Since I had to pull myself out of my cozy apartment & all the way to Williamsburg on a misty, humid day, I couldn't have asked for a better group of flyers to welcome me to my duties...!
Newcomer Emily celebrated her birthday w/6 other friends including Anya (the natural of the group), Liz, Joanne, Lucy, Asumpta & Sarah. Emily, Anya & Asumpta all made their 1st Knee Hang catches & Liz was extremely close! One of the coolest things about this group was that virtually all of them have those great English accents! We hope to see them again soon!
Earlier in the day, the very talented & very cute Maya F. (w/mom Nina in tow) did double duty w/the 1st 2 classes of the day. Maya got to try her swing out of lines for her 1st time ever! (She said it was quiet.) And, newcomer Meagan K. made a good impression on our Randy. Our Manny recently got his Reverse Suicide out of lines! Our Susie W. taught the 1st 2 classes of the day before teaching some rope to some students near the rig.
"May you live all the days of your life." - J. Swift
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Thursday, July 26, 2007, Brooklyn, NY
In the last session of this Catching Workshop, those such as Suzanne M., Fran, Sebastian, YK, Erik T., Eli & Ross M. went over the timing of the catcher's locks, the timing & height of Knee Hang & F/E positions, and the dynamics & corrections for flyers who are early & late off the pedestal.
Awesome Allegra G. is getting back on that horse by honing her B/E Uprise Fwd Over. The nubile Nicole A. warmed up out of lines before making some easy B/E Splits catches & returns. Lovable Lauri W. has a much improved swing! It's only a short amount of time before she's conquering her B/E positions like dominoes! The urbane Maryam W. practiced her Planche Turn Around before snagging some B/E Whip catches. Frantic Fran is recapturing what she learned at CG but still rushing for her returns. Nurse Leslie W.'s had a breakthrough w/her take-off & swing as they are suddenly better than ever! Great flying, Leslie! And, she caught her 1st B/E Splits! Tight Thais K.'s form is SO much better as she worked on her Layout!
Psychological Susan worked on her B/E Whip & smoothed out her take-off. You're getting there, Susan! Stalwart Lex R.'s swing has become more powerful as he smoothes out his take-off & lifts his toes more in the F/E of his swing! French Emmanuelle C. learned her Cut Away w/some nice, initial results before making some B/E Straddle Whip catches. The lithe & worldly Emma S. got some really nice POP in her swing & force out! Compared to a yr ago, Emma's become much tighter & stronger than we expected! And, Sharron (sans her normal pigtails) learned & caught her Hox Off all in one night!
"You will never be happy if you continue to search for what happiness consists of. You will never live if you are looking for the meaning of life." - Albert Camus
"The Grand essentials of happiness are: something to do, something to love, and something to hope for." - Allan K. Chalmers
As w/that last quote, for some of us, flying trapeze encompasses all three essentials...!
Have a great day.
Me "sneaking" a kiss w/my Catherine after (during!) a catch. (Talk about happiness...!)
Awesome Allegra G. is getting back on that horse by honing her B/E Uprise Fwd Over. The nubile Nicole A. warmed up out of lines before making some easy B/E Splits catches & returns. Lovable Lauri W. has a much improved swing! It's only a short amount of time before she's conquering her B/E positions like dominoes! The urbane Maryam W. practiced her Planche Turn Around before snagging some B/E Whip catches. Frantic Fran is recapturing what she learned at CG but still rushing for her returns. Nurse Leslie W.'s had a breakthrough w/her take-off & swing as they are suddenly better than ever! Great flying, Leslie! And, she caught her 1st B/E Splits! Tight Thais K.'s form is SO much better as she worked on her Layout!
Psychological Susan worked on her B/E Whip & smoothed out her take-off. You're getting there, Susan! Stalwart Lex R.'s swing has become more powerful as he smoothes out his take-off & lifts his toes more in the F/E of his swing! French Emmanuelle C. learned her Cut Away w/some nice, initial results before making some B/E Straddle Whip catches. The lithe & worldly Emma S. got some really nice POP in her swing & force out! Compared to a yr ago, Emma's become much tighter & stronger than we expected! And, Sharron (sans her normal pigtails) learned & caught her Hox Off all in one night!
"You will never be happy if you continue to search for what happiness consists of. You will never live if you are looking for the meaning of life." - Albert Camus
"The Grand essentials of happiness are: something to do, something to love, and something to hope for." - Allan K. Chalmers
As w/that last quote, for some of us, flying trapeze encompasses all three essentials...!
Have a great day.
Me "sneaking" a kiss w/my Catherine after (during!) a catch. (Talk about happiness...!)
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Wednesday, July 25, 2007, Brooklyn, NY
This Wednesday was a decent night w/good learning coupled w/some good fun...!
During staff training, Tanya E., YK H. & Eli concentrated on lines pulling. For YK & Eli, it was their 1st time ever pulling! Tanya (who has more experience) was honing her lines for catches. Our Susie W. caught our Manny's Planche (talk about a role reversal!)! Lisa R., Rachel M. & Randy K. played around out of lines. Cassie J.'s swing is getting better quickly!
The ever-smiling Michelle from IBM returned for her 2nd class to learn her Set Split. She brought her friend, Joe, who learned his Knee Hang. Kitao S. threw some excellent Double Back Tucks w/snappy opens but was fatigued when it came time for catches. He caught his Layout to work his return. Mandy from Baltimore honed her swing & made a B/E Splits catch & return! European Nicholas learned to put the Half into his Cut Away Half before making an Uprise Shoot catch & return!
Nice flying, everyone!
"When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth w/your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return." - Leonardo da Vinci
During staff training, Tanya E., YK H. & Eli concentrated on lines pulling. For YK & Eli, it was their 1st time ever pulling! Tanya (who has more experience) was honing her lines for catches. Our Susie W. caught our Manny's Planche (talk about a role reversal!)! Lisa R., Rachel M. & Randy K. played around out of lines. Cassie J.'s swing is getting better quickly!
