Cole Bros Circus

Sorry this post is a little late. Last week I drove to Myrtle Beach SC and saw the Cole Bros Circus. Cole Bros is a tent show and their new tent is beautiful. It is yellow and red on the outside and on the inside it is dark blue with stars. One of the high lights of my night was watching the interaction between elephant trainer John Walker and Viola the elephant. Viola is full of personality. She is one funny elephant. All Mr. Walker had to do was talk to her and she would follow. even though he did have a hook with him NO HOOK WAS USED!

 After I watched Viola for a little bit I went inside and found my seat. I had a great seat for the show (much better than the first time I came to see the show). My seat was right between the 2nd and 3rd ring. I could see everything.  The show was very good. They have a variety of different acts. The first act was the tiger act. This act has been great both times I've seen it. My favorite act of the night was Laura Herriot and her mixed animal revue. She just has such great energy and always looks likes she is having fun in the ring. As the show continued the acts just kept getting better. There was a great aerial display with straps, silks, net and lyra. It was beautiful. The Cole Bros Circus did a great job! Their show was a lot of fun and I really enjoyed myself. If you get the chance go see this show. You won't regret it!

The Daring Young Gal On The Flying Trapeze

Well the summer season for Caroline Calouche and Company has come to an end and the fall semester has begun. 


Instead of just taking an aerial silk class this semester I have decided to also take a Mixed Apparatus class. In the Mixed Apparatus class the piece of equipment you train on changes each month. This month we are training on trapeze and sling


A trapeze is a horizontal bar hanging between two ropes (usually high in the air) and left to swing freely.
A sling is made of the same material the aerial silks are made from but instead of it being two open silks its one piece.


I was a little shocked by all the stuff we learned yesterday. We learned a lot of moves and it was only the first day. We learned how to flip ourselves over the trapeze. We learned how to hang by both knees and then by one knee at a time. We learned how to keep the trapeze moving. We learned a move called amazon hip key where you hold the rope in one hand and the bar in the other then lower your butt down past the bar. You get the idea we learned tons of stuff.


Colton (my instructor) informed me that I would probably have bruises after class. Boy he wasn't joking!! The backs of my knees are black and blue. My tummy is completely covered in bruises. I have bruises EVERYWHERE! 


You know I wasn't too excited when I learned that we where going to be training on trapeze this month. But after yesterday I am hooked! I am ready for next week! Like they say, No Pain, No Gain!


--Ali

Acroyoga...getting to know you

On Wednesday I attended an Acroyoga workshop. "AcroYoga is a blend of strengthening yoga, partner balancing, and Thai massage. It draws on the dynamic power of acrobatics, the loving kindness of Thai massage, and the spiritual wisdom of yoga." This could be one of the funniest things I have ever tried. 

We learned how to use our core muscles to keep us balanced. One of the moves we learned involved one person to be down as a base in the bridge or table pose while the other person placed his/her head between that persons thighs then flipping up into a head stand type pose.

The moves we learned looked a lot like the basic hand and body balancing moves you would see in a circus. 

We learned how to base people who were much larger than ourselves. Ms. Natalie Brown was basing two men who were twice her size!!! 

Acroyoga was a great experience. I got to meet a lot of great people. I finally got to meet Natalie Brown and Gina Wolfe (two performers with Columbia Alternacirque)

If you ever get the opportunity  to take an Acroyoga class DO NOT pass it up! It is fantastic. If you want to learn more about Acroyoga just check out this website http://www.acroyoga.org/