FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions about Classes at Akrosphere

What should I sign up for?

Good news for our youngest students…you don’t have to choose!  Our Akronauts (age 4-7) and our Circus Kids (age 7-10) programs include EVERYTHING, so all students will get to learn aerial silks, cloud swing, trapeze, lyra, and much more!

For our Level Classes (age 11+), the short answer is whichever one looks like the most fun!  You can check out pictures and descriptions of everything we do on our Apparatus page.

What do I wear to class?

Click Here for a Picture.  For aerial classes, we ask that girls please wear a high backed (covering the bra line) leotard and non-see-through leggings that reach the ankle.  Boys may wear a fitted tank top or t-shirt and boys dance tights / leggings that reach the ankle, plus a dance belt. (If you need help with finding a dance belt, just email us for recommendations.)

All hair MUST be pulled back and secured, no exceptions.  Please come to the studio with hair already done, as hair elastics are not available.

We have a specific dress code in effect for safety reasons.  This keeps us compliant with our circus insurance company.  They have good reason to require what they require.

Summer Camps and Trial Days:  All girl students should wear a leotard that fully covers their back, and leggings that reach their ankles.  Students may wear a form-fitting shirt or tank top if they do not own a leotard.  Boys should wear a form-fitting shirt or tank top tucked into leggings or fitted sweat pants.  All shirts must be tucked in.

What else should I bring to class?

We require all our students to keep a training notebook; therefore all students need a notebook and pen in ALL cirque classes.  We also require that all students bring a reusable water bottle; no disposable water bottles will be allowed.  Make sure to drink water in your classes!

Do you offer adult classes?

Absolutely we do!  Our Adult Program works differently, simply because adulting is hard!  For our adults, we offer a drop in option and a punchcard option for their classes.  Since we also have many professional adults training with us here at Akrosphere, we also offer a separate Open Gym Only punchcard option.  You can check it out on our Adult Program page.

Do you offer Private Lessons?

Absolutely; we offer private lessons on every apparatus we teach:  Aerial Silks, Trapeze, Cyr Wheel, Lyra, Aerial Rope, Contortion, Aerial Sling, Cloud Swing, and Aerial Net, plus Juggling, Rolling Globe, and a few others as well!  All Private Lessons also include Supervised Open Gym for the Saturday following the private lesson.  This allows the students to practice what they learn. Simply contact us to schedule a private lesson on the apparatus of your choice.

Do you offer trial classes?

We do offer trial classes several days per year.  Akrosphere offers each prospective student one $10 trial class (the $10 covers you under our insurance for the day).  If you wish to set up a trial class, simply contact us. Should you join our AKRO-Family and enroll in weekly classes, we deduct the $10 from your first month’s tuition.  Trial classes count toward your Money Back Guarantee limit of two classes.

What is your Money Back Guarantee?

We personally guarantee that your child LOVES our circus classes. If after your first class your child is not happy, we work with you to see if changes in class need to be made.  If after your second class you find Akrosphere is not the right fit, we refund you the cost for any remaining unattended classes.  For purposes of this Money Back Guarantee, we assume one month’s tuition covers four classes.

Simply contact us prior to your two weeks ending and let us know.  We do not accept cancellations through the teacher; all notices must be in writing via email through our administrative office.  We then refund your money directly to your credit card on file.

Money Back Guarantee is valid for 14 days from first class attended.  This includes Trial Classes.  It is valid for a total of two classes.  Only new, registered students are eligible for our money-back guarantee.  Our money-back guarantee only applies to weekly classes, and does not apply to intensives, workshops, or camps.  Money-back guarantee only applies to students withdrawing from Akrosphere within the 14-day time period.  It does not apply to missed classes.  Our Money Back Guarantee is only valid once per family.

What does my monthly tuition cover?

We strive to make things easy for our AKRO-Parents; therefore your monthly tuition is all-inclusive, and covers:

• Elite-level specialized circus instruction by certified coaches in your child’s class (1 class per week).
• Unlimited monthly Supervised Open Gym (Akronauts and Circus Kids enjoy a discounted monthly tuition in lieu of Open Gym)
• All Equipment Upkeep Fees
• All Registration Fees
• 2 Performance Opportunities each year and associated Showcase (Recital) Fees
• 2 Performance Mementos each year (1 per performance opportunity taken)
• 2 Tickets to Student Winter Showcase (for each class taken).  
• 1 Digital DVD Download for Student Winter Showcase
• 2 Tickets to Student Spring Showcase (for each class taken).
• 1 Digital DVD Download for Student Spring Showcase
• Appropriate Taxes
• Plus extra excitement along the way, such as Social Media days, Bring-a-Friend Days, Trivia games with Prizes, and much more!