The ever-smiling Michelle from IBM returned for her 2nd class to learn her Set Split. She brought her friend, Joe, who learned his Knee Hang. Kitao S. threw some excellent Double Back Tucks w/snappy opens but was fatigued when it came time for catches. He caught his Layout to work his return. Mandy from Baltimore honed her swing & made a B/E Splits catch & return! European Nicholas learned to put the Half into his Cut Away Half before making an Uprise Shoot catch & return!
Nice flying, everyone!
"When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth w/your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return." - Leonardo da Vinci
Tuesday, July 24, 2007, Brooklyn, NY
In this, the last session of the current Skills Program, we had a good night as the students in attendance made some last minute omelets...!
The incredible Samantha W. dropped in to the Skills class for her 1st time. She not only got her Straddle Cut/Catch but also her Reverse Suicide all on this night!
Samantha's Straddle Cut/Catch into Reverse Suicide:
Type A (but just as nice) Elena G. concentrated on smoothing out her B/E Uprise & the pull in her swing. The wonderful Marisa B. (nursing a tweaked shoulder) worked on laying out her Layout & made some nice improvements along the way.
The ardent & positive Renee F. tried adding a little more straddle to her Straddle Cut/Catch. The powerful & adept Allegra G. honed her F/E Uprise into her Back Hip Circle & Shoot before taking some stabs at her 360/Pirouette. It was a pleasure to watch such gymnasts like Samantha & Allegra play on the trampoline. I only wish I had video of them to share.
Though fatigued from the intense weekend at Club Getaway, the elegant Maryam W. practiced her B/E Uprise (and is close to mounting it!) as well her Turn Around & Planche Turn Around. The lithe & worldly Emma S. focused on her swing & staying tight before finishing off w/some Planches. And, our Denise M. w/her Luciano in tow started off w/a nice Straddle Cut/Catch before attempting out some F/E Uprises.
Samantha, Denise & Luciano:
And, w/but an affirmative promise to herself, the comely Kristy M. said she'd get her Planche Turn Around & she did! After taking up the Planche in pursuit of the Turn Around, she accomplished the Planche Turn Around in her last turn of the night! Nice work, Kristy!
The group resting after class:
"Nothing makes a person more productive than the last minute." - unknown
The incredible Samantha W. dropped in to the Skills class for her 1st time. She not only got her Straddle Cut/Catch but also her Reverse Suicide all on this night!
Samantha's Straddle Cut/Catch into Reverse Suicide:
Type A (but just as nice) Elena G. concentrated on smoothing out her B/E Uprise & the pull in her swing. The wonderful Marisa B. (nursing a tweaked shoulder) worked on laying out her Layout & made some nice improvements along the way.
The ardent & positive Renee F. tried adding a little more straddle to her Straddle Cut/Catch. The powerful & adept Allegra G. honed her F/E Uprise into her Back Hip Circle & Shoot before taking some stabs at her 360/Pirouette. It was a pleasure to watch such gymnasts like Samantha & Allegra play on the trampoline. I only wish I had video of them to share.
Though fatigued from the intense weekend at Club Getaway, the elegant Maryam W. practiced her B/E Uprise (and is close to mounting it!) as well her Turn Around & Planche Turn Around. The lithe & worldly Emma S. focused on her swing & staying tight before finishing off w/some Planches. And, our Denise M. w/her Luciano in tow started off w/a nice Straddle Cut/Catch before attempting out some F/E Uprises.
Samantha, Denise & Luciano:
And, w/but an affirmative promise to herself, the comely Kristy M. said she'd get her Planche Turn Around & she did! After taking up the Planche in pursuit of the Turn Around, she accomplished the Planche Turn Around in her last turn of the night! Nice work, Kristy!
The group resting after class:
"Nothing makes a person more productive than the last minute." - unknown
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Friday to Sunday, July 20 to 22, 2007, Kent, CT
I wish I could live a million lives. Then, I could do wkends like this forever w/great friends, new experiences & flying trapeze...
A very good grp of us traveled to Kent, CT for this yr's 1st Club Getaway flying trapeze wkend! There was much flying & catching coupled w/static trapeze, silks & stretching. Our flyers had some breakthroughs & some 1st times! The weather was perfect & everything that was good was plentiful: friends, flying, food, dancing, laughing, catching & fun!
Samantha & Marisa:
We approached this weekend w/a little more "maturity" & prudence w/our flying & partying. We didn't push it to our ultimate limits each session b/c we knew there's still much more to come...!
Here's Marisa, Heather (mounting riser) & Jenn:
We started on Fri afternoon w/some light flying to get used to the rig. Sat was filled w/more flying then static & silks, then lunch & lake-side beach time then more flying! W/an '80's theme that night, we partied after dinner.
Dino w/'80's side-do:
It was also the anniversary of our much loved & missed Leslie F.'s legendary b-day party! All who were at that party last yr remember it was a great one!
Samantha, Marisa, Denise, Renee:
Oleg, Amy & Denise:
Marisa & Denise:
Denise's Half Turn to the Net:
Rebecca & Renee:
Partying hard!
Heather, Oleg & Marisa:
Sun was a calm day, but we had more flyers willing to keep going than ever before! All of them were hardcore as we got in more flying & catching.
Marisa, Heather (taking off) & Jenn:
Jen E. & Jenn B.
The wonderful Marisa B. flew mostly out of lines, taking it easy but getting in a lot of air time. The beautiful, effervescent Samantha B. dusted off her swings & tricks including her Cut Away Half. The flyer-formerly-known-as-Amy W. flew her Layout & Splits out of lines. We even got to work her Splits to Cut/Catch w/attempted return a few times out of lines!
Denise "Candy Wideback" M. worked her swings out of lines as well as her "go to" Straddle Whip before partying late into the night!
The intense & faithful Tanya E. & multifaceted Jen E. were both flying out of lines & working up to developing their tricks out of lines, too. After smoothing out her take-off a little more, the new & improved Renee F. did her 1st B/E Splits out of lines! And, the confidently-flying Heather W. was throwing her Layout to catches out of lines for most of the wkend.
