Broomriding Grades

Broomriding is the umbrella expression for every activity on a broom in the air: if you make your first steps, transport objects, chase an object in a game, glide in a group or perform a special trick... as long as you perform it on or around a broom in the air, this is called broom riding. A secundary definition, however, makes a precise distinction about the specific action of your broom. Here, broomriding means the grade of the very beginners, the elementary class. As long as you aren't able to ride a broom, no other activity is possible on your broom.
Find here more information about the following Broomriding Grades as well as about our classes: Broomriding Broomflying Paragliding Formation Gliding Circle Dancing Partnerdancing Broom Ballet Modern Broomdancing and Broom Acrobatics
Broomriding On your first broomriding evening, you take the most important step to broomriding: you learn to hover a few inches above ground and to WANT to fly. Forget about everything people keep telling you about the impossibilities! Learn to WANT, learn to leave the solid ground and learn to focus on your broom's movement. This indeed is the most difficult step to broomriding. In the following evenings, you will learn more technical aspects in order to ride a broom: how to sit on a broom, how to hold your hands and knees, how to concentrate on the movement, how to keep your balance. The major goal of the first class, however, is to practice wanting and to focus, for this is easily forgotten, unless your pracice it untill it's part of your flesh and bones. In this class, you very rarely leave the hall, and you will not go higher than a couple of feet above the ground. You start from an artificial hill or rooftop and glide down with different wind forces. You learn to land safely and you practice falling techniques in case of unsafe landings. Only after managing all this, you learn your first take-off techniques, including magical and technical helps and bridges. You will find out which broom model and which wood suits you best and you will customize your personal spell set with your teacher. You feel for the first time in your life what it's like to have no solid or liquid surface underneath your feet. You learn to rely on your broom and to steer in constant winds. Broomriding usually covers 6 to 8 evenings, and no prior experience is necessary. The pupils ride on school brooms and use school equipment. up to the top \| subscribe to a class		the uncomfortable first hovering... ... and a well-trained sitstill in mid air
Broomflying After having passed the elementary class, you are ready to actually glide on the broom. You learn about the real wind (which changes speed and direction at random) and how to deal with it. You start from the ground, first with magical support, and then with less and less artificial help. You take longer flights and keep your direction, whatever the wind does. With increasing experience, you'll even be able to keep direction in heavy and heavily changing side winds. Oh, these first steps are frustrating! Always, when you think you've got it, the wind plays a trick on you. So you have to learn to foresee the wind every second. Not easy. For this reason, it's best to start in the autum or spring or in a hall with artificially changing winds. You'll preceed to slowing down, to accelerating, to racing in the air, and also to keeping your speed at your will and not at the wind's. Many theoretical lessons accompany your broomflying exercises: they are about winds high above and the winds on ground, about aerodynamics, clouds and weather predictions as well as about broomriding history, basic charms, broom accident management and first aid. A broomflying class usually takes a year. Recommended prior experience is the broomriding class. Having your own broom right from the beginning isn't obligatory, but do plan to buy one during the year! up to the top \| subscribe to a class		Racing, just racing!
