When you have explored the far reaches of human involvement, you realize we are currently living without full-potentiality being reached. That is to say, once you realize the miraculous nature of existence, why not embrace it? Arms and legs are not always a part of the equation for humans, but the parts we do have can be graced with our gratitude in stewardship. Our mainstream societies are currently lacking shoulder, core and hip strength. Translating to back and mobility issues. Those body parts seem to be more of a novelty or a material world aspect. Medical insurance programs premiums are inflated due to these depreciating values. Where do we need to derive this essential information in early development so that it can translate to all of life? To those families who have carried the torch of mind body wisdom… “Mahalo, from the entirety of my being.”
Senior centers and child development tell the most honest stories about a culture. Upon examining the strength / flexibility of upper and lower bodies, we find that neither is complete unless the core is in full integrity. Dexterity of the hands and feet premise that the limbs to which they are attached will be in that much more efficiency of function. Climbing will increase potentiality of harmony. Especially when taken in wisdom of application.
Safety first being the motto. Gratefully my path allowed me to wake up in order to clean my blood and bandage the damage from time to time. Coming from families of dance instructors, dance classes were a part of growing up. Introductions to Cirque Du Soleil aerial arts began when at 16 years of age, then continued through their soundtrack until finally climbing silks hung from a brig age in Scottsdale, Arizona around 2010. Thankfully, the marvelously wise human beings, Holly Dison & Karen Fulmer, enabled me to build a healthy foundation across many aerial props in 2012.
A series of ‘Yoga Slackers‘ workshops I attended back in 2010, the facilitator offered a piece of wisdom. “Notice the slack line (or prop). That it is not moving, it is static. Once we add a human element. That is where the motion comes into play. It will show you areas to improve, if balance dances from you.”
Following years of class participation in many forms of aerial arts, there were silks, a Lyra and even a dance pole professionally rigged in the living quarters. Friends were over all of the time, or just in town to visit in order to hang out. The thought of applying healing arts to aerial arts happened spontaneously. Almost as if the sun and moon had finally remembered each other following years of darkness. Translations abound with applications for organisms to experience life in this profound fashion. I began leading an aerial hammock flow class in Sedona, Arizona around 2014 after training with local aerial enthusiasts in a number of flow arts.
Traveling to take care of my mom in Las Vegas allowed access to internationally renowned aerial artists who invest time into the local studio classes. My first aerial hammock class being taught by the wondrous artist and super mom, Kelly Millaudon. Whereupon her friend became a personal favorite teacher of great integrations across honorable strength and flexibility training. Delphine Gaillard even agreed to donate her time with a customized aerial silks performance in Sedona Arizona for the Illuminate Film Festival after a class one day. Her performance had everyone’s jaw to the ground in awe. I was grateful to be able to rig the silks for her that evening in the summer of 2015.
A friend and his boyfriend, who were also in Las Vegas frequently, began training together in aerial arts a handful of times plus Flow meet-ups in community parks. They happened to live with two active Cirque Du Soleil athletes in a phenomenal abode. Breath work and training across a few disciplines often finalized with a soak in the hot tub. Trading platonic licensed massage facilitation with Brandon Scott was an honor beyond measure. I had never facilitated for a human who embodied such grace in strength and flexibility. He and his love were the first to allow me to join an aerial straps practice routine at the gym in town were they both taught. The two gentlemen also bestowed their interstellar performances at the 2016 Illuminate Film Festival. Practicing with all of these incredible torch bearers helped me realize that much more attention was being asked of me by my own body. To which I am ever grateful for them sharing wisdom of body training in their own essence of soulful renaissance.
The flow artist who was offering aerial demo classes under a bridge in a Scottsdale park allowed me to facilitate massage for him during a school practicum. Nathan Machutta, Co-Founder of the Flow Shop, had recently experienced a traumatic event whilst training in movement arts. Wherein discovering a common injury of heel striking amidst aerialist, from them dropping to the ground rapidly from heights. This translated to how most people walk or hike in nature following facilitating for numerous guests over the years in the licensed massage industry of Northern Arizona.
The lady centered in the main group photo is friend and a Doctor of Physical Therapy. Trading sessions with her offered more insight as to current medical heel usage. She stated that school instructs people to lead with their heel during strides. In personal studies, you can see wise trainings in movement artists who need efficiency of well designed power. Runners and Martial Artists embody some of the most stringent applications of using the human body how it is designed. They grip by using toe side and mid areas surrounding the arch of a foot. While using the entirety of each leg to operate in full-integrity bipedal mode, hip-flexors applied with the core and traveling up the spine to stabilized scapulae. Heels are often a kick-stand for extra locked stability, while driving force through each heel is how we engage our posterior muscles. Elementally adding proper muscular reinforcement to our skeletons in such a way that enhances the overall functioning of each intention brought forth from our minds.
Using heels as a primary point of impact poorly will cause a spasm to rise through a body, up a spine and to the neck. It is quite painful when done explicitly in one setting with great force. Over time, similar results will and do occur. A proper foot usage is similar to that of walking on the hands, total engagement. We essentially have a biological adaptive tread / transmission built into each leg. The electronic control module sits atop your neck. Programming the brilliant innate technology, known as your mind, is certainly a personal gift. Adapting to the moment requires focus and sure footing.
Similar to proper leg functioning, the core is our next aha moment with aerial arts. Any gym class experienced in America and tested with National scoring includes sit-ups as a primary exercise. When the human body natural prefers to brings the lower body up from the ground, we have reversed it as a people. Hanging from our feet, this is a natural maneuver, to reach for our feet. Using our hands to suspend ourselves is how great medicine really looks. Sapulae hugging our rib cages with seratus anterior stabilizing each motion into a balanced and well controlled intent following our breath. Humans have spinal and shoulder learning opportunities galore because of this switch in protocol in preserving ourselves. A return to integrity of function is the banner of aerial arts, when applied as a personal quality of life extension program. I have personally witnessed senior citizen couples, dazzling each other in the air and kissing their partners while practicing in backyards of friends. There is magic to be unlocked within ourselves through mindful conditioning.
