Altitude Aerial Arts & Fitness Frisco offers circus-inspired fitness classes

Altitude Aerial Arts & Fitness Frisco owner Tricia Lauerman said a lot of her clientele are looking to “add some adventure” through the facility’s circus-inspired fitness classes.

“People tend to get it in their head that they want to do this one thing, and it’s not [always] exactly what they thought it was going to be,” Lauerman said, explaining she offers a four-class special for new clients. “And then, they use the additional passes to sort of mill around, and they usually end up finding something that fits what they’re looking for, as far as a fun, more adventurous form of fitness.”

Altitude’s aerial fitness classes, which teaches skills similar to those used by “Cirque du Soleil,” include work with yoga, silks, sling, Lyra hoop, rope and trapeze. Pole fitness classes include dance, sport, fitness and flow.

“We know not everything is for everybody, and we really are good about making each one very independent of the other,” Lauerman said of the pole fitness discipline.

The business also offers a children’s circus program for those ages 7-12 to build skills with silks, hammocks, ropes and Lyra hoops.

Altitude opened in 2013 in a 600-square-foot back room in a building on Main Street before moving to its present home in December 2017. While the current clientele is 99% women, Lauerman said their ages vary.

“We tend to have women that are probably in their 30s and 40s that have tried lots of different kinds of fitness,” she said. “We really try to foster an atmosphere of, ‘There’s enough sunshine for everybody.’”

Lauerman said the workouts are “very healthy” and “low-impact,” as participants are basically just lifting their own body weight.

“If you are struggling with a trick or a skill, it’s probably because your body’s not supposed to be doing it yet anyway,” she said. “But, you know, we’ll get you there.”