Studio Information & Policies

CORONAVIRUS & OTHER HEALTH RELATED POLICIES

1. Our physical studio location is open for small Group Classes of up to 4-5 students depending on class type and studio room size. Open Studio Hours are capped at a maximum of 3 students so that all attendees have their own aerial point or pole for the entire hour. Private Lessons and Parties are available – please email us to schedule. All studio events are scheduled with either a 15 or 30 minute space between each one so that staff can thoroughly disinfect the studio and equipment. Continue reading for more details on our disinfection protocols.

2. All new and existing students are required to sign our new waiver and consent forms – this can be done through your student account or at the studio in person.

3. Masking is optional at the studio as of October 1st 2022. Masking is always welcomed, and if you’d like for your instructor to mask during a private lesson or party please let us know at the time of booking.

4. Students are welcome to bring their own personal training equipment and take it home after each use if it is accessible to them. Personal training equipment includes but is not limited to: yoga mat(s), yoga block(s), a strap, a towel, water bottle, notebook/pen, aerial grip aids (rosin, chalk, and various pole grips are available for purchase at Empyrean if needed), etc. Empyrean Arts also provides this equipment for use while visiting the studio.

5. If you have your own aerial equipment you are welcome to bring it with you for your own personal use at the studio. We are happy to recommend equipment to you if you are interested in purchasing your own. We do provide each student with their own aerial apparatus for our in studio class offerings so do not fret if you do not have your own aerial equipment.

6. We are disinfecting all Empyrean Arts aerial equipment that cannot be washed easily in between each use (Trapezes, Lyras, Ropes, Rigging Hardware). Our Aerial Fabrics are washed after 15 uses – we are machine washing with soap and hot water, and then drying them gently in the dryer on low heat. Please use hand sanitizer or wash your hands before touching the aerial equipment or any shared equipment.

7. Please arrive to the studio no more than 10 minutes early. Once a scheduled appointment has ended, be sure to gather all of your belongings and exit promptly to allow for studio cleaning to begin.

8. After entering the studio, students are to remove shoes by the door, use hand sanitizer (we have plenty to share) and/or wash hands, lay out aerial equipment for the instructor to rig if applicable, lay out their mat/towel and other personal items and begin warming up.

9. Students are to avoid touching their eyes, nose, and mouth as much as possible, and maintain a 6 foot distance from others while visiting the studio. Students are required to stay home if feeling ill, or have a temperature above 100.4° F.

10. We have extensive disinfecting protocols in place to keep you and your loved ones safe, as well as our staff members. We are using TruSens air purifiers in all three of our studio rooms (108, 107U, and 107D) for safer air quality, we utilize a large industrial sized fan to bring fresh air into the studio rooms after each use, and when appropriate we will keep our front door(s) open to allow fresh air to come in while the studio is in use. See the After Each Use cleaning list breakdown below for more disinfection details. If you would like to see our Daily Studio Cleaning List please shoot us an email at info@empyreanarts.org and we would be happy to send it over to you. These policies were created with one objective: to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other harmful viruses and bacteria. Policies are subject to change as new information comes to light.

AFTER EACH USE CLEANING POLICIES

  1. Use hand sanitizer directly before and after touching ANY rigging equipment: Rigging Ropes, Carabiners, Silks, Slings, Trapezes, Lyra’s, etc – Only Empyrean Arts instructors are allowed to rig aerial equipment
  2. Wipe down with disinfectant spray every item that you have come into contact with before you leave the studio. This may include the following: yoga blocks, yoga mats, crash mats, poles, metal parts of Lyra’s, carabiners, swivels, etc
  3. Wipe down with disinfectant spray all frequently touched surfaces: all doors and handles (front and back), metal staircase railing in 107 (if 107U was used), computers/tablets, light switches, thermostat, refrigerator, metal chairs in 107 lobby and in 108 cabinet area (depending on which room was in use), top of 108 cubbies, 108 dressing room shelf/metal chair/light switch and/or 107 dressing room metal chair/light cord (depending on which room was in use), air purifier controls, etc
  4. Place all dirty cleaning cloths into the appropriate bin, and please notify staff if the clean cloths bin needs restocking
  5. Wipe down/Clean mirrors thoroughly with glass cleaner if you have used the mirrors with a clean paper towel (not a cloth rag)
  6. Organize and Tidy up after yourself – this may include: the 108 shelves and equipment storage area, the 107 closet, the 108 cabinet, aerial equipment, cubbies, etc
  7. Run the industrial fan for at least 3-5 minutes in either studio 108 or 107 right at the opened front door to allow fresh air to enter the studio space
  8. Check all air purifiers to ensure that they are working properly, that they are running – notify Empyrean via email or text (info@empyreanarts.org 828.782.3321) immediately if a unit is not working

LOCATION & ARRIVAL

The Empyrean Arts studio front doors are located on the right side (the west side) of the 32 Banks Avenue building – directly behind Vortex Doughnuts. Arrive to the studio 5-10 minutes before your scheduled class. Students arriving 10 minutes or more late to the studio will not be allowed to attend class and will not be refunded. We have two dressing rooms located within the studio. Public bathroom and water fountain are located directly outside of the studio in a communal hallway that we share with our neighboring businesses. We have a variety of snacks, drinks, and merchandise available for purchase.

