WALTHAM — Here’s an athletic endeavor you won’t see at the Winter Olympics — and one you’ve probably never heard of.

Think of a style of competitive dance that combines the can-can, Jazzercise, swing, and acrobatic feats performed in loud costumes to the screeches and guitar licks of AC/DC.

This high-kicking spectacle is called Acrobatic Rock-n-Roll, and while it’s almost unknown here, it’s not for lack of effort by Olga Simakova, who co-owns Waltham’s Acrobatic Rock-n-Roll Academy with her husband, Vlad Simakov.

“Anyone interested in gymnastics, acrobatics, tumbling, as well as loves music, dancing, can find themselves in this,’’ said Simakova. “I can spot the talent and good potential from the first practice.’’

The Waltham academy is one of the few places that offers instruction in the niche dance discipline, though coaches claim it’s growing in popularity elsewhere, particularly in Eastern Europe.

Reuters reported in December 2016 that a $30 million acrobatic rock-n-roll complex was under construction in Moscow. Katerina Tikhonova, rumored but never confirmed to be the daughter of Russian President Vladimir Putin, is a top competitor in the sport, according to Reuters.

The Waltham academy owners hail from Russia. They first met in St. Petersburg, when Olga was 14 and Vlad was 16. They fell in love with the dance and with each other.

“When I was invited for the first time to Acrobatic Rock-n-Roll practice coming from the all-female atmosphere [of gymnastics], coming to this total festive atmosphere . . . I said to myself: I want to do the same. I want to do better,’’ Simakova said. “That first practice and my first impression became my life.’’

They call themselves an acrobatic rock-n-roll family.

The couple’s three young children have practically been raised in the small studio, which is wedged between a barbershop and a UPS store in an old brick building off Main Street.

At 9, their son Azariy Simakov’s favorite song to perform to is AC/DC’s “Fire Your Guns.’’

As a baby, his lullaby was the sounds of stomping split-soled jazz shoes and Elvis Presley, the King of Rock ’n’ Roll himself. Or sometimes one of the Offspring’s ’90s power ballads. He said what he likes about Acrobatic Rock-n-Roll is that it feels like a sport, but it isn’t easy like football.

“I love how it’s very energetic,’’ the boy said. “Also, I like when it turns a little bit challenging.’’

At the studio, kids ages 5 to 14 are taught the basics and train by hopping around on one leg or crab walking across the studio to improve agility, while also learning complicated choreographies.

The fancy stuff doesn’t start until students are older.

“You must be really strong. For adults, you must do a lot of tricks,’’ said Viktor Bublikov, 23, senior coach at the academy who is originally from Ukraine. “You must lift your partner, catch your partner. At the same time you must be flexible to kick your legs.’’

During a private lesson one afternoon, Azariy stood in front of his 7-year-old dance partner, Natalie Turovskiy. Both children had nearly perfect posture and intense focus, breaking into routine to a song by an Eastern European girl group.

“She gets such an energy release from it,’’ said Anya Turovskiy. “It’s for people who are a little crazy in a good way. But when you put them all in one room and you see kids who are the same, can’t sit in one place and all the coaches are the same . . . it’s a huge party.’’

Five days a week for three hours, the kids sharpen their choreography in the studio. Limbs flail to the music, legs kick high, torsos twist and turn in synch.

Over the next few months, the kids will travel to different countries such as Ireland and Poland to compete. Competitions in Acrobatic Rock-n-Roll have been held since the mid-’70s. The World Rock’n’Roll Confederation came into being in 1984, and more than 32 nations now belong to the organization, according to its website.

Bublikov recently returned from the world championships in France. It was the first time a couple represented the United States at that level.

“I came to spread the rock-n-roll around the world,’’ he said.

This is Simakova’s dream as well.

“Our dream is that in America, we’ll have a strong Acrobatic Rock-n-Roll community,’’ she said.

As president of the US Acrobatic Rock’n’Roll Confederation, Simakova said she has e-mailed with Tikhonova a few times about the status of acrobatic rock-n-roll in the United States.

“She wanted to know where we are at and what steps are we doing to spread the rock-n-roll and to promote. She had some ideas of how we could do better,’’ Simakova said.

Meanwhile, Anya Turovskiy believes that acrobatic rock-n-roll could cross the US-Russian cultural divide.

“To see that a part of Russian culture is here,’’ said the Bolton resident. “It builds a bridge.’’

Cristela Guerra can be reached at cristela.guerra@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @CristelaGuerra.