Paragliding Broomriding on your own is fine. Broomriding with others, however, raises a set of new problems. Do you think you're able to glide on your broom neatly beside your partner's? Well - try it and you'll see and feel how the differently tempered air masses affect you and what the wind can do. Parallel movements, as well as all sorts of coordinated flying require serious practice. And a good couple of hints by an experienced teacher. In paragliding, you learn to coordinate your air movements with your partner's or in a broomflyer's group. Most pupils visit this class several times untill they feel confident enough to paraglide without a teacher's help. You can start paragliding from the 3rd quarter of your broomflying class and take the lessons simultaneously, especially as an additional exercise when the theoretical part of broomflying is being covered. Why do you need to learn paragliding? To broomdance, for example. Basical paragliding experience is recommended for participation in a broomrider's festival or the fire ride at a Wikkan solistice. up to the top \| subscribe to a class
Formation Gliding Like paragliding, formation gliding is about coordinated air movements with one or several partners. Here the aim is not to move in the same way as the others, but to form a group shape: to coordinate counter movements, slow down to a standstill when an effect has to be underlined by duration, or regain speed and accelerate from zero in mid air. In short, formation gliding is about showing group patterns in the air. Many professional formation gliding groups wear garments of different colours on each side, to highlight their ability to create patterns and effects. Recommended prior experience is the broomflying class as well as basics in paragliding. And a good portion of perseverance and tolerance to frustration. It's not at all the easiest way of physical exercise. up to the top \| subscribe to a class
Broomdancing: Circle Dancing As soon as you are acquainted with paragliding, you may start to broomdance in a broomdancing circle very similar to the folkdancing circle, but 3D. You usually start with a simple minuet or rondo and advance to more difficult steps. Yes, you still call it steps - even if it's in the air. There are musicians to accompany the dancers on their brooms in the center of the broom dancers' circle, but most of the time, they're playing from the ground. Circle dances don't have to be in a circle, there are dances with criss-crossed patterns or patterns like a stage. Circle broomdancing has its origins in the ethnic air movements of different wizarding folks, but with choreographed parts. Some steps come from paragliding, and some are new inventions. There are ordinary folk dance parts, as well as partner broom dancing, and some of the movements are inspired from ice dancing. Recommended prior experience is the broomflying class as well as basics in paragliding or formation gliding. up to the top \| subscribe to a class
Broomdancing: Partnerdancing Broomdancing with a partner is far more difficult than dancing in a Broomdancer's Circle. Here you leave the area of clearly defined choreography and step into the dialogue of free partner movements. Recommended prior experience the broomflying class, basics in paragliding, formation gliding or circle dancing. up to the top \| subscribe to a class		The famous broomdancing couple Gerry-n-Liz over their home town
Broom Ballet Classical Broom Ballet is the art of highly sophisticated broom dancing performances, the art of absolutely perfect movements in the air, accompanied by classical music. Ever seen Swan Lake on brooms? It's marvellous. The swans don't only dance on a virtual and multi-staged surface, but they also flap in the clumsy swan way. This change between the weightless swan and the heavy one will not leave you untouched. After that, ordinary Swan Lake seems rather banal to you. Broom Ballet is perfect movement, sometimes similar to broom acrobatics. It is hard work, but beautiful to watch. You have to be able to confidently stand on or perform a handstand on your rapidly moving broom before starting your first broom ballet class. Recommended prior experience: at least 3 years of broomflying classes and the recommandation of one of your teachers to the broom ballet school. Expert level. Several lessons a week. up to the top \| subscribe to a class
Modern Broomdancing Modern Broomdancing combines elements of partner dancing, broom ballet, boom acrobatics and dirty dancing. There are free and often associative changes in group and single parts. Modern broomdancing is constantly changing and mirrors the most popular dancing styles all over the world. Recent developments have introduced tango, polka, swing or jazz dance elements and also rave to broomdancing. Recommended prior experience: at least 1 year of broomdancing. Expert level. Very exhausting, but a leisure activity for a lifetime! In the Hall of Rinaku Broomstick's Broomriding School, there is open modern broomdancing every friday evening. Meet your broommates in the leisure way and learn the most recent stiles while performing. The entrance is free. up to the top \| subscribe to a class
Broom Acrobatics Broom acrobatics is based on paragliding's and formation gliding's loop-the-loops and somersaults. Students begin with kneeling and standing on the broom, progress to hand-stands, and then perform one-handed hand-stand, still flying. Broom acrobats learn to coordinate their movemtents while standing or hand-stand flying, they jump off their brooms, doing somersaults, change brooms in the air, and act as if they are flying freely in the air. Really skiled broom acrobats move elegantly, like ballet broomers, and seem to surpass the limits of their bodies and the earth's gravitational pull. Recommended prior experience are a very well-trained body, a readiness to practice daily, and a very good aquaintance with every broom movement. Playing Broomball helps a great deal in doing broom acrobatics, because in Broomball too, you have to know your broom and make quick movements in the air. Many professional broom acrobats say that it's nearly impossible to be good at this art without being born in a broom acrobat family. up to the top \| subscribe to a class