The Biggest Danger as Students Return

Every once in a blue moon, I teach my version of an injury prevention class. Most classes like this focus on preventative exercises, stretches, and good form. Mine? I like to go straight for the “heart attack zone” – falls and accidents. Know when these are most likely to happen?

When students are coming back from an extended break and are eager to get back in the air.

OH NO!!!!!!

Yes. It’s real. If you’ve been around the teaching block a few thousand times, I guarantee you’ve witnessed it. Students want to return to the air as if they’d never been out of it. Some darling danglers will take it slow and easy, but some will make you tinkle a little. So, how do we minimize those “Depends” moments?

Practicing Safe Circus – Setting Boundaries

Whether we’re training on our own or heading in for our first post-break lesson, we’ll want to practice some safe circus.

• Students
  • Say it with me: low and slow. Thou shalt not climb to the top of the silk in the first 20 seconds of class. What’s the rush? On day one, keep everything nice and low so you can feel out where your body and your brain are.
  • Start with the basics. That quadruple tizzy-twist with a half salto you were working on before vacay? You are NOT starting with that. NO. Start with your climbs, your inversions, your hip keys, your foot knots. Say hello to them like you’d say hello to beloved friends.
  • Change your brain. Think of it this way. You know how you’re terrified that you’ve lost all your strength and skills and you’re just going to be le poo and hate yourself and everything is going to be awful? OK. Take a breath. Starting slowly will allow you to get your brain and muscles speaking again. You will have a better session and feel WAY more positive if you start with the easy stuff. GIVE YOURSELF A WIN. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, YOU DESERVE A WIN.
  • Follow your coach’s rules and instruction to the letter. They have missed you so much! Now, listen and behave.

• Teachers
  • Do for them what they can’t do for themselves. Set the fabric low so that even if they do shimmy to the top they can still safely get down.
  • Set a super back-to-basics class plan for a bit and let them know that that’s what’s happening. They can bust out their fancy moves in a few weeks. You may have to be extra firm with Imelda who has been WAITING for this day FOREVER and has her eye on that quad. No, Imelda. Do your hip key.
  • Remind them that they are at higher risk for repetitive stress injuries right now and, unless they want to spend the next 6 months in PT and out of circus, they’d better mind you. And then give them The Look. You know the one.

We’re all so excited to be coming back! Easing back in is the way to make sure everyone wins (and your teacher doesn’t wet their pants)! Love and pull-ups, Laura

You’ll See It When You Believe It

Each summer, we pack up and head to my in-laws for a couple of weeks. They live by a beautiful lake, and, for 10 fleeting days, we “get back to nature”, which for me means lying prone in a hammock reading trashy bodice rippers and true crime novels. One of my favorite things about The Lake is…. my run. I’m not even kidding! There’s a road that winds down past a marina, with barns dotting the landscape, and ditches erupting in wildflowers and bunnies. It is glorious. 

I don’t know what comes over me when I set out on my daily slog (slow jog), but suddenly I DESPERATELY need to listen to 1990s era self help audiobooks. I know. I’ve meditated with Deepak, prophesied with James Redfield, organized my life with Julie Morganstern, and awakened my inner giant with Tony Robbins. But the author that really gets me to the I CAN DO ANYTHING AND I AM MANIFESTING MY ULTIMATE DESTINY RIGHT NOW place? Dr Wayne Dyer.

Wayne Dyer was a prominent figure in the magical thinking movement of the 1990’s, alongside Deepak Chopra, Marianne Williamson, and the like. One of the principles he built his philosophy on was the idea that, if you want something to materialize in your life, you need to visualize it: you’ll see it when you believe it. 

Now, whether you subscribe to Dr Dyer’s take on the world or not, he really nailed this one idea. It’s certainly not a new concept, but it is one that we often overlook. Take circus, for example. You didn’t just spontaneously teleport into a circus class one day; you heard about it, maybe saw a show, or it popped up on Groupon. To one degree or another, you *saw* yourself there; it began with a thought. 

What You Think About Expands 

Speaking of thoughts, I know what you’ve been thinking. You’ve been out of the studio for a hot second, and you’re preeeeeety sure your skills have gone the way of the dinosaurs: your grip is le poo, and you probably couldn’t haul your ass over your head without chanting and sacrificing a virgin. 

Now. What if I told you that you could regain some lost ground, and train without even touching your apparatus? No, I’m not talking about conditioning in your living room, doing cardio, or even sweating through your cousin Shirley’s bikram yogilates class. I’m referring to (….drumroll please….) the magic of visualization. 

Wut?

