Acro Dance Classes in Aurora, IL

No. Our Intro to Acro class is designed specifically for children with no gymnastics or acrobatic experience whatsoever. We start from the very beginning — body awareness, basic flexibility, and foundational positions — and build up from there. Many of our most skilled acro students started with zero gymnastics background.

We welcome acro students starting at age 4 in our Intro to Acro class. At this age, classes are play-based and focus on body awareness and basic flexibility rather than formal acrobatic skills. This gives young students a safe and fun introduction to the discipline before more structured training begins.

Yes — when taught properly, acro is a safe and highly beneficial activity for children. At Steps Dance Center, safety is built into every aspect of our acro program: our Harlequin sprung floors absorb impact, our instructors are trained in professional spotting technique, skills are only introduced when prerequisite skills are mastered, and our small class sizes ensure every student is closely supervised at all times.

Acro dance is distinct from gymnastics in that it combines acrobatic skills with dance artistry, choreography, and musicality. Acro dancers don't use gymnastics apparatus (bars, beams, vault) — instead, they integrate skills like back walkovers, handsprings, and aerials into dance performance. The goal is artistic expression as much as athletic skill. Many families find acro to be the perfect blend of both worlds.

Yes! Acro students showcase the skills they have learned in our annual June Recital at Neuqua Valley High School. Acro numbers are consistently among the most exciting moments of our recital — audiences love seeing the combination of dance and acrobatic skill on stage. Students also perform at our Holiday Show in December.

Absolutely — and this is one of the most compelling reasons to add acro to your dancer's training. The strength, flexibility, and body control developed through acro directly improve performance in ballet, lyrical, contemporary, and jazz. Competitive dancers especially benefit from acro training, as acrobatic skills are highly valued in competition routines and scored accordingly by judges.

We are located at 4054 Fox Valley Center Drive, Aurora, IL 60504 — minutes from Naperville, Oswego, Montgomery, and Lisle, right at the Fox Valley Center off Route 59. Free parking is available on-site. Call us at (630) 499-5678 or email info@stepsdancecenteronline.com with any questions.