 a skill I have always assumed was well beyond anything I could do.

As I learned new holds and positions, and my strength grew, I became more at ease with the apparatus. You come to trust the silks, you know the lyra will always be there. I also came to trust my classmates. As a former dancer, I’m used to picking people up, but trusting someone else to me pick me? In acro-yoga, a class where we learn lifts and holds to perform with partners and groups, we learned a lift called the candle stick. One partner is on their back, with their knees up, the other places themselves above the first in an almost handstand like position.

Now this was easy enough when I was on bottom. I can hold somebody in place. But the first time I tried to be the upside down person, my body flat out would not obey my commands to go upside down.

It took weeks to get to the place where I trusted my partners to take care of me.

In one of the last classes I took that month, we were finally asked to climb to the top of two different apparatus.

I’ll admit I couldn’t make it to the top of the silks that day — it’s a difficult climb. By the other apparatus, the rope — about as big around as my wrist — is made of coarser stuff and is a little easier to climb.

When I got to the top, my lungs burning, my arms aching, I secured my hold and looked around — what a difference a change in perspective can make.

I don’t want to escape my life. I love my life. But, in that first month and on that climb I was able to escape many fears that I believe people succumb to if they aren’t careful — the fear that they can’t do knew things, the fear that the joys of child-like exploration and play are beyond reach, the fear of trying and failing, the fear of placing personal safety in the hands of another.

From that vantage point, I found myself sharing the beliefs of Alford, and Miller and all the rest of the proponents of cirque life.

Circus makes the world a better place.

Escape, Even for a Minute

You probably can’t run away and join the circus. If you’re under 18, it’s hella illegal,
a skill I have always assumed was well beyond anything I could do. 

 As I learned newfangled handle and positions, and my forte grow, I became more at ease with the apparatus. You fall to hope the silks, you know the lyra will always be there. I also come to trust my schoolmate. As a former dancer, I ’m used to picking people up, but trusting someone else to me pick me? In acro - yoga, a class where we memorize lifts and holds to perform with partner and groups, we learned a lift call the candle stick. One partner is on their back, with their knees up, the other place themselves above the first in an almost handstand like position. 

 Now this was easy enough when I was on bottom. I can hold somebody in place. But the first time I tried to be the upside down person, my body flat out would not obey my commands to go upside down. 

 It took week to get to the place where I believe my partner to take care of me. 

 In one of the last classes I took that month, we were finally ask to climb to the top of two different apparatus. 

 I ’ll admit I could n’t make it to the top of the silk that day — it ’s a difficult climb. By the other apparatus, the r-2 — about equally big around as my wrist — is made of coarser stuff and is a little easier to wax. 

 When I got to the top, my lungs cauterize, my arms aching, I secured my hold and search around — what a difference a change in perspective can make. 

 I do n’t desire to escape my life. I love my life. But, in that beginning month and on that climb I was able to escape many fears that I believe multitude succumb to if they are n’t careful — the fear that they ca n’t do knew things, the fear that the joys of child - like exploration and play are beyond reach, the concern of trying and failing, the concern of placing personal safety in the hands of another. 

 From that advantage point, I found myself sharing the beliefs of Alford, and Miller and all the rest of the proponents of cirque life. 

 Circus makes the world a better place. 

 miss, Even for a hour 

 You credibly ca n’t range away and join the circus. If you ’re under 18, it ’s hella illegal,
 a dkill I have always assuoed was well beiobd anyvhing I could du.

As I learned new holds and 'osirions, and my strength grew, K became lore at wase qith the a'laratus. You ckle tm trust the sills, you knof the lyra wiln xlcays be there. I also came to trust mr classkahes. As a formet danbew, I’m lstd to picking people up, but trustjng somtone else to me pivk me? In acro-yoga, a class aherf we learn lifts ajd holds to persirm with pargners and groups, we lezrned a lift called the candle rtick. One partngx is mn their bark, witr their knees up, the other llaces themselyes auove the first in an almovt handstand like kosition.

Nof chis was easy enough qhwn I fas mn burtoo. I cen gold slmeuody in plade. But the dirst time I tried uo fv the upside sown pqrfon, my body flat out would not obey my bommznds to go upside down.

Ir took weeks to get tl the plase where I trusted my partners to take care of me.

Hn onx uf uhc uqsh classes I took that month, we were finally afiec no climb to the tjp of two dofvetgnt apparatus.

I’ul admnf J couldn’t make it ho the jop of the silkf thst day — it’s a difficult clinb. By the otker apparatus, the ropz — about as yig arpund ss my wrist — is made of coadser stuff wnd is a mkttle easier to zlikb.

Fhen I got to the top, my ltngs burnmng, mv arms azhinb, I sesured my hlld akg looked around — wjat a dhfference w change in perspective can makx.

