Aerial yoga was started as a bold idea by Christopher Harrison, a choreographer and gymnast who wanted to combine yoga with elements of aerial arts, pilates, and dance. With the use of strong fabric hammocks hung from the ceiling, the practice brought a playful yet powerful twist to traditional yoga.
Aerial Yoga Florida
Aerial yoga made waves in the U.S., and Florida became one of the first states to accept it fully. With its wide-open skies, movement-loving communities, and strong wellness culture, Florida was a natural fit for this fly-high style of practice.
Studios in places like Sarasota, Miami, and Gainesville were among the early adopters of aerial yoga. They helped bring aerial yoga to locals and visitors who were looking for new ways to stretch, develop strength, and feel supported—literally and emotionally!
Why Florida and Aerial yoga go hand in hand?
- The warm weather makes it perfect for indoor-outdoor aerial setups
- Many instructors here have backgrounds in dance, circus, or fitness
- It’s a great option for people seeking gentle spinal support and emotional release
- It’s popular in wellness hubs like Naples, Delray Beach, and Destin
- This yoga style adds a fun and uplifting element to Florida’s beachy yoga culture
Aerial yoga in Florida isn’t just a workout; it’s a lighthearted way to move, feel, and connect in a state that’s all about freedom and flow.
Let’s check out the studios for Aerial Yoga in Florida –
Elevate Yoga Center
About –
Bob Brant started Elevate Yoga Center in 2014 in Orlando, not just as a studio, but as a healing space. He had a background in music and IT. But after struggling with chronic back pain and anxiety, yoga became more than just a practice for him; it also became a way to feel strong, calm, and grounded again.
He wanted to share that change with others. So, Elevate Yoga Center was born as a warm and welcoming place where people could move, breathe, and grow together.
They do not just focus on poses, but also on feeling better from the inside out – mentally, physically, and emotionally. Their classes are inspired by nature’s elements like Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Space by creating a peaceful rhythm that supports every student’s journey.
Aerial Yoga Offerings –
- Air Yoga – This is a classic aerial yoga class using a hammock to support traditional poses, which helps enhance balance, flexibility, and alignment.
- Air Power – It’s a strong and fast-paced aerial workout with flips and conditioning that helps build core strength and stamina.
- Air Yin – This is a slow and grounding process that uses essential low hammocks for long-held stretches and proper relaxation.
- Air Yin/Yang – It’s a mix of soft movement with stillness that begins with flow and ends in calm and supported stretches.
- Air Silks – You can learn circus-style movement with silk fabric, climbs, spins, wraps, and drops.
- Air Lyra – It’s the yoga-inspired moves on an aerial hoop (lyra) which builds strength, control, and grace.
- Air Bungee – This is a fun and high-energy workout using bungee cords.
- Air Kids – It’s a creative aerial yoga including movement, games, and mindfulness for kids aged 6-12.
Website – https://www.elevateyogacenter.com/
Vertifit
About –
VertiFit opened its doors in 2014 with one goal: to help people feel stronger, more confident, and completely supported as they learn to move in the air. The studio was founded by Barrie Michaels, a passionate and certified instructor in yoga, aerial arts, and pole fitness. What started as a dream to combine movement with self-growth has now grown into a lively and welcoming space for people of all ages to try something new, get fit, and have fun—up in the air!
At VertiFit, movement isn’t just physical, it’s emotional too. Every class is about building trust in yourself, letting go of fear, and finding what your body can really do! The studio was created to make aerial fitness fun, friendly, and safe, to help students of all skill levels grow stronger, to offer something different from traditional workouts, and to build a kind, creative, and uplifting community.
Aerial Yoga Offerings –
- Aerial Yoga – This is a combination of traditional yoga with aerial swings, allowing students to invert, balance, build strength, flexibility, and enjoy spinal decompression in a fun and dynamic workout.
- Aerial Silks – It’s beginner-friendly for all levels, where the classes focus on individual skills, proper form, poses, transitions, strength, flexibility, spinning, challenging dynamics, and creative sequences.
