“AcroYoga creates deep mutual trust”

Otto and Charlie met during an AcroYoga course. They fell in love with AcroYoga and each other. In this interview they share their approach to non-verbal communication, training philosophy, and how AcroYoga became the foundation of their relationship and well-being.

AcroYoga brought you two together.

‘Yes, we met during an intermediate course at Playful People Tribe and became friends. Our romantic relationship started years later, when we reconnected at an AcroYoga JAM and were both single. Charlie helped me move to a different appartement and just never left ;) Now, we have been together for four years. Two years ago our daughter Juno was born. AcroYoga is the foundation of our connection and still an important part of our lives.’

How is it to share your love for AcroYoga with each other?

'We became quite fanatical about it as a couple and trained three to four times a week, plus attending jams and playing during festivals. Because of the intensity in which we trained, we made big leaps quickly.

That built a very strong bond. We have a foundation of deep trust and we know each other's body language so well, that we can often achieve things without words. This creates a powerful non-verbal layer to our connection. Our communication is short and concise. Sometimes we don't talk much at all. It happens almost by itself. That’s an amazing feeling.

While we are often very concentrated when we are practicing new or difficult moves, we also laugh a lot. Especially when something safely goes wrong. If you fall, and it's okay. Which in itself is a beautiful life lesson.’

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Photo: Fracture Studio, for PaascroYoga

What does AcroYoga offer you (as a couple)?

Otto: ‘It provides significant mental relief and a way to temporarily break free from difficult situations. It brings us in a state of playfulness which is illuminating and restorative. Since the birth of our daughter, we only have about five hours a month of training time. But after every session, we realize “We can still do it!". During stressful life events, AcroYoga feels like a “light spot”, where life allowed us to play.’

Charlie: “AcroYoga actually helped me discover a lump in breast. I felt it during a training session, when Otto’s foot landend on my chest by accident. It turned out to be bad news and I needed to be operated. Thankfully, I’m “clean” now. When we were able to play again - very carefully - it felt like a big celebration and a realization that our underlying foundation remains strong.’

In which way does AcroYoga reflect the qualities you see in each other?

Charlie: ‘AcroYoga reflects the good balance between responsibility and playfulness, qualities that Otto possesses and which I greatly appreciate. I admire that he doesn't take life too seriously and can have fun, while also being responsible and caring. Otto is grounded and empathetic. I see these character traits reflected in his stability and safety as a base. He is my opposite, yet at the same time, we connect incredibly well. I can fully trust him, and I notice this during AcroYoga because I dare to do a lot.

Otto: ‘Charlotte brings care and attention to the relationship; she often senses what I need without using words. No detail is overlooked, and I feel incredibly pampered every day because of these wonderful qualities. She accepts me for who I am, allowing me to be completely myself without ever feeling like I am or will become too much for her. Charlotte also greatly loves creativity and spontaneity.

All of this is strongly reflected in our AcroYoga practice: We face challenges without fear because we know what we have in each other. We often dance through flows without words. And we discover (new) postures with a lot of humor because we are open toward each other.’

What is your absolute favorite Acro position or trick together, and why?

Otto: “Carrying Charlie by her feet, in my hands (foot to hand). It’s a very precise trick. Moves that require high precision feel better in my hands than in my feet.”

Charlie: “Making a handstand in Otto’s hands (reverse hand-to-hand). We can hold it for a very long time, in a very relaxed way. It looks impressive, but for us, it feels quite comfortable and strong. It feels so cool to find stillness in the seemingly impossible!”

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Are you sharing your love for AcroYoga with your daughter?

‘Yes, we are very active and physical with her. She fully anticipates to the movements by now. We catch her trying to copy us as well. If one of us practices a handstand in the living room, she will regularly try to do a handstand too. We believe this physical playing has positively influenced her body awareness and helps her not be afraid.’

Any tips for other couples?

‘AcroYoga is a mirror. If one person has a bad day, it affects both of us. We learned quickly to let go of tricks that cause stress. We try to avoid bickering. If a move isn't working, we might switch to another trick or end the session entirely. A training session can sometimes last only two minutes if the energy isn't right. We don't want to over-analyze things or get too much "in our head," which defeats the purpose of AcroYoga: having fun.’