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Mask Up for Safer Circus!

This fabulous mask was made for me by the amazing Angi Geer of Geer Gear, and I LOVE IT!!!!!!!

Hello Dear Danglers! This week, we’re tackling the best practices for masking up during circus training – wheeeeee! As many of us return to the studio, we’re wondering how best to stay safe and slow the spread of COVID-19. As it stands now, several things have been shown to be successful in reducing virus transmission:

  • Hand washing! Grandma was right. Wash your hands frequently, and keep your fingers out of your nose.
  • Distance! If you can’t get close enough to spread the virus, that’s a win.
  • Outside! Air outside moves (even when it’s a billion degrees and doesn’t feel like it).
  • Face coverings! In the same way coughing or sneezing into your elbow reduces the snotty nose goblins that you fling into the universe, masks help contain respiratory droplets that are produced when we expel air (coughing, sneezing, singing, talking, and even just breathing). Keeping your moisture to yourself helps keep other people safe – you could be infected, but not realize it (people shed virus for days before they show symptoms). Face coverings have been a HUGE part of New York’s strategy to get the virus under control (distance is hard when you live right on top of one another), and it’s a strategy that seems to be paying off.

Now, I know some of you have said there’s no way in hell you’ll ever train in a mask, and that’s totally fine! Everyone has to make their own decisions based on their personal health and comfort levels. That said, it looks like this virus is going to be here for a while – it may come down to you pressing pause on circus until there’s a vaccine, or giving face coverings a try and finding a way of working masked that’s right for you (and safe for those around you).

To Mask or Not to Mask

When you’re ready to return to the sky, you may find that your studio has a mask requirement. If they don’t, you may still choose to wear one for a ton of completely valid reasons. Lots of considerations are at play here – the amount of virus in a particular area, the space itself, whether you’re inside or outside, altitude, insurance requirements, and more.

Is it Safe?

Friends, no one is asking you to run the Boston Marathon in a mask. It’s worth noting that New Yorkers have had to wear masks for several months now (even while exercising) unless we are able to reliably distance. If people were regularly passing out or dying from exerting themselves in masks, the Times would have been all over that. MANY professions – from doctors and nurses to the military – wear masks and expend significant effort. If you absolutely cannot wear one because of medical issues or PTSD, you may have to pause circus training in groups until a vaccine is available.

Many of us have been training with masks, and discovered that it’s not nearly as dramatic as you might fear. The type of mask matters a lot (see below), and you may have to try a few different kinds to find the one that works for what you’re doing. You will absolutely want to ramp up your effort on your apparatus slowly (which you should be doing anyway). Stay low and slow, and go eeeeeeeasy at first.

Wearing a Mask to Train

While our understanding of all this jazz is still evolving, there seem to be some universally accepted Best Practices when it comes to face coverings.

  • Wear it properly. Your mask should be snugly seated over your mouth AND nose. Use the little metal nose thingie to ensure a good fit.
  • Fit matters. A poorly fitting mask defeats the purpose. If you find that surgical masks leave a gap at the sides, have a look at this video for a pro’s take on how to get a great fit. I personally prefer ear bands, but elastic that goes behind the head can work too. I haven’t had much luck with tied masks for training (but if you have, please share your secrets in the comment box below!).
  • Type matters. I use different masks depending on what I’m doing. If I’m teaching, I prefer a tri-fold or an origami mask (I find they slip less while I talk). If I’m training, I like an origami or a cone shaped mask. Play around until you find a design that stays put and allows you to breathe easily & do your thing! If you’re making them yourself, do a google search for patterns – there are tons of freebies floating around. If you decide to buy, SO MANY out of work performers are making masks – ask around and support them if you can!
    • Tri-fold (disposable and cloth) – these are exactly what they sound like. They should have 2-3 layers of cloth if they’re homemade, but still be breathable.
    • Cone shaped – this mask is more fitted to the face.
    • “Origami” (click here for a FREE PATTERN) – I really love this one – the spectacular Bev Sobelman from Versatile Arts posted about it and it’s a winner! Just use an extra layer of fabric instead of batting (I used fusible interfacing).
    • N-95 – overkill, and not recommended for training.
    • Valve – avoid valve masks – they offer zero protection for those around you, which is kind of the point.
  • Material matters. I’ve had the best luck personally with 100% cotton + interfacing. You might find something you like more! IMPORTANT – for training, you do not want your mask to get sucked right up to your nose or mouth – that will make you panic. Get one with a bit of structure that holds the material a bit away from your face. Try the candle test to see if your mask provides good protection to others while still letting you breathe comfortably; it’s not perfect, but it can let you know if your mask is worthless (I’m looking at you, crocheted masks & bandannas).
  • Procedure matters. First, wash your hands (it’s good for you regardless). Put your mask on and make sure it’s seated properly over your nose and under your chin. Adjust your ear or head straps as necessary. If your mask gets damp, head to a safe space and change it out for a fresh one. NEVER share a mask with anyone else (treat it like your underwear). If you need to drink some water or get some air, head to a safe spot, unhook an ear, and guzzle away; try not to touch the front of your mask as you put it back on. Wash it when you get home! It helps to have a “mask stash” somewhere so you’re never caught bare-faced.