So no surprise fees, EVER!

How does tuition work?

All tuition shown online is per month, and all credit cards are automatically processed on the 1st of every month; tuition bills are not sent out monthly. These monthly tuitions are all-inclusive (see the above question to see what is included).  Please visit the class listings in your age group for exact tuition rates.

All students pay the first and last month of tuition upfront for each class they register for.  This means there is no charge for your final month of class with us.  We accept payment via credit card through our online registration system.

Tuition is the same each month, and does not fluctuate due to holidays or unattended lessons.  We base tuition fees per student / family on a “42 weeks of class / twelve month season” which we divide into equal monthly payments. This allows for some months to have 5 weeks, and some months to have 3.  All tuition fees are non-negotiable, non-refundable, and non-transferable.  

Summer Camp Tuitions: Sign up for Summer Camp, and don’t pay until June 1st!  We process all credit cards for all summer camps on the 1st of June. If registering for summer camps after this date, then we process your payment within a few days of registration. Please note that there is a One-time Summer Camp $20 Registration / Equipment Upkeep fee for each student.  Your tuition receipt reflects this.

How do I practice between my classes?

The best way to practice your skills between classes is to attend Open Gym.  We include Supervised Open Gym with your monthly tuition for all weekly leveled classes.   (Akronauts and Circus Kids enjoy a discounted tuition in lieu of Open Gym.) Open Gyms are coach supervised, and are held on Saturdays from 10am-12noon, plus Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays at various times.  (See our Open Gym Page for the full schedule.)

Can I watch my child take class?

Absolutely!  We have a parent’s watch window available to you, and parents are more than welcome to sit in our lobby and watch your child take their class.  However, we do not allow parents into the gym proper.

Can I post pictures of my child on social media?

Absolutely, plus you can take this opportunity to follow us on Facebook and Instagram!  We actually have social media days scheduled throughout the year, where students can bring their phones (or yours) in to class with them, and the final 10 minutes is dedicated to taking photos, videos, and anything else they would like to document and spread around!  (We also use this opportunity to teach proper “circus etiquette” on social media to our kids.).   We do ask that all photos posted on social media tag us:  we are Akrosphere Aerial & Circus Arts on Facebook, and @akrosphere_circus on Instagram.

What if school is out for the day…do we still have class that evening?

We mostly follow the Forsyth and Fulton County school calendar for our holidays. However, note that we DO NOT observe most “Monday” holidays, and we DO hold classes on those days.

Please consistently check our Studio Calendar for an updated listing; our calendar is always available on our website.

What if I have to miss a class?

We allow 2 make-ups for missed classes between August-December, and we allow 2 make-ups for missed classes between January-May. Students receive 1 make-up for missed classes in June-July.  We do require students attend regularly on their appropriate day, and they may not swap back and forth from week to week between two days.

It is the family’s responsibility to schedule make-ups.  Simply contact us through email after the missed class to schedule your make-up.  We do not allow drop-ins for make up classes.

What if I need to drop a class?

To drop from a class, we require written notice to the Akrosphere studio a minimum of 30 days prior to withdrawal.  Simply contact us through email to let us know.  Then we apply your final month’s payment and open the class slot to a child on our waiting list.  Tuition charges continue to incur until notice is given. Teachers may not accept drop notices in class. We limit our class sizes for safety reasons.  Due to this, we have a rather strict class drop policy. We consider students absent unless we receive written notice.

To drop from Camp:  Before May 15th, if a registered student needs to drop from a week of camp, the refund is 100%.  After May 15th, if a registered student needs to drop from a week of camp, the refund is 50%.  As coaches are hired based upon the number of kids in attendance, no refund is given if a student needs to drop 1 week or less before their camp week starts.  If a student is injured and needs to switch to a different week of camp, please send us a doctors note along with your request.  We will move your child, space permitting.  There is a $25 processing fee to switch weeks of camp without a doctors note.

Persistence Period. Due to preparation for showcase performances, no drops or class changes may occur between October-December or March-May.  Drops during this time negatively affect the rest of the students in the group performance.