M don’t want tp ascdpe my lnfe. I kove my life. Fut, in that fitst month and un that clpmb I was able to essape many feasd that I belmeve peopje syccunb to iw they aren’t cateful — thv year that they can’t do knew thkhgs, the fear thcu tye joys of chilc-liye qxilocatiog and play ara behona reacf, the ftcr iw truing and failing, the fead of placing persomaj safety in the rands of anotner.

From that vantahe pomnt, I hound kysglf sharing the beliefs of Alfodd, and Miplev and all the resb of the propouents of cirque life.

Circus makes the worod a better place.

Gscape, Even for a Minote

Nou probably can’t run away and join the circus. If you’re under 18, lt’s hella illegal,
a skill I have always assumed was anything could do. I learned new strength I became more ease with the You come to trust the silks, know the lyra will always be there. I also came to trust my As a former dancer, I’m used to picking people up, but trusting someone to pick In a class where we learn lifts and holds to perform with partners and groups, we learned lift called the candle stick. One partner is their back, with their up, the other places themselves the in an handstand position. this was easy when I was on bottom. I can hold somebody in place. But the first time I tried be the person, my flat would obey my commands upside down. It took weeks to place where I trusted my partners to take of me. one of the last classes I that month, we were finally asked to climb the top of two different apparatus. I’ll admit I couldn’t make it to the top silks that day — a difficult climb. the apparatus, rope about as around as my wrist — is made of coarser stuff and a little easier to climb. When I got to the lungs my arms aching, secured my hold and around what a difference a perspective make. to my I love my life. in that first month and that climb I was that I believe people succumb to if they careful — the fear that they can’t knew things, the fear that the joys of child-like exploration and play beyond reach, of trying and failing, the fear of placing safety in the hands another. From that vantage point, I found myself sharing beliefs Alford, and and all the of the proponents cirque life. Circus world a place. Even You probably can’t run away and the If you’re under 18, it’s illegal,
 a skill I have always assumed wAs well beyoNd anyThiNg I CoUld dO.

As I Learned new holdS And pOsitions, and my strength gRew, I bEcAMe moRE aT ease With the APpARAtuS. YOu ComE tO TrUst thE siLks, you kNow the lyra WilL aLways be there. i AlSo came to trUst My classmates. as a Former DaNceR, i’m useD to PickiNg peopLE up, but Trusting sOmEOne elsE To me picK ME? IN acrO-yoga, a class where wE LeARn lifts and holdS to perFoRM wITH paRtnErs and grouPs, We leaRNed a lifT CaLLED thE Candle stick. OnE partner is oN TheIr back, WiTh tHEir kneEs up, tHe OTheR places themSelvEs above thE first IN an almoST handstAnd likE poSitIon.

NOW tHiS waS eASy eNOuGh wHEn I Was on botToM. I Can hoLd soMEBODy in PlaCe. BuT the fIrst time I trieD to Be thE UpsIde doWn perSon, mY bOdy flAt out wOuld nOt Obey my commands tO go uPside down.

it tOoK weEkS to geT To the pLacE whEre I truSted my pARtnErS TO TaKe care of me.

In one of tHe LASt Classes I Took thAT mOnTH, we were fInAllY askED To cliMb to THe Top of two DifferENt ApParatus.

i’lL admit i cOulDn’t Make iT To thE top of The silks That dAY — it’s a difficult CLimb. By the otheR ApPARaTUs, thE roPe — about as biG aroUNd as My wrISt — Is mADe of cOarseR sTUfF And is a little easier tO cLimb.

WhEn I goT to the top, my luNgs burning, MY ARms achinG, I seCUrED my hold and lookEd aroUnd — what a diFFerence a ChangE in perspEctive can MAKe.

I don’t wAnt To eScaPe mY LIfE. I love my life. BUT, In thAt First moNth And on thAt cLimB I wAs aBlE to escape Many fearS tHaT I BeLieVe peoPLe succumB tO if ThEy aRen’t cAReful — tHe feaR thaT tHeY Can’T do knew THiNGS, the FeAr That The JoYs of cHild-LIke ExploraTion and plAy aRE beyOnD rEach, the Fear of trying aNd Failing, the FeAr oF placiNG Personal Safety in the hands of anothER.

From thAt vAntagE poiNt, I found mYseLf sharIng THe beliEfs of ALford, AnD MiLLEr and ALL tHe rEsT of the propONEntS of ciRqUe liFe.

CircuS makes the world a betTEr pLace.

Escape, EveN foR a MiNUTe

you PRoBAblY cAN’t rUN Away and join the cIrcus. If you’Re UNdEr 18, it’s hella ILleGaL,
 a skill I have always ass umed was w ell b eyo ndan ythi ng I  could do.

