Carpe Diem! Why not go out on a limb and try something new today? I did last week and was rewarded for my spontaneity. I finally mustered up the courage to try something I’ve been hesitant about for some time now. What is it you ask? Aerial silks!
Not sure what exactly aerial silks are? Think circus acrobats but instead, artists dancing in the air, seemingly flying while suspended in vibrant, colorful silks. People nimbly shift from one pose to another, weaving and maneuvering through these silks in a mesmerizing rhythm and dance.
I first attempted silks at San Luis Obispo’s very own aerial silks academy, Suspended Motion, located on 207 Suburban Rd. Nervously walking into the studio with a couple of friends, I was warmly welcomed by one of the owners and the instructors. After filling out some paper work, we began the most unconventional warm up which consisted of using a hula-hoop in ways I didn’t know I could! After that, the four of us that were first timers were led to two pairs of silks over a very sturdy, yet cushy looking mat. Our instructor skillfully demonstrated the first move we would be learning with ease, which I knew would not be duplicated on my part.
Initially, I was shaky just standing on one foot, much less attempting to wrap my other leg around to pull myself up into the silks. After a couple tries, I progressed and was able to somewhat stand up in the silks. The patience and guidance of the instructors made me feel safe despite being really scared at first. Suspended Motion’s positive and judgement free zone made me feel comfortable to try and fail and get up and try again. In fact, when I did fail, that caused others around me to encourage me more and cheer me on even louder.
All in all, my first try at aerial silks was extremely fun for me, both a freeing and exhilarating experience. When I finally stood up in the aerial silks, I felt like I was flying. Trying silks was one of those things that sat on the back burner for who knows how long now, and all I can say is boy do I regret not trying it sooner! Needless to say, I will be returning back to Suspended Motion for more and I encourage anyone else who’s even slightly intrigued to go ahead and give it a try!