Making Mask Wearing More Pleasant

Start by making sure your mask fits well and that you can breathe. Once those two boxes are ticked, have some fun with it! I mean, you may as well.

  • Play with fun fabrics, colors, patterns, or statement masks! Your face covering can be really expressive and fabulous! I’ve seen everything from rhinestones to Golden Girls – there’s nothing that can’t be put on your face.
  • Make your mask into an aromatherapy session! I’m not even kidding. I’ve tried peppermint essential oil (nice and cooling, but careful not to overdo it – start with a drop), lavender, grapefruit, and more. Pro tip: mint + lime = MOJITO!!!

Masks are going to be a part of our daily lives until we have either a vaccine or really effective treatments. Take this opportunity to explore this aspect of safe circus, and I think you’ll find that it’s not as horrible as you may have imagined! For those who have been training masked for a while, GOOD ON YA! Keeping our community safe and caring for one another is at the heart of everything we love about circus. Stay strong, and circus on! Love and pull-ups, Laura

The Biggest Danger as Students Return

Every once in a blue moon, I teach my version of an injury prevention class. Most classes like this focus on preventative exercises, stretches, and good form. Mine? I like to go straight for the “heart attack zone” – falls and accidents. Know when these are most likely to happen?

When students are coming back from an extended break and are eager to get back in the air.

OH NO!!!!!!

Yes. It’s real. If you’ve been around the teaching block a few thousand times, I guarantee you’ve witnessed it. Students want to return to the air as if they’d never been out of it. Some darling danglers will take it slow and easy, but some will make you tinkle a little. So, how do we minimize those “Depends” moments?

Practicing Safe Circus – Setting Boundaries

Whether we’re training on our own or heading in for our first post-covid lesson, we’ll want to practice some safe circus.

  • Students
    • Say it with me: low and slow. Thou shalt not climb to the top of the silk in the first 20 seconds of class. What’s the rush? On day one, keep everything nice and low so you can feel out where your body and your brain are.
    • Start with the basics. That quadruple tizzy-twist with a half salto you were working on before quarantine? You are NOT starting with that. NO. Start with your climbs, your inversions, your hip keys, your foot knots. Say hello to them like you’d say hello to beloved friends.
    • Change your brain. Think of it this way. You know how you’re terrified that you’ve lost all your strength and skills and you’re just going to be le poo and hate yourself and everything is going to be awful? OK. Take a breath. Starting slowly will allow you to get your brain and muscles speaking again. You will have a better session and feel WAY more positive if you start with the easy stuff. GIVE YOURSELF A WIN. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, YOU DESERVE A WIN.
    • Follow your coach’s rules and instruction to the letter. They have missed you so much! And they are under ENORMOUS stress right now trying to navigate the New Normal in regards to distance, spotting, cleaning, etc. Do not make them cry.
  • Teachers
    • Do for them what they can’t do for themselves. Set the fabric low so that even if they do shimmy to the top they can still safely get down.
    • Set a super back-to-basics class plan for a bit and let them know that that’s what’s happening. They can bust out their fancy moves in a few weeks. You may have to be extra firm with Imelda who has been WAITING for this day FOREVER and has her eye on that quad. No, Imelda. Do your hip key.
    • Remind them that they are at higher risk for repetitive stress injuries right now and, unless they want to spend the next 6 months in PT and out of circus, they’d better mind you. And then give them The Look. You know the one.

We’re all so excited to be coming back! Let’s keep in mind that viruses are not the only thing we need to prepare for. Easing back in is the way to make sure everyone wins (and your teacher doesn’t wet their pants)! Love and pull-ups, Laura

You’ll See It When You Believe It

Each summer, we pack up and head to my in-laws for a couple of weeks. They live by a beautiful lake, and, for 10 fleeting days, we “get back to nature”, which for me means lying prone in a hammock reading trashy bodice rippers and true crime novels. One of my favorite things about The Lake is…. my run. I’m not even kidding! There’s a road that winds down past a marina, with barns dotting the landscape, and ditches erupting in wildflowers and bunnies. It is glorious. 

I don’t know what comes over me when I set out on my daily slog (slow jog), but suddenly I DESPERATELY need to listen to 1990s era self help audiobooks. I know. I’ve meditated with Deepak, prophesied with James Redfield, organized my life with Julie Morganstern, and awakened my inner giant with Tony Robbins. But the author that really gets me to the I CAN DO ANYTHING AND I AM MANIFESTING MY ULTIMATE DESTINY RIGHT NOW place? Dr Wayne Dyer.