Heather's Layout Catch:
Philadelphia's Jeremy M. learned his Hox Off & tweaked his swing timing. The surprising, ebony-tressed Alison C. came w/her stronger swing & B/E Whip. (I've become Alison's personal catcher!) The vibrant Kristin R. got her 1st exposures to static & silks in between tweaking her B/E Splits. The anti-relaxed Fran S. took her 1st swings out of lines as she had an epiphany: to use less power, flex more & simply SWING!
The elegant Maryam W. was pleasantly more talkative as she got to relax more w/everyone. Maryam got to take her 1st swing out of lines!
The lithe, worldly & funny Emma S. was rejuvenated as she got to take her 1st swing out of lines, too! Between readings of the latest Harry Potter book, self-professed geek, Rebecca S., worked hard to take her 1st swing out of lines as well! From her escapades on Sat night, she won the "Best Pole Dancing" award!
Here's Rebecca taking a much needed rest from all the flying, reading & partying:
The powerful, adept & very nice Allegra G. attended for the last day. She flew over a net out of lines for her 1st time! And, Allegra did her 1st B/E Splits out of lines ever, too!
The organizer & spearhead of the whole weekend, Jeff L., got to catch & fly & spend some quality time w/his beautiful wife, Elena. Montreal's Joan came down to work some lines & teach some static trapeze in the boathouse. Jenn B. helped to work the board the whole weekend & even get in some flying. Our Bobby H. taught some static & silks then gave the group a great stretch on Sunday! The mighty M. Fix worked the rig & hung out w/us over the weekend.
Fix & Dino:
Club Getaway's circus leader, Beth F., her husband, Effe, & teammate Ann-Marie welcomed us warmly. Beth & Effe performed both Sat & Sun nights in the boathouse, doing their great silks acts. And, long-time flyer & instructor, Arano, did double duty as he flew in a show w/us & then manned the DJ booth in the evenings!
On Sat, Beth, Arano & Jeff flew to me as an informal show & demonstration for the guests. Beth threw her Straddle Whip, Splits & Layout to me. Arano threw his Planche & Full Twisting Layout. And, our Jeff threw his Planche, Half Turn, Flexus/Flexus, Layout & the triple-time Planche Turn Around into a Half Turn! Virtually everything was returned, too! Not bad for a group that has rarely flown together before that day; and, Arano has never flown w/us before!!
Beth's catch w/Dino:
Arano's Planche catch w/Dino:
"Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life." - Confucius
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Wednesday, July 18, 2007, Brooklyn, NY
This Wednesday's Staff Training was packed, filled w/friends, flying, learning & fun...!
We wish our Randy K. the happiest of birthdays!
We say a warm "Farewell" to our amazing Christine C. as she leaves for Paris before leaving the Streb company. On this last night, she got to catch that "Louganis" (piked Uprise Fwd Over) w/our Manny in addition to her Cut Away Half! We wish her not only to be well but also only the very best in her experiences & adventures ahead...
Relative newcomer, Eli, practiced some positions on the low bar & in the air while giving his swing a go. Another relative newcomer to staff, Kitao S., threw some Layouts, a peculiar Shooting Star, and helped out on the board. Web-mistress YK H. worked a little on her swing & threw some positions while taking it easy on her tender shoulder. Back from Australia, Alyssa M. flew a little, helped out on the pedestal & dusted off her lines pulling. Tanya E. also got in some swing & tried honing that pesky, elusive half turn to the net/mat. Dap stretched out his back & tried his hand at a F/E Planche catch!
Chem is getting the tempo of his swing rather quickly, but he's still reconciling the dynamics of the gymnastics high bar & the power of the flying trapeze. True to her form & almost too easily, Cassie J. got into her 1st B/E position ever (Splits) w/o a problem or hesitation! Our Manny M. was nice enough to herald the lines before going up for some nice catching! The earnest & experienced Yoni was put through the ringer as he worked the board & got a decent number of catches thrown at him! The highly experienced Lisa warmed up her swing & Layout out of lines before getting some Layout catches to our Manny.
Our Bobby H. got a few catcher's locks in between organizing out space. Denise M., w/the growing Luciano in tow, threw her "go to" B/E Straddle Whip to Manny cold yet safe & good! The "source-of-all-balls", Randy K., stopped by to swing high & practice his Double Fwd Under! The fiery-locked, cool Susie W. caught her 1st flyer (me!) ever! Congratulations, Susie! Welcome to the club! To end off the night, I flew a little & even snagged another 360/Pirouette...!
"He who has a strong enough why can bear almost any how." - Friedrich Nietzsche
We wish our Randy K. the happiest of birthdays!
We say a warm "Farewell" to our amazing Christine C. as she leaves for Paris before leaving the Streb company. On this last night, she got to catch that "Louganis" (piked Uprise Fwd Over) w/our Manny in addition to her Cut Away Half! We wish her not only to be well but also only the very best in her experiences & adventures ahead...
Relative newcomer, Eli, practiced some positions on the low bar & in the air while giving his swing a go. Another relative newcomer to staff, Kitao S., threw some Layouts, a peculiar Shooting Star, and helped out on the board. Web-mistress YK H. worked a little on her swing & threw some positions while taking it easy on her tender shoulder. Back from Australia, Alyssa M. flew a little, helped out on the pedestal & dusted off her lines pulling. Tanya E. also got in some swing & tried honing that pesky, elusive half turn to the net/mat. Dap stretched out his back & tried his hand at a F/E Planche catch!
Chem is getting the tempo of his swing rather quickly, but he's still reconciling the dynamics of the gymnastics high bar & the power of the flying trapeze. True to her form & almost too easily, Cassie J. got into her 1st B/E position ever (Splits) w/o a problem or hesitation! Our Manny M. was nice enough to herald the lines before going up for some nice catching! The earnest & experienced Yoni was put through the ringer as he worked the board & got a decent number of catches thrown at him! The highly experienced Lisa warmed up her swing & Layout out of lines before getting some Layout catches to our Manny.
Our Bobby H. got a few catcher's locks in between organizing out space. Denise M., w/the growing Luciano in tow, threw her "go to" B/E Straddle Whip to Manny cold yet safe & good! The "source-of-all-balls", Randy K., stopped by to swing high & practice his Double Fwd Under! The fiery-locked, cool Susie W. caught her 1st flyer (me!) ever! Congratulations, Susie! Welcome to the club! To end off the night, I flew a little & even snagged another 360/Pirouette...!
