Aerialist & Circus Performer Costume Guide: What to Wear on Stage

Aerial and circus performance places unique demands on costume design that no other performance discipline shares. Your costume must be safe — it cannot catch on apparatus, restrict movement, or create hazards at height. It must be functional — it needs to stay in place through inversions, drops, and dynamic movement. And it must be spectacular — it needs to read from the audience, often from a significant distance and at unusual angles. This guide covers how to choose costumes that meet all three requirements.

Part 1: Safety First — Non-Negotiable Costume Rules for Aerialists

What Cannot Be on an Aerial Costume

Before aesthetics, before embellishment, before anything else — aerial costumes must be safe. The following elements are incompatible with aerial performance:

• Loose fabric or flowing elements — anything that can catch on apparatus, wrap around a limb, or obstruct vision during a drop. This includes loose sleeves, flowing skirts, and untethered fabric panels.
• Protruding hardware — large rhinestone settings, exposed metal closures, or structural elements that can catch on rigging or apparatus
• Anything that can come loose — poorly attached embellishments, loose sequins, or accessories that could fall on the audience or performer below
• Restrictive closures — anything that cannot be quickly removed in an emergency

What Must Be True of an Aerial Costume

• Full range of motion — test every movement in your act before performing in a new costume. If anything restricts a split, an inversion, or an extension, it cannot be worn for that act.
• Secure fit at all points — nothing should shift, slide, or move during performance. A costume that moves independently of your body is a safety hazard at height.
• Skin grip where needed — for silks and hoop, skin contact with the apparatus is part of the technique. Costume coverage must be planned around the grip points specific to your apparatus.
• Tested before performance — always do a full run-through in a new costume before performing it at height

Part 2: Costume by Apparatus

Aerial Silks (Tissu)

Aerial silks require significant skin contact for grip — the inner thighs, the backs of the knees, the feet, and the arms all make contact with the fabric during wraps and drops.

Best costume choices for silks:

• A fitted rhinestone or sequin bodysuit with bare legs — the classic silks performance look. The bodysuit stays secure through all movements while bare legs provide the grip needed for wraps.
• Footless tights or bare feet — socks and most shoes reduce grip on the silk
• Minimal arm coverage — long sleeves reduce grip on arm wraps
• Secure neckline — nothing that can shift forward during inversions

Aerial Hoop (Lyra)

Aerial hoop creates contact points at the backs of the knees, the hips, and the hands. The costume needs to protect these contact points from the metal hoop while maintaining grip.

Best costume choices for hoop:

• A fitted bodysuit or unitard — provides coverage at the hoop contact points without adding bulk
• Footless tights or bare feet for pointed foot aesthetics
• Avoid heavy embellishment at the hip and knee contact points — rhinestones against metal hoop can be uncomfortable and can damage both the costume and the hoop finish
• Rhinestone embellishment works well on the bodice and upper body where it won't contact the hoop

Trapeze (Static and Flying)

Trapeze creates contact at the hands, the backs of the knees (for knee hangs), and the hips. Flying trapeze also involves catching, which creates contact at the wrists and forearms.

Best costume choices for trapeze:

• A fitted bodysuit or unitard as the base
• For flying trapeze, avoid anything on the wrists or forearms that could interfere with the catch
• Rhinestone embellishment on the torso and legs works well — keep the arms relatively clean for catching acts
• Footless tights or soft shoes for pointed foot aesthetics

Acrobatics and Hand-to-Hand

Ground-based acrobatics and hand-to-hand acts have more costume flexibility than aerial acts, but still require full range of motion and secure fit.

Best costume choices for acrobatics:

• Rhinestone bodysuits and leotards work well — the full range of embellishment options are available for ground-based acts
• For hand-to-hand, the base (bottom person) needs a costume that provides stable footing surfaces — avoid slippery fabrics on the shoulders and back
• Platform heels can be worn for non-acrobatic sections and removed for acrobatic elements

Contortion

Contortion requires the most extreme range of motion of any circus discipline. Every costume element must be tested through the full range of the act.

Best costume choices for contortion:

• High-stretch fabrics — four-way stretch is essential. Test every extreme position before performing in a new costume.
• Fitted bodysuits and unitards in stretch fabric with rhinestone embellishment
• Avoid structured elements (boning, rigid embellishment) that restrict extreme flexion or extension
• Secure closures — nothing should open or shift during extreme positions

Part 3: Fabric and Embellishment for Aerial Performance

Best Fabrics for Aerial Costumes

• Four-way stretch lycra/spandex — the gold standard for aerial performance. Moves with the body, returns to shape, and is available in rhinestone-embellished versions.
• Velvet stretch — provides some grip on apparatus and looks spectacular under stage lighting. Works well for hoop and static trapeze.
• Mesh panels — add visual interest and ventilation without adding bulk or restricting movement

Rhinestone Embellishment for Aerial Costumes

Rhinestones can absolutely be used on aerial costumes — with some important considerations:

