The Greatest of Ease - published in Albuquerque Journal

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The Greatest of Ease

By Adrian Gomez
Of the Journal
Friday, February 25, 2011

Although the crowd is less than 20 people, laughter erupts and fills the room.
"OK, the class needs to partner up," yells instructor Amy Christian. "One of you will be a Jackfruit and the other a pomegranate. Now go."
As the couples chase each other around the room, either by skipping or lunging, all begin their warm-up without realizing it.
"The classes are designed in a way to get everyone involved," Christian says. "The whole point is to have fun and build confidence."
Christian is an instructor at Wise Fool New Mexico in Santa Fe.
The organization's mission is to ignite imagination, build community and promote social justice through performances and hands-on experiences in circus, puppetry and theater.
"We've been around for awhile, and it expands people's minds," she says. "Plus, where can you actually join a circus?"
Wise Fool teaches circus classes year-round as a way of promoting circus arts. Christian said the organization finished its first co-ed boot camp, called "Elevation," in early January.
"We wanted to bring together both males and females in learning stunting and more," she says.
Eric Peters decided to take classes at Wise Fool because it was a way to keep him busy.
"Sometimes I need a break from the daily grind," he laughs. "I get to fly through the air on a trapeze. It's a great way to unwind."
During the "Elevate" class, Peters didn't mind being the only male in class.
"We're all here to have fun and learn," he says. "But once you've taken this class, you've seen everything."
Circus arts classes are given in stunting, clowning, stilt walking, trapeze and aerial fabric.
Christian said a lot of people don't realize how beautiful and rigorous circus arts can be.
"When we see a performance, we see how the body bends and manipulates itself," she says. "But it takes a lot of work, and we're here to teach them correctly."
Christian and the other instructors have each student properly warm up and cool down after each class. She said it doesn't matter what level of athleticism of each student is at, the instructors work one on one.
"We've had students who have always wondered what it's like to learn circus arts but were afraid of the physical demand," she says. "When we work with each student, we help them build the confidence to conquer their fears."
Abigail Baird, an aerial instructor, says teaching through circus arts is an empowering aspect.
"A lot of the aerial students are afraid of heights," she says. "We teach them to trust themselves and give them the strength to be successful."
Baird says a big part of the circus classes are partner skills and spotting.
"It's important to build trust in a small amount of time," she says. "All the students have the opportunity to voice their opinion and let us know what's not working with them."
Baird said with proper training the students are able to perform with the artistic flair.
"Once the confidence is set, the students blossom into their own performer," she says. "It's beautiful to watch it happen."
Christian said classes aren't only for adults. She said that during the summer, Wise Fool offers a summer camp and after-school classes for children.
"The children are always amazed at their potential," she says. "It's about growing the confidence from a young age."

Read more: ABQJOURNAL VENUE: The Greatest of Ease http://www.abqjournal.com/venue/2599260110venue02-25-11.htm#ixzz1LJRCyqb8
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