Ever wonder what it’s like to fly around like a superhero? Well, the folks from Pneumatics Arts have a pretty good idea.
The traveling school + performance group has a new show at Emerald City Trapeze about Icy London, a Seattle lawyer who finds her true identity as a circus burlesque performer (oh me, oh my). “I See Why” features some gravity-defying acrobatics and we just had to know how they do it without freaking out.
We caught up with performer Jordan Tribble and creative director Blair Aued to learn more.
How did you get into trapeze?
Jordan: To be honest, I had no idea this is something I wanted to do — it kind of fell into my lap when my uncle introduced me to it. It was like, ‘Oh, I could do flying trapeze, or I can bus tables.’ I eventually got a natural feel for it and understood how it worked.
Blair: As a kid, I always wanted to fly, but without wings — and I really didn’t know what that meant. Later on, I discovered flying trapeze by going to a school in Santa Monica. As soon as I had my first class — hanging on the bar, hanging upside down, wind in my hair — I was like “This is the thing my life has been missing.” That was 12 years ago for me, and I’ve been working on it ever since. Most people are born into it — it’s kind of a family business, passed around from generation to generation. But now that there are so many trapeze schools, and it’s accessible to people outside of traditional circus.
Do you ever get scared up there?
Jordan: We definitely have fear and get afraid of certain things. But when you do something for a while, it gets easier and easier. You’ve got to get over it and keep moving forward, and keep pushing yourself. Fear is a part of it — and part of why we love it too.
Blair: Trying things you haven’t done before can be scary. The highest level trick is a triple pike that Jordan throws while the catcher is hanging upside down — the timing for the flyer to release from the bar is crucial. The first time you do it, it’s scary — but 1,000 reps in, you don’t even think about it anymore. I’m coming back from an injury … things don’t feel the same as it did six weeks ago. So I’m trying to get my strength back, one step at a time — that’s all you can do.
What excites you most about this art form?
Blair: Knowing that I can do what feels impossible. There’s really no feeling in the world like flying through the air and letting go, flipping, twisting and then trusting that someone is just going to be there to grab you. This idea of facing your fears and doing it anyway.
Jordan: It is hard to find anything that matches this. I know a lot of skydivers and I know a lot of people who do extreme sports as well. And when they come and try flying trapeze, it’s so different and there’s nothing you can really compare it to.
How does “I See Why” compare to other aerial shows, like Cirque de Soleil?
Blair: It’s a more relatable story, I think — we’re covering a lot of topics like the pandemic, Zoom meetings, having to work remotely [through Icy London’s lawyer life]. So people can come see a show with amazing acrobatics and watch a story that’s more digestible. There’s comedy, satire, sex appeal — a lot of different elements. And in this space, with the levels and intimacy, there’s nonstop action all around you.
Jordan: We try to bring everybody who comes to the show in and be a part of the experience. It’s a beautiful thing.
“I See Why” is playing at Emerald City Trapeze, 2702 Sixth Ave. S. at 9:30 p.m. on the following dates: Fri. March 25-Sat., March 26, Thurs., March 31 + Fri., April 1-Sat., April 2. Tickets are $60 for general admission, $85 for VIP.
