Twelfth Time’s The Charm – March 22, 2009

On the corde lisse, we tried a new “foot block” move called the “trapezius angel”. After tying a “foot block”, stand up. Since my right foot was tied, I pulled my body to the left of the rope and back around toward the right, while hooking my left arm behind the rope. This description might be a little off, but it looks very similar to the one performed on the trapeze.

From the “upside-down descent”, I went into the previously learned “frog” position. To do the “frog drop” that we were learning today, all you have to do it gather some slack for the bottom knee, hold on tight, and loosen the top knee a little bit. You maintain the frog position thru the fall. Next, we learned the “peter pan”. Again, starting in the “upside-down descent”, you wrap the corde lisse underneath you twice around the bottom free leg. Holding onto the space between your body and the top leg, straighten out your top leg and let go with it, and turn your body so that you are positioned in a position reminiscent of the one Peter Pan assumes while flying. To end our corde lisse lesson, we learned or at least began practicing the “½ roll”. It is a way to come out of the “upside-down descent” with a degree of grace and control. Starting in the “upside-down descent”, hold onto the corde lisse, one hand above your body and one under, and draw them in close to your sides. Then, let go with your top leg and gently roll out of the position. My first attempt was as usual messy and not in the least bit controlled.

After completing our corde lisse training for the day, we moved over to the trapeze. There, we reviewed the standing moves that we had learned the previous class: the “inverted hang” into “birds nest on the ropes”, “forward roll” and “backward roll”; and the “up and over” to the “front balance”. We learned four new moves, the “amazon”, “½ eagle”, “dragonfly” and “bird hang (hip hang)”. The “amazon”, we received lots of spotting on, Jackie actually held us around our leg for support while learning it. (picture included) The “½ eagle” is very similar, but instead of putting all you body weight to one rope, you twist one arm up and one and arm around the separate ropes. You then let your body hang down. I learned it by pushing the trapeze in front of my body, but on several youtube videos, I have seen it done with the trapeze behind the body, maybe that is a different move? Wrapping my arms around the trapeze ropes before I started hurt a lot worse than when I actually pushed the trapeze out and did the move. The next move I learned was the “dragonfly”. I admit that I don’t quite remember doing this trick, but I think it was like a “gazelle”, but instead of bending the knee, the leg stayed straight and my foot hooked around the trapeze rope above my head. The “bird hang (hip hang)” is another one that I don’t really remember doing (I have a list next to me of all the moves that I have done during each class), but I believe that it goes a little something like this. You mount the trapeze like you would for an “up and over”, but then position your legs similar to the birds nest. It both looks and feels awkward, and I think my description shows that.

To finish the day on the trapeze, Jackie had us try the “upside-down X à ankles”. I actually let myself drop this time with varying degree of success, but at least I tried!

Of course we finished class with the “toughening” and “strengthening” exercises.

This class marked the conclusion of my classes in March because I went to visit Tulane University the next weekend and never made up the class. I would say that March was a fairly exciting month for me. I learned twenty-one new moves on the trapeze and seven new moves on the corde lisse. I felt stronger and to a certain degree, more graceful. While I am clearly a very long way from being a professional, I am very pleased with my progress in March.

Act Eleven – March 15, 2009

This was the third class, but I was still feeling very behind the other students. I was obviously learning, and I was happy that we were doing things at a much faster rate than the Beginner A class, but sometimes I do wish that we would slow down a bit and take the time to practice a little more instead of just rushing through the list so that we can say that we learned 298 moves. Today, the gym was very hot, because for some reason the heater had gone bizerk. I was sweating the whole time (I was wearing long thick cotton spandex to protect against rope burn), and at one point thought I was going to pass out.

As usual (after the warm-up) we began the true lesson on the corde lisse. We continued to review the “waist block”, but now that I was trying it in the air instead of off the ground, I was having much more difficulty with the move. Hopefully, I’ll master it soon.

We then learned two new moves, derived from the “upside-down descent”. Climbing up a few climbs, I managed (albeit a little messy) to get into my “upside-down descent” position. From there, instead of bending my knee around the rope, I twisted my leg around the rope above my body and used my ankle as an anchor. I then brought my arms away from my body into a T position. Because of its likeness to the letter T, this move is called the “upside-down T”.

