El Aire Circus Arts – Aerial Acrobatics School
El aire Circus Arts is an aerial acrobatics and dance school located in Mournies, near Chania, on the island of Crete, Greece. Run by Stella Avaraki and operating since 2019, it welcomes children from age 5, teenagers, and adults, from beginner to advanced levels. The school develops an artistic and acrobatic practice using aerial silks, hoop, rope, aerial swing, and straps. Its teaching combines physical conditioning, flexibility, coordination, body expression, and choreography. El aire Circus Arts offers regular classes, intensive workshops with guest artists, and holiday activities for children. These holiday activities combine aerial arts, juggling, theatrical games, and creative workshops. The school also contributes to the cultural life of Chania through its aerial dance performances and student showcases. It prioritizes a progression adapted to each individual's abilities, in an environment that promotes self-confidence, creativity and the enjoyment of movement.
El Aire Circus Arts – Aerial Acrobatics School in Chania, Crete
El aire Circus Arts is a school specializing in aerial arts, acrobatics and dance, located in Mournies, in the Chania metropolitan area, on the island of Crete, in Greece.
Located at 36 rue Nikolaou Plastira, it welcomes children from 5 years old , teenagers and adults wishing to discover or deepen their knowledge of the aerial disciplines of contemporary circus.
The school is run by Stella Avaraki , an artist and teacher specializing in aerial acrobatic dance.
Her program includes aerial silks , aerial hoop , rope , aerial swing , and straps . The activities combine technical learning, physical conditioning, flexibility, coordination, and artistic expression.
El aire Circus Arts also organizes holiday camps for children, specialist workshops with guest artists and aerial acrobatics shows .
A school established in 2019
El aire Circus Arts has been developing its activities since 2019 .
In June 2026, the school celebrates its seventh year of existence through an artistic event bringing its community together.
Over the years, she has built a course program designed for different ages and experience levels.
The establishment is gradually becoming a place for practice, creation and meeting around aerial disciplines.
Its activities combine regular teaching, specialized internships, and artistic performances.
A school open to children and adults
El aire Circus Arts welcomes children from 5 years old , teenagers and adults.
The courses are accessible to people discovering aerial acrobatics as well as to more experienced practitioners.
Students gradually learn to control their bodies on different suspended apparatus.
The teaching combines coordination exercises, muscle strengthening, mobility and technical work.
The activities also help to develop concentration, perseverance and self-confidence.
Each participant can thus build their own path in aerial arts.
Children's classes
The courses designed for children emphasize a progressive and playful approach.
Young students discover the fundamental movements and learn to familiarize themselves with the apparatus.
The exercises develop balance, coordination and body awareness.
The activities combine play, movement, and artistic exploration.
Learning also allows children to develop their autonomy and their ability to cooperate.
The end-of-year performances offer an opportunity to share the progress made.
Activities for teenagers
Teenagers can further develop their aerial acrobatics skills in appropriately sized groups.
The classes help to develop strength, flexibility and technical mastery.
The students discover different positions and transitions on the apparatus.
They gradually learn to link the figures into sequences.
Choreographic work brings an artistic dimension to the practice.
The activities also promote perseverance and personal expression.
Activities for adults
El aire Circus Arts welcomes both beginner and experienced adults.
Participants can discover aerial disciplines from a perspective of leisure, physical training or artistic research.
The classes combine physical preparation and learning on apparatus.
Practice helps develop strength, mobility and coordination.
Adults can also participate in intensive workshops to further develop certain techniques.
The school thus provides a place for practice accessible to different levels of experience.
Aerial fabric
Aerial silks is one of the main disciplines taught at El aire Circus Arts.
He uses long suspended strips of fabric to perform acrobatic positions and movements.
Students learn to control their support, their suspension, and their movements.
The practice requires strength, coordination and flexibility.
The movements can be combined into choreographic sequences.
Aerial silks is a discipline that is both technical and expressive.
The aerial hoop
The aerial hoop , also called aerial hoop or lyra , is part of the school's program.
This suspended circular apparatus allows for balancing and acrobatic positions.
Participants learn to use different points of support.
Work develops strength, stability, and coordination.
The figures can be linked in choreographic sequences.
Aerial hoop allows for a combination of technical mastery and artistic creation.
The aerial rope
Aerial rope plays an important role in the activities of El aire Circus Arts.
This vertical apparatus allows for suspensions, climbs and acrobatic movements.
