People as young as five years old with varying skill levels can learn to fly with Circus Harmony, a local non-profit social circus organization. Circus Harmony expands circus education opportunities for St. Louis youth by offering classes and workshops in a variety of circus arts for people ages five and up. The Circus Harmony Flying Trapeze Center is located under the historic St. Louis Union Station train shed and offers fee-based classes seven days a week.
Even circus veterans like Donesha Buhr were thrilled to give flying a try. Buhr is a hula hoop performer with Circus Harmony’s St. Louis Arches, an elite youth circus performance troupe, and winner of the 4th Annual St. Louis Teen Talent Competition.
“It’s an amazing, exhilarating feeling,” said Jessica Hentoff, artistic and executive director of Circus Harmony, of flying.
It is also an alternative form of exercising, which Hentoff said is more fun than Pilates or weight-lifting. Today marks one month since the trapeze center opened on World Circus Day, and it is the only flying trapeze school in St. Louis. Yet Hentoff said people are still unaware that the trapeze center exists.
Hentoff announced that Circus Harmony was the recipient of the PNC Arts Alive grant. Thanks to the grant, she said, discounted, one-time flying lessons will be offered on Fridays beginning in July. And free juggling lessons will be offered every Sunday in August. She said the grant also underwrites the creation of an elite Youth Circus Flying and Juggling Troupe.
Funding to start the Trapeze Center was made possible by the Regional Arts Commission and the Daughters of Charity Foundation of St. Louis through the YouthBridge Social Enterprise and Innovation Competition at Washington Univeristy’s Skandalaris Center. Proceeds from the flying trapeze classes will go towards supporting a shuttle bus to help under-served youth attend circus classes.
The Trapeze Center will remain at Union Station until October. Hentoff said Circus Harmony is searching for a winter venue with 36 foot high ceilings that will accommodate a trapeze rig that rises 25 feet into the air.
“We want to keep this going year-round,” Hentoff said.
Learn more about classes and hours or to book your classes visit www.TrapezeSTL.com or call 314-504-4298.
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