The last move we learned on the corde lisse is the “frog”. It is another move named for its appearance, because when done at least semi-properly, you look like an upside down frog. Starting in the “upside-down descent”, the free legs should be bent, and with your free hand, wind the corde lisse that is usually wrapped around your bottom arm, once around the free leg under the knee. Finally, let go. (example shown on fabric)

Meanwhile on the trapeze, we reviewed the “gazelle”, “front balance” and “up and over”. We also learned some new and exciting moves: the “stripper” (which is similar to the “flag” and “double flag”), the “birds nest between the ropes”, “splits between the ropes”, “forward roll” and “backwards roll”.

The “stripper” is done by sitting with straight legs and holding onto one rope of the trapeze. You then swing your legs toward the opposite rope for momentum and swing around the rope that you are holding onto with your legs in a tucked position, landing by sitting back down on the trapeze. Obviously, I would get tangled, but the most common issue aerialist have with this move is that they get stuck midway thru and have to jump of the trapeze because they have no way back.

The “birds nest between the ropes” is done the same way that it is performed on the fabric, but you start by standing on the trapeze. The other between the ropes moves is the “splits between the ropes”. This is done by standing, and doing a tuck between the ropes, and then twisting your body and letting each foot touch a rope, and lowering yourself into a split. I had trouble with this one not due to my lack of flexibility, but because I couldn’t figure out how to keep my feet high enough before the split occurred so that they wouldn’t slide.

The “forward roll” and “backward roll” are done from standing (or from a crouch if you are nervous or feel insecure). You must position your hands under your armpits (wrists are positioned in different directions based on which move you are trying). For the “forward roll”, you lean forward and rotate that direction and have to readjust your hands so that you do not fall. For the “backward roll”, if you are not strong enough to flat out lift your body, like me, you jump backwards a little bit to perform the rotation. For some reason, the wrists do not get tangled in this one and no readjustment is necessary.

I again managed only one pull up by myself, but this time, I was able to do all 10 tuck-ups/tuck-thrus without much spot at all. I was pretty proud of my accomplishments and the fact that I didn’t need much spotting at all on that strengthening move showed just how far I had come.

Ten Times Down Lincoln Drive – March 8, 2009

Now ten classes in to my aerial training, I was beginning to notice a change in my body. I weighed as much as I did before beginning the class, but I had definitely begun to tone up. My jeans were a little less tight and my tummy had definitely shrunk a little bit. I was a little less muffin-toppy, and I had noticed an increase in my abdominal and arm strength. I realized that I was on the road to accomplishing my goal of getting back into shape. It came not a moment too soon as I was now beginning to try on dresses for prom, and no one wants to look out of shape and flabby at prom.

The class began with the usual warm-up, nothing new there except maybe a few extra sit-ups during the warm-up. As usual, we began on the corde lisse. I continued to work on my “waist block”. Having all but mastered it off the ground, I decided to try it from a few climbs up. I struggled and never quite did it correctly. I would get close, but then fall. Jackie suggested that I lean back farther when I do it, because it is very hard to flip a rope over your hip, when you are just about vertical.

We did not spend much time on the corde lisse, and we finished with a brief practice of the "upside-down descent".

On the trapeze, we reviewed the “splits” and “upside-down X” moves. We learned seven new moves: the “trapezius angel”, “rainbow”, “monkey roll”, "crucifix", “up and over” and “front balance”.

“Trapezius angel” looks like this . I do mine with the bottom leg pointed more toward the floor, but I’m not sure if that is a style difference or if one of us is not doing it correctly.

This is a picture of me attempting “rainbow” with the instruction of Jackie.

“Monkey rolls” are done by hanging by your knees under the trapeze, swinging your arms up under your legs, grabbing onto the rope and pulling your self around. It is both awkward to do and explain. It looks like this (except w/o the wipeout).

Crucifix is done by lowering your body in front of the trapeze to about your bra strap. At that point, you arch your back and straighten your arms into a T behind the rope. Basically, you look like a crucifix. Getting in required control, but getting out requires a little leap of faith and some strength. Still arching your back, you must reach as high as you can while remaining functional on the rope, and pull yourself back up so you can sit on the trapeze. To my surprise, and the rest of the class’s, I was able to pull myself back up. Even my instructor, Jackie remarked that it took her a few tries when she first learned the move.