PARKING

Free street parking can be found on Banks Avenue and on some of the surrounding streets. Several gravel pay lots are also available on Banks Avenue that require an app for payment. Failure to pay for parking in any gravel lots in the area may result in your vehicle being booted or towed. Empyrean Arts is not responsible for any vehicle being towed. During weekday evenings and weekends parking can be more challenging to find around the studio, please plan to arrive with plenty of time to locate parking before class starts.

DROP IN STUDENTS

We are not accepting drop-in students at this time, students must have a scheduled appointment through our online schedule system.

CANCELLATIONS

If within four hours of a scheduled class there is one student or less signed up, Empyrean Arts reserves the right to cancel the class. First-time students to the studio will have the option of either having the class canceled and the credit returned, or attend the same class as a 45 minute private lesson. Students will NOT be charged for a class that they are signed up for if Empyrean should need to cancel due to low sign ups, instructor emergency, or inclement weather. You will be notified via email and text that class has been canceled, and your class credit will go back into your student account for a future use. If you should need to cancel a class or private lesson reservation, please do so at least 12 hours before the scheduled start time to avoid losing that class credit. If you are unable to cancel before the 12 hours leading up to your class reservation, you will lose that class credit.

CLASSES

Empyrean classes are non-refundable and non-transferable to another person. To pay for a class for someone else, you may either purchase a gift certificate or purchase the class with your credit card under their account. Be mindful of expiration dates as they are not extendable. We understand that life throws curve balls sometimes, and in the case that we are able to refund a purchase, we can do so minus a 10% processing fee. Please email us at info@empyreanarts.org if you have any questions about this policy and/or need to request a refund for emergency situations.

PRIVATE LESSONS & PARTIES

Private lessons and parties must be paid for in full in advance to reserve studio and instructor time. Email, text, or call us to schedule your lesson or party. Private parties must give a cancellation notice of at least 48 hours for a full refund, minus a 10% processing fee. Parties that cancel within 48 hours of their scheduled appointment will not receive a refund.

SPECTATORS

All students present in classes, private lessons, workshops, and parties must complete registration and payment prior to the start of the scheduled appointment. Visitors are not permitted to watch group classes, private lessons, workshops, or parties.

OPEN STUDIO & STUDIO RENTALS

Open studio is a fabulous time where any one can come to the studio and train, play, stretch, and meet other students. There is no teaching and/or student to student skill sharing during an open studio. If you have a question/concern about a skill that you learned in class, feel free to ask the open studio host. Only trained staff members may rig or handle aerial equipment, ask for assistance from a staff member if you need equipment adjusted for you.

CAMERAS, VIDEOS, NOTES, ETC.

Written notes are encouraged out of respect for others privacy in the studio. Pictures and/or videos are permitted in at your coaches discretion with the consent of your classmates, so long as they do not disrupt the class/private lesson/party/open studio.

18 AND UNDER

Students under the age of 18 must have their parental guardian sign their student account for them online through our website. All regular classes are for students ages 12 and up. On occasion, a teacher may make exceptions for particularly mature students.

ATTIRE

For all intro and beginning level classes at Empyrean Arts wearing capri-length leggings and a t-shirt or tank top that does not have any metal parts like zippers or buttons on it are perfect attire for a class. As students progress in pole classes, shorts are preferred for a better grip on the pole. Wear class appropriate attire in the studio, and be fully clothed when entering and exiting the studio grounds. Wearing undergarments only is not allowed during pole activities. Street shoes must be removed before entering the classroom. Pole heels and “dressing up” are always optional and welcome if desired.

EXPECTATIONS

In a space with shared equipment, it is important that all students practice good hygiene and maintain neutral body odor. Any persons under the influence of alcohol or drugs are not permitted in the studio. Disrespectful behavior is not cool and is unacceptable at the studio, Empyrean firmly stands behind our mission of providing a safe and supportive environment for anyone wishing to visit the studio.

Aradia Fitness USA And Empyrean Arts has not, and never will, condone bullying, harassment, body shaming, racism, homophobia, transphobia, sexual misconduct, or any other type of behavior that is hurtful to others. Behaviors such as these are contradictory to our company’s core values and inhibit our ability to provide a safe, welcoming space for all. We recognize that these are areas in which we as a business can always improve on. We are committed to growing stronger and being better as a studio. We will strive to continuously identify and address ways in which our team can become more sensitive to these important issues and then put them into action.

LEVELING UP & CLASS PROGRESSIONS

Empyrean offers many level based class offerings focusing on building proper strength, flexibility, and stamina progressions safely. Each level and class type has it’s own “level up” skills. Ask your instructor for more information on level up skills. For all required level up skills, you must be able to execute the skill cleanly and without prompting or review from the instructor. For all strength requirements, it is important that you know how to maintain proper body positioning for your safety. Clean form is as important as your ability to execute the requirement.

TEACHER TRAINING & CERTIFICATION

Participating in any and all Empyrean Arts classes is for personal use only and classes are not structured or intended to prepare anyone to be a pole dance, aerial arts, contortion, or other form of fitness instructor. Only individuals who have been accepted into and completed the Empyrean Arts teacher training program are legally able to teach Aradia Pole Fitness and/or Empyrean Arts classes and/or any portion of an Aradia Pole Fitness and/or Empyrean Arts class in a certified studio location. Aradia Pole Fitness and/or Empyrean Arts will pursue legal action against any person teaching any Aradia Fitness and/or Empyrean Arts classes or any portion of original Aradia Fitness and/or Empyrean Arts choreography that does not have a valid certification. If you are interested in joining our team please shoot us an email at info@empyreanarts.org.