Trapeze: You Can Fly

I’ve developed a passion over the past few years that takes many people by surprise: flying trapeze. I never planned to join a circus or even perform. My habit, while expensive, is keeping me in better shape than I was in my 20s. I blame Club Med for my addiction.  

We discovered Club Med when the kids were babies. What makes Club Med resorts so attractive to parents is the Mini Club and Baby Club. Many resorts offer activities for children, but Club Med takes babies as young as six months. They take the babies ALL DAY. For a week straight. Oh. My. God.

Anyway, along with beaches, windsurfing, sailing, volleyball and water aerobics, every Club Med resort also offers circus school and flying trapeze lessons. Those crazy French! Apparently, they believe ANYONE can fly. Who knew they were right?

Emma at Club Med Punta Cana

When I first spied the rig, I knew I had to try it, if only to climb the ladder and take a swing. I can barely remember my first time on the board, just the total terror in my chest and my own screams as I took my first swing. I missed the trick, but nailed the backflip. Yeehaw! Again.

The whole family except six-month-old Lily started flying on that trip. Turns out the U.S. is slowly coming around to the trapeze-as-sport phenomenon. Jonathon Conant, who also learned to fly at Club Med, opened Trapeze School New York in 2002. Lucky for me, Brian McVicker opened TSNY Baltimore (now D.C.) in 2004. TSNY also has outposts in Boston and Los Angeles.

My 'seven' position.

My habit doesn’t just tone my body, it feeds my soul. Successfully learning new tricks on the flying trapeze takes a combination of coordination, determination, trust, patience and a Zen-like focus, not necessarily in that order. You must concentrate, yet let go; remember each detail, yet not overthink it; trust yourself, yet listen closely. You must let go of fear — fear of heights, fear of failing, fear of not being good enough.  Because you can do it. I’ve seen it. And I’ve seen the transformation in people’s eyes after they realize they can fly.

[By Trisha Creekmore]

My friend Molly learns her first knee hang and backflip.

Related posts:

1. Family Travel Moment: Club Med, Ixtapa, Mexico
2. Luxor, Egypt: Day 12
3. Dr. Ragab’s Moronic Village and Carnival of Death, Cairo, Egypt: Day 21