Performers who pose and twist their bodies in the air make aerial silks look effortless but as I hold myself up, I realize I wasn’t prepared for the difficulty of the art. The circus sparked my interest in silks, but flying in the air with nothing but fabric to hold me up is hard work. I press my feet against each other and keep climbing. I finally learn how to climb the silks after struggling for a while. It takes a tremendous amount of strength. The smell of sweat fills my lungs as I look out into the rest of the gym. I see the lyras, or hoops that hang from the ceiling, and the trapeze. I am glad my dancing background somewhat helps me, as I learn a few basics in my first class. We learn that there are two pieces of fabric, and when they are held together, they are called the pole. I wrap my dominant foot around and I inch up the pole. The instructor, Kate, teaches us how to flip upside down into a straddle. I am unable to do it without her spotting me, but when I hit the pose, I feel like a sloth just hanging there. Then, we learn a move called the hip key. My roommate Kasey, who is also a dancer, impressively executes this after a few attempts. My attempts are less successful. Kate tells us that most people do not learn the hip key on the first day. Turns out Kasey may have found her hidden talent! The next position called a foot lock, I learn quickly. Although we are only allowed to hang close to the floor, I separate the two fabric pieces and learn a few poses. I was able to do a split! My sore body the next day proves that it’s a full-body workout. Aerial Dragon Studios was exhausting, yet fun. It was an adventure I was proud to have completed.
~Nicole Danielli