Where to Try Trapeze
In general, classes cost about $30 to $65; some places also tack on a one-time registration fee. Outdoor locations are seasonal.
Trapeze School New York offers classes indoors and out in New York City; indoors only in Reading, Mass.; and outdoors in Baltimore. It plans to open an outdoor rig in Santa Monica, Calif., in May.
The Flying Gaonas Gym runs outdoor classes in Hollywood, Fla. (through April), and Chicago.
Hollywood Aerial Arts, outside Los Angeles, holds flying-trapeze classes alfresco.
I.FLY.LI is an outdoor school on New York's Long Island.
The
New England Center for Circus Arts offers classes outdoors in Guilford, Vt.
Preparing for Takeoff
1. Novice fliers may take to the bar starting at age 4, and even younger in some cases. But the flying trapeze isn't for everyone -- e.g., pregnant women, anybody with a shoulder injury, some hypertensives. Your doctor or physical therapist can best assess which medical conditions might sideline you.
2. Should you fly indoors or out? The views you get outside add an extra element of exhilaration to the experience. That said, you also might have to contend with chilly breezes, blinding sunshine and the sounds and sights of traffic and onlookers, all of which can shake your focus.
3. Trapeze instructors regularly help fliers deal with fear and self-doubt. Listening for and following their directions can focus you on the activity at hand and encourage you to push aside negative emotions. "There's a lot of comfort in knowing that someone is there saying, 'Look, I'm here, and I'm only going to give you as much direction as you're capable of dealing with ... I'm going to keep my faith in you until you have faith in yourself,'" said TSNY's Jonathon Conant.
4. Ask a friend to shoot pictures or video of you in action. In addition to having proof of that backflip dismount, you might see that your swings look more graceful than they feel.
5. You'll probably be sore for a few days after class -- even putting on deodorant and laughing could elicit winces -- and might see a little bruising. Wearing socks, below-the-knee pants and a shirt with sleeves helps protect skin from the net, which sometimes feel a bit rough on landing.
Chris Swiac
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