Here’s a new twist on fitness — an aerial twist.

In a recent “aerial silks” class at the Bend Circus Center, four female students climbed up long lengths of fabric hanging from the ceiling above thick padding on the floor. At the step-by-step instruction of Kendall Knowles, they learned how to wrap and secure their feet and their backs within the silk fabric, how to leverage their weight and use momentum to flip upside-down, to swing gracefully and to fly through the air.

This is just one of a half-dozen circus-style skills students can learn at the Bend Circus Center, which just reopened for business in a former yoga studio in southeast Bend.

The Bend Circus Center also offers juggling, hooping, monkey conditioning (a creative circuit-training style workout that dabbles with inversions and flexibility and all sorts of circus props) and poi spinning (balls on the end of a cord, which can be lit on fire for extra excitement.)

A curious fascination with circus performance inspired some of the students to try the aerial class.

“I really loved seeing circus acts and wanted to know how they do that,” said Rachel Wilkins, a 17-year-old junior at Bend High School. When she heard about the circus center, she had to sign up. She said it’s really fun and it’s great exercise.

“What kid doesn’t like the circus?” said Jessica Nakasingh, 21, of Bend, who has played rugby and other tough sports, but never anything acrobatic. She was interested in trying something different. It was a little intimidating to come to that first class, Nakasingh said, but once you get started, “it’s not as scary as it looks.”

And, she said, “It works muscles you didn’t know you had.”

“I think it’s really elegant and beautiful and sort of unique,” said Victoria Odinet, 31, of Bend.

Owner Brandon Huston said the circus business is his passion. He’s made a living selling props online and at festivals for years. But after six years of following fairs, he got tired of traveling. He wanted to stay in the performing arts business.

Huston first opened the business last July in another southeast location, but after a few months with a month-to-month lease, the building sold and the new owner wanted to move in. Huston offered sporadic classes in local gymnastics centers while he searched for a new building with high enough ceilings and enough structural integrity to withstand the weight of bodies hanging from the rafters. He reopened on Armour Road about a month ago.

For more information about programs and parties for adults and kids, visit www.bendcircus center.com.