56 days off the Bar...

...and I'm "jonesin' for my fix". TSNY has it right - "Forget Fear. Worry about the Addiction." Or we came up with this good line last night - "Trapeze! Cheaper than cocaine and a much better high!"

Even though I still can't fly for another 4 whole weeks (Good Grief!)...it's Thursday night and I don't have too many more Thursday nights left in this town. So I went back...to be with my friends...at our little rig in Brooklyn. (The pics are repeats but fond memories of past Thursday classes.)

I've never been a very good spectator. I thought it was going to be too hard to bear - being so close and having to sit by and just watch; smelling the chalk, hearing the calls, the feel of the Bar and tasting the adrenaline. But the exact opposite was true...being there laughing with my friends, witnessing their progress, and making plans for the day we all can fly together again...elevated my mood like very few things can.

I learned something tonight...being with my circus family and just being around Trapeze - something that I absolutely love - is enough to refill my strength reserves and send my spirit soaring again!

Cinderella for a day...

It was a magical Saturday.

Celebrating together on happy occasions and supporting each other through life's difficulties is just what friends do.

This morning I had the great fortune to participate as a coach in another ZG flight out of LaGuardia. I know I say this EVERY flight but we had an awesome group of flyers today. And the ZG team once again rose to the occasion. It brings me great joy to contribute, in my small way, to this experience. My sincere thanks to those who make this possible.

Later in the day, I was tremendously honored to join dear friends Paul & Kathie in celebrating the wedding of their son Jordan to his beloved Robyn. The Bride and Groom looked blissfully happy. Kathie was stunning, absolutely radiant and Paul's beaming smile was a joy to witness. It was a beautiful ceremony, the reception was exquisite and it was wonderful to spend the evening catching up with dear Mercer friends, Mark, Sharon, Mindy and Roseann.

We took this special shot of Roseann, Paul and me; walking advertisements for Triple Impact Coaching. With Nordine's guidance, fit and mindful living has become a part of each of us. After seeing we three "Ambassadors of Fitness", Groom Jordan even commented he's "gotta get on the Nordine plan"...

A quick shot of me and Roseann...

I really enjoyed catching up with Mark and his wife Sharon. They were very surprised to hear of my relocation news but both were wonderfully supportive; as I knew they would be. You may recall, Mark was the Managing Director who hired me 15 years ago. And throughout the years he has been a tremendous advisor, mentor and friend to me (and to so many others). He is doing great; even danced a little. It is so nice to see Mark and Sharon together. Like Paul & Kathie and now Jordan & Robyn...these amazing couples are proof that the "great love story" really does exist. Here's Sharon, Mindy, me and Mark...

(Note the beautiful centerpieces.)

And here's the evening's "Power Shot"; Mindy, Paul & me...

This photo is one of my favorites, "Paulie's Girls"...

Mindy, Paul, me & Roseann

On this amazing Saturday, I got to spend my day wearing a flight suit; floating in microgravity with an incredible group of flyers and my wonderful ZG friends. As if that weren't enough, I got to spend my evening in a brand new pretty dress and "Bling" (don't tell Dr. C I took off my wrist guard for this event); sharing in the great joy of my dear friends. Throw in a trapeze bar and I'd swear I was in Heaven!

In days preceding and in all the hours of Saturday, I was profoundly aware of and grateful for the blessings bestowed on me today. I left the reception shortly before 12:00AM; quite certain that come midnight I would turn into a pumpkin.

It was a magical day...Living my Bliss with Laughter in my Heart!!!

My horoscope for Saturday, November 17, 2007

I've a full day ahead; surrounded by my friends and doing the things that I absolutely love. While I'm not one to take much stock in horoscopes, today's made me stop and take notice.

"A lot of changes are coming to your life very soon, so this is a day to take another long look at what you've got going on now -- and appreciate it! Living in the moment is a difficult thing to do in this age of fast-moving information and future plans. But you'd be cheating yourself big time if you didn't at least take an hour out of your day to reflect on your life and thank yourself for making the choices and efforts it took to get you where you are."