I know it sounds a little woo woo, but there’s legit science behind it! From this article: 

“Physiological effects can also occur with regular visualization: Researchers at The Cleveland Clinic Foundation observed increased muscle strength among subjects who performed “mental contractions” of specific muscle groups without actually doing the exercise. How was this possible? EEG monitoring during the mental training revealed elevated cerebral cortex output signal which has been linked to the control of voluntary muscle contractions. This means that visualization triggers areas in the brain that activates the muscles and consequently improves strength.”

If you Google “visualization helps muscle strength”, you’ll find oodles of articles and links to studies that suggest that simply *thinking* about training or being in front of an audience can improve your performance. Now, this doesn’t mean we can abandon our regular physical training, but it DOES mean that your brain plays a super important role in your circus work that you might be overlooking. 

Taking It from the Nowhere to the Now Here

How do you do it? How do you train circus with your brain? Well, chances are pretty good you’ve already been doing it! 

• Start with the big picture. Why did you come to class in the first place? Our training “why” is actually the most important piece of our circus puzzle. Did you imagine yourself performing in an arena full of people? Busting out a perfect split? Holding a handstand for 30 seconds? Get that picture firmly in your mind. 
• If performing is your jam, grab your favorite song and imagine yourself performing – flawlessly – every single badass move you’ve ever yearned for. Let it get your heart all fluttery. 
• Pick one thing to focus on. Want to train your grip? Imagine the feel of the silk in your hands, the texture; feel yourself grip, and your feet lift off the ground. Did your muscles respond a bit? Perfect. Imagine your inversion happening easily and effortlessly. Imagine your craptastic rolldowns placed perfectly, and an easy spiral down to the ground. Try for about 3 minutes per day (it’s weirdly hard work).
• Don’t imagine a struggle! What you think about expands! Picture success, and hold it tightly. 

Our thoughts are powerful. Take this time to do a little dreaming (or big dreaming), and visualize the good stuff. It isn’t magic (you still have to train), but you’ll be amazed at how much it helps. Love and pullups, Laura 

“What Can I do at Home to Get Better at Aerial ___?

Friends, this is the number one question I’m asked by new silk students. What can I do at home to get stronger? Better? More flexible? It is a fabulous question, and I love that you’re asking. Know what I’d love more? For you to actually do your assigned homework.

The Grunt Work

Ya’ll – it’s literally grunt work, as in you’ll grunt the entire time.

Ground conditioning isn’t glamorous. It lacks the cache and instagram-worthiness of being upside down. It’s reps and burning and focus and sweat. It’s investing long term; it’s waiting to eat the marshmallow.

We are submerged in a culture that tells us that we can get “fit” in fifteen days, get “certified” in 24 hours, get splits in four weeks or five easy steps. We are promised spectacular returns with minimal investment, and we fall for it all the time.

Dear Dangler, you are not getting your splits in four weeks. You are not getting your straddle inversions by Thursday. You are not going to be ready to go on tour in a month. Can you accept this? If not, circus training will be one crushing disappointment after another, because bodies just don’t work that way. You don’t just show up for a year of lessons and come out spectacular on the other side; you don’t stretch really hard for four weeks and suddenly have a hoo-hoo-on-the-ground split. Somebody lied to you and you bought it, hook, line, and sinker. Are you ready to talk long-term yet?

Do the Work

If you’re not willing to do the work, you have to accept that about yourself. If what you want are a few photos of you upside down to post on Instagram, that’s OK! That is absolutely fine. Not everyone comes into classes wanting to get really good! We come for lots of reasons – community, fitness, variety – all valid.

But.

You say you want to get better. You want to be really good at this. You’re not afraid of hard work. MARVELOUS! The aerial coaches of the world support you in this endeavor! In fact, most of us are trotting out classes in exactly what to do at home this very minute. Just sayin’. If now is not a time when you can direct any energy towards training, that’s completely understandable; but if you’re just waiting until you can get back to the “real” work – the part in the air – you’re missing 50% of your training. The pre-hab, the mobility, the aerial-specific exercises, the stretching, it’s all as important as the time you spend zooming around on your apparatus.

If you want to get good, do your homework. All of it. We can tell when you don’t. Love and pull-ups, Laura

PS – Not sure what you should be doing? Chances are pretty great that your aerial school has conditioning classes up and running online. Go support ’em! And you’re certainly always welcome in mine.

Are you looking for some homework? Here ya go!

Training at Home: a Whole New World

Hello Dear Danglers! Greetings from my boudoir, where now pretty much everything happens – classes, meals, blogging, snacking, sleeping, more snacking, admin, ice cream, you get the picture. Raise your hand if you’ve jumped into an online class! ME TOO! What should you know about virtual training? What supplies might you need (besides cheezy snacks and wine)? Is there etiquette you should be following? All this and more coming up on…. Blogging From My Boudoir!

