Tangle Movement Arts

Get upside-down with me!

Hi, I’m Lo! I offer beginning and intermediate trapeze lessons in West Philly.

💪✨ My aerial lessons are safe, expressive, hardcore, creative, and fun. Bring a friend or come by yourself. Trapeze transformed my life (and my upper body strength) and I’d love to share it with you!

🎪🤸 I’ve taught and performed body-positive circus arts for 10+ years as the founder of Tangle Movement Arts. My aerial coaching has a focus on injury prevention, creativity and play, strength-building, and the thrill of doing what seemed impossible. I particularly love to connect with fellow queer/fat/hypermobile people & people who haven’t previously felt comfortable in sports. With a long career in circus artistic direction, I also love helping with act development with performers who are ready to tell a story.

📅✏️ Current availability is Wednesdays 9:30am-4pm, weekends 7am-11am, and some evenings 6-10pm. We schedule based on a mutual fit between my calendar and yours. Lessons are 60-75 minutes. I’m looking for students who aim to commit to a weekly, every-other-week, or monthly practice with me, but I’m always happy to do a single lesson to see if you like it. I teach adults and teens in groups of 1-3 with a curriculum tailored personally to each student. Lessons for kids are possible depending on their age and your goals, including a “parent and child” shared class where you both get to play in the air– get in touch!

More info

🚎 Getting there: The studio is at 4218 Brown St, Philadelphia, PA 19104. It is a private, climate-controlled space up a flight of stairs. Call or text me (215-266-6215) when you get there and I’ll come let you in at the green double doors. There is free street parking (please do not block driveways) and we are convenient to the 10 trolley and 31, 40, 43, and 64 buses.

🎽 What should I bring? Bring a water bottle. Wear comfortable, form-fitting clothing that covers your legs like leggings or sweatpants, with no exposed buttons or zippers. Thicker pants or double layers might be comfier on trapeze. Baggy clothes make it harder to move. Long hair should be pulled back and dangling jewelry removed. We’ll be barefoot during class. To avoid ropeburn, you may wish to bring socks and a shirt that will cover your shoulders and arms. If you habitually wear compression/medical garments for pain relief or other reasons (knee braces, chest binder, etc) bring them to class and we can adjust as needed. There is a private bathroom to change in. 

🏃 What is the lesson like? Our warm-up includes cardio, range of motion, active flexibility, and drills for brain-body connection. Up on the trapeze, you’ll learn tricks, technique, and full sequences. Conditioning pushes your core strength and physical tolerance. Finally, cool-down includes myofascial release like massage or foam-rolling. Trapeze is fun, creative, tiring, and leaves you with bruises!

❓ Anything else to know? We’ll chat about this in person too, but I always want to know your goals/interests in movement classes— getting strong? making art? having fun?– and about other ways you move your body, including if you’ve ever done circus (or gymnastics, rock climbing, dance, or related disciplines). I also want to know about any current/chronic injuries or other physical conditions that affect your experience. For example, this could sound like “I did ballet as a child. I ride my bike to work, and I used to do a lot of yoga but not recently. I’ve sprained my left ankle several times and have done PT for it, and I had abdominal surgery last year. I get lightheaded easily and might have POTS, but I manage it with compression socks and drinking saltwater.” I’d also love to know your pronouns– mine are she/her. I’m happy to wear a face mask to teach if you’d like. Feel free to tell me by email (lauren@tangle-arts.com) or text (215-266-6215), or in person during our first lesson.

💸 How do I pay? A lesson costs $60-95 total for 1-2 people, with $75 being the “true cost” and students placing themselves appropriately on the sliding scale. Lessons are $90-100 total for 3-4 people. Payment is due electronically at the end of each lesson. My Venmo is @lauren-rile-smith, my PayPal is lauren.rile.smith@gmail.com, and my Cashapp is $laurenrilesmith.

⏳Cancellation policy: No payment is due if you cancel more than 24 hours in advance; half payment is due if you cancel 12-24 hours in advance; full payment is due if you cancel less than 12 hours in advance. However, I am understanding in cases of personal emergency.

Lo (aka Lauren) Rile Smith
lauren@tangle-arts.com ☆ she/her ☆ 215-266-6215 ☆ in-person at 4218 Brown St