Starting this day off with Gratitude...

Girl Talk...

After nearly three months, my dear friend and "Sister by Heart" Judy and I FINALLY found ourselves with a free evening to catch up. So much has happened since we last saw each other and I've missed our Sunday night post-trapeze IFW chats terribly. I can tell her anything and she can do the same - unconditional support, no judgements and there's never a doubt that what is said between us, stays between us. She is an amazing spirit and survivor. I am so grateful to have her friendship bless my life.

We took an hour (and a glass of vino) for each of the three months apart to share the stories we'd both accumulated. Our successes and our disappointments. Our inspirations and our heartbreaks. Our humiliations and our moments touched by great kindness. The highs feel so much greater and the lows are somehow easier to accept when viewed through the eyes of a true friend.

By the end of the evening our cheeks were sore from smiling, our jaws were achy from gabbing and our eye makeup was a mess from laughing so hard we cried.

Another wonderful memory created...

GROUNDED!!!!

The good news is that I got to see my awesome orthopedist Dr. Callahan, Medical Director of the Women's Sports Medicine Center at Hospital for Special Surgery. The bad news is this was not a social visit. She grounded me off the Trapeze Bar until further notice.

What I thought was just a sprain from a bad catch during my last SHOW class turned out to be a bit worse. It seems I've got a crack in my wing and one the cables (i.e., ligaments) keeping my infrastructure aligned tore from the bone and rolled up into my forearm "like a cheap window shade". (To quote Dr. Callahan.)

It looks gross and hurts as bad as it sounds! I took this so Angie can "kinda" see the freakish mass of tissue...


Thank Heaven for Advil. I made the mistake of forgetting to take it last Sunday while in New Mexico and sure paid the price. By afternoon, I was miserable but didn't realize the cause. A firm handshake finally brought me to tears.

I know what you're thinking...our Jen?...TEARS?

Yup! Good friend Mike and new pal Nick can attest. I tried to be tough but in the end I cried like a little girl! They took good care of me...patiently understanding that like a wild animal, when I'm hurting I need to go off by myself until I am strong again. (Or in this case, until the Advil kicked in.) They let me go alone but followed close behind to ensure I got back to the hotel safely. It's nice to have friends who would do that. I am touched and truly grateful for their kindness.

Can't fly so I'm off to Grasshopper's class for some intense cardio...I'll keep you posted.

Family Visits are the Best!

It's so nice to have family in town!!!!! Angie, Jeff and their boys came to visit this week. Technically we're not "blood family" but as I've gotten older I've come to realize that genetics aren't the only criteria for family. I've known and counted on Jeff since the 9th grade. I'm so blessed that he met and chose to marry Angie and we became best friends too! They are my people...

When asked if they wanted to go to a water park or to visit Auntie Jen in New York City, without missing a beat Benjamin and Cameron both said "Visit Auntie Jen, Murray and Ira and the Statue of Liberty!!!"

They arrived later than expected Wednesday night so I met up with everyone for breakfast at the hotel Thursday morning. I was really nervous that Cameron wouldn't remember me because the last time I saw him, he was only 3 months old. (And we had that whole diaper fiasco!) Here are some photos from my last visit to their house.

The moment I entered the dining room...there was Benjamin, arms waving high in the air "Hi Auntie Jen! It's Auntie Jen! Hi Auntie Jen!". And I looked over to see the biggest smile on Cameron's face and heard his sweet little voice say "Hi Auntie Jen!" It was music to my ears. They absolutely stole my Heart! Again!

We gobbled up breakfast and made a quick stop in the room. Cameron and Benjamin, now ages 3 1/2 and 5 3/4 respectively, are big fans of Rocket Racing and they were so excited to receive their official Rocket Racing patches and pendants. They proudly wore their pendants all weekend. We had "Mission Briefings" before every outing and the boys behaved like good little future Rocket Racing pilots!

