Aerial Evolution

This is a week of firsts on Aerial Evolution. We welcome our first man and first rigger, Bryan Donaldson! This is an episode I have been wanting to have since starting this podcast and I'm stoked Bryan was able to talk with us. I am a rigging neophyte and it was awesome getting to speak with such a world renowned expert.

Bonus: Lydia Lara is back joining me as guest host!

I am thrilled to welcome this week's guest to Aerial Evolution. Not only is Erin Ball a phenomenal aerialist, but she is doing incredible work with and for the disability community.

We begin the episode with how Erin first discovered aerial and what her career was like before an accident led to both of her lower legs being removed. (As there is a lot of information out there already about what happened, we don't spend much time on that, I provided a link below if you would like to read about what happened). What we do talk about is what it was like to reenter the circus world, what systems were and were not in place, as well as what Erin herself needed to learn both physically and mentally.

We touch upon the history of circus and its impact (if any) on the work she creates. With Vanessa Furlong, she co-founded LEGacy Circus performance company, together and individually, they are doing AMAZING work for the disabled community. From education, to inclusion, to apparatus invention, they really are making sure everyone gets to be involved from on stage to off, circus really can be for everyone!

Tune in to learn how!

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This week I welcome Susan Murphy. In her 70's, Susan is a testament that you are never too old to fly. She is an inspiration to aerialists everywhere proving what career longevity can really look like. As always the episode starts with how she began her aerial dance career (from the Mother of Aerial Dance, Terry Sendgraff herself!) and just how far both Susan and aerial have come. We move on to the twists and turns that led her husband, Don, to creating the carbon fiber trapeze bars he is known for as well as her love a poetry and performing aerial with spoken word. We discuss her teaching style as well the Laban method, what it is and how it changed her creative process.  It has been a pleasure getting to know Susan while making this episode, I can only imagine how special it must be to work with her. If you are need of a dose of inspiration this is the episode for you! After listening you'll want to be sure to click the link below to see Susan's aerial and spoken word performance from her Arts and Humanities Award we discuss on the show! Enjoy!

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In this episode of Aerial Evolution I have the pleasure of speaking with Sarah Poole, choreographer and aerial coach at National Circus School in Montreal. Among the topics Sarah and I discuss are circus vs aerial and why one goes to see them. Sarah brings with her an interesting dance perspective as well as an American turned Canadian one. Tune in to find out why she made the jump in both countries and careers.

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In this Season One Finale Episode of Aerial Evolution, Rowan and Jane have a conversation with Italian Vertical Dance choreographer and researcher Wanda Moretti. She shares her journey as the first dancer in Italy to have undertaken this particular art form and why as well as some of the larger global history including the influence of the Moon landing, her book about the history of Vertical Dance, Vertical Dance Pathways and her side passion researching how structured space influences human movements. Wanda explains her specialist technique, called Vertical Suspension Training, what goes into being a Vertical Dancer and her personal performance style in which space and movement merge in a single scene. One of her amazing projects they talk about is bringing Vertical Dance into the women’s prison system offering a rare opportunity for shared language, cooperation, and creativity! This episode is a must for any Vertical Dancer!

Great News! Aerial Evolution will be back for Season Two! So be sure to subscribe, follow us on social and on our website for details!

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In this episode of Aerial Evolution, Rowan and Jane have a conversation with New Zealand aerialist Deb Pope. Deb was one of the very first aerialists in London. In this episode she recounts what brought her to England, those scrappy early days, the massive obstacles they faced and just how far the artform has come. While Deb has had a thrilling and rewarding career that includes performing worldwide on some of the largest stages as well as avant garde ones, she now finds more fulfillment than ever through teaching. Deb’s career arc proves that it is possible to continue to surprise yourself, learn, evolve and share especially within this community.

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In this episode of Aerial Evolution, Rowan and Jane have a conversation with twins, Elsie Smith and Serenity Smith Forchion, founders of Nimble Arts and NECCA. This is a meaty episode so get cosy! It begins with discussions about Elsie and Serenity’s surprising introduction to circus and aerial and how that led to a lifelong career working with major companies including Ringling and Cirque du Soleil. They then dig into an impressive amount of US circus history, the shaping of aerial linguistics and the 2 types of aerial festivals, circus and dance. The episode closes with the foundation of their own circus school, the New England Center for Circus Arts and it’s evolution.