"He who has a strong enough why can bear almost any how." - Friedrich Nietzsche
Tuesday, July 17, 2007, Brooklyn, NY
This Tuesday's Skills Class may have been a little frustrating for some but it was just as cathartic & productive for others. Planche Turn Arounds seem to be the "in thing" lately...!
The wonderful Marisa B. is nursing a tender shoulder, so she's limited a little bit but still gave it her best efforts in a good spirit. Type A Elena G. & the comely Kristy M. are both learning their Planches in pursuit of smooth Planche Turn Arounds. Since she already had a solid Planche, Renee F. got her Planche Turn Around all in one night! And, the lovely Nicole A. remounted the board a few times (much smoother, I must add!) and was introduced to the F/E Uprise before practicing her B/E Uprise.
The elegant Maryam W. practiced her Planche Turn Around (getting a few sessions ago) as well as her regular Turn Around to make Full Round Trips possible in her near future! The lithe & worldly Emma S. took a step back to basics to hone her swing & form a little more. And, workaholic Lisa B. joined us to try her Planche for her 1st times in hopes of getting her Planche Turn Around, too!
Here's Renee helping Kristy w/her lines on the pedestal:
Marisa waving "Hello!" from the trampoline:
Marisa & Nicole watching Lisa prepare to bounce on the trampoline w/Josh:
"Extreme positions are not succeeded by moderate ones, but by contrary extreme positions." - Friedrich Nietzsche
The wonderful Marisa B. is nursing a tender shoulder, so she's limited a little bit but still gave it her best efforts in a good spirit. Type A Elena G. & the comely Kristy M. are both learning their Planches in pursuit of smooth Planche Turn Arounds. Since she already had a solid Planche, Renee F. got her Planche Turn Around all in one night! And, the lovely Nicole A. remounted the board a few times (much smoother, I must add!) and was introduced to the F/E Uprise before practicing her B/E Uprise.
The elegant Maryam W. practiced her Planche Turn Around (getting a few sessions ago) as well as her regular Turn Around to make Full Round Trips possible in her near future! The lithe & worldly Emma S. took a step back to basics to hone her swing & form a little more. And, workaholic Lisa B. joined us to try her Planche for her 1st times in hopes of getting her Planche Turn Around, too!
Here's Renee helping Kristy w/her lines on the pedestal:
Marisa waving "Hello!" from the trampoline:
Marisa & Nicole watching Lisa prepare to bounce on the trampoline w/Josh:
"Extreme positions are not succeeded by moderate ones, but by contrary extreme positions." - Friedrich Nietzsche
Monday, July 16, 2007
Sunday, July 15, 2007, Brooklyn, NY
I always love seeing friends, making new friends, flying, catching, working the lines & board, but there are those special days when I can barely wait to get to the rig! Our Sunday was filled w/many different levels of flying (all of it fun & good), lots of old friends & some new ones!
The diverse & agile Ann W. practiced many of her cool flying tricks including her Cut Away Half & Full Twisting Layout. She finished out her class w/a Splits catch & return.
Ann's Cut Away Half(1):
Ann's Cut Away Half(2):
Ann's Full Twisting Layout:
Ann's B/E Splits catch & return:
After really getting her Turn Around down well for her 1st times, the beautiful & very adept Maya F. remounted the pedestal board for her 1st time ever! She easily made a Straddle Whip catch & return:
Maya's Turn Around:
The lithe & worldly Emma S. got her Planche Turn Around smoothly (twice!):
Newcomer, Ian S., quickly learned & perfected his Knee Hang before making some nice catches! We'll be seeing him again soon! And, our Dap practiced his Set Planche in his 2nd flying class ever.
The amazing Christine C. had a field day w/her flying & catching! She not only made two clean Cut Away Half catches (ready for returns!), but also practiced her Reverse Suicide, Force Out Turn Around, Rudy (Cut Away 1 1/2) & Double Back Tuck! (I even hung a few times to try to catch her Double!) I got to cleanly catch her Fwd Over, and she ended off her class w/her B/E Splits Straddle Cut/Catch! Though she's done other circus apparatus, tiny Paulina was a newcomer to flying as she learned her Knee Hang & Set Split before making a number of KH catches!
Our complex Susie W. practiced her Face Off & B/E Straddle Whip out of lines. The source-of-all-balls, our Randy K., took his Double Fwd Under AND Double Reverse Fwd Under out of lines.
Randy's Double Fwd Under:
And, I, Dino, got my 360 Pirouette again! After nearly snagging the bar again on my 2nd Piro in a row, I laughed hard at how much fun that trick is when you get it! I love this stuff!
All the while, we had many other aerialists including Laura W., Natalie D. & her Aaron working on their silks skills. There were even a few chains acts being practiced. The buxom Tera was teaching clinical psychologist Susan on the static trapeze. It was like a ninja training camp!
"No one ever achieved greatness by playing it safe." - Harry Gray
The diverse & agile Ann W. practiced many of her cool flying tricks including her Cut Away Half & Full Twisting Layout. She finished out her class w/a Splits catch & return.
Ann's Cut Away Half(1):
Ann's Cut Away Half(2):
Ann's Full Twisting Layout:
Ann's B/E Splits catch & return:
After really getting her Turn Around down well for her 1st times, the beautiful & very adept Maya F. remounted the pedestal board for her 1st time ever! She easily made a Straddle Whip catch & return:
Maya's Turn Around:
The lithe & worldly Emma S. got her Planche Turn Around smoothly (twice!):
Newcomer, Ian S., quickly learned & perfected his Knee Hang before making some nice catches! We'll be seeing him again soon! And, our Dap practiced his Set Planche in his 2nd flying class ever.
The amazing Christine C. had a field day w/her flying & catching! She not only made two clean Cut Away Half catches (ready for returns!), but also practiced her Reverse Suicide, Force Out Turn Around, Rudy (Cut Away 1 1/2) & Double Back Tuck! (I even hung a few times to try to catch her Double!) I got to cleanly catch her Fwd Over, and she ended off her class w/her B/E Splits Straddle Cut/Catch! Though she's done other circus apparatus, tiny Paulina was a newcomer to flying as she learned her Knee Hang & Set Split before making a number of KH catches!
