Dance Magazine: These days, you don't have to be in the circus to learn how to fly. Aerial dance has grown in popularity in recent years, blending modern dance and circus traditions and enlisting the help of trapeze, silks, hammocks, lyra and cube for shows that push both viewers and performers past their comfort zones.
11 comments:
I am not surprised that more people are learning aerial silks, I think the audience is definitely growing for it, and I believe dancers and people, in general, like to learn new skills. I did a production of Peter Pan once and for our flying effect, we had the actors on aerial silks. I loved watching it every show because just as the article said that the dancers get to make up their own routines, our actors were all very skilled on aerials so they did change some of their routines every night and it truly was magical to watch. I think this art form has been gaining a lot more respect in recent years as it has been used for more than just circus and that is partly why more people are getting into it. Every night our audiences would always rave about the silks and about how they haven’t seen them used as much as they would like because they are so beautiful. I am so glad the aerial world is growing and I’m excited to see more of the art in the future.
Surprisingly, I took about two aerial classes when I was younger with a friend, but once I realized that I was 1) terribly afraid of any sort of height, and 2) that it actually took a lot more effort to perform in the sky than on the ground, I did not continue with it any further. As I've gotten older I've always wanted to give aerial a try again, because I've realized (as the article also mentions) that no matter what level the aerialist, it's always based heavily in safety. For someone that's become increasingly afraid as she's gotten older that's a really important value for me. One thing I really love about aerial dance is how diverse its uses are. I've watched really graceful aerial pieces to classical music set over water fixtures, you see it in concert performances (if you haven't watched any of P!nk's concert performance with aerial silks YOU HAVE TO) and any number of other venues. As the article mentions, each aerialist is unique, which means dances will be unique, and especially in this day and age where everyone is fighting to make an individual name for yourself, it sets the genre apart.
The idea that more and more dancers are becoming aerialist does not really surprise me. The reason behind this is simple, and a considerable parallel can be drawn to economics to explain this. It's a simple increase in demand that's driving dancers to do this. In the industry, it's easy to see that more and more shows contain aerialist. Some of the most popular shows in the U.S., those put on by "the large French Canadian company," completely revolve around artists and acrobats. With this, it is easy to see why more dancers are becoming aerialists. With more and more shows containing them more and more of them are needed and also less traditional dancers are needed. If dancers aren't willing to evolve with the industry, the industry will move on without them, leaving many dancers in its dust. I've always been interested in aerialist, but from the tech side of it ever since I had the opportunity to control a hoist that lifted and lowered a hoop with aerialists on it during their act.
During Winter break, I had the opportunity to see a Boylesque Australian aerialist/circus/drag show. I feel like having aerialist skills can make a performer better than a triple threat. Aerialists need to have the strength and flexibility of a dancer, but they also need the skills of a performer because they need to be aware of how they look to an audience in the air. I’m not surprised that Aerialist skills can make someone more desirable for performance work. They’re more versatile candidates. I also find it fascinating that people call aerialist work, “circus performance.” I think the audition process this article touched on for aerialists is interesting. When dancers go to auditions they’re all doing the same routine. However, being an aerialist you get to audition with a routine you’ve choreographed yourself, which also proves to whomever you’re trying to get a job from that you have the skills of a choreographer, an aerialist, and a dancer.
I think it’s really cool that aerial dance is becoming more and more popular. For the practical reasons, that it makes dancers more desirable and opens up more job opportunities for them, especially as technology advances and higher skill levels are always demanded, I think it’s good that dancers are able to adapt to modern technology. I also think that aerial performances are just incredible, in general, because they demonstrate a remarkable strength and skill level that you don’t get as much in non-aerial dance. Because it requires such strong and reliable safety equipment, the limits have yet to be tested but there is so much room for innovation and development in the art form. As with all new art forms, like media design in theater, there will be constant development and invention as dancers and choreographers explore everything aerial dance has to offer. I am really excited to see how this type of performance changes and improves as it becomes more popular.
