EXPLORE NIAGARA & BEYOND
CELEBRATE THE ARTS
Where Skill and Fun Meet By Jill Tham
When Ashley Gauthier opened the Acro Academy in 2016, she was surprised at the outcome. “I had no intentions of being a massive studio, I just wanted to offer a safe and fun program, but the demand was there,” says Gauthier who was aiming for twenty registrations and received one hundred. “As soon as you say the word acro everyone asks, ‘What is acro?’” says Gauthier. “Acro is a form of dance that incorporates tumbling, contortionism, and partner stunts. You are merging a dance and a gymnast into one of the most creative forms out there,” says Gauthier. “This includes friendship, self obedience and accomplishments,” says Gauthier. “In acro you are part of a team you can rely on.” When children train consistently, an improvement in 64
Inspire Niagara & Beyond
strength and flexibility is noted by Gauthier. “They develop new skills and core strength without even knowing it.” says Gauthier. “When I develop a program, I create a structure so their body can sustain the activity,” explains Gauthier. “They come back stronger every week because of the way we structure our program and after the 8 weeks they are a whole new child with skills and accomplishments they never thought they would have in a year.,” says Gauthier. “The learning is endless.” Gauthier attributes the growth in the students to her small class sizes and structure of the program. “A dance class could have 30-40 students in it and a lot of standing around,” says Gauthier. “There is never a stagnant moment, you are always moving and engaged. My classes have a ratio 10:2 for students aged six and older and 8:2 under the age
