I have a list of things that I want to try in my life at some point and trapeze was one of them. So, when modelinia came to me saying that they want to do a “get to know me” shoot of something I found interesting I said “why not trapeze?” they agreed! I was so excited I could barely sleep the night before and nervous that the weather was going to rain us out. When I woke up I found that we totally lucked out on the weather, it was beautiful out.
I arrived at 9AM to the trapeze school of New York located on the west side highway, which over looks the Hudson River. My trapeze instructor was named Dallas who prepared me before I climbed the 30 foot ladder to the platform. The first lesson was just swinging and hooking your knees on the bar and swinging. Seemed really challenging since I was even worried about just being able to hold on, I don’t have the best upper body strength in the world. So he just kept repeating that when I am up there it’s VERY important to do the movements when he says otherwise it may not be a pretty sight. Here I go.
I got belted, chalked and strapped in; I climbed the ladder to maybe the smallest platform for the 3 people to be standing on all at once. I some how squeeze myself into position. Toes over the edge, left hand on the ladder, and lean out with hips out, right hand grab the bar, left hand, ready....and jump! Dallas is calling out to hook my legs up and I couldn’t get it the first time but then I tried again, I got it. I’m now swinging upside down and its AMAZING! To let go you just tuck your legs in and you naturally do a flip and land in the net. After my first time to go I was on a high of adrenaline and wanted to keep going and learn more tricks. my next trick was to do the “split”, its basically the same thing as the first one hanging upside down but my question was, “when I let go I'm going to land on my head, I don’t know about this!” and Dallas assured me that I wouldn’t and I would land on my stomach. Still hesitant we practiced on the “fake trapeze” just so I could learn the position and get all my steps and placements right.
Here I go...tada I did it and I felt like I was flying!! next? the next trick to learn was to do the “catch” its exactly how it sounds, Dallas swings with me and catches me when I’m upside down.....AMAZING! The trapeze experience was so refreshing. it made me feel like I was flying through the air. I would have to say the hardest part of it all is the initial jump after that it’s not as hard as it looks.
After my lesson the teachers demonstrated more advanced tricks, their performance was so graceful and elegant, it was like a dance in the sky, but between you and I.....my arms are KILLING me today ha ha but I will be back for sure!!! ;)
Check out some of the pictures from my lessons....
jxx