Wayne Dyer was a prominent figure in the magical thinking movement of the 1990’s, alongside Deepak Chopra, Marianne Williamson, and the like. One of the principles he built his philosophy on was the idea that, if you want something to materialize in your life, you need to visualize it: you’ll see it when you believe it. 

Now, whether you subscribe to Dr Dyer’s take on the world or not, he really nailed this one idea. It’s certainly not a new concept, but it is one that we often overlook. Take circus, for example. You didn’t just spontaneously teleport into a circus class one day; you heard about it, maybe saw a show, or it popped up on Groupon. To one degree or another, you *saw* yourself there; it began with a thought. 

What You Think About Expands 

Speaking of thoughts, I know what you’ve been thinking. You’ve been out of the studio for a hot second, and you’re preeeeeety sure your skills have gone the way of the dinosaurs: your grip is le poo, and you probably couldn’t haul your ass over your head without chanting and sacrificing a virgin. 

Now. What if I told you that you could regain some lost ground, and train without even touching your apparatus? No, I’m not talking about conditioning in your living room, doing cardio, or even sweating through your cousin Shirley’s bikram yogilates class. I’m referring to (….drumroll please….) the magic of visualization. 

Wut?

I know it sounds a little woo woo, but there’s legit science behind it! From this article

“Physiological effects can also occur with regular visualization: Researchers at The Cleveland Clinic Foundation observed increased muscle strength among subjects who performed “mental contractions” of specific muscle groups without actually doing the exercise. How was this possible? EEG monitoring during the mental training revealed elevated cerebral cortex output signal which has been linked to the control of voluntary muscle contractions. This means that visualization triggers areas in the brain that activates the muscles and consequently improves strength.”

If you Google “visualization helps muscle strength”, you’ll find oodles of articles and links to studies that suggest that simply *thinking* about training or being in front of an audience can improve your performance. Now, this doesn’t mean we can abandon our regular physical training, but it DOES mean that your brain plays a super important role in your circus work that you might be overlooking. 

Taking It from the Nowhere to the Now Here

How do you do it? How do you train circus with your brain? Well, chances are pretty good you’ve already been doing it! 

  • Start with the big picture. Why did you come to class in the first place? Our training “why” is actually the most important piece of our circus puzzle, with or without a pandemic. Did you imagine yourself performing in an arena full of people? Busting out a perfect split? Holding a handstand for 30 seconds? Get that picture firmly in your mind. 
  • If performing is your jam, grab your favorite song and imagine yourself performing – flawlessly – every single badass move you’ve ever yearned for. Let it get your heart all fluttery. 
  • Pick one thing to focus on. Want to train your grip? Imagine the feel of the silk in your hands, the texture; feel yourself grip, and your feet lift off the ground. Did your muscles respond a bit? Perfect. Imagine your inversion happening easily and effortlessly. Imagine your craptastic rolldowns placed perfectly, and an easy spiral down to the ground. Try for about 3 minutes per day (it’s weirdly hard work).
  • Don’t imagine a struggle! What you think about expands! Picture success, and hold it tightly. 

Our thoughts are powerful. Take this time to do a little dreaming (or big dreaming), and visualize the good stuff. You’ll see it when you believe it. Love and pullups, Laura 

We’ll Be Back

Hey, friend. In recent weeks, I’ve heard all manner of speculations about what our current situation means for the future of circus – performance, classes, venues, all of it. I’ve been told that this is our death knell (spoiler: it’s not), that we’ll be back to normal by June (…. we won’t….), and that everything is going to change (it is, at least for a while). But my loves…

We’re not done. We’re not done here. This is not where our story ends. Yes, I’m aware that the sh*t has hit the fan several times over. I know that what we thought would be two weeks has ballooned into two+ months. I see that times are very, very tough for so many of us. Our reality seems to change daily, and our future shape-shifts like a lava lamp on steroids. We feel like we built our houses on sand, and that the foundation has been washed out from underneath us. But…

But.

Look around. Within a week of lock-downs, dozens of studios had moved classes online. Shows were streamed over Zoom.  Workshops were created, books were written, stimulus checks donated. As a community, we were breathless and frantic; we pulled every rabbit out of every hat in the costume box and kept on going, always secretly wondering if this was it. If this was the end. 

It’s not. We have no idea what the coming weeks, months, and even years may hold – we never have! Even our best-laid plans sometimes turn out to be just that – plans, never fully materializing. The future always looks different than the one we envisioned (would we EVER have imagined this?). Our current reality is all topsy turvy and completely crazypants, and the uncertainty is making us nuts. What the hell are we supposed to hang on to on this roller coaster???!!!

What we know for sure.