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In this episode of Aerial Evolution, Rowan and Jane have a conversation with Melissa Colello. Melissa studied at Ecole Nationale de Cirque (ENC), where she was the first student to develop a dance trapeze act. After touring internationally with the aerial arts collective Les Arts Sauts, Melissa co-founded CirkVOST, a French aerial contemporary circus company. Her vast career is all encompassing including being an aerial choreographer and coach for major events and intimate shows such as the Sochi Olympic Games, MGM Macau, Luc Petit Creation, the Qing show, Cirque du Soleil. Her style varies just as much from German cabaret to traditional circus. She is now back in Montreal and working on creating an aerial festival.

Melissa reached out to us after listening to our first episode in which Lydia Lara mentioned wanting to know who the first person was to put a swivel on the trapeze, person found! This surprise guest was a delight to get to know and a welcome addition to our podcast.

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In this episode of Aerial Evolution, Rowan and Jane have a conversation with Jane Osborn, circus artist and actress from Yorkshire England. Jane began her circus and aerial work in London in the late 80’s; an incredibly influential time and place for aerial/aerial dance and it’s evolution. In this episode, Jane shares her early influences, her transition to teaching and her role in the 2015 Guinness World Record performance with “An Act Above”. If you are interested in the history of aerial, you won't want to miss this in depth retrospection.

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In this episode of Aerial Evolution, Rowan and Jane have a conversation with Lindsey Butcher, the founder and artistic director of Gravity and Levity as well as the European Aerial Dance Festival. Lindsey shares beginning her aerial career in the 80’s and how her dance training influenced her artistic choices. You never know where or how people will impact your life; the formation of her company is a perfect example. One of the topics that continues to come up in these discussions is inclusivity. Lindsey offers a fresh perspective with the work she did for the Paralympics in 2012 and the Legacy Intensive hosted by Gravity and Levity in 2013. This inspiring conversation will invite you to think a little bit differently about the possible future of the aerial community and aerial dance.

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In this episode of Aerial Evolution, Rowan and Jane have a conversation with Fred Deb', one of the pioneers of the aerial we know and love. This episode dives into Fred’s background starting with her graduation from the National Centre for Circus Arts in 1992, and how the work she and her fellow classmates did paved the way for our modern understanding of aerial arts. Fred also discusses the evolution of her performance and choreographic style, her teaching and training philosophy and so much more. Any lover of Aerial and Aerial Dance should not miss this episode!

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In this episode of Aerial Evolution, Rowan and Jane have a conversation with Nancy Smith, the founder of Frequent Flyers in Boulder CO and the Boulder Aerial Dance Festival, the first aerial dance festival. Some things to look forward to from the in depth discussions in this episode are the US origins of Aerial Dance as related in Nancy’s book Aerial Dance, published in 2008 with Janye Bernasconi and the “Kids Who Fly” program, launched in 2001, for at risk youth in the community and to date have served over 6,500 kids! The history Nancy shares from her years of practice and dedicated research is profound. Buckle up and let’s dive in!

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In this episode of Aerial Evolution, Rowan and Jane have a conversation with Chantal McCormick, founder of the Irish Aerial Dance Festival and Fidget Feet Aerial Dance Theatre.

Though the discussion Chantal reveals how studying contact dance was a perfect launchpad into the aerial world, as well as the beginnings of Aerial Festivals in Europe, and government funding for the arts. This pivotal discussion on the early roots of aerial dance and the distinction between traditional and contemporary circus is not to be missed by any aerialists looking to be inspired (possibly enough to head to Ireland one summer)!

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This is Part Two of a two part series, in which Rowan and Jane have a conversation with Los Angeles based aerialist, Lydia Lara. In this episode they continue their discussion with Lydia’s apparatus preferences and the development of aerial equipment, how the black lives matter movement has impacted the aerial community, and so much more!

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Welcome to the first episode of Aerial Evolution! This is Part One of a two part series, in which Rowan and Jane have a conversation with Los Angeles based aerialist, Lydia Lara. They dig into details about Lydia’s personal aerial journey (how she first discovered aerial in a parking lot in Toronto!), things she learned about the history of aerial along the way, her experience of national and international dance festivals, perspectives on teaching and training and so much more!

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This mini episode is an introduction to Aerial Evolution and its co-hosts, Rowan Metzner and Jane Rose. In it they discuss how this podcast came to be and what it is all about. 

For those finding us who may be unfamiliar with Aerial Arts, it is a type of practice or performance in which one or more artists perform dance or acrobatics while suspended in the air from a fabric, trapeze, hoop, rope, or other apparatus.

Join in on the conversation:

Launching Nov 10! Join hosts Rowan Metzner and Jane Rose as they discuss how aerial has evolved over the years and where it is going. Releasing every other Tuesday, they bring in influential guests for their perspectives on the origins as well as personal journeys to keep you inspired and hopefully a little more informed.

We look forward to going on this fascinating and ever evolving journey with you. Until next time!