the country's first full-time intensive partner acrobatic training for intermediate and advanced acrobats
New! Hand to Hand Intensive! 5 days, June 2018
New! Hand to Hand Intensive! 5 days, June 2018
Pitch Catch SPRING
March 13 - April 14
Pitch Catch Circus School is thrilled to offer its 8th annual Spring Program in Asheville, NC. Join coaches Niko Douwes, Blox, Christine Moonbeam, Ryan Hamity, Micah Ellinger, Cassie Preyss, Ariel Mihic and Z Farrell for a 5-week partner acro intensive.
We’ll be offering 3 concurrent tracks for intermediate, advanced, and proficiency track students. Students are encouraged to attend the full 5 weeks, but may attend as little as 2 weeks. One week minimum for returning students. Arrangements can be made for half days or partial weeks to accommodate locals or remote work schedules.
The 30-hr per week program focuses on standing acrobatics including hand to hand, group acro and optional icarian modules. Partner acrobatics training is rounded out by instruction in tumbling, handstands, flexibility, pre-hab/conditioning. Students also receive a minimum of 30 minutes per week in private instruction. Classes will run from 9:30 - 5pm, Monday - Friday for weeks 1-3, and from 8:15 - 3:15 weeks 4-5. Open gym will occur on Saturday afternoons. Click here to see a sample weekly schedule.
Fellowships and Scholarship for BIPOC & Trans Students:
We recognize that the very quality of our programs depends on the diversity of our students, and in order to provide recompense for that value, we are offering up to 12 fellowships to the program for students who identify as black, Native American (Indian), First Nations, Latinx, Asian, or mixed race, and/or for those who are trans. This fellowship provides full access to the program at zero or reduced cost to the student.
Additionally, we will be offering up to 3 scholarships that include a housing/travel stipend for BIPOC/trans students that demonstrate financial need. For more information and to apply, click here to fill out a brief application. Please note you will also need to fill out our full application form.
New this year -- we will also be offering 1 "hardship" scholarship to someone who may not fit into the categories above but has experienced significant hardship in their life -- this may be someone who has served jail time, recovered from addiction, lives with a disability, or is making it work as a single parent. This scholarship will cover full tuition, and may also be eligible for a housing stipend. Click here to fill out a brief application. You may be asked to submit financial documentation.
Helping Acrobats
In order to best support our less experienced students, and to provide a way to make the program more economical for some students, we are accepting applications for up to 8 helping acrobats. Helping acrobats must have a high level of proficiency in spotting and performing advanced standing skills (i.e. you must easily meet the requirements for the advanced track). It is most ideal if helping acrobats have taken Pitch Catch courses previously, but a sufficient knowledge of standing skills can substitute. Helping acrobats offer their support in up to 5 lower level classes per week in exchange for a significant discount. Click here to fill out the helping acrobat application. You will also need to fill out our full application form
Work Trade
We offer a very limited amount of work trade opportunities for students that are unable to afford the bottom of the sliding scale and do not fit into any of the above categories. Work trade tasks may include cleaning, child care, and hosting open training sessions. If you would like to apply for work trade, please email info@pitchcatchcircus.com.
Where: Asheville, NC
Level: Intermediate, Advanced, Proficiency
When: March 13 - April 14
Facility: Osega Dream Academy
130 Christel Ln, Arden, NC 28704
Cost: SLIDING SCALE
(what is this? see below)
5 Weeks: $1,725 - $3,525
4 Weeks: $1,480 - $2,875
3 Weeks: $1,225 - $2,525
2 Weeks: $850 - $1,725
Coaches: Blox, Ryan Hamity, Cassie Drew, Niko Douwes, Christine Moonbeam, Jeremy Martin, Micah Ellinger, Z Farrell, Ariel Mihic
NEW! Performance Track:
This spring we will be offering a performance track, suitable for folks at any level. Taught by Ben Grinberg, Co-Founder of Almanac Dance Circus Theatre, the track will focus on ensemble work, stage presence, choreography, and physical theater. The track will run for 2-3 weeks and will include three 1-hour long sessions during the week and additional 3 hour weekend session.
COVID Policy
We have decided to open the program this spring to non-vaccinated people. We will still ask for testing prior to (and potentially during) the program, and may request masking or quarantining as the COVID situation calls for at the time of the course.
Intermediate Track
Our intermediate program is designed for students working toward mastery of standing hand to hand and other higher level standing skills as well as Icarian and group acrobatics. The intermediate track will run weeks 1 - 3. Students who join weeks 1 or 2 or who have attended Pitch Catch before may stay through the end of the program--we will run a melded track weeks 4-5.
Advanced Track
Our Advanced track program is designed for students experienced with standing hand to hand. We will focus on dynamic hand to hand entrances (ie: inlocates, relocates and more), toe pitching, swinging, banquine, extended h2h/f2h, knots, mono skills and more.
Proficiency Track
Our Proficiency Track (Pro Track) is for students working on dynamic skills (i.e. cascades, corbettes, etc) and/or high level skills (one arms, extended entrances/exits to h2h, etc), who are experienced acrobats. It is most suitable for folks that have already taken 5 weeks of the advanced track, but others working at a similar level are welcome to join. The Proficiency program will include both structured classes and autonomous training time. It is strongly recommended though not required that students on the Proficiency track come with a partnership or training group. We cannot guarantee you will be able to train consistently at your level if you come without a partner/group, however we will do our best to help students without training partners connect with others on this track prior to the program. Also, please note that we will be unable to run the Pro Track without a minimum of 10 students. If we do not have sufficient students to run this track, we will offer a discounted rate for private lessons, handstand/tumbling training and training space.
Who should apply?
This year's program is for intermediate, advanced and proficiency level acrobats.
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Show proven dedication and discipline to training as well as a positive team attitude
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Looking to improve their professional skill set and/or committed to raising their personal practice to the next level
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Hoping to gain a greater level of technical understanding
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Excited about building and strengthening their acro community in an inclusive way
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Interested in working with others collaboratively rather than competitively
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Interested in delving deeper into foundations and technique of having a healthy acro practice
Optional Performance Track!
New for Spring:
SLIDING SCALE
At Pitch Catch we strive to make circus accessible to all types of people with skill and heart regardless of their economic background. We ask that you accurately access your income-making POTENTIAL (i.e. not just your monthly earnings, but assets, education, etc.) when paying for this program. If you are able to pay more for the program, your contribution supports our BIPOC scholarships and helps grant access to others who may not otherwise be able to enjoy the benefits of circus. It also helps ensure we are able to continue offering this program in years to come. We strive not to turn folks away for lack of funds, so if the cost of the program is a major obstacle, be in touch with us.
Here is a rough guideline, recognizing that it may vary quite a bit based on how many people you support with your income and/or what assets/debt you have.
If you need additional helping conceptualizing this, we really like the graphic to the right.
Photo credit: Alex Giordano