First on our agenda was Lady Liberty. Here's Ben, Cam and me riding the subway down to Battery Park. During the ride, Ben explained to us how bad it is to litter.

Here are a few shots of Ben taking in the sights...

Cameron was a little camera shy. Everyone got a bit sleepy on the Ferry back to Manhattan and Cameron napped in my arms; drowning my shoulder in little boy drool. Needless to say, I was in Heaven. It's not often that I have little ones around and I am a total pushover for these guys.

We took another subway ride up to Grand Central Terminal (GCT). Ben and Cam told me all about how the animals escaped from the zoo and ran around GCT in the film Madagascar. Here we are in GCT. Cameron didn't want his picture taken so he hid behind me.

I had to take a few business calls so we split up for a couple hours and agreed to meet at our little rig in Brooklyn. It was Thursday and I had my SHOW workshop. Here's me up on the Board with Jeff S. and Maryam climbing up...

Words can not express how much it meant to me to have Ang, Jeff & the boys there to watch me fly and to meet my trapeze family. It filled me with joy to be surrounded by people I love, who love me back and allow me to share my passion. Ben and Cam quickly became the darlings of the evening. Flirting with all the ladies; they learned every one's name and cheered us all. It was delightful! Jeff took video and in it you can hear them all cheering.

In this video of my Swing OOL, you can hear Ben counting the number of times I go back and forth. He was my toughest critic and an absolute joy.



You might notice that the tempo of my Swing OOL is getting much better. Thanks to the feedback from Randy in the last class, I am finally finding balance in my swing. In fact at one point, I was flying SO HIGH...I scared myself. I was afraid I would hit my head on the rafters like Dino once did. A silly notion I know, but I got really high! It felt effortless and I loved every moment.

Next I threw my Split with Half-turn to the mat. I'm working on taking my Split OOL and need to convince my instructors that after I release, I will turn and fall to my back safely. This skill is hard to practice in lines , as we often get tangled up, but I'm finally getting it. This is the best one I've done so far...



Taking Allegra's place tonight, Ben kept the class moving by reminding me of my place in line and he always made sure I chalked up before each turn. On to my Cutaway practice. This one looks really funny; like I land on my face and "eat mat". Actually, this is a skill we learn on the trampoline. It's called a chest drop and I don't fall on my face at all. If I were in a net, I'd bounce right back up.



Time for catches and I threw Randy my Split. We got really high in the Apron and I almost made it back to Jeff S. on the Board...



But when I got there I didn't like being back in his arms so I decided not to let go of the bar.

On our next catch Randy and I made a solid lock on the right but couldn't connect our left. We didn't release in time and flew into the Apron twisting together from one arm. A very bad and painful thing to do. I cranked my shoulder and sprained my wrist. It was a freak accident. If we hadn't had such a solid lock on the right, we likely would have immediately called "no catch" and released.

Living my Bliss...sometimes I'm going to get hurt. I was more scared than anything but quickly climbed back up the ladder, threw Randy my Split again and round tripped it back to the Board. This time I made sure I had enough force out over the Board to easily remount without needing Jeff S. to scoop me up in his arms. (It's a trust thing!)

A future trapeze artist...here's Ben on the low bar.

What a fun night! We took a car back to the City for dinner and said our good nights!

We met up again around Noon on Friday...hung out at the M&M store, ate $10.95 grilled cheese sandwiches, walked the streets in search of the Nascar store and ended up at Nintendo. After playing around a bit, it was time to head back to the hotel and pack up the boys for a sleepover at Auntie Jen's house.

Ben and Cam were excited and ready for the adventure. No hesitation at all. Jeff looked forward to a night on the town with Ang. Ang was a little worried Ben and Cam would misbehave. And me? Well, not having spent much time with little kids, I wavered between keeping to my plan of activities or putting the apartment in lock down and wrapping the boys in bubble wrap for the next 16 hours.