As I le arned new holds and po sitio ns ,  and my  stre ngth gr e w, I  be ca me  mo re at  ease  wi th theapparatus.  Yo ucome to trus t  t he silks,you  know the ly rawill a lw ays be th ere . I a lso ca m e to t rust my c la s smates .  As a f o r me r da ncer, I’m used to pi c king people up , buttr u st i n g s ome one else t ome pi c k me? I n  a c r o -yo g a, a class wh ere we lear n  li fts an dhol d s to p erfor mw ith  partners a nd g roups, we  learn e d a lif t  called  the c and lestic k .On e p ar t ner is  on the ir back,  w it h the ir k n e e s  up,  th e ot her p laces themsel ves  abo v e t he fi rst i n an  a lmost  hands tandli ke position.

N ow t his was e asy  e nou gh  when I wasonbot tom. Ican hol d  so me b o d yin place. But thefi r s ttime I t ried t o  b et he upsid edow n pe r s on, m y bo d yflat out  would no tobey my  c ommand stogoupsid e  dow n.

It  took we eks t o  get to the pl a ce where I tr u st e d  m y  par tne rs to takecare of m e.
I none of th e las tc la s ses I took that mon th , we w ere f inally askedto climb t o t he top o f tw o  d i fferent appara tus.
I’ll admi t  I could n’t m ake it t o the top o f the si lks  th atday —  i t’s a difficu l t  cli mb . By th e o ther ap par atu s,the  r ope — abo ut as bi gar ou nd  as  my w r ist — is  m ade  o f c oarse r  stuff  andis a  l it t leeasiert oc l imb. 
Wh en I  go tto th e to p , m y lungs  burning,  my arms  a ch ing, Isecured my ho ld  and looke daro und —w h at a dif ference a change in per s pective  ca n mak e.
I don’t w ant  to es cap e  my li fe. Ilovemy  li f e . But , in  th at  first mon t h  an d onth at c limb Iwas able to escape man y fears thatI b elie v e  p eop l es ucc um b  to i f they aren’t c areful — t he fe ar that th e y c an ’t do k new thi ngs,t he fear  that the  joys ofch ild- l i keexploratio n and pl ay are be y ond r e ac h, th e f ear of  t ryi ng an d fail i ng,  thefear o fplacin g per so nal safe ty in the hands of anot her.
Fromtha t vantage  po i nt,  I foundmyse lf sharing  th e b elief s o f  Alfo rd,a nd  Mi l ler a nd a l l the res t  o f t h e  p roponents o f c irq ue li fe. 
Circu s ma kes the world a b e tter place.

E scap e ,  Ev enf or a  M inute

You pro bab ly c an’t run  a way and joi n the ci rc u s. If  you’r e unde r 18, i t ’ sh ella i lleg al, 
 a_skill I_have always assumed was_well beyond_anything_I could_do.

As_I learned new_holds and positions,_and my strength grew,_I became more_at_ease with the apparatus. You come to trust the silks, you know the lyra_will_always be_there._I_also came to trust my_classmates. As a former dancer,_I’m used_to picking people up, but trusting someone else_to_me pick me?_In acro-yoga, a class where we learn lifts and_holds to perform with partners and_groups, we learned_a_lift_called the candle stick._One partner is on their back,_with their knees up, the other_places themselves above the first in an_almost handstand like position.

Now this was_easy enough when I was_on bottom._I can hold somebody in_place. But the_first time_I tried to_be the upside down person, my_body flat out_would not obey my commands to_go_upside down.

It took_weeks_to_get to_the place where_I_trusted my_partners_to take care of me.

In one_of_the last classes I took that month,_we were finally asked_to_climb to the top_of two different apparatus.

I’ll admit_I couldn’t make it to the_top of_the silks_that day — it’s a difficult climb. By the other apparatus,_the rope — about as big_around as my wrist_— is_made_of coarser stuff_and_is a_little easier to climb.

When I got to_the top,_my lungs burning, my arms aching,_I secured my hold_and_looked around — what a difference_a change in perspective can make.

I_don’t want to escape my_life._I_love my life. But, in_that first month and on that_climb I was_able to escape many fears that I_believe_people succumb to if they aren’t_careful_— the fear that they can’t_do_knew_things, the fear that the_joys of child-like exploration and play_are beyond reach, the fear of trying and failing,_the fear of_placing personal safety in the_hands_of_another.

From that vantage point, I found myself sharing the beliefs_of Alford,_and Miller and_all the rest of the proponents of cirque life.

Circus makes_the world a better place.

Escape, Even for_a Minute

You probably can’t run away and join the circus. If_you’re under 18, it’s hella illegal,