Frequently Asked Questions
What can I expect on my first day of class?
Depending on the day, there may be a class ending right before yours begins, so be aware that the lobby may be a bit crowded! You can arrive up to 5 minutes early for class. There are 2 doors and a small ramp to enter the facility at 207 Washington St. Once you’ve entered, to the left is the hallway leading to the Clown Annex and to our 2 gender-neutral restrooms, directly ahead are cubbies where you can keep your personal belongings, and to the right is a small seating area where you can wait for your class to begin. Remove your shoes before stepping onto the mats. Typically your instructor will introduce themselves, ask participants to introduce their names/pronouns, and give you a preview of what to expect from class. Most classes begin with a brief but physical warm-up and then there is time for learning new skills, time for reviewing skills from previous classes, and time at the end for conditioning and or cool-down tasks.
What ages do you offer classes for?
Our kids classes are for ages 7-12, t(w)een class is for ages 11 to 17, and adult classes are for ages 13 and above. Sometimes we offer a special Circus for 5-6 Year Olds class, but not every session. Our adult classes often have a mixture of ages from folks in their teens to folks in retirement.
How do I register for class or see my registration?
Use the navigation bar above to find available Adult Classes or Kids Classes. If no classes appear in our registration software widget, then registration is closed until the next session. Typically our classes run for 8 weeks and registration opens approximately 4 weeks before the start of the term. Registration opens approximately every 2 months. Get on our mailing list to get notified!
Once registered, you can login to Sawyer, our registration software, to view your schedule.
How much do classes cost?
Prices for classes can vary but in general kids classes are $175, 1-hour Adult Classes are $110, 90-minute Adult Classes are $180, and 2-hour Adult Classes are $220. This cost is for a class that meets once a week for 8 weeks.
Do you offer scholarships, discounts, or payment plans?
We offer a 25% scholarship for adults or children who identify as BIPOC. We also offer a 25% scholarship for foster youth. If you enroll in 3 or more classes through our registration software, an automatic 5% discount will be applied to all tuition.
When you enroll through the registration software, it will allow you to choose to pay full price upon checkout or to pay a $50 deposit where the rest of the tuition will be charged in 2 future transactions, a few weeks apart.
Do you have drop-in classes or allow for drop-ins?
Most of our classes do not allow for drop-ins. However, on some occasions, students with previous experience may be allowed to drop-in on a case-by-case basis with instructor permission if space allows. Drop-in prices for adult classes are $30 for a 2-hour class, $25 for a 90 minute class, and $15 for a 1-hour class.
I have previous aerial experience. can I sign up?
If you want to take any aerial class with prerequisites (which is all of our aerial classes except for Intro to Aerial) we would require you to complete a short assessment with one of our instructors. These assessments are free and take about 30 minutes to complete. An instructor would ask you a few questions, get you warmed up, and then ask you to show them a couple of climbs and skills that you are comfortable with. Doing this assessment will help you, the studio, and the instructor feel most prepared for your participation in our studio’s curriculum.
I have a pre-existing condition or injury. Can I still sign up?
We have a responsibility for the safety and health of our students, so we try to keep you informed about what to expect, and you can expect some circus disciplines to be quite physically demanding. In some classes, we hang from wrists, elbows, and shoulders, in others, we stand on our hands or on other people. When you sign up for a new physical activity, any pre-existing injuries or conditions have the potential to be exacerbated and lead to long-term damage because connective tissue can be fragile. If you have any pre-existing health conditions, please carefully consider whether circus is right for you and perhaps discuss the activity you’d like to engage in with your doctor before signing up. We do our best to make accommodations and modifications when possible because we believe circus should be accessible; feel free to reach out to an instructor directly if you have concerns about what to expect from their class.
Do students perform what they learn in class?
Not all of our students dream of performing, but some do! Kids classes always have a ‘showcase’ during the final week of class. Our studio doesn’t host showcases for the adult classes, but many of our students perform for the first time at our sister studio, Airbound Arts (primarily a training space, with different ownership). Are you interested in performing or perhaps volunteering for their show? Visit www.airboundarts.com for more information. Some students even go on to perform at the long-standing local show, The Brotherhood Takes Flight at the Brotherhood Lounge, produced by the Airbound Underground Circus Collective. Whether you plan to perform or attend in either case, we’d love to see you there!
What is “airbound underground”?
Airbound Underground Circus Collective is a local troupe of performers who produce and perform in The Brotherhood Takes Flight. Occasionally its members will produce and perform at other local events as well. You don’t necessarily have to be in the troupe to perform at The Brotherhood Takes Flight (Broho). Troupe membership involves performing, attending meetings, making decisions as a collective, and volunteering. If you’re interested in learning more, performing at Broho, or joining the troupe one day, start performing regularly and talk to an instructor about involvement possibilities. Sparrow Studios is unaffiliated with the troupe, but most of our instructors are members or can at least point you in the right direction.
I am interested in private lessons. How do I go about that?
Contact any of the instructors and ask! Their bios and email contact information is on our instructor page. The cost of a private lesson can vary. Ask your instructor what their rates are, as they set their own. For a one-person, one-hour lesson, expect to pay around $50-70.
I want to set up my own aerial rigging point at home, in my garage, or in a tree!! Help me?
While we love your enthusiasm, there is a lot to know about safe rigging and proper equipment before investing the time, energy, and materials it takes to set up your own place to practice. Sparrow Studios, and any of its instructors, are not responsible for what you do in your own home; you are taking on all risk and liability by rigging and training in a space outside of our studio. We cannot provide advice about personal rigging, nor do we recommend it, though we will gladly answer questions about what equipment the studio uses. The studio has insurance, crash mats, and quarterly rigging checks that you and your space may not have access to. While our staff have some training in safe rigging practices, we are not qualified structural engineers. We advise that you do your own research and consult with professionals before purchasing and installing equipment to train outside of the studio.
If you’d like another place to practice outside of class, we recommend attending Open Gyms or purchasing a membership at our sister studio, Airbound Arts (primarily a training space, with different ownership). They too have insurance, crash mats, regular rigging checks, and qualified monitors to keep you safe. www.airboundarts.com
Do you allow dogs at your studio?
We prefer that you leave your dog at home when you or your child is attending classes. Our instructors are allowed to and often opt to bring their dog(s) to class due to their schedule. Students can request permission to bring their well-behaved dog to class but it may not always be possible. If you have an allergy or concern about this, please reach out to your instructor directly to voice your concerns, or if you prefer you can contact the owners at sparrowclasses@gmail.com
How can I connect with other students?
As of July 2024, we have a Sparrow Studios Students Private Facebook Group and as of August 2024, we have a discord channel as well. Use them to discuss classes, arrange semi-privates, encourage each other, or chat about studio stuff.
Click to join the Facebook group.
I still have questions. What do I do?
email us at sparrowclasses@gmail.com