I took a deep breath, opted for the former and everything turned out GREAT!!!! Just a few minor mishaps...

Cameron rolled off the chaise and landed in Murray & Ira's water dish; getting soaking wet. He now tells people he went swimming at Auntie Jen's house in New York City.

Even though he was told not to, Benjamin tried to swing on the "Fire pole" and knocked it down with a big, loud thunk.

Despite Ben & Cam bringing them toys and treats, poor Murray was so freaked out by these "little people", he spent nearly their whole visit hiding in the closet. And sweet Ira came out for treats but would race back inside the chaise whenever Cam would chase after him. Cam would say..."Auntie Jen, I saw Ira and he tried to bite me so left him alone."

And that was just in the first half hour!

Fortunately we found our vibe and all major crisis were averted. We took a field trip to the grocery store where the boys got to pick their favorite ice cream and all the toppings they wanted. (A tradition I learned from my Grandy.) We all got into our PJs and made big ice cream sundaes for dessert!

The biggest hit of the night was playing with the Rocket Racer model. These little guys couldn't keep their hands off it.

Cameron always kept the Rocket Racer on its stand and asked to have his picture taken with it on every turn.

And Benjamin, he made up elaborate race scenarios...



It was time to settle down and I told the boys they could select a DVD to watch for a little while. They picked Return of the Jedi. Now before anyone starts questioning my parenting skills (or lack thereof) both Ben and Cam were able to successfully describe the first half hour of the movie with great accuracy. So I knew Jeff and Ang had let them watch it before. Cameron couldn't contain his excitement. Hear him say "Return of the Jedi" and "Thank you TV!"



Here's Ben watching the movie...

We watched about 15 minutes and then it was time for bed. I had one last surprise for the boys. I brought the universe into my little NYC apartment and we all laid down on our backs to count the shooting stars...

The boys were so good and went right to bed. I told them that if they were really quiet, Murray and Ira might come out to sleep with them. The kitties did venture out to sniff but then they would spook and run back into hiding. We all had a good night's sleep and Cameron was the last to get up Saturday morning.

When he finally did, he found that Ira started to feel more comfortable. Here's Cam petting Ira.

Angie and Jeff arrived Saturday morning and it was time for them to get ready to leave. But not before a few more poses with the Rocket Racer...


I don't know if I'll ever make a very good mommy or not but according to Benjamin and Cameron, I'm getting really good at this Auntie Jen gig.

Thank you for coming to visit. From the bottom of my heart, it meant the world to me to have you here.

Meet the man who changed my life...

...well, changed my swing! Here's me and instructor Randy...

During our Tuesday 10/16 Catch & Return Workshop, Randy filled in for Dino this week. He was an instructor in my Sunday IFW Summer 2006 and a great motivator. Randy's flown for 11 years and spent this past Summer flying with one of Trapeze's best. He's currently working on his double layout and it looks amazing. We spent a fair amount of time on the low bar fine tuning my swing. I can't explain it but, I finally "get it"; I know what it's supposed to feel like and now I just have to keep practicing. My swing improved ten fold in just one class. That's the great thing about working with so many different instructors...each brings a different perspective. And sooner or later...something just clicks!

Here are some candids from our class...


Kristin, Emmanuelle, Allegra & Lori (with Leslie on trampoline with Matt instructing).

Here's our Manny in the catch trap...

Sunday Night IFW Reunion - 10/14/07

Several of us from our Sunday IFW got together to take advantage of the few remaining days at TSNY's outdoor space. Here's me, Amanda, Lidia & Colleen...
It was fun, but it was cold. Here's Amanda, Instructor Hal and me...

"Kiwi" Rob was on lines and Adam worked the board. It was nice to have one last Hooray on the TSNY outdoor rig!

I'm looking forward to flying with them on the Santa Monica Pier in early 2008!