Finally, “up and over” and “front balance”. Both can be explained very easily. “Up and over” is a way to mount the trapeze, by leading with your feet, and pulling your body over the top of the trapeze. “Front balance” is done by straightening out your body like a plank on top of the trapeze. “Front balance” requires more balance than strength, while “up and over” needs a certain degree of strength.

During the strengthening exercises today, I was able to do one pull up by myself. And while that may seem a little lame, consider that the trapeze is not anchored to any wall, so it moves when you do, and it’s been a while since I’ve done anything to work on my arms.

The Start of Something Nueve, March 1, 2009

Today marked the start of my second session. Just like the first day of the Beginner Aerial A class, we began by saying our name and since it was now appropriate, how long we’d been taking classes. Many of the students in my class had taken the class twice, three times, and one woman who had taken it an excessive four times (including the one we were about to start) because she did not feel confident enough to move up. After seeing them do the moves and listening about the numbers of classes they already took, I thought it was time for many of them to move up, but maybe that’s just me because I like to push myself to new limits. I guess part of my fearlessness so far comes from the fact that as of yet, I have not fallen or significantly hurt myself. I’m sure after that happens I will be a bit more cautious, but as for right now, I am excited to be doing all these moves.

The class began like all classes, with the warm ups and corde lisse climbing. The rest of our time was spent reviewing the “foot block” moves and learning the “waist block”. The “foot block” moves we reviewed were the “foot block”, “elbow lean away”, “1-hand hang”, “squat”, “back arch”, thigh side lean” and “back of knee hang” (refer to the January 18th entry and earlier for descriptions of those moves). The new one, the “waist block” is a move that is easier said than done for the beginning aerialist…namely me. If you are a righty, put your body on the left of the corde lisse, split your right leg up and left leg behind around the rope. Then, with the rope in between your legs, switch them so that the left is in front, all the while doing a wide straddle and turning your body over so that you are in a pike position facing the ground. If you’ve done it correctly, you can let go without falling. The others who already had taken the class before were able to do variations on the “waist block” that I as a beginner who had never even tried one before was not able to do. This performer does one very fast at about 3:42.

Unfortunately, we did not do anything on the fabric, and went straight to the trapeze. Because Jackie, who had not taught all of us before wanted to see where we were, we did the mermaid sequence: the “mermaid”, “½ angel”, “back angel”, “one-hand one-foot”, “one-knee one-elbow” and the “candlestick”. We then tried five new moves: the “splits”, “gazelles”, “dragonfly”, “upside-down X” then “upside-down X to ankles”. The “splits” are an easy move where you hold onto the trapeze bar and do an inverted split. The “gazelles” are when you lay across the bar, with your legs on one side and body on the other. You then bend one knee around the rope where your body in hanging off. “Dragonfly” is similar, but instead of bending the leg, you keep it straight and flex your foot around the rope above where your body is dangling. “Upside-down X” is a bit scarier in my opinion. You hold onto the trapeze and slide your butt slightly in front of the bar with your legs in a slight straddle. Lean back until your legs are resting on each rope and let go with your arms. This creates and X shape. “Upside-down X to ankles” happened when you narrow your straddle and slide down the ropes to an “ankle hang”. It is fairly painful and I did it with spot from Jackie.

To top off the day, Jackie wanted us to try at least one pull up by ourselves before accepting help from the other spotters. Somehow I managed to, and the rest of the “strengthening” and “toughening” exercises were completed with the help of spotters.

Just like the first day of Beginner Aerials A, I left my first class feeling a bit discouraged. Jackie said they might be stronger and more flexible, but I wasn’t prepared for how much more experience they had. I was feeling left out of some of the moves because I didn’t know the variation that got them into that new position. I don’t know if it would have helped if I had taken Beginner Aerials A again, because the moves that they were learning variations on were moves that we did not learn in the first beginner class. Remembering that my success rate increased last time, I felt confident that if I stuck with it I would improve and worst comes to worst, I would simply take the class again during the senior project time.