Aerial dance is a really beautiful form of movement and it is also a really difficult thing to master. Adding aerial dance to a skill portion to the resume will open up so many opportunities. Dancers also have commented extensively on how gaining aerial skills have allowed them to step away from traditional dance which either limited their creative goals or because of physical toll that dance requires of your body. Taking the steps into aerial dance is a bit of a feat. Acquiring a coach or finding a program that emphasizes safety and a cautious approach to developing different skills. These dancers have a lot of increased freedom, which appeals to a lot of people. Performing a specifically directed, clear-cut routine is not for everyone. There is a lot more individuality in each person’s work. The content, pacing, and emotion behind all of it is unique to each dancer.
I am glad to see that the use of aerial dancers is becoming much more common because I think it’s a beautiful art form. As someone who used to do a variety of different areas of dance, I can really relate to what Joshua Dean said about how having certain skills (like aerial skills) makes you more hirable. If you’re auditioning for a role in a musical that requires aerial skills and it comes down to you and a few other actors, all of which can sing and dance beautifully, but you’re the only one with proper aerial training—the chances of you getting the part are much higher. I have many years of training as a baton twirler and whenever my old theatre was doing a show that needed a twirler in it they would either try and convince me to be in the show, or ask me to train the actors on how to twirl. Having out of the ordinary skills like this makes you more in demand in the workplace. Everyone can dance, that’s expected at this point, but aerial skills are still new enough that having proper training can give you an upper hand.
Aerial dance is very cool and is becoming a lot bigger in the entertainment industry. I don’t know how I feel about comments that aerial is becoming bigger than dance because dance is such a broad industry. Many of my friends in ballet have started to try aerial dance because of the skills you obtain from it that you don’t get from dance. Even though ballet does strengthen your muscles a ton, aerial dance tones and builds muscle for dancers like crazy. As a dancer, it can give you amazing core strength a lot faster than years of ballet would. So in the case of training, I can definitely see why it’s getting very popular in the dance world. But I still think dance within itself will always remain a prominent role in the entertainment industry. I’m excited to see what skills will come next to further dancers in their careers.
One of my close friends is an aerial performer and it is always interesting to hear her talk about how her skills from doing modern and contemporary dance have helped her cultivate skills as an aerialist, which is why this article was intriguing to me, as it built on a lot of things that I have learned about being an aerialist from her. I think the transition for dancers into aerial work makes a lot of sense because it is a way for one to broaden the scope of work they can do, and the popularity of aerial work has definitely increased due to shows like Cirque du Soleil. It’s also something that allows the performers a sense of responsibility for their work and freedom for treating and taking care of their bodies as they need to on a regular basis. I think it is a little shocking that there are now actual college programs that are letting students take classes in aerial and training them on this newly recognized, highly niche specialty dance form, but I am sure it will assist in making their students more well rounded long term. I think my only true concern about the aerial style is- while very interesting and fun to watch- wondering it’s longevity overall and if it will ultimately fall out of style as fast as it came in.
I thought this article was really interesting to read because in my first few years of high school I actually experimented with aerial silks at a special gym downtown. I was a gymnast my whole life, and thought it seemed like an interesting way to extend my skills in a new direction. I ended up really enjoying the classes I took and would love to go back at some point, and I learned that aerial is quite a beautiful and difficult art form that seems to be growing. From the article, it makes sense why more dancers would be pursuing it as a skill. At a dance audition, anything that makes you stand out from the hundreds of others aiming for the same part is a good thing. Having aerial skills definitely makes a dancer more unique, and therefore more marketable. However, I do think that it’s niche enough that trying to make a living solely as an an aerial dancer would be difficult- it seems like a something that works best as a secondary skill to other dance training rather than a primary occupation.
Ever since I can remember, if there is one form of dance that has always had an impact on my mind, it has to be aerial dance. I have grown up watching aerial dances and gasping at the various steps that the dancers would perform, which when I was a kid, seemed super easy but as I grew up, I have realized how much determination and hard work it takes to be an aerial performer.
This article is really good because it tells the benefits of being an aerial performer, their determination and how they are recruited in a very, concise way, which was good just because it keeps the readers from getting bored reading the article midway.
Aerial dancers have always been in demand for the varied and difficult skills they bring to the table. Recruiters want such artists because they have brought to the table what they learned in isolation;l no two aerial dancers have the same skill set, which is what yhe recruiters want. They want there to be variety in the performances that these aerial performers put up for the audience.
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