We know for sure that our community is gritty as f*ck. We are creative. We are tenacious. We do not know the meaning of “give up”. We may need to pause, we may need to circumvent, we may need to reinvent. For some, it will be a time to step away and engage in other things, at least for a bit. For others, it will be a time to dig deep and dream big – bigger than we ever have. We know that everything is figure-out-able, one way or another. It may look reeeeeeally different than we had envisioned. It may need to go back to the drawing board 1000 times. It may be a temporary thing, or it may open doors to new ways of creating and performing. We don’t know, and we need to make friends with a degree of uncertainty.

We cannot predict the future, no matter how hard we try (here’s a fantastic article on exactly this). We can prepare as best we can for a variety of scenarios, but let’s be honest – it could all completely change by next week. It’s scary, and it feels AWFUL. I mean completely le poo. I hate it, you hate it, it’s horrible. It feels like putting on cold muddy socks, or all antsy – as if you wanted to crawl out of your own skin. As humans, we just don’t *do* uncertainty well, at least I don’t.

But friends, not everything is uncertain. WE are the stable factor here.

Reach out. Ask questions. Support each other. Support each other some more. Ask for help. Brainstorm. Cry and throw things. Get mad. Get busy. Use swear words that would make your mama clutch her pearls. Just keep swimming. This will not last forever. When the dust settles, we’ll rebuild. We’ll re-imagine. We’ll recreate. And we’ll do it together. All my love, Laura

“What Can I do at Home to Get Better at Aerial ___?

Werk yer side butt!

Friends, this is the number one question I’m asked by new silk students. What can I do at home to get stronger? Better? More flexible? It is a fabulous question, and I love that you’re asking. Know what I’d love more? For you to actually do your assigned homework.

The Grunt Work

Ya’ll – it’s literally grunt work, as in you’ll grunt the entire time.

Ground conditioning isn’t glamorous. It lacks the cache and instagram-worthiness of being upside down. It’s reps and burning and focus and sweat. It’s investing long term; it’s waiting to eat the marshmallow.

We are submerged in a culture that tells us that we can get “fit” in fifteen days, get “certified” in 24 hours, get splits in four weeks or five easy steps. We are promised spectacular returns with minimal investment, and we fall for it all the time.

Dear Dangler, you are not getting your splits in four weeks. You are not getting your straddle inversions by Thursday. You are not going to be ready to go on tour in a month. Can you accept this? If not, circus training will be one crushing disappointment after another, because bodies just don’t work that way. You don’t just show up for a year of lessons and come out spectacular on the other side; you don’t stretch really hard for four weeks and suddenly have a hoo-hoo-on-the-ground split. Somebody lied to you and you bought it, hook, line, and sinker. Are you ready to talk long-term yet?

Do the Work

If you’re not willing to do the work, you have to accept that about yourself. If what you want are a few photos of you upside down to post on Instagram, that’s OK! That is absolutely fine. Not everyone comes into classes wanting to get really good! We come for lots of reasons – community, fitness, variety – all valid.

But.

You say you want to get better. You want to be really good at this. You’re not afraid of hard work. MARVELOUS! The aerial coaches of the world support you in this endeavor! In fact, most of us are trotting out classes in exactly what to do at home this very minute. Just sayin’. If now is not a time when you can direct any energy towards training, that’s completely understandable; but if you’re just waiting until you can get back to the “real” work – the part in the air – you’re missing 50% of your training. The pre-hab, the mobility, the aerial-specific exercises, the stretching, it’s all as important as the time you spend zooming around on your apparatus.

If you want to get good, do your homework. All of it. We can tell when you don’t. Love and pull-ups, Laura

PS – Not sure what you should be doing? Chances are pretty great that your aerial school has conditioning classes up and running online. Go support ’em! And you’re certainly always welcome in mine.

Are you looking for some homework? Here ya go!

Eggbeaters: Quarantine Edition

One of the Great Frustrations of early silk work is getting a clean, consistent ankle wrap for splits, etc. There are two common methods of getting those elusive wraps: eggbeater (legs alternate) and butterfly (legs wrap at the same time). Both methods use a common technique: the rond de jambe – a fancy ballet term that means “round of the leg”. No rond de jambe? Enjoy your le poo ankle wraps.


Rond de jambe – a full half circle with the leg. Imagine a clock face: you’re working from 6:00 (behind you) to 12:00 (in front of you), hitting every number in between.


Tips & Tricks for Wrap-tastic Ankles

  1. In the air, you would first choose a bent arm or straight arm hang (whichever you can maintain with good form).
  2. BUT, we’re not in the air right now – we’re at home!
  3. Grab a sheet or two, a few long scarves, whatever you’ve got at home. Tie one end to a pull-up bar. No pull-up bar? Knot one end, place it above a door, and close the door. Do not even think about putting weight on whatever you’ve just MacGuyvered.
  4. Stand nice & straight. Carry your leg out to the side (turn out through this whole endeavor). Bend your knee like a little froggie, bring your foot through the center, and extend that leg behind you until it’s straight. Lift it! Maintaining that height, carry your leg around and do it again.
  5. You’re successful when you have two clean wraps on the ankle.