Our complex Susie W. practiced her Face Off & B/E Straddle Whip out of lines. The source-of-all-balls, our Randy K., took his Double Fwd Under AND Double Reverse Fwd Under out of lines.
Randy's Double Fwd Under:
And, I, Dino, got my 360 Pirouette again! After nearly snagging the bar again on my 2nd Piro in a row, I laughed hard at how much fun that trick is when you get it! I love this stuff!
All the while, we had many other aerialists including Laura W., Natalie D. & her Aaron working on their silks skills. There were even a few chains acts being practiced. The buxom Tera was teaching clinical psychologist Susan on the static trapeze. It was like a ninja training camp!
"No one ever achieved greatness by playing it safe." - Harry Gray
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Saturday, July 14, 2007, Brooklyn, NY
It was nice getting our Randy back from working w/the legendary Peter Gold for the past few weeks...!
Tina M. & boyfriend, Dave, joined us to fly for a little while as their family watched in awe! Dave got to work his Planche again for the 1st time in a long time, making a catch w/it not long after! Tina dusted off her Set Splits. She conquered her crazy hands at catch point to finally make some smooth catches!
Take a look at her Splits:
The lovely Nicole A. worked on her Uprise Fwd Over & remounting the pedestal a little more today & did her 1st Reverse Suicide! She's still in pursuit of finding her perfect Uprise & trying to make her Fwd Over more vertical:
The academic-minded Alison M. honed her swing & B/E Splits for some catching w/me! Here's Alison's Splits:
"Success seems to be largely a matter of hanging on after others have let go." - William Feather
Tina M. & boyfriend, Dave, joined us to fly for a little while as their family watched in awe! Dave got to work his Planche again for the 1st time in a long time, making a catch w/it not long after! Tina dusted off her Set Splits. She conquered her crazy hands at catch point to finally make some smooth catches!
Take a look at her Splits:
The lovely Nicole A. worked on her Uprise Fwd Over & remounting the pedestal a little more today & did her 1st Reverse Suicide! She's still in pursuit of finding her perfect Uprise & trying to make her Fwd Over more vertical:
The academic-minded Alison M. honed her swing & B/E Splits for some catching w/me! Here's Alison's Splits:
"Success seems to be largely a matter of hanging on after others have let go." - William Feather
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Thursday, July 12, 2007, Brooklyn, NY
This Thursday, we were making some omelets...!
We started off this Thursday w/the Catcher's Workshop. Those learning our catcher's trade included the endearing Suzanne M., the feisty Galit E., Type A Elena G., the burly Erik T., the stately Ross M., the complex Susie W., and newcomers-to-trapeze Eli, Phillip & Sebastian.
One time before taking off for a catch, the wonderful Allegra G. mentioned she never made a return off her B/E Straddle Whip catch. She then promptly made her 1st full round trip w/her B/E Straddle Whip catch w/our Manny! Great work, Allegra! Strong Lex R. stopped by to get some quick flying in before attending to another engagement. Nurse Leslie W. made some headway w/her B/E Splits. The adorable Lauri W. is getting her tempo even better! You're getting there, Lauri! Keep it up! The elegant Maryam W. & perma-positive Jen R. both remounted the pedestal board for their 1st times!!
Here's Maryam's remount:
And, here's Jen's remount:
Galit E. got fully around w/her 540 Pirouette more than ever before! This is her last session w/us for a month. Galit, you'll be greatly missed. The French Emmanuelle C. is remounting the board more smoothly! She's also catching her Hox Off & working the return better, too! Clinical psychologist, Susan, is taking things back to basics by conquering her take-off before throwing some nice Set Straddle Whip catches. We tried something new w/Elena G. Repeatedly, she accomplished her B/E Splits into her Straddle Cut/Catch in my hands! We were even going for the returns w/this combination! Great work, Elena!
Elena's B/E Splits into Straddle Cut/Catches:
Yes, it was a good day, indeed! Trying new things, accomplishing all the while! We've been breaking eggs for a while; now, we're making those omelets...!
"It is not your aptitude, but your attitude, that determines your altitude." - Zig Ziglar
We started off this Thursday w/the Catcher's Workshop. Those learning our catcher's trade included the endearing Suzanne M., the feisty Galit E., Type A Elena G., the burly Erik T., the stately Ross M., the complex Susie W., and newcomers-to-trapeze Eli, Phillip & Sebastian.
One time before taking off for a catch, the wonderful Allegra G. mentioned she never made a return off her B/E Straddle Whip catch. She then promptly made her 1st full round trip w/her B/E Straddle Whip catch w/our Manny! Great work, Allegra! Strong Lex R. stopped by to get some quick flying in before attending to another engagement. Nurse Leslie W. made some headway w/her B/E Splits. The adorable Lauri W. is getting her tempo even better! You're getting there, Lauri! Keep it up! The elegant Maryam W. & perma-positive Jen R. both remounted the pedestal board for their 1st times!!
Here's Maryam's remount:
And, here's Jen's remount:
Galit E. got fully around w/her 540 Pirouette more than ever before! This is her last session w/us for a month. Galit, you'll be greatly missed. The French Emmanuelle C. is remounting the board more smoothly! She's also catching her Hox Off & working the return better, too! Clinical psychologist, Susan, is taking things back to basics by conquering her take-off before throwing some nice Set Straddle Whip catches. We tried something new w/Elena G. Repeatedly, she accomplished her B/E Splits into her Straddle Cut/Catch in my hands! We were even going for the returns w/this combination! Great work, Elena!
Elena's B/E Splits into Straddle Cut/Catches:
Yes, it was a good day, indeed! Trying new things, accomplishing all the while! We've been breaking eggs for a while; now, we're making those omelets...!
