Every circus needs a ringmaster, and at Studio de Cirque, that role belongs to Miranda Aro, who opened the performing arts studio in Naples this past spring. “We’re a full circus studio,” Miranda says about her facility that’s building on the rise in kids’ fitness in the merriest of ways. But think more Cirque du Soleil and less head in a lion’s mouth. Imagine ceiling-high aerial silks for twirling, a corde lisse rope for climbing, a suspended steel Lyra hoop for flipping upside down, and, of course, trapeze bars.
While flying through the air may sound risky, Miranda assures that Studio de Cirque’s classes are safe enough for kids as young as 5—she offers camps for toddlers and adult classes, too. Before they ever touch the equipment, every new student has to attend a 30-minute safety course led by Miranda. “We go over all the vocabulary for the apparatuses,” she says. “We like kids to know the terms and get in the habit of checking the security of everything before they climb.”
After, they can sign up for the intro to aerial class, during which they’ll learn beginner moves and do a lot of conditioning. “We’ve got to build those muscles and be able to hold our own body weight before we get into the fancy stuff,” Miranda says.
The studio’s four teachers, plus ringmaster Miranda, have all worked in the aerial industry and one has performed with the New York City Ballet. Parents get to see their kids flex their new skills during showcases throughout the year. Alert your kiddos: Now, they don’t have to run away to join the circus.