What Can Go Wrong?

  • You go too quickly. You’re not hanging by your arms, so you may as well take the time to make sure the fabric is well positioned!
  • You’re trying to kick it around. You might get lucky, but crappy technique doesn’t work 90% of the time. Lift. Carry. Extend.
  • Your cutting your rond de jambe short. If your fabric keeps winding up under your foot on the 2nd wrap, this likely why. Make sure your leg goes all the way back to the 6, and aaaaaaaaalll the way forward to the 12. If you stop at 1 or 2:00, your wrap will be messy.

Now is a fantastic time to get these clean and ready for your return to the air! Have a good time, and make good choices!!!!! Love and pull-ups, Laura

Training at Home: a Whole New World

Hello Dear Danglers! Greetings from my boudoir, where now pretty much everything happens – classes, meals, blogging, snacking, sleeping, more snacking, admin, ice cream, you get the picture. Raise your hand if you’ve jumped into an online class! ME TOO! What should you know about virtual training? What supplies might you need (besides cheezy snacks and wine)? Is there etiquette you should be following? All this and more coming up on…. Blogging From My Boudoir!

Supplies, Props, and Snacks

During our Time at Home, you may be sheltering outside of your usual environment (with your folks, for example). Don’t have access to your usual fitness toys? Not sure what you need anyway? Never worked out at home? Here are some things that will be helpful!

  • A tablet or computer to stream class – the bigger the screen the better. Technically you can use your phone, but you may find that the minuscule picture is too tiny to really be useful.
  • Enough room to move. I am teaching out of my NYC apt – if I can find space, you probably can too. You’ll want at least enough room for a yoga mat, and bonus points if you can scoot furniture you might kick out of the way. Nothing says fun like a broken toe during quarantine!
  • A yoga mat. You can use a blanket or a towel in a pinch, but a yoga mat really is so helpful.
  • Yoga blocks! You can sub two thick hardcover books of similar size – I like Harry Potter books for this! #potterhead
  • A strap or thick pull-up band. You can also use a bathrobe tie, a men’s tie, or a belt in a pinch. I really love thick pull-up bands, especially for stretching; if you’re Of a Certain Age like mahself, you may find that the tiny amount of extra give makes your stretching more productive & comfy.
  • Peanut! Not the kind you eat (although you might want those too), the kind you use to un-kink your muscles! You can also use the ole sock n’ balls (2 tennis or lacrosse balls tied in a sock) or MacGuyver one out of a pillow case. Here’s a great Jen Crane instagram post on how to do that!
  • A foam roller. It’s not essential, but it can be really nice to have.
  • A rolled up towel and/or pillow. Sometimes you need a little extra support in a stretch or move, and sometimes your bony bits dig into the floor – a little something soft can really come in handy.
  • Hand weights! You’ll generally want a set of light weights (2-5 lbs) and a set of heavier weights (8-10 lbs). No weights? Get creative! What’s in your pantry? Grab some cans of food, a couple jugs of laundry detergent, a gallon of milk or water, or (my personal favorite) a bottle of wine! (kidding….mostly….)
  • Sliders. There are a number of amazing circus conditioning exercises that require us to slide along the floor (plank to pike, for instance). You can use dedicated exercise sliders or a couple of paper or plastic plates if you’re on carpet. If you’re on a hardwood floor, socks or a hand towel work just great.
  • Pull up bar. If you can invest in a pull-up bar right now, DO IT. There are lots of options, including over-the-door models like mine, or more permanent installations. A word of caution: PULL-UP BARS ARE NOT APPROPRIATE OVERHEAD ANCHORS FOR INVERSIONS. Do not do it. Bad. No. Stop. If you’re dying to train inversions, you can look into dip station body weight parallettes – they’ll keep you close to the ground, but allow you to practice compression and light inversion skills. BE CAREFUL.
  • Snacks and wine! I’m not even kidding. After that class, you break out a little celebration snack (or four) – you earned it.

Etiquette in the Time of Corona

This is by no means an exhaustive list, but it should give you a good start.

  • Mute yourself as you join the class. If you’re having technical difficulties, ask the teacher to mute you.
  • If your class involves feedback (or you’d like it to), try to make sure you have adequate light (back lighting is a toughie), and make sure as much of you is in frame as possible. Also – give your lens a little wipe!
  • If you’re not sure, find out how your coach prefers to deal with questions – some like it when you type them in, some prefer you to un-mute and ask.
  • You can choose whether to leave your video on or not! This whole business of suddenly having personal spaces become very public can be really disconcerting. You can choose to leave your camera on, or turn it off or put a piece of opaque tape or a post-it in front of it. You should know that, unless you disable them, your video and mic are visible/audible to others from the moment you join the class.
  • Be understanding! If your teacher has some technical difficulties, if you do, or if someone else does, just remember that there is a big old learning curve as we navigate this strange new world. If you feel like something really interfered with your session, reach out to your teacher and see if there are options to join another class. If you took a class early on and things were weird or a hair kerfluffled, consider trying again – we’ve all learned A LOT in the first two weeks!