Spending time with my friends, doing something I absolutely love!

I just love my Thursday night Trapeze workshop. It was so good to see everyone. Thais is finally back from China and great fun to fly with. This amazing group of individuals can always lift my spirit. (Not an easy task lately.) Here's Allegra and me...

My instructor "Dream Team" - Jeff, Dino & Manny - was back in full force for the first time since early September. Due to conflicting schedules, "big brother" Jeff and I had not seen each other since he coaxed me out-of-lines (OOL) at GetAway last month. And you know what the first thing he said to me was???? "Jen, you got fat!" Here's Jeff pointing out my "flaws"...


OK, I'll admit it, my safety belt was cinched a bit too tightly...creating a very unattractive skin belt. Leave it to Jeff to call it out. Sheesh...Thanks Jeff...missed you too!

Our boys picked on us girls pretty hard tonight...Allegra's catch & return OOL, Thais's 1/2 turn & remount OOL, Lisa's catch & return OOL, my take-off & swing OOL. Pushing us past our comfort zone; they keep telling us that we are already doing these things on our own and have a false belief that they are "doing something" for us while we are in lines. They tell us in truth, we are flying on our own power. The only thing preventing us from throwing these skills OOL with confidence are the barriers we've created in our own minds.

But as I tried to explain to Jeff on the Board...we HAVE to be smart, strong, confident, independent, successful and responsible for our own safety in ALL other aspects of our lives. Trapeze is the one place where we can go to push our minds and our bodies in an environment in which we feel completely taken care of; safe and secure in someone else's strong hands.

I told him that we'll each keep striving to meet our full potential...that's just who we are. It's how we're made. But some days, it's just really nice to come to the rig, to let go and to allow ourselves to allow someone else to take care of us; to be our safety net.

We worked our basic skills - Swing, Half-turn, Board Remount, Half-Half. For catches, I threw my whip to Dino. We made our first catch despite my looking down. On the second, I managed to whip open and look for him but we still missed. However, I did kick the bar with both Achilles and got to experience a whole new level of pain! Enough, I threw my split and we caught & returned like we've been doing it for years!

Here's my swing OOL...



That's Jeff on lines doing my calls and if you look closely, you can see me look down at him and smile as he corrects everything I'm doing wrong. But I don't care, it's just good to have him back.

I absolutely love it up there. I feel so free...balancing my feather.

If I could find a way to stay up there and fly forever...I'd never come down!

I am truly blessed!

If it's Thursday, you'll find me at our little rig in B'lyn...

throwing myself into the arms of a cute boy! Tonight it was our sweet Manny with his REALLY cool tattoo of a panther face on his left shoulder (and his nose ring).

Another great night. Here's Lisa, Tanya, Manny, me, Dino, Emily and Maryam...

We start each class working the basics. Dino let me take my Swing out-of-lines (OOL) for the first time on this rig. It felt amazing! Next up was my Half-turn with Board Remount...



Reached out with the wrong hand and grazed Dino's forehead on that one. Oops, sorry Dino! (Supposed to reach my right across my body to grab the left rail thus avoiding punching the guy on the Board.) I tried my Half-Half for the first time and it wasn't scary. I did get a wicked "Cross my Heart" rope burn from the safety lines...



I'm OK. It was sore but quick to scab over and well, I just don't think you're playing hard enough if you don't come away with at least a mark or two.

So then, I decided to further the torture and practice my half turn to the mat off my Split.



Yeah, I've still a lot to learn about staying tight and not piking my Fall. Manny likes to keep loose lines - makes for a rougher fall but that's how we learn to take responsibility for our own safety. A little thing we call TOUGH LOVE!

Enough abuse, it was time to practice my Cutaway Half. The Cutaway Half is a back layout with a twist. Dino explained to me, a person is either "Naturally Twisty" or they are not. Guess which category I fall into?