Supplies, Props, and Snacks

During our Time at Home, you may be sheltering outside of your usual environment (with your folks, for example). Don’t have access to your usual fitness toys? Not sure what you need anyway? Never worked out at home? Here are some things that will be helpful!

• A tablet or computer to stream class – the bigger the screen the better. Technically you can use your phone, but you may find that the minuscule picture is too tiny to really be useful.
• Enough room to move. I am teaching out of my NYC apt – if I can find space, you probably can too. You’ll want at least enough room for a yoga mat, and bonus points if you can scoot furniture you might kick out of the way. Nothing says fun like a broken toe during quarantine!
• A yoga mat. You can use a blanket or a towel in a pinch, but a yoga mat really is so helpful.
• Yoga blocks! You can sub two thick hardcover books of similar size – I like Harry Potter books for this! #potterhead
• A strap or thick pull-up band. You can also use a bathrobe tie, a men’s tie, or a belt in a pinch. I really love thick pull-up bands, especially for stretching; if you’re Of a Certain Age like mahself, you may find that the tiny amount of extra give makes your stretching more productive & comfy.
• Peanut! Not the kind you eat (although you might want those too), the kind you use to un-kink your muscles! You can also use the ole sock n’ balls (2 tennis or lacrosse balls tied in a sock) or MacGuyver one out of a pillow case. Here’s a great Jen Crane instagram post on how to do that!
• A foam roller. It’s not essential, but it can be really nice to have.
• A rolled up towel and/or pillow. Sometimes you need a little extra support in a stretch or move, and sometimes your bony bits dig into the floor – a little something soft can really come in handy.
• Hand weights! You’ll generally want a set of light weights (2-5 lbs) and a set of heavier weights (8-10 lbs). No weights? Get creative! What’s in your pantry? Grab some cans of food, a couple jugs of laundry detergent, a gallon of milk or water, or (my personal favorite) a bottle of wine! (kidding….mostly….)
• Sliders. There are a number of amazing circus conditioning exercises that require us to slide along the floor (plank to pike, for instance). You can use dedicated exercise sliders or a couple of paper or plastic plates if you’re on carpet. If you’re on a hardwood floor, socks or a hand towel work just great.
• Pull up bar. If you can invest in a pull-up bar right now, DO IT. There are lots of options, including over-the-door models like mine, or more permanent installations. A word of caution: PULL-UP BARS ARE NOT APPROPRIATE OVERHEAD ANCHORS FOR INVERSIONS. Do not do it. Bad. No. Stop. If you’re dying to train inversions, you can look into dip station body weight parallettes – they’ll keep you close to the ground, but allow you to practice compression and light inversion skills. BE CAREFUL.
• Snacks and wine! I’m not even kidding. After that class, you break out a little celebration snack (or four) – you earned it.

Etiquette in the Time of Corona

This is by no means an exhaustive list, but it should give you a good start.

• Mute yourself as you join the class. If you’re having technical difficulties, ask the teacher to mute you.
• If your class involves feedback (or you’d like it to), try to make sure you have adequate light (back lighting is a toughie), and make sure as much of you is in frame as possible. Also – give your lens a little wipe!
• If you’re not sure, find out how your coach prefers to deal with questions – some like it when you type them in, some prefer you to un-mute and ask.
• You can choose whether to leave your video on or not! This whole business of suddenly having personal spaces become very public can be really disconcerting. You can choose to leave your camera on, or turn it off or put a piece of opaque tape or a post-it in front of it. You should know that, unless you disable them, your video and mic are visible/audible to others from the moment you join the class.
• Be understanding! If your teacher has some technical difficulties, if you do, or if someone else does, just remember that there is a big old learning curve as we navigate this strange new world. If you feel like something really interfered with your session, reach out to your teacher and see if there are options to join another class. If you took a class early on and things were weird or a hair kerfluffled, consider trying again – we’ve all learned A LOT in the first two weeks!

It looks like we’ll be in this virtual training space for a little while. When you’re feeling ready, dive in! While it doesn’t replace our aerial classes, it IS a fantastic opportunity to let our bodies heal, train our weak spots, stretch our tight bits, prehab, rehab, and support our local circus studios. I’ll see you online! Love and (virtual) pull-ups, Laura

PS – I’ve added a crap-ton of new classes because WHY NOT! Everything from conditioning, stretching, dancing, peanuting, mobility – ya’ll, we’re doing it ALL! I’d love for you to join me!!!

