Ah yes, that is indeed me in the photograph (white shirt). A few weeks ago, Kelli warned me that she had an “activity” planned for the both of us on Valentine’s Day. For various reasons, I half-expected the spa or a massage or something. However, mid-Valentine’s day she broke the news with “we are going to go take trapeze lessons in an hour, get dressed!”

We made the trek out to the far west side of Manhattan (near Pier 26, walk west on Canal Street till you hit the Hudson). I had little time to mentally prepare myself for the swinging acrobatics that ensued, 23 feet in the air. It’s not as scary as I had first envisioned (the high diving board in High School came to mind). And it’s relatively easy to start swinging with the help of kind teachers that coach you through every maneuver (thank you to Dino, Jeff, and Emily).

I learned how to grab the bar, swing, hang upside down with my arms flailing beneath me (the knee hang), and how to dismount with a back flip (the flipping dismount) onto the safety net below. I even attempted a “catch,” where another acrobat catches you in mid-air. What they didn’t warn me about was the soreness that I’d feel the day after: legs, arms, and muscles I never knew existed ache. The price you pay for a priceless experience. I recommend it to all: exhilarating (and great stress relief when you are trying to launch a new product)!

I believe that at one point, NYC was the only place that had a Trapeze School in America. Now, they’ve opened up two new locations in Baltimore and Boston.

Visit their website for more information on the Flying Trapeze class:
http://newyork.trapezeschool.com/