Acro Safety & Covid-19

*Last edited June 26, 2022. Jump to latest.

We value the health and safety of our partners, as well as the communities they live and work in. Each individual will need to assess their own risks for practicing partner acrobatics amidst concerns of transmitting or contracting the Covid-19 virus.

First and foremost, we as a community value consent–informing your partners of the risks you are taking, and assessing what risks you might be willing to assume together, is critical in our practice now more than ever.

General Covid Precautions for Practicing Acro

If you are choosing to practice acro during these times, we recommend regularly checking in with local and national health authorities for guidelines about best practices. From our collective experience as an acro community, the following general suggestions for safe practice also emerged:

• Wearing masks while practicing, whether inside or outside

• Washing hands with soap and water for >20 seconds before and after practice, whether in facilities with access to a washroom or via makeshift handwashing stations when outdoors

• Using alcohol-based hand sanitizers in between hand-washings

• Engaging in social distancing when practicing outdoors, including spacing mats at least 6 (but ideally 10) feet apart and not circulating individuals across partnerships

In addition, individuals may wish to form “pods” for the purposes of practice at jams, or on a more longterm basis until vaccines and treatments are more readily available. Some “pods” may be naturally occurring partnerships of individuals who are living or quarantining together. Otherwise, “pods” could consist of 2-4 people to facilitate partnerships with spotters but minimize the number of individuals involved. Pods would have the ability to discuss contact histories and develop a collective agreement around risk management. Acro as a practice requires significant physical trust, particularly in an environment with serious risk from infectious disease, which makes conversations and commitments in partnership even more important.

Practitioners should be aware of and compliant with local laws regarding the use of public outdoor spaces or gyms. In addition, we urge you to be conscientious of others using shared spaces and attempting to maintain social distancing.

The calendar will remain updated with community events, whether in-person or online, and individuals should assess their own comfort and risk tolerance in attending.

Current Covid Practices in Chicago

*Last updated June 26, 2022.

Chicago and the surrounding areas removed their mask mandates in Spring 2022, meaning that many indoor spaces in which we practice no longer have a legal mandate to require masks or vaccines prior to entry. We urge everyone to assess their own level of risk tolerance before participating in acro events, but we are also committed to addressing and accommodating our community’s needs.

For indoor classes and jams, consult the organizing teacher regarding covid protocols and policies prior to attending class. Many classes and indoor jams are currently mask-optional; some spaces offer masking for all participants upon request; and others are mask-mandatory. Contacting the teacher or jam leader directly will ensure you have the most up-to-date information about which protocol is in place.

Acro in the Park jams are regularly occurring events on Sundays that occur outdoors. While the risk of transmission is lower in outdoor settings, practicing outdoors also means that we cannot guarantee safety from covid exposure. Jam organizers will have masks and hand sanitizer available for those who would like them.