Chinatown Aerial Fitness Studio Taster at S$38: Starz Aerial

Starz Aerial Dance School, at 20B Smith Street, teaches aerial hoop and silks on the third floor of a Chinatown shophouse, and a first class costs S$38. That one-hour taster lets you try both apparatus before you sign up for a Level 1 course, which runs for eight weeks at S$296. A second studio sits at 63B Tanjong Pagar Road, also up a flight of stairs on the third level. If you are looking for an aerial fitness studio that treats hoop and silks as dance rather than gym work, with a clear ladder of levels to climb, Starz is one of the most established names in the city centre.

Finding the main studio is part of the experience. The contact page tells you to look for the even-numbered side of the shophouses along Smith Street and then walk up the stairs to the third level, so expect a narrow staircase rather than a lift lobby. Above the street-level shops and food stalls, the upper floors of these old buildings have the length and height that aerial rigging needs, and the result is a studio that feels tucked away from the crowds below.

The school describes itself as a dance school first, and its performances back that up. Its press page lists appearances at the Formula 1 Singapore night race in 2019, 2023 and 2024, among other shows. Classes lean towards flowing sequences and musicality once students pass the beginner levels, which is the main difference between Starz and studios that teach aerial mainly as a strength workout.

Both main apparatus follow the same structure. Hoop runs from Level 1 to Level 4 for beginners, followed by Hoop Dance for intermediate and advanced students, and silks runs from Level 1 to Level 4 before moving on to Silks Dance. Every course is eight weeks long with one hour per week, so you see the same teacher and the same small group each week and build skills in order rather than jumping between drop-ins.

New Hoop Dance terms are listed to begin on Sunday 25 October at 12:45pm, Sunday 1 November at 11:30am and Tuesday 10 November at 7pm, while Silks Dance terms start on Thursday 22 October at 8:15pm and Friday 23 October at 6:30pm. A Hammock Dance term began on Sunday 18 October at 3:45pm, and a four-week Rope mini term starts on Sunday 25 October at 1:35pm at the Tanjong Pagar studio. Dates roll over regularly, so check the course pages for the next intake.

For experienced students there is dance trapeze, also known as single-point trapeze, which swings and spins from one rigging point. It is taught at the Smith Street studio and has a firm prerequisite: a minimum of eight months of regular aerial training. That rule keeps the class safe and is a good sign of how seriously the school takes progression.

The taster class fee is S$38 for one hour, covering both aerial hoop and aerial silks. After that, the aerial hoop eight-week course costs S$296, as does the aerial silks eight-week course, and the dance trapeze eight-week course is priced the same at S$296. That works out at S$37 per hourly lesson. The school does not publish a single drop-in rate for beginners, since its model is built around courses. Private classes are also available on request.

If you miss a week, the FAQ allows up to two make-up lessons for an eight-week hoop or silks course. Private classes have a 24-hour cancellation rule, after which 50% of the class fee is forfeited. Sign-up happens online through the school's booking system, so plan to register before you turn up rather than walking in.

The FAQ is specific about clothing. Wear a fitted top that covers your midriff, because a loose shirt falls over your face the moment you go upside down, and tight-fitting stretchy pants that cover the backs of your knees down to your ankles, since knee hooks are a core early skill on both hoop and silks. No footwear is allowed in the studio, but you may wear clean socks.

All classes are co-ed, so men and women train together at every level. Skip hand cream on class days to keep your grip dry, take off rings and watches, and bring water. The studio publishes no phone number, so send questions to fly@starzaerial.sg or use the form on its website.

For the main studio, Chinatown MRT Exit A on the North East and Downtown lines is the closest, with Outram Park Exit H and Maxwell station on the Thomson-East Coast Line as alternatives. For the second studio, Tanjong Pagar MRT Exit A and Maxwell are both close by. Both studios are walk-up, so allow a minute for the stairs and a few more to change before class.

Smith Street is one of Chinatown's busiest food streets, and after class you are already in the middle of it. The Chinatown Complex hawker centre is around the corner, with hundreds of stalls on its second floor, and the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple on South Bridge Road is a short walk away, beautifully lit after dark.

Walk a little further and you reach Ann Siang Hill and Club Street, where cocktail bars and small restaurants fill restored shophouses, or head to Keong Saik Road for some of the neighbourhood's best-known dining rooms. On a weekend afternoon, the Thian Hock Keng temple on Telok Ayer Street is a calm detour on the way back towards the CBD.

Main studio: Starz Aerial Dance School, 20B Smith Street, Singapore 058934, third floor, stairs only. Second studio: 63B Tanjong Pagar Road, Singapore 088484, third floor. Taster: S$38 for one hour of hoop and silks. Courses: hoop, silks and dance trapeze at S$296 for eight weekly one-hour lessons. Make-ups: up to two per eight-week course. Contact: fly@starzaerial.sg; no phone is published. Nearest MRT: Chinatown Exit A.

Choose Starz if you want to learn aerial as a dance form, with structured eight-week levels and a clear route from complete beginner to choreography. If you would rather drop in for occasional conditioning classes without committing to a course, a studio with a pay-per-class timetable will suit you better. For people who like steady weekly progress in a small group, though, a Chinatown shophouse studio with this kind of performance record is a memorable place to learn.