Back at MAAC- May 2026
An amazing weekend of movement and community
MAAC https://www.manchesteraac.co.uk/
“The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members”
- Coretta Scott King
Finally getting to meet amazing movers from screen to in the flesh!
So happy to be in the studio with amazing Becky & Georgie from Greentop Circus -Sheffield
There’s something truly special about being invited back to MAAC each year.
It feels like returning to a such a familiar, buzzing rhythm of a weekend, and also a reunion at the same time! I get to meet so many new people, and get to catch up with people I haven't seen in years too! There’s always so much shared excitement in the air, and the amazing mix of aerialists who show up ready to learn, explore, and move together is just electric! It’s a privilege I never take for granted and is always a highlight in my year!
This year felt extra because of the amazing new venue, where I taught in a lovely studio, and shared the space with other brilliant and inspiring coaches! As always, I got to teach the workshops I adore: Flexibility, Mesmerising Mobility, and Flexy Floorwork. I don’t get to teach the floorwork one very often, but it’s one of my absolute favourites — fast, flowing, expressive, and a little bit wild. Seeing everyone dive into it with such openness was honestly a highlight.
everyone shows up so humble and open
and a willingness to soak everything up like sponges…
What I really enjoyed is that at MAAC, everyone shows up so humble and open, everyone arrived to my workshops with no egos at all. Just open minds, curious bodies, and a willingness to soak everything up like sponges. The energy in the room was warm, generous, and deeply respectful. It made teaching feel effortless. Even when some plans can change out of my control, everyone adapted with me!
What impressed me most was how wise everyone was with their bodies. MAAC is a physically intense weekend, and yet people paced themselves beautifully — listening inwards, honouring their limits, and taking the workshops at a chilled, sustainable rhythm. That kind of awareness is rare, and it made the whole space feel safe and supportive.
Our flexy floorwork routine!
Everyone threw themselves out of their comfort zones.
Especially in Flexy Floorwork — which can be extremely new, fast, and unfamiliar — people just went for it. No hesitation, no self‑doubt, just full-hearted exploration. I love that workshop so much because it always follows the same pattern-we begin with excitement, then everyone gets a tad overwhelmed learning new moves and new choreography so quickly, then everyone just gets it! There’s always a moment in the middle when everyone wears the same expression of self doubt, not knowing if they can keep up, and feeling a bit dazed and lost. But I have so much faith and know everyone will be just fine! After repetition and breaking moves down, there is a moment where it just clicks and everyone becomes amazing floorwork movers! It is always such a joy to witness everyone in one session get to a place that not so long ago they thought they just wouldn’t be able to do!
The thing about my flexy floorwork workshops is I pull in a lot of my contemporary background, and mix it in with flexy shapes that we all love. This becomes a perfect mix of motivation (through what can be a bit uncomfortable on the body like shoulder rolls), mixed with moving functionally. The whole choreography becomes about movement and transitions, so you don’t get to fixated on how it looks, and you just relax into the feel of it. I tell everyone that they just want to feel like a whirlwind, or give in the the whirlwind around them. I choreograph the movement so it works in spirals, so the movement is very efficient in the body. This is what helps everyone pick it up so quickly, as you just feel like you go with the flow.
The movement is fast but it all follows along the spiral so your body feels like it knows where to go, you don’t feel like you go against the tide, but just let it take you instead! You don’t have time to worry about whether you are doing it right or looking good, because you just have to keep moving! This is also what stops people feeling anxious or self conscious, because the focus isn’t on how you look or feeling like you are “dancing”. It doesn’t linger on how to look a certain way, or hit beats of the music, it’s just about moving.
It is always such a joy to witness everyone in one session get to a place that not so long ago they thought they just wouldn’t be able to do!
The tricks we did-
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DZA-P0WocXf/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
MAAC always brings together such a talented, passionate group of instructors and movers, and being part of that circle is something I’m genuinely grateful for.
Another joy of the weekend was meeting so many teachers I respect and admire. And perhaps the most emotional part for me: finally meeting so many of my long‑term online flexy students in person. Some I’ve taught for years without ever seeing them in real life. Others I hadn’t seen for ages. Getting to hug them, chat with them, and watch them move in the flesh was incredibly special.
MAAC 2026 felt like a celebration of community — of movement, connection, courage, and care. I left the weekend feeling inspired, grateful, and full of love for this little world we’ve built together.
Here’s to next year, and to all the beautiful bodies and minds that make weekends like this so unforgettable.
