FAQ

Where are you located?

Monarca in Flight is at 3431-F Carlin Springs Road, Falls Church, VA, at the intersection of Leesburg Pike and Carlin Springs Road.  We’re in the same shopping center as Party City, Ballet Nova, and REI, on the lower side, facing the playground.

What are your hours?

The schedule varies a bit from month to month, but in general

I’ve never done aerials before.  How do I start?

Monarca in Flight offers introductory classes in hard and soft apparatus.  Soft apparatus (silk and sling) are made of fabric.  Hard apparatus (lyra and trapeze) are made of metal.  If you’re pretty sure you know which apparatus you want to start with, jump right in to the Intro class of your choosing.  If you’re not sure, start with Aerial Silks and Sling via our Introduction to Soft Apparatus class.
Once you’ve gotten the Introduction under your belt, you’ll want to get right into the Beginner program to start building skills and conditioning.  From there, you can progress on your apparatus of choice and branch out into other apparatus as well.

What will I learn in the Intro class?

We start with safety to make sure you’re comfortable and to minimize any potential for injury.  From there we get into conditioning and skills (climbs and poses).  You’ll find it takes more upper body and grip strength than you might have imagined to participate in aerials.  We’ll make sure to work on those with you so that you can enjoy the learning experience.

What should I wear to class?

Close-fitting and comfortable clothes are recommended; you may wish to cover your underarms.  For your safety and to protect our equipment, NO JEWELRY on the aerial apparatus.  To keep the studio clean, we require that you remove your shoes in the entry area.  There are cubicles in the front room where you can store your possessions.  We also recommend wearing leggings or pants that cover the backs of your knees.  Please no zippered leggings or tops.  The zippers will catch on the fabric and damage it.

Supportive undergarments, including sports bras and dance belts as appropriate, are recommended for all ground and aerial acrobatics classes. A dance belt is a piece of clothing often worn by male ballet dancers that is designed to keep their genitalia close to the body. In aerials, dance belts can prevent discomfort and crushing injuries.

What should I bring?

Water is good.  Water is always good!  To avoid spills that someone could slip on, we don’t allow containers without tight lids in the classroom areas.  But there’s a spot right outside the classroom where you can stash your water bottle and access it easily when you’re taking a breather.  And don’t worry — if you forget to bring it, we do have bottled water for sale.
A small towel is a good thing too.  You’ll work up a sweat in class.

My schedule changed and I can’t make it to class.  What should I do?

Let us know ASAP!  We have a 24-hour cancellation policy, meaning that if you cancel less than 24 hours before the start of the class, there’s no refund or rescheduling of that class credit.

What is the minimum age for classes?

The minimum age for our regularly-scheduled classes is 14, though we do have a few younger students who’ve gotten special permission to attend based on their skills and experience.  For students under age 14, we still offer private and semi-private lessons as well as birthday parties.  Contact us for more information.

Is there a weight limit?

For most of our classes, not really.  Our equipment will hold you. Depending on your current level of conditioning, heavier beginners may have difficulty climbing and/or staying on the apparatus. But we include conditioning in every class to help build strength, so if you stick with it, you’ll get there!

If you’re interested in the Bungee Fit classes, check the class description for particulars on minimum/maximum weight and measurements.

How do I sign up?

Click here.  You’ll first purchase  a Drop-in session, a 10-punch card, or a Membership.  Once you’ve got that, you’ll be able to register for any of our regular classes.

I’ve done this before.  Do I have to start with the Intro class?

Probably not.  Make an appointment with us to do a safety and skills assessment, or send us video of yourself doing aerial, and we’ll be happy to place you at the correct level.

Do you offer Private Lessons?

Definitely!  Contact us to discuss what you want to work on and when you would like to set an appointment.

How does Open Studio work?

Once you’ve completed a Beginner class, you can attend our supervised Open Studio sessions.  Those with more experience can request a safety and skills assessment.  If our instructors feel you have gained enough knowledge to work on your own without injury, you’ll be granted access to unsupervised Open Studio.

An Open Studio session costs the same as a regular class (i.e., a Drop-in session, a punch card punch, or included with your membership), and you can stay for as long as the Open Studio is scheduled — up to 4 hours on weekdays!

For insurance reasons, we must insist that participants don’t use the time to try to teach skills to each other. Open Studio time is your time to work on your own to practice and improve the skills you’ve learned in class and to work on your conditioning to ensure you can progress in your aerials education.  You’re also welcome to work on your routine if you have a performance coming up in a Monarca in Flight showcase, or anywhere else for that matter.

What are the Studio Rules?

• Remove shoes before entering. You may leave them in the gray zone.
• No food or drinks in classrooms. You may leave them in the gray zone.
• No cell phones in class. Please be considerate and take your conversations where they won’t disturb a class in session.
• Parents must wait outside the classroom during youth classes.
• Open Studio is for practicing the skills and techniques you’ve learned in class. Insurance restrictions prevent us from allowing students to teach skills to other students during Open Studio time.