Between the Lines
Between the Lines explores what great movement teaching is really made of.
Using aerial arts as the starting point, we dive into the often-overlooked factors that shape learning: fear, confidence, motor learning, coaching, nervous system science, movement quality, communication, trust, and the culture we create in our classrooms.
Whether you're an aerial instructor, movement coach, or simply fascinated by how people learn complex skills, this podcast goes beyond tricks and technique to uncover what actually helps students thrive.
Hosted by aerial educator & owner of Embodied Aerial, Sara Kaiser.
Episodes
16 episodes
Grace doesn't have to wait: we’ve normalized beginner chaos without questioning the instruction
What if beginners looking like a lizard on a stick isn’t inevitable?In aerial, we often expect too much and too little from beginners at the same time. We give them complex skills that demand strength, coordination, memory, and courage, ...
New to Aerial? Safety, self-advocacy & getting the most out of class
Starting aerial can be exciting, intimidating, confusing, and a little hard to know what’s normal when you’re brand new.In this episode, we can't cover everything, but we'll get started with what every beginner aerialist should know befo...
“Uncoachable” Students: let’s talk about it.
“Uncoachable” is a big label to put on a student and it's been making the rounds on social media. But it's time to retire the concept altogether - not because you should work with every student, but because there's a much deeper conversation hi...
Learning Under Load - there's a reason you can't locate your right leg
In this episode, I break down the common barriers to entering an aerial class and the unusual demands students face once they get there (yep, why you can't find your leg or remember your first name when upside down), and why teaching to the ner...
How Losing My Studio Led Me Here - the messy road of becoming
In this episode, I'm sharing the story of my aerial teaching journey from day 1 to where I am today, including the joy and grief that happened in between. We'll talk about letting go of something you still love, surviving the season...
Evolving Past Generic Instruction - and how it's an equity problem
In this episode we explore how deeply understanding skills makes you stand out as an instructor, and how generic aerial instruction is actually an equity problem. Because describing movement you can see isn't teaching - it's narration. ...
Listener Question: Gaps in Foundations & Nonlinear Pedagogy
Today we consider a question from listener Rachel Lamb (@rlamb_leg) who observed that many studios have a trick-focused curriculum with significant gaps in the foundations.We explore how this is a common pattern, when nonlinear pedagogy...
The joy & responsibility of working with absolute beginners
In the final episode of our 3-part series devoted to beginners, we explore the emotional landscapes of new students and experienced instructors.We consider how respecting the art form develops appreciation for the significance of the te...
The Retention Problem - what makes beginners stay or leave?
In this episode we explore the common experience of the beginner student and some of the biggest reasons that contribute to their decision to continue or call it quits. We explore how studios can organize to create an outstanding beginn...
Beginner Class Isn't the Easiest to Teach - Part 1 of the Beginner Aerial Series
As an advocate for beginner aerial students (and teachers!) I am delighted to take this episode to challenge the conventional wisdom that beginner class is the easiest class to teach and therefore best suited for beginner teachers.We al...
Holding the Room - master your teacher presence with Chandler Price
In this guest episode of Between the Lines, Voice & Acting Coach Chandler Price, who also teaches aerial arts and yoga, shares powerful insights on what it really means to hold the room and why it matters when the stakes are higher such as ...
Teaching presence, micro-boundaries, and believing you were born to do this
This episode is for the aerial teachers out there (or those who want to get started)...We'll explore how teacher presence influences felt safety, learning outcomes, retention, and the teacher's own experience. We talk about...
Fright in Flight: The neuroscience of fear in aerial arts
Why do we feel afraid in aerial? How do we work through it? When is it right to push or back down? How can instructors ethically support students?We'll talk about some simple neuroscience behind fear, fear extinction, and concrete ways ...
The hidden layers of safety shaping every aerial class
Physical safety is the first conversation we have in aerial. But what comes next?In this episode we explore how psychological, social, and emotional safety affect an aerialist's ability to learn and how these layers shape the learning en...
Aerial Isn't for People Like Me - belonging and identity in aerial arts
The first time I ever saw aerial, I was certain it was not something for someone like me.In this episode, we explore the common underlying belief that “aerial isn’t for people like me,” and why it's so powerful to break through that. I s...