- Lyra (Aerial Hoop) – This teaches mounting, spinning, transitions, conditioning, core strength, and flexibility.
- Cube – This one requires intermediate-level experience, which concentrates on balance, coordination, and routine building.
- Trapeze (Static/Dance) – It covers the basics of aerial yoga like mounting, pulling over the bar, and basic tricks, which are foundational for other apparatuses.
- Spanish Web – This is a rope and loop technique where students learn wrist suspension, climbing, spinning transitions, and setter-partner interaction
Website – https://www.vertifit.com/
Aerial Dragons Studio
About –
Aerial Dragons Studios was born from a shared dream between two passionate performers—Jessica King, a third-generation circus artist, and Kaley Gay Eckersdorff, a lifelong dancer and yoga lover. In 2014, they started with a backyard space which they lovingly called “The Keep.” It wasn’t fancy, but it was amazing—a place where creativity could take flight and worries could float away.
The name “Aerial Dragons” came from Jessica’s childhood love of fantasy stories and her collection of dragon figurines. It felt bold, playful, and full of imagination, just like the studio they were building.
Their mission was to build a safe and welcoming community where people of all backgrounds could come to express themselves, feel strong, and find joy through movement. If you’re spinning in silks, climbing hoops, or trying something new for the first time, Aerial Dragons Studios is all about lifting your body, mind, and spirit.
Aerial Yoga Offerings –
- Aerial Yoga – All Levels – This is a signature adult class combining traditional yoga with hammock/silks for every skill level.
- Aerial Foundations Course – It’s a beginner-friendly introduction course to silks, lyra, trapeze, and hammock.
- Private Sessions – These are one-on-one aerial coaching sessions customized as per your goals, from basics to routine building.
- Apparatus-Based Classes – These are regular weekly level classes that benefit adult aerialists on Silks (Levels 1–5), Hammock (Levels 1–3), Lyra/Hoop (Levels 1–4), and Trapeze (Levels 1–3).
- Contortion – This is a specialized training to improve flexibility and control for aerialists.
- Youth Aerial Classes – It’s a progressive group of classes in aerial circus arts for children between 8-15 years.
- Youth Summer Aerial Camps – This is a week-long camp to learn teaching silks, hoop, hammock, trapeze, flow arts, and flexibility.
Website – https://www.aerialdragonsstudios.com/
Rising Om Yoga
About –
Rising Om Yoga was born from a moment of unexpected experience in a hot yoga class. It was founded by Brittani, a professional dancer whose body and spirit were tired from years of pushing too hard. At 24, she walked into that first class feeling hesitant and walked out completely changed. The heat, the movement, and the stillness cracked something open in her as the back pain faded, her emotions surfaced, and for the first time in years, she felt truly light.
That single class brought a spark within her!
In 2010, she took a brave leap of opening Hot Yoga Tallahassee with no business plan, just heart and hope. With time, the studio went from hot yoga to offering Yin, Sculpt, Pilates, and more yoga styles, welcoming every kind of body and story.
And as the vision grew, so did the name, which is now Rising Om Yoga. It stands as a hub of strength, healing, and joy, a place where you can move, breathe, and rise into who you’re meant to be.
Aerial Yoga Offerings –
- Aerial Yoga – It’s a weekly group class using silk hammocks to support postures, improve stretches, strength, and explore inversions with ease.
- Aerial Yoga 101 – This is a beginner-friendly workshop or mini-course introducing basic aerial yoga techniques.
- 40‑Hour Aerial Yoga Teacher Training – It’s a comprehensive certification course covering aerial safety, rigging, body alignment, teaching methods, class management, and practice-teaching opportunities.
Website – https://www.risingomyoga.com/aerial
The Yogi Perogi
About –
The Yogi Perogi is a joyful little hub where movement feels like flow. It’s created by Amy Ustjanowski with the dream of making yoga fun and open for everyone. They share aerial yoga by combining yoga, dance, Pilates, and a touch of flying, all while gently flowing in a soft hammock. It’s a playful way to stretch your body, build strength, and find poses you never thought possible, all while floating in the air like a graceful dancer.
