Self-care is so important for your physical and emotional wellbeing. Fly Freak Studio is here to help support you in your self-care journey. Life is freaking hard. We currently live in a society where the cost of living continues to rise and wages frequently do not, and where capitalism and white supremacy value our productivity over our health and wellbeing. And we recognize these effects are exacerbated for our queer, gender non-conforming, and BIPOC students. When life is challenging, self-care is usually one of the first things to go. We tend to prioritize deadlines, chores, and caring for ..read more

Celebrating 5 years of hard work and fantastic community! Five years ago, my baby Fly Freak Studio opened the doors as a brick and mortar. Five years ago, my dad was still alive, and along with my mom, two cousins, aunt, and uncle, helped shine up a very old and dirty space for the big opening party. This studio still exists today because of three reasons. One, the super hard work of many people. Two, a wonderful community who have held me up when I’ve been too exhausted to stand on my own. Three, my refusal to give up. The last five years have brought some of the highest highs and the lowest ..read more

You’re never too old to start practicing aerial arts! Circus arts are not just for children! They also offer so many benefits for adults. Here at Fly Freak, we offer a wide variety of aerial classes designed specifically for adult students. Keep reading to learn more about why even grown-ups should consider running away with the circus. 1. Add variety to your workouts.  Doing the same type of workout over and over again can get boring. Repetitive movements also put you at risk for injury. Taking an aerial class is a great way to add more variety to your workout regimen! Very few fitness c ..read more

Cross-training is one of the best ways to build overall strength for your aerial practice and prevent injury. Ever wonder how professional aerialists, athletes, and performers avoid injury? Spoiler alert: they train in multiple forms of exercise and not just the one they specialize in. Science tells us that cross-training in a variety of endurance, strength, and flexibility workouts is one of the best ways to build overall strength and prevent injury! Keep reading to learn more about the benefits of cross training and how to incorporate it into your aerial training routine.   While there ..read more

Sling is one of our favorite apparatuses because it’s accessible, therapeutic, and versatile! Aerial sling is one of our favorite apparatuses here at Fly Freak. It shines as an accessible, therapeutic, and versatile piece of equipment that can be used for fun aerial tricks, physical therapy, strength building, improving flexibility, spinal decompression, and more! In many ways, aerial sling is the most accessible aerial apparatus out there, making it perfect for beginners. Sling, fabric, or hammock are the common terms for a single piece of wide, silky fabric that hangs from the ceiling. The l ..read more

Mat Pilates is an awesome workout for all fitness levels! Pilates is a form of exercise that uses controlled movements to improve strength, flexibility, and body awareness. This workout focuses on building core strength and stabilizing muscles while also working arms and legs. It’s a low-impact workout that’s highly effective! Pilates was created by Joseph Pilates, a circus performer, boxer, and self-defense instructor, in the early 1900s. He developed the exercise method to improve his own fitness levels and to help rehabilitate injured soldiers during the First World War. In the 1920s, Jose ..read more

First time visiting our studio? Use the directions below to find us without breaking a sweat! Fly Freak Studio is located in the heart of the St. Paul's Hamline-Midway neighborhood in the 755 Prior Avenue North building! You'll find us right next to Black Stack Brewing at the Prior Avenue North and Pennock Avenue intersection. Look for the big purple banner and enter through the red exterior door in the Blue Lot. Once inside, you’ll see our purple sign and big purple door. Free parking is available in the surface lot (Blue Lot), underground garage, gravel lot across the street, or on the stre ..read more

Picking out an outfit for your first ever lyra, silks, sling, or aerial yoga class can be stressful. Let us help! We want you to feel awesome the first time you take an aerial class. Use the recommendations below to help you choose an outfit that you’ll feel comfortable and confident in: Wear close-fitting clothing that covers your legs and torso (for example, leggings and a fitted t-shirt or tank). This helps protect your skin. All aerial apparatuses can feel a bit uncomfortable at first while your body adjusts to the new sensations. Bring along a sweatshirt or long sleeve top, especially ..read more

Thank you for four amazing years! Time sure does fly! Today we're celebrating our 4th birthday as a brick and mortar. That's four years in the Hamline-Midway neighborhood of St. Paul breathing and exploring together in air and land classes, student performance sessions, and live shows. Fabulous art has been made and, most importantly, our beautiful, empathetic, and diverse community of freaks has been connected. Thank you feels like a drop in the bucket of an ocean of gratitude to every person who has ever stepped in the front door to try a class. We have infinite gratitude for ever ..read more

Aerial sling and aerial silks are not the same, but they are similar. Many people may refer to sling as silks when they’re first starting up on their aerial journey. Silks and sling are not the same, but they are similar. Silks, also known as tissue, is two panels of fabric hanging from the ceiling. This apparatus is what people traditionally think of when they think of circus silks. Silks can be challenging to learn because it requires quite a bit of grip strength to support your body weight. For this reason, we recommend starting with sling if you’re new to aerial. However, our beginners sil ..read more