If you’re a parent with young children who love fun activities, then you probably know what it’s like to be a personal taxi driver for your kids, rushing them from one hobby to the next after your day job is done. Once you’ve completed your fare and accepted that there is no tip for your service you must decide how to pass the time while your little ones complete their martial arts lesson or dance class. Many places require parental presence for these 30 minute to hour long classes; however, if this isn’t the case, you most likely wait around anyways because of how small this window of time is.  Once they’ve finished, you hustle home to begin their school night routines, then you’re off to bed to do it all over again in the morning.

If this description fits you, then you probably know how difficult it is to find time in your tight schedule for the hobbies you enjoy. Even on the off days when your kids don’t have anywhere to be, you’ll need to find a babysitter before you’re able to take that yoga class you like or that jazz class you’ve always wanted to try. At Acro Enso, we understand the demanding schedules of parents and we empathize with their struggle to find time for fun. We believe parents deserve to play just as much their kids do. This is why, at Acro Enso, we’re creating a family focused program that benefits both parents and their kids.

You won’t need to sit around while your child attends one of our dance or acrobatic classes because you’ll have the opportunity to join one of our many adult classes that run concurrently alongside your kid’s class. If a class setting isn’t your cup tea, then you might enjoy our open play hours where you could spend time having fun with your entire family or you could take advantage of our supervised playtime while you work out in our fitness area or enjoy an independent passion like cyr wheel. Once we’ve opened our doors Acro Enso will be a place for the entire family to enjoy. To learn more about our movement center and our offerings, visit our website or social media and contact us anytime. Thanks for reading!!

Namastizzle ~


Acro Enso.

“What the teacher is, is more important than what he teaches.” ― Karl A. Menninger

Over the last year, we have interviewed and spoken with many amazing teachers interested in joining us here at Acro Enso. After listening to the valuable insights of each of these community leaders, we’ve learned that a true teacher is defined by much more than what he or she is able to teach. A true teacher is defined by the ethical model he or she represents and cultivates within our community.

The Ethical Teacher understands the responsibility of shaping and growing our community from the ground up. This responsibility requires these teachers to invest daily in themselves and in their students in order to create and maintain a safe container and thriving learning environment. They must set the example by leading the conversation around respect, communication, and proper conduct within our community. A commitment like this is undertaken by passionate teachers who care about what they’re teaching and how their teaching is received. These teachers will utilize all of the tools available to them to support the healthy growth of their community.

At Acro Enso we require all of our teachers to read and sign the Ethical Teacher Agreement which illustrates a standard code of conduct for all teachers. Simply agreeing to this document will not be enough, however. We expect all of our teachers to lead by example and to take action by upholding the principles of the Ethical Teacher. Here at Acro Enso, we aim to set the standard for quality and excellence in everything we do.

The Acro Enso Ethical Teacher Agreement

As a teacher at Acro Enso, I ______________________ accept that I am a respected leader of my community and that my role is to establish and maintain a safe and nurturing container in which all students may grow and learn. To rise to the role expected of me, I will abide, to the best of my ability, by the ethical teacher agreement as follows:
 
I...
     - Am passionate about what I do
     - Am responsible for myself, for my class, and for my students
     - Accommodate and respect the needs and boundaries of every student
     - Lead by example for healthy and honest communication
     - Invest in my studentship and in my practice to provide quality instruction
     - Maintain my integrity by treating all people equal
     - Practice and teach consent at every opportunity
     - Am responsible for resolving any inappropriate or dangerous misconduct in my class
     - Uphold a professional relationship with my students
     - Am accountable for my mistakes
     - Adhere to my sobriety leading up to and during my class
     - Practice gender neutral, non-sexual, and non-violent communication 
     - Respect power differentials and the vulnerability of the student teacher relationship
     - Give credit to my lineage and strive to foster my own ingenuity in my practice
     - Strive to speak positively of others
     - Motivate and encourage every student, especially the shy and timid
     - Provide constructive and concise feedback to all my students
     - Take care of my physical and mental presentation during class

Acro Enso.

In life, there is a first for everything. A first breath, first step, first kiss. A first love, and a first loss. Right now, you are reading the very first blog post published by Acro Enso - which is another first. Acro Enso will be the first large scale movement arts studio in Reno with a focus on partner acrobatics, cyr wheel, and dance; and with a full offering which will include everything from yoga and general fitness to clowning and magic. Happiness is our first principle, and we hold the firm belief that meaningful play is a necessary foundation for a healthy, happy, and well-balanced life. We are also of the opinion that meaningful play is not limited to any particular age, body shape, experience, gender, or race. Whether you are young or old - new to movement or a seasoned pro - whether you like pink balloons, blue balloons, or no balloons - our mission here at Acro Enso is to provide a home, a community hub, and a safe container in which you can find connection in your own body and with others through meaningful play expressed in authentic movement.
 
Your first question might be: Why Acro Enso? What does this name mean? As in most things that we do, we chose this name with a very specific intention. In modern parlance, the word acro is most often associated with acroyoga, made popular by the organization which bears its name. If we dig further, it is not difficult to see that the word acro is derived from the word acrobatics, which elicits in most people thoughts of the circus. But what is this word, acrobatics, and where does it come from? Acrobatics is most commonly defined as something along the lines of individual or partner skills involving strength and dexterity, including body rotations, twists, flips, balances, jumps, and turns. This is actually the definition given by the National Institute of Circus Arts based out of Australia. Evidence of acrobatics throughout human history can be traced back to most ancient civilizations and cultures.

Looking back in time, there are the acrobatic women who danced during festivals in ancient Egypt, and the children of the Qin dynasty who performed balancing acts on high poles for the royal palaces. Even in the early Minoan civilization there are records of people practicing ceremonial bull leaping!! Acrobatic movement consequently is an umbrella term which ecompasses everything from horse vaulting to trapeze to cyr wheel to L-based and standing partner acrobatics likely going back as far as humanity itself, and is expressed through a multitude of traditions, philosophies, cultures, and forms. In its most basic form, acrobatics - which we will call acro - is the expression of humans playing with the physical world in a never-ending game of exploring and pushing limits. In other words, Acro is meaningful play.
 
And what is enso? As we state on our website, enso is Japanese for Circle. Historically, enso is the Zen meditation and spiritual practice of self realization, and symbolizes strength, elegance, enlightenment, harmony, and simplicity. Enso is the universe, in all its presence and absence, with the acknowledgement that form and void are interdependent of each other. Hence, enso is also nothing. Enso represents perfection through the beauty of imperfection. An open enso is said to allow for movement, development, and the perfection of all things. In practice, the enso is drawn in a single fluid stroke and is believed to reflect the mind when it is most free to let the spirit create through the physical body. Just as in life, once the enso is drawn, it does not change; and in its form, it evidences the character of its creator and the context of its creation. Enso is authentic movement. Put together, Acro Enso is meaningful play through authentic movement.
 
Welcome to the Acro Enso vision. We are so much looking forward to cultivating a connected and vibrant community centered around this idea of meaningful play through authentic movement. It is our wish that this first breath of life is the beginning of many first experiences, and that it is a gentle breeze which will nourish our dreams and allow them to take root and thrive.
 
Please feel free to reach out to us with any questions, ideas, concerns, or desires you might have. We love to connect and communicate, and would love to hear from you!! We are looking forward to opening soon, and in the meantime, we encourage you to continue to explore your play and to live freely and happily.
 
In true Reno acro tradition, Namastizzle ~