Today we’d like to introduce you to Dara Minkin
Hi Dara, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I grew up in Santa Fe and Albuquerque, New Mexico. I have a dance background and thought that I would either end up as a math teacher or contemporary dancer. I had studied 20 dance forms by the age of 18, including professionally belly dancing. Social dancing ie swing, salsa, blues, tango, fusion, and contact improv were a huge part of my life. I attended the University of NM to attain a double major in Mathematics and Dance. However, only going up to Calculus 3, I quit my math degree and finished with my contemporary degree. My plan had been to move to NYC to audition. However at age 24 my life took a hard swing. I auditioned for an aerial arts troupe called Airdance NM. That night I had an actual dream of flying over a beach doing soaring front & back flips and bursting out the top of an abandoned hotel. I interpreted this dream to be the omen for which I built my career on. I fell in love with aerial arts from that moment forward. Some of my friends and family thought I was nuts. In the first few years I performed in exchange for free training, I started the book which was to become my self-published work Proximal: An Introduction to Aerial Theory, and I began teaching independently. Two and a half years into the circus field, I was able to quit my office job at a competitive dance studio, and I’ve been on my own ever since. That was over a decade ago.
I used Instagram to start my career. At 5k followers, I was being asked to fly around the country teaching workshops, and a year later began teaching internationally. I currently hold 69k followers on Instagram. I self published my book through the platform. 8 years ago I was approached by a famous performer and school owner, Julia Langenberg, who offered me a job at her state of the art school in San Antonio called “Aerial Horizon.” One year later I moved to Texas leaving behind my first business. During the Covid shutdown, there was so much uncertainty in the world that the school I had come to teach for and perform for closed.
I founded “The Aerium | School of Aerial Acrobatics” in May 2020 and subleased in a basketball stadium. Subleasing was a tricky beast. I decided at that point to partner with my great friend Claudia Torkelson and we officially became co-owners of The Aerium in 2022. We opened a boutique style warehouse studio near Nacodogches and Thousand Oaks.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It was a challenging decision to move to Texas, I left my friends and family behind to move to the unknown. In the first few years, San Antonio wasn’t all that I wanted it to be socially. I drove weekly to Austin for the dance community. Driving became old. It took several years to find my community and friends here. I can say now that I don’t need to drive to Austin anymore!
For many years I had put off wanting to be a studio owner because I wanted freedom to teach workshops, travel, and perform. I couldn’t have foreseen how “home-making” having a business truly is. Investing in myself, my community and the school has really gave me a sense of family and homeliness, one that I’ve never had before.
The first few years of owning such a school – definitely has its own unique challenges, specifically regarding business management, office work, delegating, business operation, our online app, and task work. I struggle with being able to stop working. It takes a lot of discipline to stop working and especially when we’re still in the first 5 years of opening.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Theory
I am known around the world for my creativity in a field called aerial theory. Consider it like music theory or linguistics. My favorite apparatus is called fabric and often people refer to it as the curtains. Aerial theory encompasses many subjects. One of my favorite aspects is how the body isn’t limited to the ground once in the air – the body rotates in the air like one does in water, in all 3 dimensions! Depending on how one holds their body while rotating determines how aerodynamic they are. That is the thesis of my book Proximal: An Introduction to Aerial Theory.
Another favorite aspect of theory is the relationship between the body and the fabric known as “fabric theory.” It is the study of how two fabrics can join with the body to create specific climbs, locks, drops, shapes and dynamic movements. I spend 10-15 hours per week training aerial theory with 6 training partners. It is indeed the most enjoyable and satisfying part of my work. I get to stay in shape, be creative and a nerd at the same time.
I used my knowledge of fabric theory to design my curriculum. My students are very loyal to me. I’ve spent over a decade refining my teaching style and curriculum. We truly have a lot of fun together. Aerial acrobatics is such an amazing art because usually when people enter the studio, including myself, all troubles seem to float away. It takes incredible strength and focus to do circus work.
Showcases
Every year our school puts together a production. Students and instructors perform side by side. We house our show at The Carver Community Cultural Center inside Jo Long Theatre. Our upcoming show is “Ancient Egypt” themed and is scheduled for March 14th at 7:30pm. Tickets are available at www.theaerium.co/tickets
I take great pride in choreographing a handful of group acts. This year I will be performing a solo as the goddess Isis. My students gave conception to this act and I am honored to bring it to life. I went to Montessori school as a child. In Montessori, there is an annual festival to celebrate historical and ancient cultures. I wanted to bring this culture to my school. I knew it would be a great challenge for students to get in theme, do the research, choreograph within the scope, and bring it to life. I knew that it would transform them as artists. I am so excited to see this whole show brought together.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
I have extreme interest in philosopher Ken Wilber’s four quadrants of being well-rounded. These quadrants help understand personal growth, society, and consciousness holistically. They are individual personal growth, physical well-being, cultural and relationship growth, systems & environment (ie. economy, politics, tech, and nature).
When I first moved to Texas, Julia Langenberg asked me how I thought my productivity was. I laughed and said that I really value not having a task list or a calendar. Here I am nearly 7 years later and I am highly organized. I wouldn’t say that I value productivity in a robotic sense, I value achieving dreams. Life is short. Asides from my work reminders, I have 5 reminders per day that are for health and mindfulness: Praying and affirmations, dream journaling, stretching and physical therapy, taking my herbs and supplements, meditation, and learning.
Every few years, I examine my schedule and make sure that I am making time for all of my long and short term goals keeping in mind the four quadrants. As an entrepreneurial artistic athlete I have a complex schedule, but I make time for all the quadrants. It helps me make sense of the chaotic world we live in.
Pricing:
- Trial classes $30
- Monthly membership $120
- Five pack $150 (expires after 2 months)
- Showcase 3/14 – Early bird tickets – Adult $30
- Showcase 3/14 Early bird ticket – Kids $15
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.theaerium.co
- Instagram: the.aerium and aerial.design
- Other: https://www.theaerium.co/tickets