It looks like we’ll be in this virtual training space for a little while. When you’re feeling ready, dive in! While it doesn’t replace our aerial classes, it IS a fantastic opportunity to let our bodies heal, train our weak spots, stretch our tight bits, prehab, rehab, and support our local circus studios. I’ll see you online! Love and (virtual) pull-ups, Laura

PS – I’ve added a crap-ton of new classes because WHY NOT! Everything from conditioning, stretching, dancing, peanuting, mobility – ya’ll, we’re doing it ALL! I’d love for you to join me!!!

An Aerialist’s Guide to Training Online

Ya’ll – for real – what a crazy time we’re living through. For so many of us, our circus communities have been a bright spot in a really f*cking dark time. From quarantine creativity to show videos to online classes, our people have DELIVERED! I’ve never been so proud to be a circus artist.

Unless you’ve been taking a big old internet break (I don’t blame you), you’ve probably noticed a plethora of online offerings! If your local school hasn’t gotten some programs onto the interwebs, just wait – they will. The landscape is a-changin’, literally overnight! What should we all keep in mind as we boldly go nowhere in the next few weeks?

Students – Keep THIS in Mind

  • Here is the first thing to know. Your teachers are WAY out of their comfort zone. Sure, we’ve taught you conditioning and theory before, but it’s probably been face to face – not speaking to a tiny tile on a computer screen. Go easy on us – we are forging a completely new way of teaching circus literally overnight. We are teaching like our hair is on fire – researching, getting additional certifications, lesson planning, and more. We have to go lie down after every class because teaching this way is new and hard and exhausting and we all feel like we’re failing. Please – PLEASE – go easy on us. Give us a little time to figure out the best way to do this – technology, communication, feedback, format, all of it. If you took a class and it was a little weird, consider popping back in a week or two and see what kind of magic has manifested! Your coaches are magical humans.
  • This is a PHENOMENAL opportunity to put some great habits in place. You know all that pre-hab and peanuting and stretching and conditioning you always say you’re going to do? Well… now is the time, people. Most of us are looking to create content that will meaningfully support your aerial goals when you return. Remember that a lot of circus-specific training doesn’t look like your average Daily Burn class (rotator cuff training, anyone?)! Take advantage of this time to heal your body, make progress on your flexibility, and strengthen and condition your little brains out. It’s an investment in your future circus you!
  • Go on a cross-country training spree! Who knows how long classes will remain online? Go train with some coaches in Chicago or Seattle or Massachusetts (or New York!!!). While we’re not in our natural habitat, you can likely glean some technique tidbits or a different approach to the work. If you can, get out there and support the circus community across the country!
  • DO NOT INVERT ON IN-HOME PULL-UP BARS, EVEN IF YOU SEE SOMEONE DOING IT ON INSTAGRAM. Home pull-up bars, particularly the over-door kind, are not appropriate overhead anchors for inversions. NO. NO. BAD. Use it for pull-ups, leg lifts, all that good stuff, but knock it off with the upside down.
  • Remember that, unless you’re training one on one, we probably can’t see you as well (if at all). Pay close attention to cues about form and contraindications, and if you’re asking for feedback, make sure you have adequate lighting (it takes more than you think for video).
  • Mute your mic when you join, and note the coach’s preference for questions – some prefer that you un-mute yourself and ask, some prefer you write them out.
  • Be on time or a couple minutes early! You don’t want to miss anything!
  • If you have aerial equipment in your home, I have something potentially controversial to say to you (hear me out). I’m not going to tell you not to train and condition at home. BUT. I just want you to keep in mind that, if you are injured, there will be few resources for you, and you will be contributing to a system in overload. Now is the time for an abundance of caution – an abundance of abundance. That’s all I’m gonna say.

Teachers – This One’s For You

  • You’re doing so well. You’re a f*cking rock star. Did you learn new technology overnight? Did you figure out how to take an aerial curriculum and adjust it for online classes? Are you doing all of that while sewing and cooking and homeschooling and tutoring and whatever else it is you generally do in addition to running an aerial school? ROCK. STAR. When you feel like you’re failing, you remember that in the face of a freaking pandemic, you adapted.
  • It feels icky for all of us (it’s not just you). We’re all learning, and it’s going to take time to find our groove. Teaching virtually in this way is a COMPLETELY DIFFERENT SKILL SET. Breathe. Google. Ask questions. Analyse. We’re going to come out of this with some awesome new skills! (it’s so scary though)

Making it to the Other Side

These are uncertain times, but I can tell you this for sure. Your local circus school may not make it to the other side of this without your help. I am of a Certain Age, and I remember a United States without circus schools – it was a decidedly less awesome time. What can you do?

