How Long Does It Take To Learn an Aerial?

The quick honest answer is this:

An aerial takes longer than most dancers and parents expect-BUT for a good reason. 

An aerial is not just a “no hand cartwheel,” It’s a plyometric skill that demands joint stability and coordination between power production and precise timing. Junior dancers between ages 8-13, are still learning neuromuscular adaptations needed to safely stick a high-velocity, single leg landing. 

1. Joint Stabilization comes before BIG Tricks.

Even as an adult, can you honestly say these drills are easy?

Try some:

• Controlled single-leg hops

• Lateral bounds

• Deceleration drills 

• Lateral weight shift mechanics

If these foundations are not in place, a dancer  might still throw an aerial, but they’re also at higher risk for knee valgus collapse, where the knee caves inward under load.

Aerials require stability first, power second.

2. Power Production

We all know the power comes from the back leg to create the kickover, BUT some dancers just don't have the posterior-chain strength yet. 

Common limitations include:

• Hamstrings are flexible (mostly due to passive laxity depending on age), but NOT strong

• Weak Glutes

• Hip extensor muscles with low endurance (you’ll see under rotation or chest dropping)

• Weak Abdominals 

Without these, the kick timing and lift will suffer. 

3. Big Technical Flaws that slow Aerials

Flaw #1 : Mistimed Back Kick

Strength without coordination won’t get the job done. If the kick fires too early or too late, the aerial collapses.

Flaw #2: Dropping the Arms Out of the T-Position

You’ll see dancers “chicken-wing” it. By tucking the arms in, two things happen:

1. It slow rotational inertia

2. It pulls the center of mass toward the midline.

Both of these make the Aerial heavy and off- axis.

Flaw #3 :Relying on a Running Start 

(Guilty!)-we’ve all done it. 

When a dancer runs into their aerial, they never learn to generate vertical lift.

So how long can it take?

Every dancer progresses differently BUT

Most personal trainers would focus on joint stabilization for at least 3-6 months through plyometrics. 

Posterior chain development could take 3-6 months as well. 

Then, there is technical refinement to focus on kick timing and arm position. That is already at least 12-18 months of technical work. Now,keep in mind most acro classes run 60 minutes once a week. So really the execution can be fast with extra privates on the side or as long as 1.5-3 years DEPENDING on consistency.