Tag Archives: tight wire

Decades: A Circus Story Lost in Time

When a mysterious package is delivered to 470 Scenicview Drive, spring break 2019 doesn’t stop for the house full of teens. It’s not until two of them discover that this package is not ordinary but extraordinary that things start getting a little unusual. Journey with Cirrus Circus as two friends romp through Medieval England, Golden Gate Park in the Summer of Love, a run-down speakeasy in the 1920s, and more! Energetic, playful and spirited, Decades is a captivating voyage of discovery that showcases a variety of acrobatics and circus arts in surprising twists and turns.

The latest full-length performance from Cirrus Circus will feature original numbers on Unicycle, Tight Wire, Acrobatics, Duo Static Trapeze, Contortion, Juggling, Chinese Pole, Dance, Lyra and Cyr Wheel, Aerial Straps, Hoop Diving and Aerial Sling.

Shows are at Broadway Performance Hall, 1625 Broadway, Seattle
April 5th at 7pm; April 6th at 3 or 7pm; April 7th at 3pm
Tickets at https://cirruscircus2019.brownpapertickets.com

Cirrus Circus is the teen performance troupe at the School of Acrobatics & New Circus Arts (SANCA). They are known throughout Seattle as one of the most accomplished youth circus groups in the region. The troupe is in demand locally, performing at many of Seattles popular festivals and events, including Moisture Festival, Seattle Centers Winterfest, the Georgetown Carnival, and more. In July 2014, Cirrus Circus had the honor of performing internationally at the London International Youth Circus Festival in England, at No Fit State in Cardiff, Wales and Island Circus in Sylt, Germany.

“Running Away to Join the Circus” – and dealing with Parkinson’s

From http://www.parkinsonalliance.org/weblog by guest blogger John Cornicello, a Seattle-based portrait photographer Cornicello Photography and a person with Parkinson’s

It all started a few years ago. I was working for a well-known software company. My job had me at a computer, typing, most of the day. I started noticing some “issues.” My left hand was becoming less accurate — DOuble-caps, repeating letters, things like that. I also noticed that my left arm was pulling in towards my body when at rest and it didn’t move/swing as I walked. My piano playing had been actually getting better for a few years, then all of a sudden it started a dive, too.

My first thought was that I suffered some sort of mild stroke. I got a referral to a neurologist, had an MRI, and things looked good. He had me do some basic movements. Then, as he observed me, he suggested that I might have Parkinson’s. I had no tremors. Just the stiff left arm and some cogwheel type of movement in my left wrist.

I had already been taking Ropinerole for restless leg, so we didn’t change anything there. My diet has never been that great, so my wife and I tried to go radical (for me) for a few months with no sugar, carbs, or gluten. I did lose about 20 lbs very quickly. However, I was starting to get some tremors in my left hand. After three months, I went back to dairy and gluten but have managed to keep away from sugared soft drinks.

Concurrently with all of this I had been photographing for a circus school here in Seattle. SANCA is the School of Acrobatics and New Circus Arts, one of the largest such schools in the world. I became friends with the owners and at the end of a benefit show in February 2015 I casually mentioned that I had Parkinson’s and asked Jo Montgomery if she had ever worked with Parkinson’s patients. She said she had not, but that I should stop in at the school next Monday. And I’ve been there just about every Monday, since.

I was 57 and pretty sedentary when I started this. Jo started me up slowly with stretching exercises. And then gradually started asking me to try more activities. My initial reaction to most of these has been, “You want me to do what? OK, I can bounce on a trampoline and do some jumping jack type of movements, But now you want me to do a seat drop? And then come back to a standing position?” I dreaded the trampoline for about 2 weeks.

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Then it clicked and has become a favorite part of our routine. Next came walking on a balance beam. About 3″ wide and 6″ off the ground. More difficult than expected, but not so bad. I could do that one. Until one day she suggested a tight wire instead. A steel cable about 1/2″ or so wide. Barefoot, Jo would be holding one wrist as I walked back and forth across the wire. I never measured it, but I’m guessing it is a 12 foot distance. Amazingly I did it. And I enjoyed it.

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All of this has built good core strength and improved my confidence.

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So next came juggling. I’ve never been able to juggle. Maybe it is from lack of discipline and practice.