"It is not your aptitude, but your attitude, that determines your altitude." - Zig Ziglar
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Wednesday, July 11, 2007, Brooklyn, NY
We started off the night w/some staff training w/newcomer Eli, quick-learner Keith, Manny "the Machine", the complex Susie W., the intense Tanya E., the incredible Christine C., the very-welcome-addition Yoni & the flyer former known as Amy W. And, the very lovely, red-haired Jordan was teaching her weekly silks class close by!
Eli & Keith got a "crash course" in positions. Manny did some catching & even threw his Uprise Shoot to our Christine! Yoni dusted off his swing & Planche. Susie practiced on lines for catching & realized she didn't need anyone to "hep" her off the bar. Tanya worked on her Half Turn to the mat/net before making some catches. And, Amy worked on her Double Cut Away!
Take a look at Christine's piked Fwd Over (the "Greg Louganis" as she named it):
(Christine is just being nice; she's waiting for me to be in the catch trap before catching most of her tricks...!)
We had really nice, able-bodied, fun grp of newbies from IBM in a class including Jen N. w/her beautiful eyes, the amiable Avi K., the very capable Chad & perma-smiling Michelle! Each made their 1st Knee Hang catches; Chad even got to learn AND catch his Set Planche for his 1st time, too, all in 1 class! We hope to see them again soon. The said they'd bring back some co-workers for team-building, so we'll show these original 4 some new stuff to wow their friends!
(video to be included)
"Hold yourself responsible for a higher standard than anybody expects of you. Never excuse yourself." - Henry Ward Beecher
Eli & Keith got a "crash course" in positions. Manny did some catching & even threw his Uprise Shoot to our Christine! Yoni dusted off his swing & Planche. Susie practiced on lines for catching & realized she didn't need anyone to "hep" her off the bar. Tanya worked on her Half Turn to the mat/net before making some catches. And, Amy worked on her Double Cut Away!
Take a look at Christine's piked Fwd Over (the "Greg Louganis" as she named it):
(Christine is just being nice; she's waiting for me to be in the catch trap before catching most of her tricks...!)
We had really nice, able-bodied, fun grp of newbies from IBM in a class including Jen N. w/her beautiful eyes, the amiable Avi K., the very capable Chad & perma-smiling Michelle! Each made their 1st Knee Hang catches; Chad even got to learn AND catch his Set Planche for his 1st time, too, all in 1 class! We hope to see them again soon. The said they'd bring back some co-workers for team-building, so we'll show these original 4 some new stuff to wow their friends!
(video to be included)
"Hold yourself responsible for a higher standard than anybody expects of you. Never excuse yourself." - Henry Ward Beecher
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Tuesday, July 10, 2007, Brooklyn, NY
I find myself a very lucky man in so many ways. Each Tuesday night is so much fun as I get to fly & teach & laugh & learn w/friends so dear, exciting, hardworking & gifted...!
The powerful & unknowingly adept Allegra G. honed her Planche in pursuit of her Planche Turn Around:
Here's Allegra practicing her 360 Pirouette:
The comely, quick study, Kristy M., was introduced to single hand releases ("Salute") & finished her turns off w/some Reverse Suicides. She bettered her Turn Around w/planting her ft on the pedestal board in pursuit of remounting soon:
Feisty Galit E. is getting in some classes before she leaves us for a while to travel abroad w/Thing 1 & Thing 2. She's mustering through her Pirouettes & making her Uprise Mod look even better! The worldly & lithe Emma S. tackled her Planche Turn Around for her 1st time & even got it towards the end of the night!
The intense & determined Renee F. finally conquered her Swivel Hips on the trampoline! Congratulations, Renee!
(video to be inserted)
Here's Renee's 1st attempt at learning to re-grip on the b/e of her swing in preparation for turn arounds:
The elegant Maryam W. managed to learn her Planche Turn Around in one night! Nice flying, Maryam! Check it out:
The lovely & agile Nicole A. tried cleaning up her Uprise Fwd Over:
Here's Nicole practicing her Seat Drops on the trampoline:
And, here I am demonstrating the Planche Turn Around for the students:
We're going to be introducing the next round of our programs in Streb's space starting in August! Potentially, we may try to run weekend programs if there's enough demand. So, sound out & speak up about what you want, when you want it, what we've been doing well that you already like & how we can make things better for your flying overall.
"Go & wake up your luck." (Persian saying)
The powerful & unknowingly adept Allegra G. honed her Planche in pursuit of her Planche Turn Around:
Here's Allegra practicing her 360 Pirouette:
The comely, quick study, Kristy M., was introduced to single hand releases ("Salute") & finished her turns off w/some Reverse Suicides. She bettered her Turn Around w/planting her ft on the pedestal board in pursuit of remounting soon:
Feisty Galit E. is getting in some classes before she leaves us for a while to travel abroad w/Thing 1 & Thing 2. She's mustering through her Pirouettes & making her Uprise Mod look even better! The worldly & lithe Emma S. tackled her Planche Turn Around for her 1st time & even got it towards the end of the night!
The intense & determined Renee F. finally conquered her Swivel Hips on the trampoline! Congratulations, Renee!
(video to be inserted)
Here's Renee's 1st attempt at learning to re-grip on the b/e of her swing in preparation for turn arounds:
The elegant Maryam W. managed to learn her Planche Turn Around in one night! Nice flying, Maryam! Check it out:
The lovely & agile Nicole A. tried cleaning up her Uprise Fwd Over:
Here's Nicole practicing her Seat Drops on the trampoline:
And, here I am demonstrating the Planche Turn Around for the students:
We're going to be introducing the next round of our programs in Streb's space starting in August! Potentially, we may try to run weekend programs if there's enough demand. So, sound out & speak up about what you want, when you want it, what we've been doing well that you already like & how we can make things better for your flying overall.
"Go & wake up your luck." (Persian saying)
Monday, July 9, 2007
Thursday, July 5, 2007, Brooklyn, NY
This Thursday's Catch & Return class was fun as we tried upping the ante & saw the return of some other friendly flyers...!
The powerful & highly adept Allegra G. was hitting her Uprise Fwd Over rather well, so we invited her to throw it for catches! She came close a few times & the trick is good to go. We just have to tweak the timing & travel. I'm sure we'll be seeing footage of that soon! The elegant Maryam W. was a little off her game that night, not making her usual plethora of returns off her catches. No worries; in everyone's training, there are always plateaus.