The practice requires strength and precise coordination.
The students gradually discover different positions and transitions.
The rope also allows for the exploration of fluidity of movement and the possibilities of choreographic creation.
The school hosts specialized training courses dedicated to this discipline.
Aerial straps
Aerial straps are among the disciplines offered in the school's activities.
They allow you to work on suspension positions and acrobatic movements.
The practice particularly engages the shoulders, arms and core.
The exercises require appropriate physical preparation.
Straps are an important technical discipline in contemporary circus.
El aire Circus Arts also organizes intensive workshops to further develop this practice.
The aerial swing
The aerial swing is among the apparatus presented in the school's introductory courses.
It allows you to explore different suspension positions and movements in space.
Participants develop their coordination and body control.
This apparatus also offers possibilities for expressive movement.
It complements the other aerial disciplines taught at El aire Circus Arts.
Aerial dance
Aerial dance is one of the central dimensions of the school's identity.
She combines acrobatic techniques with choreographic research.
Participants learn to connect the figures and to work on the fluidity of transitions.
Music, rhythm, and artistic intention enrich the movements.
Aerial dance allows you to develop a personal body language.
It also forms the basis of the shows presented by the students and artists of the school.
Physical preparation
Physical preparation accompanies the learning of aerial arts.
The exercises help to develop strength, endurance and stability.
The work focuses particularly on the arms, shoulders, back and core.
Participants learn to better control their movements.
This preparation contributes to progress on the different apparatus.
It forms an important part of regular practice.
Flexibility and mobility
Flexibility plays an important role in the activities of El aire Circus Arts.
The exercises allow for the gradual development of range of motion.
The exercise combines mobility and muscle control.
Flexibility contributes to the achievement of certain acrobatic positions.
It also enriches the choreographic possibilities.
The school hosts specialized workshops on mobility and active flexibility.
Handstands
El aire Circus Arts also organizes workshops dedicated to hand balancing .
This discipline requires precise work on posture, strength, and coordination.
Participants explore inverted positions and movement possibilities.
The exercises can be performed on the floor, against a wall or in free balance.
The work develops stability and body awareness.
It complements the other acrobatic activities offered by the school.
Internships with guest artists
El aire Circus Arts welcomes artists specializing in different disciplines of contemporary circus.
These meetings allow students to discover new working methods.
The workshops can focus on technique, physical preparation, or artistic creation.
Participants benefit from the experience of speakers with international backgrounds.
These workshops enrich regular practice and promote exchanges between artists.
Aerial rope course with Gaia Santuccio
In April 2026 , El aire Circus Arts hosts an aerial rope workshop led by Gaia Santuccio .
An artist and teacher, she develops research dedicated to the relationship between the body, the object, and movement.
The program includes rope handling, technical work, and exploration of ground sequences.
Participants discover different approaches to this apparatus.
This internship illustrates the school's interest in contemporary practices and artistic research.
The rope and straps training course in May 2026
In May 2026 , the school is organizing an intensive course dedicated to rope and aerial straps.
The program includes work on static positions, transitions, and dynamic movements.
Participants explore techniques for producing and controlling body momentum.
The exercises also address the precision of movements and the different forms of ascent and descent.
This meeting allows for a deeper exploration of specific aerial circus techniques.
Hoop and hair suspension workshops
In January 2026 , El aire Circus Arts hosts a workshop dedicated to aerial hoop and hair suspension.
The program includes active flexibility work and technical exploration on hoops.
Hair suspension is addressed in a specialized workshop with a guest artist.
This meeting provides an opportunity to discover specific disciplines and approaches within contemporary circus.
It testifies to the diversity of artistic proposals welcomed by the school.
Children's holiday camps
El aire Circus Arts organizes holiday camps for children.
These programs combine circus arts with creative and collective activities.
Participants discover several disciplines in a fun setting.
The exercises help to develop coordination, creativity and confidence.
Internships also promote networking and cooperation.
They provide an opportunity to discover the world of the circus during school holidays.
Summer Camp 2026
From July 13 to August 7, 2026 , El aire Circus Arts is organizing a summer camp for children.
The program includes the discovery of aerial arts, including silks, hoop, rope, swing and straps.
The children also participate in juggling activities and balance games.
The creative workshops include visual arts, sensory experiences, and various forms of manual expression.
Theatre and group games complement the activities.
This program combines physical learning, imagination, and artistic discovery.
