Have you always secretly wanted to run away and join the circus?

As a kid, I always loved playing on the monkey bars, but I was never very strong (fuck you, flexed arm hang). And although I loved watching people perform aerial routines, I never once considered I could do it too.

Last year happened to be chatting with Eve Richter Dinnan, someone who does all kinds of amazing things on the trapeze. I told her how impressed I was, and she said I should try it. I laughed and told her I couldn’t even do yoga, so there was no way I could do aerials. She replied, emphatically, “yes, you can!”

I didn’t believe her at first. Although I agreed to try it, I had to drag my embarrassed (but also secretly excited and hopeful) self into an intro class at Sky Candy Austin.

Guess what? Even though I could barely do anything that first day, you know what really mattered? It was FUN. And ever since that class, I’ve kept at it and discovered that while it’s always challenging, doing circus is also one of the best parts of my week.

So let me ask you again: have you always secretly wanted to run away and join the circus?

Because, as luck would have it, Sky Candy is offering a huge array of classes starting next week. And my amazing teacher Ginger Snaps is teaching a brand new class called Intro to Aerials for Plus Size Bodies beginning on Sept. 13th.

At Sky Candy, everyone is welcome. That means you can take any of their intro classes regardless of your age, fitness, or size. Even so, Ginger decided to try something new. As she explains,

I created this class so that people of size would feel comfortable trying this out surrounded by other folks who may have the same struggles as them, as well as being taught by someone who has been there. I want to be able to really focus on what each student may need for adaptations to make things attainable for them.

And Ginger knows first-hand the challenges we new plus-size aerialists face. As she tells it,

I got started in aerials 6 years ago after performing in burlesque shows with other Sky Candy aerialists, specifically Andy Agne who talked it up quite a bit 🙂 I decided to try out a class; I was pretty terrible at it due to my complete lack of upper body strength, but had so much fun I just kept trying. It was a solid 7 months before I had the upper body strength to get a pullover on hammock.

You’d never know she ever struggled at the beginning by watching her perform:

Intro to Aerials for Plus Size Bodies is an introductory class. Students will try out hammocks, silks, trapeze, and lyra, and go over basic entrances and poses.

And it really is for everyone. You don’t need a ton of upper body strength or flexibility to start out in aerials. Everyone will be coming into aerials with different bodies and backgrounds. Some people have been dancers or weightlifters, but others have been desk jockeys their whole lives. You just need a bit of courage and determination, as well as the willingness to try something completely different.

Ginger breaks it down:

Take this class if you’re tired of other people telling you what you can and can’t do because of your size. Fuck ’em. Let’s have some fun!

What are you waiting for? This time next week you could be in the circus!