About Us

What is ‘Lyra’? Lyra is another name for aerial hoop. Lyra is the equipment and the discipline of aerial hoop!

The aerial hoop provides the perfect frame for acrobatic bodyweight exercises.

You’ll be having so much fun during aerial hoop classes you’ll hardly realise you are breaking a sweat, not to mention building muscle and burning calories!

Established in 2016, The Lyra Project is Pretoria’s first and only aerial hoop studio run by internationally accredited instructors.

Owner and head instructor, Alison Ballard, has been training in aerial arts since 2014. After only a few short years she emerged as a well-recognised and highly regarded instructor, instructor trainer and international Pole & Aerial Sports judge (IPSF).

Our Classes

Beginner Aerial Hoop.
Get familiar with the basics in our beginner level classes. Learn how to spin the hoop, lift your bodyweight and mount the hoop in several ways. Complete short sequences involving floor-to-hoop choreography and basic in-hoop transitions. Beginner level movements mainly use the bottom and sidebars of the aerial hoop.

Intermediate Aerial Hoop.
Find your aerial hoop style. During our intermediate level classes you will start to recognise where your strengths lie, so you can take your skills to the next level. Perfect your inverts (upside down moves), strength and flexibility movements, while forming impressive aerial combinations. Intermediate level movements use the bottom, side and top bar of the aerial hoop.

Advanced Aerial Hoop.
Gravity defying shapes, drops and tumbles are combined in flowing sequences during our advanced level classes. The highest level of strength and flexibility is required to achieve the top-end advanced tricks. The hoop will be rigged at a higher point, enabling advanced mounts such as high velocity spins and orbits. Advanced moves use the entirety of the hoop including tricks that are performed above the top bar.