Heidi Dean
"I find I’m very good at flipping upside down. I’m surprisingly comfortable hanging there, maybe because I feel as joyful as when I did handstands as a kid."
Fifteen minutes into my trial aerial silks lesson at Bumbershoot Aerial Arts, I am close to tears.
Despite clear instructions from two compassionate teachers, I cannot get the hang of the first move: a basic block. I understand the steps: lift leg, wrap fabric around leg, grab fabric as high as possible, lean back, bring other foot up to trap the fabric, stand up. But every time I try, my arms give out and I just slide down. Everyone else seems to be conquering the technique.
Then some words from the class introduction come back to me: This is not a place to compare yourself to others. This is about your personal best, your own unique journey. I take a deep breath and try a few more times. I never do get it, but later on I find I’m very good at flipping upside down. I’m surprisingly comfortable hanging there, maybe because I feel as joyful as when I did handstands as a kid. The teachers are quick to compliment me on my form, and I leave class feeling proud and, frankly, a bit badass.
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For days after the class, my arms and core remained sore in surprising places but my newfound ability to flip upside down gracefully definitely put a bounce in my step.
Bumbershoot offers classes in ground acrobatics as well as all the major aerial apparatuses: silks, rope, sling, hoop, and of course trapeze. Students typically get off the ground at their first class and work higher only as they feel ready and able. This is not easy work, since most of it involves moving your full body weight through the air using your arms and legs, mostly your arms.
It is, however, completely different from conventional workouts—and tons of fun.
It’s important to note that these classes are not just for young, lithe, fit folks. The teachers are very clear that they expect beginners to be, well, beginners. There was a range of ages and abilities in the class I took as well as the session that was wrapping up when I arrived. And everyone, fit-looking or not, was huffing and puffing with the effort of suspending themselves gracefully and moving through hoops and ropes fifteen feet off the ground.
Along with an emphasis on a positive atmosphere and taking a personal journey through circus arts, the studio takes safety very seriously. Every class begins with a warm-up, and beginners are hand-spotted while they work low to the ground. All aerial work is conducted above mats, on equipment that’s rigged by a pro and rated to hold between 3,000 and 5,000 pounds. For those who don’t want to fly through the air, there’s an aerial fitness class that uses the equipment as a basis for a unique conditioning class.
Bumbershoot offers free “try it out” classes on aerial silks (and occasionally on trapeze) every Saturday at 4 p.m. (Advance registration on the website is required.) They also have kids’ classes, workshops, parties, and corporate team building events. Prices range from $120 to $180 for six-week sessions. If you decide to go, be sure to check the site’s Beginner’s Guide, which covers basic questions like what to wear, what to expect, and how to get started.
And leave your expectations at home. Your abilities may just surprise you.
Heidi Dean is a writer and stay-at-home mom to a preschooler. You can read more of her work on her blog Mama-Come-Lately.