Apparently, I'm not "Naturally Twisty". So to help me turn, Dino suggested that when he calls my "Hands" release, I slap my thigh real fast, causing my shoulder to shift and initiate the twist.



Well, I had a perfect chalk hand print on my right thigh but as you can see...there was no twist. All I got was a face full of mat. I'll try again next week.

Since my Cutaway Half isn't catchable yet, I threw my "Go To" Split to Manny...



We had great apron work in this video but I was too quick off his hands to make the return. I didn't get the other two catches on film but arguably made both returns. Dino says my sideways, one-handed return doesn't count. NEVER take a one-handed return, a flyer can really mess up her shoulder. That was the first time Dino yelled at me...EVER!!! I know better but sometimes I just can't help myself...I want that bar!

My Favorite Catch!

I started my Swing, Catch & Return workshop tonight. After 2 1/2 weeks away from our little rig in B'lyn, it was good to be home. Right away Dino knew I didn't bring my usual "oomph". He stood behind me on the Board - no longer holding my belt - but still softly telling me "I'm right here for moral support, Jen. You can do it."

I threw some practice swings, a few half turns, then it was time for catch & return practice. No video tonight. After being away, I just threw my split and even I'm bored watching that trick. It felt so good to be back throwing myself into Dino's arms...solid forearm lock every time and his confident words, "I've got you!"

Flyers fall a little bit in Love with every catch. Our Catcher may be married or single, gay or straight, male or female - it doesn't matter. Imagine being rescued from a fall by the strongest hands you can imagine; reinforced by the words "I've got you!" That's what it's like to be caught. We can't help but fall in Love. Sadly, it lasts a mere 30 seconds or so. One of two things happen:

1. We make our Return, which is way more exciting than the catch. Back in the air and full of possibilities, we leave our Catcher in the dust.

Or

2. We fall gently into the net/mat, take off our safety lines and look up adoringly to see that our beloved Catcher has another girl in his arms. Bastard!!!

Circus Love is fleeting...but oh, it is so much fun!

My ever expanding Circus Family

Jaded New Yorker that I am, few things ever surprise me anymore, but then I found Circus...I continue to be completely floored by the true sincerity, the tremendous kindness and the welcoming closeness that is the tight knit Aerial Arts world.

Last week found me in Newport Beach and Los Angeles for business. Never one to miss an opportunity to fly, on my only free night (and then again before my flight home) I stopped by Hollywood Aerial Arts and met owners Ray & Tania P. Upon hearing that I train out East on our little rig in Brooklyn as well as along the Hudson...I was welcomed with open arms and immediately made to feel at home. (And they say it's hard to find true friends in the "Land of Make Believe".) Meeting up with my best friend from Boston for a quick chat sure helps too!

It's always different flying on a new rig with a new instructor but it's also the best way to learn our art. A few things that were new to me...

- Carrying the safety lines up the ladder
- Ready, Set, HEP! (I'm accustomed to just Ready, HEP!)
- A Catch Cradle instead of a Catch Trap
- Catchers don't move out of the way of flyers. I had to straddle my force out to prevent a collision
- Person on lines calls the "HEP" for catches

The first time I threw my Split to Catcher Scott, distracted by the shadows beneath me, I totally blew the catch. Second time, I reached out and rather than a solid forearm lock, I had his biceps and slid down to a wrist catch. As mentioned, it takes a while for a catcher and flyer to sync up but Scott was a sweetheart and a lot of fun to fly with.

Ray worked the lines and gave me great insight into the various "spot" points of each trick.

I had the great fortune of taking two static classes with Eric N. an incredible talent as well as Cirque du Soleil alum. While I've worked a few positions on the static bar, I've only ever had one real lesson before. Eric is an amazing instructor and whenever I got overconfident and sassy (as I'm prone to do)...he'd throw a tougher position at me. I still have huge bruises from learning my back balance (i.e. balancing from my lower back on the static bar...very painful but VERY COOL!)

