exists! It will help in some moves, and others are just doomed. I’ve asked Clayton to chime in more specifics on the resource board. See there for more!

For the rest of you, here is an informative article written by advisory board member Clayton Woodson on the subject of dance belts. Continue reading “Staying Centered and Compact, Dance Belts for the Male Aerialists”