An Aerialist’s Guide to Training Online

Ya’ll – for real – what a crazy time we’re living through. For so many of us, our circus communities have been a bright spot in a really f*cking dark time. From quarantine creativity to show videos to online classes, our people have DELIVERED! I’ve never been so proud to be a circus artist.

Unless you’ve been taking a big old internet break (I don’t blame you), you’ve probably noticed a plethora of online offerings! If your local school hasn’t gotten some programs onto the interwebs, just wait – they will. The landscape is a-changin’, literally overnight! What should we all keep in mind as we boldly go nowhere in the next few weeks?

Students – Keep THIS in Mind

• Here is the first thing to know. Your teachers are WAY out of their comfort zone. Sure, we’ve taught you conditioning and theory before, but it’s probably been face to face – not speaking to a tiny tile on a computer screen. Go easy on us – we are forging a completely new way of teaching circus literally overnight. We are teaching like our hair is on fire – researching, getting additional certifications, lesson planning, and more. We have to go lie down after every class because teaching this way is new and hard and exhausting and we all feel like we’re failing. Please – PLEASE – go easy on us. Give us a little time to figure out the best way to do this – technology, communication, feedback, format, all of it. If you took a class and it was a little weird, consider popping back in a week or two and see what kind of magic has manifested! Your coaches are magical humans.
• This is a PHENOMENAL opportunity to put some great habits in place. You know all that pre-hab and peanuting and stretching and conditioning you always say you’re going to do? Well… now is the time, people. Most of us are looking to create content that will meaningfully support your aerial goals when you return. Remember that a lot of circus-specific training doesn’t look like your average Daily Burn class (rotator cuff training, anyone?)! Take advantage of this time to heal your body, make progress on your flexibility, and strengthen and condition your little brains out. It’s an investment in your future circus you!
• Go on a cross-country training spree! Who knows how long classes will remain online? Go train with some coaches in Chicago or Seattle or Massachusetts (or New York!!!). While we’re not in our natural habitat, you can likely glean some technique tidbits or a different approach to the work. If you can, get out there and support the circus community across the country!
• DO NOT INVERT ON IN-HOME PULL-UP BARS, EVEN IF YOU SEE SOMEONE DOING IT ON INSTAGRAM. Home pull-up bars, particularly the over-door kind, are not appropriate overhead anchors for inversions. NO. NO. BAD. Use it for pull-ups, leg lifts, all that good stuff, but knock it off with the upside down.
• Remember that, unless you’re training one on one, we probably can’t see you well (if at all). Pay close attention to cues about form and contraindications, and if you’re asking for feedback, make sure you have adequate lighting (it takes more than you think for video).
• Mute your mic when you join, and note the coach’s preference for questions – some prefer that you un-mute yourself and ask, some prefer you write them out.
• Be on time or a couple minutes early! You don’t want to miss anything!
• If you have aerial equipment in your home, I have something potentially controversial to say to you (hear me out). I’m not going to tell you not to train and condition at home. BUT. I just want you to keep in mind that, if you are injured, there will be few resources for you, and you will be contributing to a system in overload. Now is the time for an abundance of caution – an abundance of abundance. That’s all I’m gonna say.

Teachers – This One’s For You

• You’re doing so well. You’re a f*cking rock star. Did you learn new technology overnight? Did you figure out how to take an aerial curriculum and adjust it for online classes? Are you doing all of that while sewing and cooking and homeschooling and tutoring and whatever else it is you generally do in addition to running an aerial school? ROCK. STAR. When you feel like you’re failing, you remember that in the face of a freaking pandemic, you adapted.
• It feels icky for all of us (it’s not just you). We’re all learning, and it’s going to take time to find our groove. Teaching virtually in this way is a COMPLETELY DIFFERENT SKILL SET. Breathe. Google. Ask questions. Analyse. We’re going to come out of this with some awesome new skills! (it’s so scary though)

Making it to the Other Side

These are uncertain times, but I can tell you this for sure. Your local circus school may not make it to the other side of this without your help. I am of a Certain Age, and I remember a United States without circus schools – it was a decidedly less awesome time. What can you do?

• If you’re able, pay to take online classes at your local studio. Every dollar will go towards ensuring that you have a place to find your circus joy when this is all over.
• If you’re not able to support them financially, support them with your social media! Like and forward posts about their classes, comment, and engage. This makes a difference on every level!

I love this crazy circus community. I’m sending you ALL the love, health, and calm right now. Go forth and circus as much as you can! Love and pull-ups, Laura

Should Beginner Teachers be Teaching Beginner Students?

Goooooooood morning, Circus Land!  Topic: should beginning circus instructors be paired with beginner circus students? Let’s discuss!

