Acrobatic school in Portsmouth

FAMILIES were given the chance to try a range of acrobatic skills at the open day of a new school.

Luna Acrobatics and Aerial Arts opened recently in Stubbington, near Fareham, and invited people to give the equipment a go for free.The school offers weekly classes in the aerial hoop, the trapeze, floor acrobatics, stretch and flexibility and pole fitness.It was started by friends Katie Luckwell and Fanella Carcary who met while doing a fitness class.They became instructors for the group and were left sad when it closed last year.But rather than join somewhere else, the pair decided to start their own venture using their backgrounds in gymnastic, pole fitnesses and the aerial hoop.Katie, who grew up doing gymnastics and then started pole fitness a few years ago, said: ‘Me and Fenella were instructors at Paradise Fitness in Fareham which closed last March.‘Not only was it a good fitness club but it was about building people’s self-esteem and confidence. We were like one big family.‘We were both disappointed when that closed and weren’t sure what to do.‘We are at a stage in our lives where we wanted to be self-employed and doing something we love and this school seemed like the perfect opportunity.’Luna Acrobatics and Aerial has classes for both adults and children and Katie said they have attracted a lot of interest since they opened a few weeks ago at Stubbington Snooker and Social Club.The classes are for people of all abilities and Katie said they have been popular with runners, people who do martial arts and others wanting to try circus skills.‘It is really exciting to see how popular the classes have been already,’ she said.‘We got a lot of interest from the open day as well which was great to see.‘There were a lot of families with both the adults and the children trying the different apparatus.‘It was a really fun day and it was fantastic to show what we do and give people a go at something different.‘We found that since the film The Greatest Showman was released, people have been keen to give these sort of classes a go and get involved.’ For more information on the classes available including their times, dates and ages visit bookwhen.com/lunaacroaerial.For more details on the club itself, visit its Facebook page at facebook.com/lunaacroaerial.