Going to the gym isn’t my thing. I’d rather be outdoors or participating in an activity to stay physically active. I try all sorts of physical experiences like rock climbing, aerial courses (like the pirate ship aerial course in Old Port, Montreal) dancing, hiking, skiing, snowboarding, swimming, paddle boarding, and surfing to stay fit and strong. When I read that aerial silks circus arts were offered in Montreal, I knew I had to add it to my Montreal bucket list. I feared that I’d need to be in top physical condition to participate so I was hesitant to try. I signed up with Studio CirQus and learned that you do need to be in great shape to be good at aerial silks but almost anyone, regardless of physical fitness, can participate and have an amazing experience while getting a great workout.
I brought along Athena and my friend, Maddy for the lesson. We started with a warm-up before heading to the silks and beginning with the basics. Admittedly, I wasn’t great and my upper body and core strength restricted me from gracefully flipping over the silk and into a position, but I still tried and I manged to get into positions that I didn’t think were possible during the first class.
Maddy made it look easy and rather than feeling discouraged, I was inspired by her capabilities. It made me realize the importance of staying active and incorporating more demanding physical activity into my daily routine. I have the opportunity to participate in some of the most amazing activities available in the world. I don’t ever want to miss out because I’m not physically strong enough. That’s something I can control and it opens up a world of possibilities.
Most impressively, Maddy completed an entire routine in one class. In an hour, she managed to do two different climbs, hang, swing, flip, and rappel herself down the silks. And she did most of it with a smile on her face. It was beautiful.
Our teacher, Alissa, never let me quit. Even when I felt like something was impossible and I flopped around like a fish, she found ways to help me and make it happen. She did the same with Athena and still managed to encourage Maddy to push the limits further and further. It’s takes a special type of person to be so encouraging, supportive, and diverse in teaching. None of us wanted to leave. You could easily see that it was a passion for Alissa rather than a job.
When I got home, I played it over again and again in my mind. I thought about how to make difficult moves work and what’s required to be better at aerial silks. It wasn’t something that I tried and I feel like I can cross off my list. It was addictive; an activity that you want to do again and again to improve your skills. It challenged me in a way that makes me want to be better. Rather than trying it once and moving on, I’ve decided to focus on physical activities that will increase my aerial silks strengths and go back in a month to try again. I want to climb. I want to hang from the silks and pull myself up with ease. Like preparing for a marathon, you can’t just do it in one day. You need to train. I want to train and be better at aerial silks because it is one of the most beautiful activities I’ve ever seen and I want it to be me.
