Aerial Silks at the Museum of Glass

A rough sketch of the "Abandoned Bride" concept silks act, the final version of which was performed October 24-25, 2008 with Pendulum Aerial Arts in Portland, OR.

Check out their website: http://www.pendulumaerialarts.org

Sorry for the choppy video quality, it's the fast-edit version.

Music by Tosca Tango Orchestra
from the soundtrack to "Waking Life"

Special thanks to:
Julie Pisto and the Museum of Glass
Leslie Raimer and Vertigo Rigging
Videographer Basil Shadid
Photographer Stacy Jacobsen
and James Torchia

• Category

  Entertainment

[lemonade0211]

That was amazing and so beautiful! Thank you for answering all of these questions too, it's been really interesting. I was wondering, what kind of background do you have as far as grace-building activites, I guess? (if that makes sense haha)

I've been in love with aerial silk since I saw it at the Ren faire and I'm determined to learn it :) I've done a bit of gymnastics, color guard, and dance.

[Tanya Burka]

My background was artistic gymnastics (Level 7/8 - not an Olympian by any means!). Dance/acro is a very common lead-in to aerial silks, but grace also takes a ton of work on the fabric itself! Because fabric stretches, slides, whips around, etc. the apparatus is never 100% predictable. It takes a lot of repetition of technique to develop a feel for the possibilities up there so you can have style *and* work safely. Good luck with your training, I hope you find a studio to take classes at!

[Mandy7D7]

I'm sorry to post again but if you wouldn't mind, could you (or maybe someone else even) tell me what kind of exercising would be best to try and strengthen a body to begin this sort of things? I'm sure you do more then just do weights or aerobics. Anyone at all please chime in here I would appreciate it.

[Tanya Burka]

A chin-up bar you can install in your doorway is great to get started! You can work on hanging to build grip strength, do partial chin-ups if you can't do full ones (place a chair behind you to rest your feet on, so you're not trying to lift your whole body weight), and do hanging knee raises or leg lifts. Weights and aerobics are great for overall fitness, but working with your body weight hanging from your arms is really specific to aerial work. Good luck!

[Temporelle Essence]

Wow you are amazing...can I ask you if you are you anorexic? You have a perfect body.

However for how many years did you play aerial silks?

[Tanya Burka]

Thank you for the compliment! I am NOT anorexic - I certainly couldn't have a "perfect body" if I were, too! Circus is very hard on your body, and you can't have a long and successful career if you aren't eating. My family is very slim by nature, so that personally I need to eat a lot to maintain my muscle strength. But the "perfect" body is very subjective, and to me, there are many perfect body types, including curvy! Whoever eats healthy and works hard to be strong looks beautiful to me.

[duncanblackdm]

Horrible outfit, amazing moves performed with emackulate grace I aspire to be that graceful

[Jeanette Martinez]

so helpful thank you for sharing :)

[Jamie Lewis]

Breathtaking and inspiring! I'm taking my very first aerial silks class tonight, and am so excited.

[norto alawse]

Woooooow you are amazing

[Tony Trí Nguyễn]

hay quá.

[Katerina Velaz]

I meant amazing not an amazing

[Katerina Velaz]

You are an amazing!

[Jon Bonaventura]

You are a flawless aerialist! Best technique and such amazing performance, so inspiring! Thank you!

[su sa]

Wooooow!!!! Precious! Thankyou for sharing, I loved it....

[FishFace2306]

I do aerial silks, and have been since I was 11. It's my ultimate goal to become as good as you!