Eric choreographed a routine for me and we taped it at the very end of class, which was also the first time we put everything together. After 2 hours of flying and an hour of static, you can see my strength (couldn't get into my extreme rock-n-roll & had to slide into position) and form (on my split and tempos) failing me near the end.

It also didn't help that Eric kept changing and adding choreography throughout. I was thrown when we switched sides for Gazelle, Mermaid and rope turn. (It was ugly but I stayed on the Bar and offer up some hysterical & creative derriere shots as Eric tries to spot and film at the same time.) Then he added a front balance off the ropes immediately following my back balance (REALLY HARD to do). The one knee pose and finally ending with ankle balance. Sheeesh!

But we had an awesome time together! He tested how far he could push me and well, I love to be pushed! While there is so much I do that lacks grace...if you look closely, there are one or two moments of beauty. Maybe, just maybe, the Kid's got potential. I'm going to keep practicing...

I couldn't load the whole routine as a single video (it runs 10 minutes) but here it is in three parts. A huge "Thank You" to my wonderful "Tech Savvy" friends who helped me edit this video into smaller pieces.







10 Minutes!!! A marathon for an experienced aerialist and here I am a novice - always up for a challenge. In reality, I should be able to get the timing down to about 7 minutes. I'll continue to practice...smooth out my transitions and make the program my own.

If you get a chance, check out E! channel for their program "Sexiest Jobs in Hollywood". Hollywood Aerial Arts is featured as the #2 sexiest job in Hollywood for their Aerial acts performed weekly on the LA club scene. Or you can see the clip on their website http://www.hollywoodaerialarts.com

Here is my parting pearl of wisdom from Eric - applicable to life both on and off the static bar...

"Always save enough energy to get yourself out of...whatever you get yourself into!"

"Circus is Scary and it Hurts!!! Suck it up or...

Go to the Art Barn."

(The quote originates from a instructor who worked the Trapeze program at kid's summer camp. The Art Barn was the destination of choice for the less adventurous. This saying has become our Mantra.)

This weekend about 30 of us traveled to the country for an Intensive Circus Aerial Arts Workshop in the Berkshires organized by Jeff & Dino. We arrived Friday evening, immediately went to the rig and flew for two hours. Saturday's schedule had us up at 8:00 am for flying & static trapeze, silks, & stretching till 8:00 pm. At least Jeff gave us 2 hours to rest and relax by the lake...10 hours of circus in one day was intense but we are a hard core group!!! Here are some candid shots of our group at the rig waiting a turn to fly...taping our rips...reviewing video..visualizing...stretching...working positions on the low bar...

Scott works the Safety Lines & Jeff yells instructions

Early Saturday morning I took my first warm up Swing of the day, climbed down and had the following exchange with Jeff.

Jeff: "OK Jen, next time up, take it out of lines."
Jen: "No!"
Jeff: "Yes!"
Jen: "NO!!!"
Jeff: "YES!!!
Jen: "NO Jeff!!! I'm NOT doing that."
Jeff: "Yes you are, Jen. Next time!"
Jen: "NO! I'm not ready. I am NOT flying out of lines."
Jeff: "Nobody ever thinks they're ready...but you're ready. Next time up...you're out of lines."
Jen: "NO I'M NOT!"

The conversation ended there. Each of us knowing full well that this battle would not be fought on the ground but rather on the shaky, wooden Board 35' above our heads. We went to our separate corners and prepared ourselves for the confrontation of wills soon to come.

My turn again and I quickly climbed up the ladder while Jeff was giving instruction to the previous flyer. Zane was working the Board and clipped on my safety lines. I've never seen Jeff climb a ladder as fast as he did to get up and fight with me. The following exchange took place while he was unclipping my lines...

