Here We Go! - By Ashley

Another featured post by one of our brand new adult students: Ashley. Follow her journey each week of the fall session to hear what it’s like to join a beginner aerial class at TriCity Circus!

By Ashley

And we’re back, the day after the first class for Adult Beginners at TriCity Centre for Circus Arts where I, Ashley, decided it was a good idea to test my lack of skills in the Circus Arts!

Kristen, the instructor on Wednesday nights, is amazing! As are the other students in the class.  Everyone is welcoming and just as nervous/excited as I am.  We are all starting at roughly the same place, with little to no experience, which is nice. I don’t feel like the only one who doesn’t know what they are getting into.

Although I have a lot of fears that I need to overcome and much better shape to get in (this was one of the hardest workouts I have ever done!), I had so much fun and felt so amazed with myself by the end of class!  I never thought I would be able to do half of the things we learned, and this was only week one.  My body was unsure, but with a little self talk about trust, and knowing that I was only a foot off the ground, I was able to at least try. I’m looking forward to continuing to try, and working on things, in the weeks to come.

One thing I did discover as well: hydration prior to, during, and after class is key! I don’t think I drank enough water before class and by the end was feeling a bit sick to my stomach.  Now some of that could have been in relation to the inversions we were doing at the end of class, but I am going to chalk it up to not enough water overall and plan for next week.

I was so excited to come home after class and talk to my daughters about what I was able to do, and they were excited for me.  They are far ahead of me in the world of circus arts, but now this is something I get to do for me and also share with them!

I have been a part of this community for a while and TriCity Circus has always made me feel welcomed, but now I feel even more a part of it as an active member rather than just a spectator.  It is safe to feel afraid (and silly, and unsure) but it is also safe to explore and create and be creative.

Looking forward to next week and the many weeks to come.  Stay tuned as my journey continues!

- Ashley