  • If you’re able, pay to take online classes at your local studio. Every dollar will go towards ensuring that you have a place to find your circus joy when this is all over.
  • If you’re not able to support them financially, support them with your social media! Like and forward posts about their classes, comment, and engage. This makes a difference on every level!

I love this crazy circus community. I’m sending you ALL the love, health, and calm right now. Go forth and circus as much as you can! Love and pull-ups, Laura

Studios & Teachers – Makin’ it To the Other Side of the Pandemic

What a horrible week. Can we just go ahead and say that? WHAT A HORRIBLE CRAPTASTIC WEEK. So many of us – myself included – watched in disbelief as our livelihoods evaporated into thin (contaminated) air. The fear and uncertainty is feeling unbearable. How do we weather this? How do we survive and come out on the other side?

“All great changes are preceded by chaos.” – Deepak Chopra (?)

There are more questions than answers. BUT. I had a really great chat with a friend this morning who is good at business-y things, and he offered some suggestions for riding out the storm (really, what he did was talk me down from some pretty intense hysteria and suggest ice cream). He helped me make an action plan of sorts; I’ll share the gist of it here in case bits and pieces are useful. Some of it is obvious, but it helped me to write it down anyway. 😉

  1. Mourn. Freak the f*ck out. Acknowledge that this was completely unexpected, and that we’re feeling uncertain and scared. Feelings of helplessness and lack of control come in waves – you can wait them out, they will pass eventually. Breathe.
  2. Make your way back to positive. (Truth – this feels really hard right now.)
    • What good can or has come out of this awful situation? What can you find to be grateful for? (More truth – I’m finding myself really resistant to this, but when I make a little progress, I can see ways to make things better for myself and others.)
    • How are you right NOW? Keep asking yourself. Try to stay as present as you can. “Future-izing” will bring the panic. I’m so bad at this, but practice makes perfect?
  3. Take stock, and evaluate fully. What is your actual situation? How are your financials really? What is your lease/rent situation right now? My tendency is to just assume everything is on fire – maybe it is, or maybe it isn’t. Knowing where you actually are is important.
  4. Identify what is within your sphere of control.
    • Health recommendations! Are you complying? Flatten the curve, friend.
    • We can choose what we focus on. What we focus on expands.
    • Brainstorm ways to make things better – large and small. Everything counts.
  5. Set a time daily to invest in your business. We have this time whether we like it or not, and we have to choose how we will spend it. Many of us are having to stretch way outside our comfort zone by exploring online training, for example. This is scary and uncomfortable, but also great! It’s also a fantastic time to tackle all the projects that have been on the back burner, or learn more about website design or writing copy or Instagram marketing or whatever. Investing in our future feels good and proactive, and helps us feel like we’re regaining a modicum of control.
  6. Avoid panic behavior. Ya’ll – there was NO REASON for a toilet paper shortage. None. If people had bought as usual, no one would be using CVS receipts to wipe their butts. The panic zone is a crappy place to make decisions from.
  7. Choose a good source of updates, then turn off the news. This goes double if, like me, you have found yourself obsessively checking. It takes up a massive amount of time, creates butt-clenching anxiety, and doesn’t yield anything productive.
  8. Phone a friend! BUT – do it with the express goal of lifting one another up. So many of our conversations are revolving around this dumpster fire of a situation – make sure you’re also helping one another to stay sane and mentally healthy by sharing what is good, too.
  9. Take the next step – avoid overwhelm. Identify just one thing. Just one. When you have done it, reward yourself handsomely.
  10. Admin!
    • Review (and update if necessary) your policies. If you haven’t already, determine how you will be handling cancellations, refunds, memberships, classes, etc until the plague has passed. Think “win/win” – how can you do what’s needed for your business to make it until summer, but still be fair and kind to your members, students, and other studios? This is where being creative people really comes in handy. Think outside the box!
    • Clearly communicate all of this to your people.
    • Let everyone know to expect an answer to emails in 24 hours. Now is an Emotional Time. A little email turn-around breather can help you answer emails calmly and productively.
  11. Rally your community!
    • Share positive stories (important!!!). What’s happening that is good?
    • Share resources – blog posts, videos, training tips, recipes, and more.
    • Connect your students if possible. Can you do virtual cocktail parties? Does someone need some website design work done? I know one group who’s formed a virtual glee club! We need more connection than ever in the coming weeks, and we’re so lucky that technology makes that possible.
  12. Look into what types of financial relief you are eligible for. This seems to be changing by the day, so I guess welcome to your new job? 😉

We absolutely don’t know what the next weeks and months hold for our businesses. I think that’s the thing I hate the most. As we struggle to regain some sense of control in this sh*t spiral, I leave you with a memorable quote from Paul Taglia:

“We walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we don’t build a condo there. “

Fight the good fight, my loves.

