Studio Policies

Welcome to our consolidated page of studio policies!

Sky Candy Policies

  • Arrive on time. Late arrivals may not be allowed to participate.

    Please make sure that you arrive at Sky Candy on time for your class and please allow time to locate parking on site. If you are more than 10 minutes late to any class, you will not be allowed to participate, as it is dangerous to engage in any circus-related activities without a proper warm-up.

    Empty classes may be cancelled.

    If there are fewer than two students signed up for a Drop-In class twelve hours prior to the class start time or fewer than three students signed up for a Series class two days prior to the class start time, the class may be cancelled. If you want to ensure that we keep a class on the schedule, be sure to schedule your place in advance for it on our website.

    Adult classes are for students ages 16 and up.

    We only allow students 16 and up into our regularly scheduled Drop-In and Series classes. On occasion, a teacher may make exceptions for particularly mature students.

    Students who have successfully completed kindergarten-age 13 are welcome in our Youth classes, and students ages 12-17 may attend our Teen classes. Students who have not yet successfully completed kindergarten may be eligible to take Private Lessons. Please contact us at frontdesk@skycandyaustin.com for more details.

    All services must be paid for in advance.

    To guarantee a spot in a Series classes, Drop-In classes, Private Lessons, Parties, or Workshops, students must pay in advance.

    Check expiration dates on purchases.

    Please note that for all individual drop-in class, open studio, and series purchases: Credit for these purchases expires one year from the purchase date. We do not offer refunds or extensions on purchases that have expired. Please check on the individual expiration dates for other classes and passes, including multi-class passes, unlimited passes, and special deals or discounts.

    No refunds.

    Except in very rare circumstances, we cannot offer refunds for any of our services. In cases where students have given us sufficient notice (6+ hours for Drop-In classes, 24+ hours for Private Lessons and Open Studios, 48 hours prior to the first class for Series enrollments), we can offer an account credit for the amount paid that can be applied to future classes. We do make exceptions for serious injuries or illnesses for which the student can provide us a note from a medical professional, within a reasonable time frame. For information on complete refund policies, or to cancel a class, e-mail our Front Desk at frontdesk@skycandyaustin.com.

    No makeup classes in a Series.

    Unless you have specific permission from a teacher to make other arrangements, we do not offer free make-up classes for missed classes during a Series. We strongly recommend scheduling a 30 minute Private Lesson with your teacher to catch up on missed material.

  • Everyone must sign a waiver.

    Everyone must sign a waiver before attending class, training, or engaging in any activity at Sky Candy. To sign our waiver, click the waiver link in the header at the top of this page.

    Dress appropriately.

    Dress appropriately for your apparatus. NO METAL OR SHARP OBJECTS PLEASE.

    For most aerial apparatuses, proper attire means close-fitting workout clothes that cover the legs and underarms. Do not wear jewelry, unsecured eyeglasses, grommets, or any other objects that can snag or damage the equipment, yourself, your fellow students, and/or teacher! Look above for more detailed info.

    Train Clean

    Absolutely no training under the influence of drugs or alcohol is permitted. If your teacher suspects that you may be compromised in this or some other way (i.e. injury, illness, severe sleep deprivation, hungover, or otherwise impaired) you may be asked to sit out and observe your class. If your teacher or a Front Desk member suspects that you may be ill, you may be asked to leave the studio to keep others healthy.

    Get warm and stay hydrated.

    Please arrive to class on time and ready for warm-up. If you are attending Open Studio, be sure to warm up on your own in the studio before beginning aerial work. Come hydrated and stay hydrated!

    Exercise good hygiene.

    In a shared training space, it is important that all students practice good hygiene. Additionally, we request that everyone avoid heavy fragrances and lotions as they can irritate other students and staff and can make the equipment difficult to use.

    Respect your environment.

    Be respectful to the teachers, employees, your fellow students, and the studio. No photography or video recording is allowed without the express permission of the person or people being photographed or filmed. No shoes on the mats or apparatuses. Please wear appropriate footwear when walking around outside of the Sky Candy studio. Please be considerate with cell phone use.

    No glass, ceramic, or open containers of any kind.

