Thursday, June 7, 2007, Brooklyn, NY

We started the next series of our Catch & Return Program! For this series, we're asking all the flyers to not only develop their catching to full round trips, but to also raise their games in regards to their positions. Such, flyers as Allegra & Elena G. are to focus on higher end tricks to be brought round trip as well as diversify their flying so they not only have one "go to" trick. Flyers new to round trips are gonna (hopefully) experience something new & grand...!

The strong & adept Doug exhibited a lot of power (as he always does) but w/a little less control & tempo than he normally does. That didn't stop him from making a few nice B/E Planche catches & working the returns. "Type A" Elena G. did double duty as a drop-in working on her swing out of lines, her F/E Uprise (w/growing success), her Layout & her round trips off her B/E Splits. Before & while playing so well on the trampoline, the ever-disbelieving, powerful & stoic Allegra G. worked on her Forward Over w/quickly growing success before catching some solid B/E Splits! (I love trying to make Allegra break out one of those rare smiles.)

The composed & elegant Maryam W. is still in search of a solution to grasp her elusive Turn Around, but she did get to make some good B/E Splits catches & even get back to that return bar for her 2nd time! The intense but ever-pleasant Jen R. also tackled her Turn Around before making some B/E Splits catches. Leslie W. nursed her hands, played on the tramp & tuned her swing all during this 1st session. Laurie started out a little intimidated by the diverse group of flyers of this night, but Jen R. settled her fears & pulled her into our fold. Laurie locked out her arms to smooth out her take-off & developed the B/E of her swing a little more.

Lithe, worldly Emma S. has almost all the components in place to get her Suicide dismount; we just have to ramp up her power! And, French prodigy Emmanuelle C. had a productive night! She not only honed her pesky Turn Around very well but also worked a return so well off our Jeff L. that she could've had it! (We just neglected to send the bar...) I believe that Emmanuelle can adapt her movements very easily as long as we show & tell her exactly she has to do (much like Christine C.'s "photographic reflexes").

Jeff S. made a cameo instructor appearance to help us run the classes. And, the father of all these programs, our Jeff L., took some time from his corporate life & loving wife to teach some trampoline & catch a few flyers. And, it is always my joy to teach w/our Manny M. b/c he FEELS the nuances of each flyer & comfortably conveys his instruction.

See you all again soon; same time, same channel...!

p.s. - If you're reading this on a regular basis, please leave (nice) comments from time to time so I know someone is reading my little postings...