Feisty Galit E. worked on her spinning skills in pursuit of her Whip "w/a twist". Here we see one of her practices at a 360 Pirouette:
And, here's Galit's Half Turn catch w/our Jeff L.:
The tall, determined Renee F. flew out of lines for her 1st time on the Streb rig! She's learning to stay tighter & stay positive. Here's Renee's B/E Splits catch w/our Jeff L.:
The strong, jovial Lex R. worked on making his powerful turn around consistent before getting his head up for some Hox Off catches. For his 1st time ever, Lex got his hand back on the return bar after his catch! Soon enough, Lex, you'll be making full round trips! The extremely cute quick learner, Kristin R., joined us after not flying for a few wks. She was getting her stamina back up & honing her swing. Take a look at Kristin's swing w/our Manny on her lines:
The focused Sharron Esq. was putting the pull into her swing, trying to pop that force out. She ready for some new tricks to broaden her skill set. Here's Sharron's B/E Straddle Whip catch:
And, French Emmanuelle honed her turn around, and she remounted the pedestal (very well, I must add) for her very 1st times! She desired & was ready for a new trick, so our Jeff introduced her to the Hox Off. Emmanuelle did very well w/it on her very 1st try! It'll be very soon, also, when we'll be seeing her catching that w/no problem (& maybe even moving onto a Hox Saulto...!).
There are still a few rare spots left for the 1st Club Getaway wkend (July 20th)! So, sign up if you haven't already & we'll have a few days of flying & fun in the sun! And, on the Streb & ESTA websites, check out the new registration & payment process I developed for their rig! (Links found on the top & bottom of this page.)
"A true friend is someone who thinks that you are a good egg even though he knows that you are slightly cracked." - Bernard Meltzer
"Nothing great in the world has ever been accomplished without passion." - G.W.F. Hegel
The powerful & highly adept Allegra G. was hitting her Uprise Fwd Over rather well, so we invited her to throw it for catches! She came close a few times & the trick is good to go. We just have to tweak the timing & travel. I'm sure we'll be seeing footage of that soon! The elegant Maryam W. was a little off her game that night, not making her usual plethora of returns off her catches. No worries; in everyone's training, there are always plateaus.
Feisty Galit E. worked on her spinning skills in pursuit of her Whip "w/a twist". Here we see one of her practices at a 360 Pirouette:
And, here's Galit's Half Turn catch w/our Jeff L.:
The tall, determined Renee F. flew out of lines for her 1st time on the Streb rig! She's learning to stay tighter & stay positive. Here's Renee's B/E Splits catch w/our Jeff L.:
The strong, jovial Lex R. worked on making his powerful turn around consistent before getting his head up for some Hox Off catches. For his 1st time ever, Lex got his hand back on the return bar after his catch! Soon enough, Lex, you'll be making full round trips! The extremely cute quick learner, Kristin R., joined us after not flying for a few wks. She was getting her stamina back up & honing her swing. Take a look at Kristin's swing w/our Manny on her lines:
The focused Sharron Esq. was putting the pull into her swing, trying to pop that force out. She ready for some new tricks to broaden her skill set. Here's Sharron's B/E Straddle Whip catch:
And, French Emmanuelle honed her turn around, and she remounted the pedestal (very well, I must add) for her very 1st times! She desired & was ready for a new trick, so our Jeff introduced her to the Hox Off. Emmanuelle did very well w/it on her very 1st try! It'll be very soon, also, when we'll be seeing her catching that w/no problem (& maybe even moving onto a Hox Saulto...!).
There are still a few rare spots left for the 1st Club Getaway wkend (July 20th)! So, sign up if you haven't already & we'll have a few days of flying & fun in the sun! And, on the Streb & ESTA websites, check out the new registration & payment process I developed for their rig! (Links found on the top & bottom of this page.)
"A true friend is someone who thinks that you are a good egg even though he knows that you are slightly cracked." - Bernard Meltzer
"Nothing great in the world has ever been accomplished without passion." - G.W.F. Hegel
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
Tuesday, July 3, 2007, Brooklyn, NY
Happy Independence Day! We had many students come in to fly the night before celebrating the holiday...!
Feisty Galit E. practiced her 360/Pirouette to hone another trick of her's. Type A Elena G. has gotten her Straddle Cut/Catch very well, but much like the Loch Ness monster or Big Foot, we haven't been able to capture it on camera! Here she is w/a decent force out turn around & an attempted Cut/Catch:
Allegra G. had some promising, initial progress w/her Force Out Turn Around & she's getting over her fears of Reverse Suicides (that sounds strange out of context...). The strong Lex R. got a perfect Turn Around where he forced out well above the board! Now, we only need to repeat it consistently. Nice work, Lex! The tall, intense Renee F. fought the good fight to stay focused & push her training as she was back to breaking a few eggs in pursuit of that elusive omelet. Take a look at Renee's B/E Splits (after the 2nd swing) w/an attempted half turn to the mat/net:
The comely, adept & highly missed Kristy M. joined us this night after so long away! She honed her Turn Around very well & is almost ready to remount the pedestal. And, Kristy accomplished her Reverse Suicide on her 1st try, and she only got more comfortable w/it after each time! Nice work, Kristy; we hope to see you again soon!