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But I try. Balls, clubs, rings. On my own, I’m really bad. But I found that I can toss 2, 3, or even 5 rings with another person. I believe this routine is helping to make new brain connections that might help with Parkinson’s.
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Then back to stretching. When I first started I couldn’t move my left shoulder. I would hold my left arm out to the side and grab a bar and tell it to move up/down and forward/back. And nothing would happen. I could tell my right shoulder to make all sorts of movements and it would. But the left shoulder would just sit there, completely ignoring my commands. I don’t know if is the medications (I started seeing a movement specialist in June 2015, and started Carbo/Leva in September), or all the other exercises, or a combination, but my left shoulder is finally starting to follow instructions and move around in circles when I want it to.

We also do some strength training by doing pull-ups on a trapeze bar and an exercise where I grab a bar above my head against a wall and pull my knees up to my chest 20 times.

Outside of circus school I have set up my home “triathlon” routine where I do a 30 minute routine that consists of a mile on a treadmill, then spin at 80-90 pedal rpm on a stationary bicycle for the balance of the 30 minutes. Then I take a shower.

All of this has helped me maintain a healthy and positive attitude. I consider myself lucky that my tremors are mostly mild and confined to my left hand so they don’t affect my photography. Yes, I’ve started using a tripod more often, but not all the time. I do worry that my left hand tremor might be a distraction to my subjects if my hand starts banging against my tripod. But I do explain the situation if that happens and all seems good.

This past week I found out that one of the members of SANCA’s board of directors has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s and she has joined in on the Monday class. Our first try at juggling rings with each other went remarkably well.

Some days I wonder if I should be more concerned with my Parkinson’s. But so far I have managed to maintain a very upbeat attitude. I really look forward to both the SANCA and the home workouts. And I am somewhat amazed as I learn about more and more friends and colleagues who have some sort of tremors, be they essential tremors or Parkinson’s. This makes me have hope that more people will be learning about these issues leading to more research and the possibility of cures and even prevention. In the meantime, I am now starting to think about boxing lessons with a program like Rock Steady Boxing.

Thank you, John, for sharing your story with my assistant and blogging partner, Gloria Hansen. You are very creative and we applaud your unconventional approach to exercise, which we know is the best medicine for Parkinson’s. — Margaret Tuchman, President of  The Parkinson Alliance

Moisture Festival Benefit Show

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TRIcycle

April 3rd, 3pm

“This show will be a special benefit show for SANCA, featuring guest appearances from SANCA artists and staff.  Net proceeds from this show will go towards SANCA’s programs recognized nationally as a leader in youth circus arts education, safety, and instructor training.

The Moisture Festival presents its 13th year of high energy comedy/varietè shows featuring a rapid succession of acts showcasing comedy alongside awe-inspiring physical and mental dexterity, with poignant moments of strength and delicate beauty to make audiences laugh, wonder, shake their heads in disbelief and truly appreciate how live entertainment can exhilarate and bring real joy. A live show band propels each performance. Varietè has its roots in the Music Halls of 19th century England, cabaret in Europe and vaudeville in America. Because of the talented artists currently working in this genre, it is still fresh, exciting and tremendous fun for the audience.”

Jasmine on the wire

Jasmine on the wire

Buy tickets today!

Performers include:
Cirrus Circus
Jasmine Manuel
The Amazing Circus 1-dersTRIcycle
Duncan Davenport
Magnificent 7
Brighter Than Diamonds
Mary Gargett
with Special Guests Splinter Dance & The Georgetown Orbits!

Family Circus for Father & Son

Paul & Dawson West smDawson & Paul’s Story

Dawson and his Dad Paul first learned about SANCA because several of Dawson’s friends were taking classes at SANCA. It sounded like a great place to do cool things, and they decided to take the Family Circus class together so that they could spend more time with each other having fun.

Dawson West smBoth Dawson and Paul wanted to get more exercise, and Paul thought it was also important to show Dawson that adults need to exercise and learn new things – it’s not just for kids. They both benefit from taking class, and say it’s a lot of fun to do it together. Each has different strengths and they are both learning new skills. Dawson’s favorite activity is trampoline, while Paul enjoys juggling and tight wire.

Discovering that they can do something that didn’t realize that they could do is a great confidence builder. When asked what he is getting better at, Dawson shouts, “Bug Jumps!” Bug Jumps are a trampoline skill involving  bouncing repeatedly on one’s back like an overturned bug. It requires a lot of abdominal control and strength, it’s not an easy skill! Paul West TW e crop smPaul says that learning to walk the tight wire was a big moment for him.

Both Dawson and Paul believe that people who come to SANCA will be surprised at what they can learn to do.

Paul says “It’s great to be around other people who are learning amazing things and facing their own challenges – working at their edge. We really enjoy being invited to watch others as they demonstrate a new skill.”