The studio hosts special workshops and events that add extra excitement and skills to your practice. Plus, they keep the good vibes flowing with their online studio, so that you can reach for the skies from your own living room as well, whenever inspiration strikes. It’s not just yoga, it’s a little bit of adventure in the air made for everyone ready to fly.
Aerial Yoga Offerings –
- Aerial Yoga – This is a fusion of yoga, Pilates, dance, acrobatics, and gymnastics to improve flexibility, strength, and mental focus.
- Aerial Yoga 101 – It’s a beginner-friendly workshop introducing the basics of aerial yoga, by focusing on foundational postures and building confidence using the aerial silks.
- Aerial Yoga Teacher Training Level 1 – This is a 3-day intensive course covering basic aerial yoga postures, safety, and teaching techniques.
- Aerial Yoga Teacher Training Level 2: It’s a 3-day intensive course that builds upon Level 1, introducing advanced postures and sequencing techniques.
- Private Aerial Yoga Classes – This is a one-on-one 60-minute session customized to individual needs, focusing on specific goals or areas of improvement.
- Group Aerial Yoga Classes – These are regular group classes held throughout the week, providing a supportive community environment for practice.
- Special Workshops – They also conduct occasional workshops focusing on specific aspects of aerial yoga, like inversions, core strength, or restorative practices.
- Online Aerial Yoga Classes: You can also avail of their online aerial yoga classes that are recorded, allowing the yoga practitioners to continue their practice from home.
Website – https://www.theyogiperogi.com/aerial-yoga
Libre
About –
Libre Aerial Fitness is a cozy and inspiring studio located in Miami, Florida. It was started in July 2024 by Stephanie Tisch, a creative soul with over 20 years of experience in luxury brand design. She dreamed of a special place where art, movement, and calm could come together to lift people’s spirits and bodies. It is inspired by the graceful moves of circus aerial artists, where Libre combines aerial fitness with relaxing infrared yoga to help people feel strong, joyful, and free. The studio offers more than just exercise; it’s also a peaceful spot where you can slow down, reconnect, and feel the joy of moving freely with your own body. This is a place to break free from the usual routine and find wellness in every stretch, swing, and breath!
You can register online, check their schedule, view pricing, and find out what to wear before you join them—just bring comfy clothing and a curious mind!
Aerial Yoga Offerings –
- Aerial Vinyasa – This is a 60-minute mixed-level class that links movements and power postures with breath and hammock. It combines basic to advanced yoga poses with aerial hammocks for a full-body stretch that increases flexibility beyond traditional yoga.
- Aerial Stretch & Sculpt – It’s a 60-minute full-body session using the aerial hammock, focusing on strengthening the upper body, core, obliques, and lower back muscles.
- Aerial Foundation – This is a 60-minute class focusing on cirque-style conditioning techniques that build upper body strength, stamina, and extended stretching.
- Aerial Choreo – This is a unique 60-minute class focused on creative choreography to music. It involves sequences of advanced poses combined into flowing, aesthetic movement, including wraps, flips, tricks, and drops.
- Aerial Restorative Sound Bath – It’s a 60-minute restorative class guiding members through a gentle aerial flow.
- Aerial Basics – This is a 60-minute beginner class introducing new members to aerial exercises in the silk hammock. It includes basic alignment, foundation, and specific muscle action to help the body balance with the hammock.
Website – https://www.libreaf.com/
Bottom Line –
Aerial yoga was started in 2007 as a creative idea by Christopher Harrison. Today, it has become a trusted path to wellness for many people, especially here in Florida. With its mix of strength, stretch, and support, it offers something rare – the chance to feel lighter, both in body and in spirit. It’s gentle on the joints, good for the spine, and even better for the mind.
In the end, aerial yoga is not just about hanging upside down; it’s about finding your own balance, calm, and courage. And Florida’s warm breeze and open skies are the perfect place to take that leap!