Here is Kristy's Turn Arounds w/attempted planting of her feet on the pedestal finished off w/some Reverse Suicides!:
The elegant & diverse Maryam W. has pretty much conquered her Turn Around, too! Take a look at a few of her turns this night:
Here's Maryam warming up w/her swing:
And, here she is w/a Turn Around & Reverse Back Flip:
Our Tanya E. tried bettering her B/E Splits w/a Half Turn in pursuit of taking this out of lines eventually. Here's one of Tanya's Splits w/an attempted Half Turn to the mat/net:
Plane humor: "The odds against there being a bomb on a plane are a million to one, and against two bombs a million times a million to one. Next time you fly, cut the odds & take a bomb." — Benny Hill
"When we walk to the edge of all the light we have & take the step into the darkness of the unknown, we must believe that one of two things will happen. There will be something solid for us to stand on or we will be taught to fly." — Patrick Overton
Feisty Galit E. practiced her 360/Pirouette to hone another trick of her's. Type A Elena G. has gotten her Straddle Cut/Catch very well, but much like the Loch Ness monster or Big Foot, we haven't been able to capture it on camera! Here she is w/a decent force out turn around & an attempted Cut/Catch:
Allegra G. had some promising, initial progress w/her Force Out Turn Around & she's getting over her fears of Reverse Suicides (that sounds strange out of context...). The strong Lex R. got a perfect Turn Around where he forced out well above the board! Now, we only need to repeat it consistently. Nice work, Lex! The tall, intense Renee F. fought the good fight to stay focused & push her training as she was back to breaking a few eggs in pursuit of that elusive omelet. Take a look at Renee's B/E Splits (after the 2nd swing) w/an attempted half turn to the mat/net:
The comely, adept & highly missed Kristy M. joined us this night after so long away! She honed her Turn Around very well & is almost ready to remount the pedestal. And, Kristy accomplished her Reverse Suicide on her 1st try, and she only got more comfortable w/it after each time! Nice work, Kristy; we hope to see you again soon!
Here is Kristy's Turn Arounds w/attempted planting of her feet on the pedestal finished off w/some Reverse Suicides!:
The elegant & diverse Maryam W. has pretty much conquered her Turn Around, too! Take a look at a few of her turns this night:
Here's Maryam warming up w/her swing:
And, here she is w/a Turn Around & Reverse Back Flip:
Our Tanya E. tried bettering her B/E Splits w/a Half Turn in pursuit of taking this out of lines eventually. Here's one of Tanya's Splits w/an attempted Half Turn to the mat/net:
Plane humor: "The odds against there being a bomb on a plane are a million to one, and against two bombs a million times a million to one. Next time you fly, cut the odds & take a bomb." — Benny Hill
"When we walk to the edge of all the light we have & take the step into the darkness of the unknown, we must believe that one of two things will happen. There will be something solid for us to stand on or we will be taught to fly." — Patrick Overton
Sunday, July 1, 2007
Sunday, July 1, 2007, Brooklyn, NY
It was a pretty cool Sunday! Emily S., daughter Willa & friend Daniella joined us for their 1st times at our little indoor rig. They experienced the instruction & value unique to our space. The mindful Emily was still "tap dancing" on the bar a little bit, but we were on a mission to fixed that!
She smoothed out her B/E Splits by delaying her hollow a little bit, then crunching her abs to get her hips up a little more, and finally arching her back a little sooner. Here, see for yourself:
Emily made some easy catches & eventually worked the apron to near perfection! Notice the pointed toes & subtle smile...!
We tried various tactics to get the willowy Willa to slow down her own hollow w/her swing. In all fairness, she's quickly growing into a beautiful, young & (most significantly) much taller teenager each month! So, it's a tad difficult for her to consistently grasp her flying. Willa threw a nice Pull Over Shoot & 1 nice B/E Straddle Whip before working on her catches.
The very helpful & friendly Daniella worked on her Set Whip for her 1st times before making a few Knee Hang catches!
The agile Kitao S. practiced his Layout a few times before developing his Shooting Star (and the occasional, spontaneous Drive Layout...!):
Take a look at Kitao's B/E Planche catch w/return!
And, the young, beautiful & very talented Maya F. brought her dad to watch her fly in person for the 1st time! She dusted off her B/E Splits, worked on her Turn Around in preparation for remounting the pedestal, & practiced her B/E Bird's Nest:
Then, she threw her B/E Birdie for catches for her 1st times! And, in typical Maya-form, she made a couple of returns, too! Full round trips very soon, Maya!
At the end of our day, newbies Kevin & Diane tried out the flying trapeze for their 1st times while the flyer-formerly-known-as-Amy-W. tried something new! As our Lizzy H. has accomplished, Amy did her 1st Cut/Catch in her catcher's hands (me!)! Twice! Check it out:
We're developing an easier, faster way to register & pay for classes on our little rig in Brooklyn. Once, it's officially up & running, everyone will know, and we'll need you to spread the word!
"I'll take 'Things I'd Never Do' for $100..." - Jeff Silverman (watching another flyer do different bar mounts & back mounts to the pedestal)
She smoothed out her B/E Splits by delaying her hollow a little bit, then crunching her abs to get her hips up a little more, and finally arching her back a little sooner. Here, see for yourself:
Emily made some easy catches & eventually worked the apron to near perfection! Notice the pointed toes & subtle smile...!We tried various tactics to get the willowy Willa to slow down her own hollow w/her swing. In all fairness, she's quickly growing into a beautiful, young & (most significantly) much taller teenager each month! So, it's a tad difficult for her to consistently grasp her flying. Willa threw a nice Pull Over Shoot & 1 nice B/E Straddle Whip before working on her catches.
The very helpful & friendly Daniella worked on her Set Whip for her 1st times before making a few Knee Hang catches!
The agile Kitao S. practiced his Layout a few times before developing his Shooting Star (and the occasional, spontaneous Drive Layout...!):
Take a look at Kitao's B/E Planche catch w/return!
And, the young, beautiful & very talented Maya F. brought her dad to watch her fly in person for the 1st time! She dusted off her B/E Splits, worked on her Turn Around in preparation for remounting the pedestal, & practiced her B/E Bird's Nest:
Then, she threw her B/E Birdie for catches for her 1st times! And, in typical Maya-form, she made a couple of returns, too! Full round trips very soon, Maya!
At the end of our day, newbies Kevin & Diane tried out the flying trapeze for their 1st times while the flyer-formerly-known-as-Amy-W. tried something new! As our Lizzy H. has accomplished, Amy did her 1st Cut/Catch in her catcher's hands (me!)! Twice! Check it out:
We're developing an easier, faster way to register & pay for classes on our little rig in Brooklyn. Once, it's officially up & running, everyone will know, and we'll need you to spread the word!
"I'll take 'Things I'd Never Do' for $100..." - Jeff Silverman (watching another flyer do different bar mounts & back mounts to the pedestal)
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