I Can Fly!

OK, I know that this is a beauty blog. But flying is a beautiful thing. Overcoming fear is a beautiful thing, too. So please indulge my gushing for a minute.

This morning, I went to Trapeze School New York with three of my girlfriends. We arrive just moments before the skies opened up and poured, so thank goodness they've added a tent over the equipment. If you saw the Sex & The City episode (#82, "The Catch") where Carrie goes to the same trapeze school, you'll remember that it was open-air.

We got a safety talk and were strapped into a corset-tight harnesses. First, we practiced on a bar that was barely over our heads, just to try getting our knees on the bar and hanging upside-down. I could barely get my legs up there (um, just a little out of shape!), so I wasn't very confident about climbing up to a 23-foot-high platform and attempting the trick in mid-air!

Once I got the "Hep!" to jump, there was no going back. The momentum of swinging in the air and pure adrenaline pumping through my veins helped me get my legs up. Next, you hang upside-down in mid-air while swifly gliding through the air and reach back in a gesture of ultimate freedom. Whee! Then, you bring your legs back down and they encourage you to do a backflip into the net! A backflip? My first time on a trapeze? No way. But, I did it the second time! :) You really do feel weightless up there.

After a few more practices, our series of tricks became a bit more routine. I was shocked when I was pronounced "ready for the catch". What?! Oh yeah, someone will catch you in mid-air, remove you from your trapeze, swing you from his hands, then drop you into the net. I'm thinking, isn't that an advanced class? We've only been here an hour!

I was absolutely amazed when the catcher's hands reached out through some slow-motion of space and time, grabbed me by the forearms and I was swinging free. It was an exhilarating rush. They say you should "Forget fear. Worry about the addiction." I can see why. I was already thinking about joining the circus!

There are also Trapeze Schools in Baltimore and Boston, and a quick Google search can help you find one in your area.