Jeff: "NO LINES!!!"
Jen: "No Jeff, I can't."
Jeff: "Yes you can. You're ready. Trust me."
Jen: "Jeff, you KNOW I don't trust anybody!"
Jeff: "I know you don't trust anyone, Jen. But you can trust me."
Jen: "NO!"
Jeff: "Jen, it's OK. You can trust me."
Jen: "Jeff, I don't want to do this now. I'm not ready."
Jeff: "Jen, you can trust me. I won't ever let you do anything that isn't safe. You can do this. I'll hold your belt. I'm right here for you."
Jen: "Jeff...NO!"
Jeff: "Jen, I'm right here. I've got you. You can trust me."
Jen: (Huff!) "FINE...GIVE ME THE BAR!!!"

(Thinking: "HA! I'll show you. You're going to be sorry.") I jumped...far too pissed off to even think about being scared.


IT WAS AMAZING! I forgot about being mad and I wasn't scared at all. Flying felt strong and free and as natural to me as breathing in and out. It felt as if I'd been doing this all my life. I was home...this is how it was always meant to be. So beautiful...and so quite. I surrendered my whole self to the rhythm of the pendulum, the rush of the wind and the pure silence at Peak. The muted sounds of Jeff's calls from the Board and support from the ground seemed a million miles away. There are moments you remember all your life...I am keenly aware that this is one of those moments.

It was so much fun...I kept doing it again and again. Here's my second time and as you can hear, glory on the bar is fleeting...it's time to get back to work. In this clip you not only hear Jeff's instruction but also Joan, who came down from Montreal to help teach, calls out instructions. Having been an Aerial Artist and Instructor for over 20 years, Joan is incredibly talented.



In an earlier post, I describe Jeff as the "man in my life who calls me out on all my s**t". We share the same DNA personality traits. And if we were each other's twin, he was likely born 2 minutes and 43 seconds before me...hence, the big brother sincerity. On this morning, he knew exactly what I needed to hear and how to get me exactly where I needed to be. (But then again, he is a Lawyer.) He played me like a fiddle and now that I've tasted pure flight...I am forever changed.

Jeff & me Celebrating Success!

After two hours on the rig, it was time to head down to the Boathouse for two hours of Static Trapeze and Silks. First up, Instructor Bobby showed us several new skills on the Fabric. Bobby manages our little rig in Brooklyn and also teaches my trampoline body awareness class. An Aerial Artist himself, he's currently amid auditions with Cirque du Soleil. He'll be in Vegas next month for call backs. Good luck Bobby! Here's me flying on Silks...

(You can see Jeff's wife Elena in the background playing with Joan's son Alex. Jeff and Elena are expecting their first, a baby girl, in January.)

Then it was time for some Static Bar work. The bar is about 12' above the floor. Here's my Russian Star...

And here is one of the nasty truths of Trapeze...it hurts! In order to get into the Russian Star, one must succumb to one heck of a bar wedgie.

Suffering for my Art...

To Create a Moment of Beauty!

And here is my Flamenco...

Back at the rig, I worked my Cutaway. Hear Jeff yell at me for grabbing on to the safety lines "...Jen, you know better than that!"

I also threw my Split across to Dino. As usual, we made a great catch and our apron work was flawless. I was going to try for the return but Jeff yelled out "BAR!!!"; calling the timing for Tatiana on Board to drop the return bar. It startled me and totally threw off my 180.

Here's Danielle, Lidia and me waiting our next turn at the rig.

And here's Danielle, me and Catcher Jeff S. waiting in line for an afternoon snack.

We were up at 8:00 am again on Sunday for stretch, static, silks and flying until Noon. Then we headed back to the City.

Here's a few of the more memorable advice and comments overheard this weekend...

"The trick is just don't be scared."

"You call it screwing up...I call it fixin' it!"

"An Aerial Artist always remembers TTJ...Tits & Teeth to Jesus!"

"Hmmm, Nature. Yeah, this is really cute. Can we go home now?"

"I mean, you want to be nice to people but then he said he came from a Correctional Facility..."