Rochelle and I, along with my friend from MIT–Wendy, attended trapeze school yesterday and had a blast! Trapeze School New York has a school in the Boston area so we decided to check it out. Flying trapeze really is not that difficult so the teachers did not spend too much time going over topics on the ground. In fact, we spent about 15 minutes of our 2 hour session getting hooked into a harness belt and getting a quick lesson about the knee hang trick.
The first time you step off the platform is both exhilarating and calming at the same time. The adrenaline is already pumping from the fact that you just took off from about 25 feet above ground. After a half second you relax, exhale, and just hang on for the ride. Of course, you aren’t here to just hang from your shoulders for 2 hours, so about halfway through the swing you tilt your head back, bring your legs through your arms and hook your knees on the bar. By now you’re back at the platform where you started so let those arms hang and swing to the other side. If you had a partner swinging on the opposite trapeze right about now is when he would grab wrists, say “gotcha”, and you would release the bar held by your knees. Swing some more and drop to the net on your back. You can fly!
I did that; although, before doing the catches, we simply back-flipped into the net as we perfected our knee hangs. I also performed a heel press which is similar to the knee hang except you hook your heels onto the bar instead of your knees. This trick is bit harder and, when doing the catch, you have to be quick as you approach the catch point and stretch your neck and back to ensure that you are able to see the catcher’s hands and put yours in a position so that he can catch you. If you don’t, you fall which is what happened to me.
Unfortunately, I have no pictures since I was too busy flying and I didn’t want to pay the school’s high photography prices. However, we liked the class so much that we have scheduled a second class for December and received a third class free. We’ll try to get some pictures when we return.
If you’re in Boston, New York, LA, or DC go take a class. You will not regret it.
Finally, here’s my Halloween “costume”:
Of course there is a story behind this. I had no desire to be the Old Spice Guy; however, over the summer my roommate discovered the Old Spice Guy videos (He was only about 6 months late.) and had the bright idea that I should be him for Halloween. I think it’s funny so I tell Tiffany and Rochelle who also think it’s funny and demand that I do it…so I did. Fortunately, Rochelle hosted a party and only her friends had to endure this horrible sight…that is until we walked them outside after the party. We’re standing outside Rochelle’s apartment, saying goodbye and a random guy in an Escalade pulls up slowly, stops, and stares. I am so embarrassed! He lowers his window and says, “don’t be ashamed, you have four girls hanging out with you” and drives away.
Best Halloween ever!