In short, gymnastics is a high intensity sport, and acrobatics is an art form. Acrobatics (or Acro for short) is a subset of gymnastics, and although the two share similarities, the approach to teaching and training are quite different.
Gymnastic tumbling is meant to be performed on a sprung floor with coils embedded in the mat for optimal lift on hard-hitting tumbling passes and protection from stressful, energetic landings. Acro supplements dance training and, although we use mats when learning new skills, acro dance is often taught on a sprung dance floor with the intent of being performed on a stage. In order to teach the body to withstand hard landings, acro aims to strengthen the dancer’s centre (hips, core, glutes) and emphasises full extension of the body in the air to make tumbling look graceful and landings seem weightless.
In gymnastics, the prep for tumbling is quite visible and typically consists of a a run. The tumbling is hard-hitting, intense, and full of tricks. In acro, tumbling is incorporated into dance as lyrically as possible. The lines are usually longer, the movement more fluid, and a combination of tricks and dance combine more seamlessly with a less obvious prep. In acro, we focus on lengthening out of the tricks, contorting the body, and holding balances that provide an interesting line of the body. The aim of acro is to use strength, flexibility, and balance to create stronger, safer, and more diverse dancers, which will, in turn, creates more impressive, exciting, and artistic dancing.