    With hard floors and bare feet, it’s not worth the danger. Please bring water in other kinds of containers. Only water is permitted in the mat-covered areas of the studio.

    Be aware of your surroundings.

    Do not walk under apparatuses while they are in use. The people in the air have the right of way. Always be aware of your surroundings. Please keep a minimum 6′ distance from all other persons in the studio at all times.

    Do not rig equipment.

    Do not attempt to rig any equipment. Please ask a trained member of the Sky Candy staff if you need equipment adjusted for any reason.

    Open Studio is for practice.

    Open Studio is intended to be a forum in which to practice what you learn in class; do not attempt to execute new moves or to teach other students. The safest way to learn any aerial or circus skill is with a qualified instructor. We do not recommend ANY other method of learning aerial or circus skills.

    Don’t take unnecessary risks

    Ask for assistance if you are unsure about a move or trick. Never train alone and always use a crash mat. If you are injured during class or Open Studio, inform your teacher or host immediately.

    By choosing to practice aerial and circus arts, you are knowingly engaging in an activity that comes with inherent risks. As a studio we do our best to mitigate risks to keep our staff, students, and other participants safe, and to this end, we ask that you do not take unnecessary risks. One big component of this is following our mat policy, which you can read in detail here.

  • Sky Candy does not offer monetary refunds, except as an option when we need to cancel an already scheduled class. Product purchases, such as gift cards, Drop-In or Open Studio passes, water, or clothing, are all final and are nonrefundable.

    For services, if students have given us sufficient notice (see below for specifics), we can offer account credit for the amount paid that can be applied to future classes.

    Series Classes: 24+ hours before the first class in the Series

    Private Lesson: 24+ hours before the lesson begins

    Individual Drop-In Classes & Open Studios: 12+ hours before the class or Open Studio begins

    Workshops & Private Parties: 7+ days before the workshop or party

    Sky Camp: 7+ days before the camp begins

  • We have a comprehensive mat policy, based on research and industry best practices. You can find the full policy here.

    In general - when in doubt, use a mat!

Frequently Asked Questions for New Students

  • While we do call some of our group classes “drop ins”, we do strongly recommend that folks sign up in advance to secure their spot. Some of our classes get booked up weeks in advance. E-mail frontdesk@skycandyaustin.com if you’re having trouble registering!

  • Aerial Classes: We recommend wearing close-fitting workout clothes that cover the underarms and backs of the knees. Yoga pants or leggings and a T-shirt would be an appropriate outfit.

    Pole Classes: We recommend wearing short shorts, a sports bra or tank top, and bringing socks or leg warmers. Skin contact with the pole is important for many moves, so keep that in mind.

    Handstands/Flexibility Classes: Wear clothing you feel comfortable moving through a full range of motion, including getting upside down in. Socks strongly recommended.

    Harness/Bungee Classes: We recommend wearing leggings or close-fitting pants/shorts (biking shorts are great) and full-bottomed underwear that will stay in place and keep you aligned. Some people prefer wearing two layers for extra cushioning (such as biking shorts with pants over or under).

    Burlesque Classes: Wear whatever makes you feel comfortable, but avoid jeans or clothing with metal or sharp elements.

    Dance Classes: Wear comfortable clothing, avoiding jeans or clothing with metal or sharp elements. Many dance styles benefit from being able to see the line of your body. Some dance classes have specific shoe recommendations, so check the description a/o ask Front Desk if you’re unsure.

  • A water bottle is highly recommended for all of our classes.

    You are also welcome to bring any of your own fitness equipment (yoga mats, blocks, etc).

    If you are interested in bringing your own apparatus or hardware, please refer to our Personal Equipment Guidelines page.

  • We recommend leaving your valuables at home. Please remove jewelry (particularly rings) before attending class to avoid damaging the apparatus or hurting yourself.

    While we love our furry friends, we do not allow pets of any kind at the studio for safety and allergy reasons. We do allow registered service animals in the studio.

  • If you’re brand new to aerial arts, we recommend starting off with our Intro to Aerials class. In this class, you have the opportunity try out our four main aerial apparatus: silks, sling, trapeze, and lyra.

    Interested in pole? Handstands? Just want to do lyra? We also have specialized Intro classes specifically for each of those disciplines and more.