For the purpose of this post, let’s narrow the field a bit. I don’t teach children (COOTIES), so I can’t speak knowledgeably about them – they’re a specialty all their own. Let’s stick to beginning adult students in circus and teachers striking out on their own for the first time to teach solo.

I’ve often heard new or inexperienced teachers say some variation of, “…. I’ve only been teaching xyz (tiny amount of time), but it’s fine – I’m only teaching beginners.”

….. ONLY teaching beginners? See, this is where I start to squirm.

__________________________________________________________________________

Pairing the least experienced instructor with the population MOST at risk for injury? What could go wrong?

_________________________________________________________________________

Beginners are a Specialty

I get really protective of newbies because I LOVE THEM. Give me ALL the beginners! If you’ve never touched an apparatus, fan-freaking-tastic – that only means I don’t have to break you of any bad habits. It also means I have more responsibility than lots of folks realize. Consider:

• Beginner adults – bless them – make terrible choices. TERRIBLE CHOICES. They let go when they should hang on, panic and flail, and generally do the opposite of everything you just asked them to do. It’s part of learning as an adult. Brand new coaches without enough practical experience working with beginners often have no idea how to anticipate these “exciting moments”.
• You’re setting THE foundation. You don’t get a do-over on this – a crummy foundation means a looooooot of retraining down the road. New coaches are often still finding their timing for giving cues, corrections, and sometimes progressions; this can lead to bad habits that take YEARS to train out of a student.
• Beginners tend to have a smaller margin for error. As a coach, it takes time to get your feet under you when you start working with actual bodies. Intermediate students will still need your help, but they’re generally less likely to self-destruct while you’re helping someone else. Students who have a good foundation in the basics (vocabulary, safety, and knowing their limitations) can give instructors the time they need to acclimate to teaching their own class.

A Different Idea for Progression

SO. You’re a brand new teacher with several years of training under your belt, just out of a good circus teaching program. CONGRATULATIONS! Teaching circus is about the most rewarding (and insanely frustrating, but mostly rewarding) thing ever. CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE!

• Your teacher training included hands-on assistant coaching under a strong instructor. Great! With the blessing of your coach, venture forth into the world of circus torture – er, training. I would strongly suggest that, even if you had time with beginners, you start with advanced beginner/intermediate students. This time is GOLD! This is your time to find your style, voice, and emerging philosophy as a coach. Slightly more advanced students will give you an opportunity to breathe, practice, and experiment a bit to see what works for your population.
• Your teacher training did NOT include a practicum – you haven’t actually had that much hands-on time with students. This is not a problem – everyone starts somewhere! Find a good coach who will let you assistant teach, or contact a studio that offers opportunities to apprentice. There is no better way to get your feet wet (or your hands chalked) than by being mentored by a fantastic teacher! Jump right in and learn learn learn. Take notes after class on everything from verbal cues to spotting and progressions. Take special note of major mistakes new students make (inverting with the fabric between their legs instead of to the side, for example) – you’ll see them again and again.

Everyone should continue to, at least periodically, take classes from other instructors. It’s phenomenally helpful for me as a coach to see how other classes are structured, how other teachers cue and spot, what they do that seems to really work, what doesn’t, etc. I’ve learned more about teaching from being a student than I EVER imagined I would! If you’re in an area where taking someone else’s class will start WW3, try taking a class outside your usual discipline that won’t cause drama – ain’t nobody got time for that.

There are always exceptions to every rule – the person who is ready to teach a year after touching a trapeze (they’re rare like unicorns, but I’ve met a few), the person who was BORN to teach beginners from day 1, the studio who has a rock-solid coaching program with great results that uses an alternative progression for it’s teachers, the person who – even AFTER 15 years of classes, 4 teacher trainings, and 6 years of assistant coaching – is still having a routh time communicating ideas. 

As long as you teach (and especially the first few years), your students will school ya good. You’re never, ever done learning how to be a great coach, and I think an important part of that journey is being paired with the right students at the right time. So, if you’re a brand new coach setting off on your own, I urge you to think through your starting place carefully – “beginner” may not be where it’s at. Love and pull-ups, Laura

The Do’s and Don’ts of Training Abroad

Wheeeeeeeeeeee! You’re headed to another country and there’s a CIRCUS SCHOOL! You’re going to do ALL the training! Taking classes in other countries – hell, even other states – can be such an incredible experience. You get to play with new vocabulary, a new approach, maybe even a new apparatus! That said, there are a few things to keep in mind before you rosin up and make with the upside-down. Let’s get all “international human of mystery” and chat about the ins, outs, and ups of training abroad.

