WelcomeOmDC

Photography by Brandon Bloch.

“Ready!” Toes over the edge of a 50-foot drop at Trapeze School New York-DC (TSNY-DC), I bend my trembling knees.

“Hep!” I hop off the edge and take a leap of faith. (Did I just scream aloud, or was that only in my head?).  I swing forward on the trapeze, floating through the air. I listen for my next cue.

“Knees over the bar!” Using my forward momentum, I tuck my knees to my chest. I quickly hook them over the bar.

“Let go and reach!” I let go of the bar, hang from the backs of my knees, and dangle upside-down.

Arching forward, I stretch towards the trapeze catcher, Andrei Stoica. I pray the timing works. As if by pure magic, our arms connect wrists-over-hands. Cheers erupt all around. I am now soaring, Cirque-de-Soleil-style, from Andrei’s strong and supportive grip.  I fly forward, drop safely into the net, and smile. For the rest of the evening, I am beaming.

As children, we hop off diving boards, flip on trampolines, ride around kamikaze style on our bikes, and swim through ocean waves with sheer gusto. But somewhere between crayons and a mortgage, we lose our sense of fearless wonder. We become just plain scared… of embarrassment, of injury, or of the unknown.

Fortunately, the fun and friendly staff of TSNY-DC are the perfect ambassadors to guide you, step-by-step, back to your fearless, carefree childhood. There is just one rule: Do exactly what they say and nobody gets hurt. And just like the bank robberies you see in the movies, things go most smoothly when you surrender to their lead.

Here are five things you need to know before you fly:

1. Book several weeks in advance, and with a group of friends. The costs ranges from $45-$51 depending what time and day of the week you fly, and popular times fill quickly. For pricing, class descriptions, and booking details, click here.

2. Wear tight-fitting, breathable clothing. Or the backs of your knees will hurt. A lot. So protect them! (We found that lululemon wunder under crops worked perfectly).

3. Treat this like a workout. Don’t eat before you go. Expect to sweat (bring extra deodorant).  Stretch.  And bring water – because facing your fears can be really dehydrating.

4. Manage your expectations. Learn the three F’s of flying: Fear, Fun, and Finesse. Hey let’s face it – nobody is a pro on their first fly. Unless you climb shaky ladders and jump off 50-foot drops on the daily, you will be scared. By your second flight, fun will replace fear. By your third visit to TSNY-DC, you can finesse your skills, earning your trapeze wings.

5. Listen, listen, listen. You are going to be hooked, strapped, and coached into safety. But if you follow the “bank robbery” rule and do exactly what they say, you are not only going to be a safe and savvy flyer, you’ll be a star.

Trapeze School of New York in DC is a five-minute walk from the Navy Yard metro stop in Southeast, DC.  They have both an indoor and outdoor space that neighbors the Potomac river and Nationals Park. Come for trapeze, and stay for their trampoline and silk ropes classes.  For more information, visit the TSNY-DC website.

The writers would like to give a special thanks (and wish another Happy Birthday) to Andrei Stoica for inviting us to his private, trapeze birthday celebration. Andrei is the catcher at TSNY-DC, is an avid acro yogi, and a thai masseuse in training.  He’s also just pretty darn wonderful and sweet.

The following is a video shot and edited by Peg Mulqueen of Down Dog Yoga.

Posted by: Kelly & Jamie

Photos by: Brandon Bloch