  • For new students, we recommend starting with any of our Intro or Beginner level drop-in classes. Our drop in classes are $30 per class.

    You can purchase a class pass or become a member for a lower price per class.

    If it’s your very first class with us, we offer all newbies $15 off their first class with the code FIRSTFLIGHT.

    For a full list of all our pricing, go to our Pricing page.

  • Our Intro and Beginner classes are great for newcomers with no experience in aerial arts or other movement disciplines. There are no prerequisites to join any of these classes.

    We welcome you to come as you are and we’ll use our experience in working with diverse bodies with safe skill progressions to help you have fun and reach your goals!

  • All of our rig points utilize hardware that is rated to hold at least 22kN (or roughly 5000 lbs). We do this to ensure that all of our equipment is well-suited for dynamic movement from folks in a wide array of bodies.

  • In general, we do not offer refunds for any purchases.

    If you have a COVID-related absence, either because of symptoms, a positive test, or close exposure, please get in touch with our Front Desk team to inquire about refund options.

Covid Policies & Procedures

Updated 11/14/2022 at 11am

This page details what our current COVID mitigation policies and procedures are and how you can help reduce the risk of spreading this illness and other illnesses within our community.

The information here is based on current recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, American Circus Educators Association, and Texas Department of Health and Human Services and on recommendations and legal orders from the City of Austin and Travis County.

The decisions we are making as a business are informed by the above metrics and guidelines, as well as feedback from our staff, students, and community at large.

  • If you find out you have been exposed to COVID-19, and are fully vaccinated, we ask that you continue to wear a mask at the studio for at 10 days after exposure. If you have been exposed and are unvaccinated, we ask that you quarantine and do not come to the studio until you have received a negative test at least 5 days from exposure and also do not have symptoms.

    If you test positive for COVID or develop symptoms after exposure (regardless of vaccination status), we ask that you stay away from the studio for 5 days *after* the onset of symptoms or end of fever (whichever is later), or 10 days after if you are severely ill. Also, if you test positive and have been in the studio during your likely incubation period, we ask that you let us know so that we can notify others who were in the studio at the same time of their possible exposure.

    These guidelines are directly lifted from CDC guidance and they have developed a handy calculator to determine your need to isolate or quarantine, available here.

  • We ask that all students and staff stay home if they are not feeling well. We have adopted a more adaptive refund policy to help students who are out for illness and have also put in place a sick leave policy following the City of Austin’s Earned Sick Leave Ordinance. Folks who are experiencing allergy symptoms or otherwise feeling sniffly will be asked to wear a mask.

  • Masks are strongly recommended for all participants, particularly during higher risk times for COVID, RSV, and the flu. If you are experiencing allergy symptoms or otherwise feeling sniffly, you will be asked to wear a mask.

    Masks should be well-fitting and non-vented, worn at all times while inside the space when required. A well-fitting mask makes a firm seal against the contours of your face and covers your mouth and nose without needing to be readjusted very often.

    We suggest considering N95s/KN95s for the best protection as per CDC recommendations. Surgical masks are available at the Front Desk for anyone who needs one, but does not have one.

  • Upon entering the studio and checking in with Front Desk, please proceed to the restrooms to wash your hands before interacting with studio equipment. We also strongly recommend washing your hands after class.

  • Sky Candy exists in a relatively new building built in 2018 with 21′ – 29′ ceilings in our tall rooms and 12′ ceilings in lower rooms. Our building has 5 separate HVAC systems and we use MERV-13 air filters in each system, changed monthly.  In our smaller rooms, we have additional Blueair Air Purifiers to ensure maximal air exchanges in those spaces.

    All our apparatuses are sprayed with an ethanol-based cleaning solution after every use. Crash mats are cleaned daily by our Front Desk team. Carpet mat surfaces are steam cleaned monthly. The whole studio is cleaned by a COVID-conscious professional cleaning service 3 times per week.

  • Because of the low risk of surface transmission, we are sharing apparatuses and other equipment again in most classes.

    If you would prefer to continue to not share an apparatus or to bring your own to a class, please let us and your instructor know and we will do our best to accommodate your needs.