Should Beginner Teachers be Teaching Beginner Students?

Goooooooood morning, Circus Land!  Topic: should beginning circus instructors be paired with beginner circus students? Let’s discuss!

For the purpose of this post, let’s narrow the field a bit. I don’t teach children (COOTIES), so I can’t speak knowledgeably about them – they’re a specialty all their own. Let’s stick to beginning adult students in circus and teachers striking out on their own for the first time to teach solo.

I’ve often heard new or inexperienced teachers say some variation of, “…. I’ve only been teaching xyz (tiny amount of time), but it’s fine – I’m only teaching beginners.”

….. ONLY teaching beginners? See, this is where I start to squirm.

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Pairing the least experienced instructor with the population MOST at risk for injury? What could go wrong?

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Beginners are a Specialty

I get really protective of newbies because I LOVE THEM. Give me ALL the beginners! If you’ve never touched an apparatus, fan-freaking-tastic – that only means I don’t have to break you of any bad habits. It also means I have more responsibility than lots of folks realize. Consider:

  • Beginner adults – bless them – make terrible choices. TERRIBLE CHOICES. They let go when they should hang on, panic and flail, and generally do the opposite of everything you just asked them to do. It’s part of learning as an adult. Brand new coaches without enough practical experience working with beginners often have no idea how to anticipate these “exciting moments”.
  • You’re setting THE foundation. You don’t get a do-over on this – a crummy foundation means a looooooot of retraining down the road. New coaches are often still finding their timing for giving cues, corrections, and sometimes progressions; this can lead to bad habits that take YEARS to train out of a student.
  • Beginners tend to have a smaller margin for error. As a coach, it takes time to get your feet under you when you start working with actual bodies. Intermediate students will still need your help, but they’re generally less likely to self-destruct while you’re helping someone else. Students who have a good foundation in the basics (vocabulary, safety, and knowing their limitations) can give instructors the time they need to acclimate to teaching their own class.

A Different Idea for Progression

SO. You’re a brand new teacher with several years of training under your belt, just out of a good circus teaching program. CONGRATULATIONS! Teaching circus is about the most rewarding (and insanely frustrating, but mostly rewarding) thing ever. CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE!

  • Your teacher training included hands-on assistant coaching under a strong instructor. Great! With the blessing of your coach, venture forth into the world of circus torture – er, training. I would strongly suggest that, even if you had time with beginners, you start with advanced beginner/intermediate students. This time is GOLD! This is your time to find your style, voice, and emerging philosophy as a coach. Slightly more advanced students will give you an opportunity to breathe, practice, and experiment a bit to see what works for your population.
  • Your teacher training did NOT include a practicum – you haven’t actually had that much hands-on time with students. This is not a problem – everyone starts somewhere! Find a good coach who will let you assistant teach, or contact a studio that offers opportunities to apprentice. There is no better way to get your feet wet (or your hands chalked) than by being mentored by a fantastic teacher! Jump right in and learn learn learn. Take notes after class on everything from verbal cues to spotting and progressions. Take special note of major mistakes new students make (inverting with the fabric between their legs instead of to the side, for example) – you’ll see them again and again.

Everyone should continue to, at least periodically, take classes from other instructors. It’s phenomenally helpful for me as a coach to see how other classes are structured, how other teachers cue and spot, what they do that seems to really work, what doesn’t, etc. I’ve learned more about teaching from being a student than I EVER imagined I would! If you’re in an area where taking someone else’s class will start WW3, try taking a class outside your usual discipline that won’t cause drama – ain’t nobody got time for that.

There are always exceptions to every rule – the person who is ready to teach a year after touching a trapeze (they’re rare like unicorns, but I’ve met a few), the person who was BORN to teach beginners from day 1, the studio who has a rock-solid coaching program with great results that uses an alternative progression for it’s teachers, the person who – even AFTER 15 years of classes, 4 teacher trainings, and 6 years of assistant coaching – is still a le poo teacher. 

As long as you teach (and especially the first few years), your students will school ya good. You’re never, ever done learning how to be a great coach, and I think an important part of that journey is being paired with the right students at the right time. So, if you’re a brand new coach setting off on your own, I urge you to think through your starting place carefully – “beginner” may not be where it’s at. Love and pull-ups, Laura

Have you signed up for a class yet? What are you waiting for?

Seriously - these classes are not going to take themselves! Jump right in. Whether you "have zero upper body strength" or have been around the aerial block a few times, I'd love to see you in sessions!