• Flat-set rhinestones are safer than raised or pronged settings, which can catch on apparatus
• Avoid rhinestones at apparatus contact points — the backs of the knees, the hips, and the inner thighs for silks
• Test embellishment security — any rhinestone that can come loose during performance is a hazard. Check all embellishments before every performance.
• Concentrate embellishment on the torso and upper body — these areas are most visible to the audience during aerial performance and have fewer apparatus contact points

Part 4: Stage Impact for Aerial Performance

Designing for Aerial Visibility

Aerial performance is viewed from unusual angles — the audience sees the performer from below, from the side, and in motion at height. This changes how costume design works:

• The full body is always visible — unlike ground performance where the lower body may be obscured, aerial performance exposes every angle. Every part of the costume matters.
• Movement creates the visual — the costume should be designed to look spectacular in motion, not just standing still. Rhinestones that catch light during spins and drops create a visual effect that static photography cannot capture.
• Distance requires embellishment — aerial performers are often far from the audience. Heavy rhinestone embellishment is essential for visibility at height.
• Color reads differently at height — jewel tones and metallics perform best under stage lighting at distance. Pale colors can wash out.

The Aerial Costume Silhouette

The most effective aerial costume silhouette is clean and streamlined — a fitted bodysuit or unitard that follows the body's lines without adding bulk. This silhouette:

• Doesn't interfere with apparatus or technique
• Shows the body's lines clearly, which is essential for the aesthetic of aerial performance
• Allows rhinestone embellishment to be the visual statement rather than the silhouette itself
• Reads clearly from the audience at height

Part 5: Footwear for Circus and Aerial Performance

During Aerial Sections

Most aerial disciplines are performed barefoot or in soft shoes (ballet slippers, foot thongs) that allow pointed foot aesthetics without adding weight or bulk. Platform heels are not appropriate for aerial performance.

During Ground Sections

For acts that include both aerial and ground sections, platform heels can be worn during ground choreography and removed before aerial elements. Many performers choreograph a shoe removal into the act as a transition moment.

Browse our Platform Heels, Ankle Boots, and full Heels & Footwear collection for ground performance footwear.

Part 6: Building Your Aerial Performance Wardrobe

The Aerial Performer's Costume Essentials

• A fitted rhinestone bodysuit — the foundation of most aerial performance looks. Choose one with flat-set rhinestones and four-way stretch fabric.
• A unitard or catsuit — for acts requiring full coverage or a different aesthetic. Browse our Catsuits, Unitards & Jumpsuits collection.
• Footless tights — for pointed foot aesthetics and apparatus grip
• A ground performance look — for acts with ground sections, a complete look including heels and accessories

Costume Testing Protocol

Before performing any new costume at height:

1. Do a full ground run-through in the costume — test every position, every movement
2. Check all embellishments for security — tug test every rhinestone and sequin
3. Do a low-height test run on the apparatus before performing at full height
4. Have a trusted person check the costume from all angles during the test run
5. Check for any areas where the costume contacts the apparatus and assess for safety

Frequently Asked Questions

What do aerialists wear on stage?

Aerialists typically wear fitted rhinestone or sequin bodysuits or unitards as their base costume, with footless tights or bare feet for aerial sections. The costume must allow full range of motion, stay secure through all movements, and have no loose elements that can catch on apparatus. Rhinestone embellishment is concentrated on the torso and upper body, away from apparatus contact points.

Can aerialists wear rhinestone costumes?

Yes — rhinestone costumes are widely used in aerial performance. The key is using flat-set rhinestones rather than raised or pronged settings, avoiding rhinestones at apparatus contact points, and testing all embellishment security before every performance. A rhinestone bodysuit with four-way stretch fabric is the standard aerial performance costume.

What fabric is best for aerial costumes?

Four-way stretch lycra or spandex is the gold standard for aerial performance costumes. It moves with the body, returns to shape, and is available in rhinestone-embellished versions. Velvet stretch is also popular for hoop and static trapeze, as it provides some grip on the apparatus and looks spectacular under stage lighting.

Can aerialists wear platform heels?

Platform heels are not appropriate for aerial sections of a performance. However, many aerialists wear platform heels for ground-based sections of their act and choreograph a shoe removal into the transition to aerial work. This can become a theatrical moment in itself.

Shop Aerial and Circus Performance Wear

• Leotards & Bodysuits — rhinestone and sequin bodysuits for aerial performance
• Catsuits, Unitards & Jumpsuits — full-coverage performance looks for aerial and circus
• Two-Piece Sets — rhinestone sets for ground-based circus acts
• Dancers & Performers — performance wear curated for stage performers
• Platform Heels — ground performance heels for circus acts
• Ankle Boots — versatile performance boots for ground sections
• Heels & Footwear — full footwear range for performers
• Headpieces & Crowns — statement headpieces for circus and aerial performance
• Fringe & Movement — fringe pieces for ground-based circus acts