What to Look For

Different countries have different teaching methods, offerings, and a varying tolerance for risk; what flies in Greenland may not fly in Florida and vice versa. How do you know if you’re walking into a questionable situation?

• Ask for recommendations from trusted sources. Post on the F-books, instagram, etc and ask people if they’ve trained in a particular city and what their experience was like. You can also poke around and see what kind of online reviews the school has.
• Check out that rigging & apparatus. Does everything look well-maintained or are fabrics dirty with lots of holes? Do things seem to be rigged properly or are you about to trust your life to a coat hanger and some dental floss? If you don’t know your rigging basics, you’ll need to do extra research on the school’s reputation. Your life is on the line – don’t assume that just because someone let them open a circus school that they know what they’re doing.
• What language will classes be taught in? If there’s no language barrier, you can be a bit more adventurous. If your French is as bad as mine, you may want to check and see if English is an option or if it will be more of a “charades” situation. If you can’t understand what the instructor is saying, that’s a safety issue. If you are an advanced student, it may not present a huge challenge, but beginners may really struggle.
• Safety equipment. Does the studio have photos online of students using mats? Hooray! Do they have photos of students doing drops over yoga mats? Boooooo. Skip it. Ditto for apparatus requiring safety belts, foam pits, etc – look for photographic evidence.
• Poke around their social media. Once you’ve got a few schools in mind, it never hurts to creep their social media a little. Look for mats, reasonably good technique (students often aren’t perfect, so go easy), the kind of atmosphere you’re after, etc. Some folks aren’t great at social media, so if you’ve gotten good recommendations for a studio but their Insta is crap, don’t let it be a deal breaker.

When to Pass

Whenever you get that funny feeling in your stomach, fake a dizzy spell and bow out. Trust your intuition if something doesn’t feel right. Beyond that, take a pass when:

• You’re crazy jetlagged. It’s easy to underestimate how wolloped you can feel from jetlag – if you’re really hurting, bow out (this goes for hangovers and funny tummies too).
• You observe a cavalier attitude towards safety. Is it raining students and no one seems concerned? Time to go.
• No safety equipment. If you get there and there’s no mat, buh bye.
• Dicey rigging. Is it looking a little fishy up there? Trust your intuition, even if you can’t quite put a finger on what looks wrong.
• When a language barrier interferes with safety. Did your high school Spanish fail you? Can you not understand a blessed word? Either take everything down to the floor, or gracefully bow out.

Class Etiquette

So, you’ve found a studio, apparatus looks great, and you’re not hanging from anything that makes you go hmmmmm. Now, get in there and soak up that training! BUT. Remember that you are a guest. MANNERS, PEOPLE.

• Do it the way they want you to. Within the bounds of safety, do things this instructor’s way. If they want you to ball instead of pike, try it – you might like it. If they want you to slow your decent, then slow your decent. Don’t be the a$$hole who comes into their class and is all like, “This is how we do it back home!” Shut up. No one cares how you do it back home. You came to learn something new, so learn something new.
• Be honest if you don’t understand. Be honest on the ground if you don’t understand. Do not climb to the top of a 20 foot fabric and then try to figure out what they want you to do. No. Na. Ne. Non. Niet. Nein.
• Don’t monopolize. See all those people in class with you? See the single teacher? Be extra sensitive to not monopolizing the instructor’s time.
• Take your cue from others. Is this a smiley group? Try to match that energy. More serious? Maybe save the fart jokes for another time.
• Make sure you sign up for an appropriate level. Email or call if you need to, and bow out gracefully if it becomes apparent that you completely overestimated your skills.

Know how else you can train abroad? (you know a shameless Escape plug is coming, and here it is!) Come on a retreat or an ESCAPE with a trusted teacher! Traveling with a coach means you’re traveling with an advocate – someone who can vet the studios and instructors, is knowledgeable about rigging, and can step in if you need a little extra hand holding, support, or translation.

Interested in a SassyPants Escape! Click here! Interested in our trip to Ireland in April? Click here (but do it quickly – registration closes completely Feb 10, 2020!)

I’m So Booooored – Bringing the Magic Back to Your Aerial Practice

Do you remember when you first started coming to circus classes? How you’d get all excited and tingly with anticipation, and everything was NEW and SHINY and FUN! Then, you got your first inversion! And your first pull-up! And OMG I’m going to love this forever and it will NEVER get boring or feel like work!

….. 3 years later….. 5 years later……15 years later……

OMG I’M SO BOOOOOOOOOOOORED. I CAN’T EVEN LOOK AT A SILK. I CANNOT. BECAUSE I’M SO BOOOOOOOOOOOORED.

