Open Gym Schedule & Policies

FAMILY OPEN GYM (AGES 6 – ADULT):

Practice your skills and play together in this supervised circus open gym for all ages. Moms, dads, sibling, aunts, uncles, and family friends are invited to fly together on trapeze, silks, and more! Obstacle course, mats, and juggling toys available for all!

Students under the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult. Students may depart early, but please arrive on time. Tuition is for each participating student, regardless of age.  Returning/currently enrolled students only.

*Please note: Open Gyms do not always take place every week. We run them whenever we can. Check the Open Gym Calendar above for availability.

ADULT OPEN GYM (AGES 16+):

Come train with amazing people in this supervised open gym. Acro and aerial training welcome. Students may depart early, but please arrive on time. Students must have completed a full term of Level 1 or pass an assessment test.

*Please note: Open Gyms do not always take place every week. We run them whenever we can. Check the Open Gym Calendar above for availability.

OPEN GYM POLICY

Echo Theater Company’s open gym offers an opportunity for established students to train on their own, without instruction, to build strength & flexibility, solidify existing skills and build performance skills at their own pace.

To attend open gym, students must have either:

• Completed a full term of ETC School Classes


• OR successfully complete a private skills assessment

Students may only use apparatus they have been assessed on or taken a term of study in.

Under no circumstances may a student perform their own rigging. Only instructors may perform rigging. Communicate with the open gym supervisor to request any changes in apparatus. If you wish to bring your own apparatus, please contact us at hello [at] echotheaterpdx [dot] org.

Although there is a trained ETC School instructor present at all times, this is not an opportunity for instruction from staff or from other students. Students are responsible for their own warm up, conditioning, and general safety at all times.

Skills assessment:

All apparatus

• Ability to demonstrate proper stretching/warming up and cool down


• Ability to demonstrate awareness of personal limitations of knowledge & abilities

Rope & fabric

• 2 upside down straddles without touching the rope/fabric


• Basic rope/silks climb to top and down twice (no thuds down)

Trapeze, lyra, invented apparatus

• Controlled mount and dismount to standing on trapeze and lyra


• Controlled step step kick turn


• Catchers’ hang

Partner acro

• Thigh stand (controlled, unspotted, no wobble)


• Cathedral (controlled, unspotted, no wobble

Solo ground work

• Cartwheel, kick up to handstand, and forward roll.


• For canes: kick up to a controlled handstand alignment & cartwheel out safely on ground.