Flying high

***Just gonna warn you- non-backpacking related content this week.***

Only had time for a dayhike (with no photos of flowers- sorry) because this weekend was the show at my aerial dance studio.  The show included performances representing the whole Canopy Studio community- from beginners who'd been taking class for only a few months to members of the repertory company.  I hope that watching this full spectrum allowed the audience to be inspired to try a class or workshop.  It's so fun to play up in the air, and you build enormous strength and flexibility.

Photo by S. Montgomery

Our insect-themed slings piece makes me so proud because of its creativity, though last year's piece had more impressive tricks, and our spring piece had fun doubles work.  What I loved about this piece was that our crazy antics cracked me up every time we practiced.

Our choreography was a collaborative effort- each of us invented tricks, and then we melded them together.  As they morphed they took on a richness greater than the individual parts.  When my classmates made up moves I couldn't do at first, I had the fiercest determination to master them.  If our instructors had given us that level of material, I think I'd have protested.

Can you identify which insects inspired our costumes?

I loved performing with my three wonderful classmates/ friends.  It is immensely satisfying to move together as a group.  But it wasn't always easy to coordinate our movements.  Due to trick difficulty and fickleness of fabrics/humidity/sweat, we never knew if we'll get a foot caught or slip out of a wrap.  Glances out of the corner of our vision assessed if all were together.  We spoke volumes in just a quick look-- "let's go NOW! or "slow down so we can catch up!"   We knew one another's tough spots, and mentally cheered each other on-- yes you can do it!  Go-go-go!   We were only as awesome as our collective success (which is one similarity this has to a group backpacking trip).

Here is video of the last part of our piece:

It was all over so quickly.  Months of work, extra practices, countless emails, hours of early mornings painting costumes, so many weekends of trips cut short so I could run back for more practices.  All for two- five minute moments.  But oh so worthwhile to be bad-ass and fearless, and to have created something unique.

Next week, back on the trail...