My love, I. Hear. That. I hear that. After 25+ years of swinging from the curtains, I know where you are. Hell, I’m there more often than not. Where is the fun? Where is the sparkle? Where has the romance gone???!!!!

It’s a Circus Affair

Our relationship to our circus work is like any other romance. It starts with music, fireworks, and nights of passion that leave us in a sweaty heap on the floor. Even though there are way more fabric burns than O’s in circus, we love it. We absolutely cannot get enough of it. We stalk it for hours on instagram. Our friends are sick of hearing about it. It’s the honeymoon period.

Over time, as with any romance, some of the shine wears off. You start noticing that your hoop has the terrible habit of whacking you in the bits every time you try that swoop-y transition. There’s rosin in your armpits. Permanently. And if you have to do one more pull-up, you swear your eyes are going to roll so far up into your head that they’ll get stuck there. And then you’ll be the person who actually did roll their eyes so hard they stayed that way.

Eventually, open workout – which used to look like you up on your apparatus doing ALL THE THINGS – now looks like you standing at the desk talking to Louise about how you really should be training right now, or you lying under your fabric, staring up at the ceiling, waiting to want to actually get up there and do something.

But…..

What if I told you that you could light that fire again? Burn, baby, burn.

How to Keep it Spicy and Turn up the Heat!

Yes, I AM going to beat that metaphor to death. TO DEATH.

How do you bring the passion back and find those tinglies again?

• Play games. While role playing might be a bridge too far, there are tons of games and prompts for writers, dancers, and actors that can be adapted for circus. Examples:
  • String 3 moves together and do them in your style. Be the absolute most you that you can be.
  • The transition game! Pick 2-3 moves and try to find a way to connect them that doesn’t involve coming back to neutral. Be sure to video this – you’ll never remember how you did it, and you might find something amazing.
  • Pick an adjective like sleepy, hot, or excited. Take 3 moves and do them with that word in mind. What did you find?
  • Google is your friend! Find at least 25 games and write them down. Pull them out when you just *cannot* with your apparatus.
• Learn new things from new people. Sign up for a workshop, a class with a new teacher, or try studying something that parallels nicely with circus like photography and see how you can mix the two.
• Sign yourself up for a show. This is my favorite! Nothing is more motivating than having to strut your stuff in front of other humans.
• Make a glorified self promotion video. I’m not even kidding. Video yourself looking absolutely freaking spectacular on your apparatus and post it all OVER social media so your friends can shower you with praise for your badass accomplishments.
• Make some art! Do you have a passion project percolating in your brain? Do you want to make a piece about something close to your heart? Do you have something you need to say through your work? Get it out into the world!!!
• Try a creative challenge. Whether you do a structured program like “The Artist’s Way”, google creativity challenge, or make something up yourself, a 30 day (or whatever) challenge can get you out of a rut and excited to create again.
• Add a completely different class. Do you do aerial skills? Cross train handstands, flexibility, German wheel, or whatever else your little heart desires.
• Take a break. It’s good for our bodies to periodically take breaks, and absence makes the heart grow fonder. Need some time off? Take it!!!

Please believe me when I say that if you stick with circus long enough, you will reach this point with your apparatus. It’s totally normal. Like any love affair, it takes commitment, heart, and work to keep going, and the rewards are so very worth it. Love and pull-ups, Laura

If It’s Not Perfect, You’re Not Done

Do you space out when your coach is describing (yet again) how to do a particular move? Do you want to just level up already? Do you inwardly (or outwardly) sigh when there’s nothing *new* in class that day?

Years ago, I was studying with a coach who just happened to be a very no-nonsense German lady. She would yell, “NEIN!!!” and whack me with a yard stick every time I repeated a bad habit (I promise it wasn’t as traumatizing as it sounds). I adored her. Why? Lots of reasons, but chiefly because if I even hinted at not wanting to do the “drudge work” on my apparatus, she would look me dead in the eyes and say, “Oh. Is it perfect yet?”

The Joys of Mastery

We do circus for a lot of reasons, but we cheat ourselves if we stay at the superficial “tricks for Instagram” level. Circus is hard work. It’s a LOT of repetition and practice (as Shannon McKenna liked to say to her students, “chop wood, carry water”). There’s a world of difference between learning a move and doing it well. Even when your goal is just to try something new or have fun – I mean, it’s circus, it oughta be fun – reaching for your personal best is intensely rewarding. Self efficacy = joy!

Our brains are hard-wired to crave new things, but did you know that learning and mastering skills can relieve stress, create new neural pathways in the brain (neuroplasticity for the win!), and make us happier? Science says so! Here are some tiny ratties driving cars to adorably illustrate my point.

