I got a chance to chat with Elaina Royter about our monthly Community Jams! We talked about how they inspire students and teachers alike, and build community in the most exciting way possible. Read below to figure out why you need to be at the next jam session!
Why did you begin hosting Community Jams?
We wanted to create a space in which everyone can participate. Because classes are leveled and some people don’t perform or compete, some students never have the opportunity show off their talent! Jams are a nice way of getting everyone together and connecting as a little aerialist community and recognizing everyone’s hard work (because we all know how challenging aerial can be!).
What’s the biggest difference between other forms of training (classes, solo or partner training)?
B&P is always a friendly and warm environment, but it is cool to be outside of a class structure and share tricks and skills with friends! Obviously, instructors are professional teachers & aerialists and that cannot be substituted, with that being said, high level students love to share with their peers the awesome sequences and skills that they were taught in class. Perhaps they discuss what helped them achieve the goal, or support a fellow student that has been having a tough time…
Again, I stress that learning a skill once in class does not qualify you to teach it… BUT in a safe supportive environment with instructors present, knowing how to articulate verbally what your body and brain understand physically is an excellent skill to train and to posses and ultimately makes you a better aerialist!
If you could only tell folks one reason why they should come to a Community Jam, what would it be?
Its basically a big kumbaya-party-in-the-sky, where everyone wants everyone else to be successful and be their best magical aerial unicorn!
What’s your favorite part of the jams?
It brings everyone together! You get to see people that you train with, and others that you might miss in class due to scheduling conflicts, but at jams, everyone gets to meet all the other aerialists who are just as passionate as they are! And from these jams all kind of magical things can be birthed: performance ideas, new transition discoveries, opportunities like sharing knowledge about jobs or housing, helping someone in your community!
And, more than anything, seeing what other people are doing keeps you inspired to keep training and pushing yourself. That’s the type of energy we want to foster in a safe, and fun, jam sessions!
Our next Community Jam is with Ryan Schmidt, sign up now!