Juggling games
Juggling is one of the activities offered during children's camps.
Participants discover, among other things, balls and clubs.
The exercises help to work on coordination, concentration and precision.
Children gradually learn to manipulate different objects.
Juggling also promotes perseverance and creativity.
It complements aerial activities with a ground-based circus approach.
The poi
The poi are among the manipulation accessories used during holiday activities.
This discipline involves moving objects at the end of ropes along different trajectories.
The exercises develop coordination and a sense of rhythm.
They also allow for the exploration of fluidity of movements.
Poi are a playful practice of manipulating objects.
Stilts
Stilt walking is one of the circus activities offered in children's workshops.
They allow you to discover balance and movement at height.
Participants gradually learn to control their posture.
This discipline develops coordination and concentration.
Stilts also belong to the world of street arts.
Theatre and improvisation games
The holiday camps include theatre and improvisation activities.
Children discover role-playing games and different forms of physical expression.
The exercises encourage spontaneity and imagination.
Working together promotes listening and cooperation.
These activities allow circus techniques to be combined with an expressive dimension.
Creative workshops
El aire Circus Arts complements its circus activities with creative workshops.
Children can participate in visual arts activities and sensory experiences.
The program includes, in particular, workshops on manipulating materials and artistic experiments.
These activities encourage curiosity and creativity.
They also allow for a variety of learning methods during holiday internships.
The students' shows
El aire Circus Arts organizes performances allowing students to present their work.
The shows combine aerial techniques, music and choreographic creation.
Participants discover the different stages of preparing a performance.
Working together promotes cooperation and artistic expression.
The shows also allow us to highlight the progress made during the year.
The performances of 2026
In June 2026 , El aire Circus Arts is organizing an aerial dance show to celebrate its seventh anniversary.
This event brings the school community together around an artistic presentation.
The students also participate in performances organized in the studio.
These events demonstrate the importance placed on creation and sharing with the public.
Performances in public spaces
El aire Circus Arts also participates in cultural events organized in the Chania region.
Its artists present aerial acrobatics acts at public events.
In November 2025 , the group notably participates in the Christmas tree lighting ceremony in Chania.
These performances allow aerial disciplines to be introduced to a wider audience.
They complement the school's educational activities.
An artistic activity during the summer of 2026
During the summer of 2026 , the artists of El aire Circus Arts participate in local events.
The program includes aerial performances at musical and festive events.
The acts showcase technique, fluidity, and body expression.
This activity contributes to the presence of circus arts in the cultural life of Crete.
The start of the 2026–2027 academic year
El aire Circus Arts resumes its classes on September 1, 2026 .
The new program welcomes children from age 5, teenagers and adults.
The activities are open to beginners and experienced practitioners.
Students can discover aerial disciplines or continue their progression.
The school thus maintains a regular offering of artistic and acrobatic training in Chania.
A pedagogy based on progression
El aire Circus Arts' teaching is based on a progression adapted to the abilities of the participants.
Students gradually discover the fundamental techniques.
The exercises help to develop strength, coordination and body control.
Repetition and experimentation contribute to learning.
Teachers also encourage creativity and personal expression.
This approach allows for a combination of technical progress and the pleasure of practicing.
Self-confidence
Aerial disciplines offer participants the opportunity to discover new abilities.
Each learned movement represents a step in the progression.
Students develop their concentration and perseverance.
Working in a group also promotes cooperation.
Artistic representations help to highlight the efforts made.
Circus practice thus contributes to the development of self-confidence .
An artistic community in Chania
El aire Circus Arts is a meeting place for aerial arts enthusiasts in Crete.
The courses, workshops and shows bring together practitioners of different ages.
Workshops with guest artists promote exchanges and the discovery of new techniques.
The performances allow us to share the creations with families and the public.
The school thus participates in the development of a local community around contemporary circus.
An aerial circus school in Crete
Since 2019 , El aire Circus Arts has been contributing to the dissemination of aerial disciplines in the Chania region.
Her program combines aerial silks, hoop, rope, straps, aerial swing, physical conditioning and acrobatic dance.
Children, teenagers and adults can discover circus arts in an environment dedicated to movement and creation.
Holiday camps, international workshops and performances complement the regular teaching.
Through its activities, El aire Circus Arts promotes a practice of aerial arts based on technical progression, creativity, cooperation and the pleasure of expressing oneself through movement.