Have you ever been to ballet class? Now. Have you ever watched a professional ballet class? Notice anything at the barre? You’ll see the same elements you encountered in yours – endless tendus, plies, ronde de jambs, etc. Do you think that Misty Copeland or Mikhail Baryshnikov doesn’t know how to do a f**king tendu? Of course they do. So why do they still do them? Because they understand that there’s never a day when you just magically arrive at perfect. You’re never done. Tendus are not “too easy” for them. They are not too big for their britches to do plies.

So, the next time your coach is going through positioning again, listen deep. Ask yourself if you’re hitting all those elements perfectly (if you’re not sure, ask). Chances are really good that you’re hitting about 50%-75% of your target, which means that you’re not done. Chop wood. Carry water. Love and pull-ups, Laura

Restorative… Circus?! How to Train When You’re Drained

This past weekend, my Dear Danglers put on one helluva show! It was time for the annual SassyPants Student Showcase, and mah bebbehs delivered big time. I was so proud! Saturday night was a triumph! And then came Sunday….

Training When You’re Pooped

Maybe you had a big performance, or you’re recovering from being sick/injured/hungover. Perhaps you flew in on the red eye, or you’re so stressed you’re ready to spit nails. Or you’re cranky. Or tired. Or feeling generally le poo. LE POO. BUT. You still want to train! Or maybe you don’t want to train, but you really should, because remember that time a couple of missed classes suddenly cascaded into six months? Yeah, me too.

• IMPORTANT – Determine if it’s safe for you to train.
  • Friends, there’s a big difference between cholera and “a little heartburn”. If you’re super sick, stay home and watch “The Great British Baking Show” (but NO SPOILERS!)
  • Did you just have surgery, break something, squeeze a baby out of your nether-regions, etc? Get the all clear from your doc before jumping back in.
  • If you’re so tired you can’t string two thoughts together, go h…….zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz……..
  • If you’re a professional (or training to be one/training really hard), rest days/weeks are mandatory. Make sure you’re taking your breaks! Jen Crane has a few excellent posts on this – read up!
• All safe? Proclaim it a “Moving Meditation Day”!

The Moving Meditation (or Restorative) Day

I swear by Moving Meditation Days. Not only do they get me to class or training when I don’t feel like it, they give me permission to be where I am on any given day (and sometimes I surprise myself!). How does it work?

• Right off the bat, let your teacher know that you’ll be taking it super easy today, or say it out loud to yourself (bonus – you’ll get a whole row of seats on the subway!).
• Take everything down to about 20% effort, and tune waaaaaaay into your body. If something feels good? Lean into it. Feels like too much? Back off. Got a burst of energy or inspiration? Let it carry you.
• Set the tiniest of goals. Instead of 8 climbs, try one and see how you feel.
• Modify modify modify. If you need help finding the gentlest version of a particular position or move, ask your coach.
• Feel zero guilt (and don’t let anyone else make you feel guilty, either). Your big win today was showing up and moving through, and that’s enough.

Here’s an example of what this might look like in class:

Miranda has been burning the candle at ALL the ends. She’s tired, cranky, and depleted, but always feels sad when she misses sessions. Off to class it is! When she arrives, she does the no-jumping/Level 1 version of the warm-up, checking to see where her body is today. Her back is super tight, so she gives it some extra love before she starts the apparatus warm up. She moves slowly and carefully, and decides to focus on excellent form and simple moves close to the ground. Instead of the more elaborate twisting Russian climb, she opts for the simple Russian climb, moving really slowly and paying close attention to her technique. Hip keys are next, and she’s feeling pretty warm and surprisingly good – full steam ahead! She sits out ankle hangs because her right ankle is really sore from the other day, but she listens carefully to comments from her coach to other students, and notes that she should also keep her quads more engaged the next time she tries it. She writes that down. She skips the drop, but does the wrap just off the ground, focusing on being smooth and consistent. For to-fatigue conditioning at the end of class, she keeps her feet on the ground during pull-ups and watches her shoulder position.

Great job, Miranda! Your moving meditation class might not be one for the books, but a funny thing often happens when we slow way down, tune into our bodies, and focus on conserving our energy – awareness. How often do we zoom through class like demented bumble bees with our eyes solely focused on the next move/sequence/drop so we can post it on instagram? Probably more often than we ought to.

90% of progress happens because we show up – consistency matters. The magic of the restorative session is that we give ourselves permission to pull back, explore, focus, breathe, and think for a hot second about what we’re doing, and this has value, friends. So, the next time you’re in class and you just cannot, declare it a Day of Moving Meditation and rock on with your bad self – you’ll be glad you did. Love and pull-ups, Laura