Circus Life or Do what you love!

I grew up in Sarasota, Florida and one of the exciting things happening on the West coast of the state (aside from the beautiful beaches on the Gulf ) was that Ringling Brothers Circus performers "wintered" there and most called the Sarasota/Venice area home.

As kids we played football, swam on swim teams and ran track but we also had the opportunity to learn circus skills with the professionals. We tumbled, walked a high wire, juggled and learned flying trapeze  from the Ringling Brothers  performers. We were members of the Sailor Circus and even performed under the big top. It was quite a production! My mother was always afraid I would run away and join a professional circus. I enjoyed it THAT much.

My acts were unicycle, tumbling, teeterboard and quartette adagio. Teeterboard was my favorite and I was fortunate to land at one of the two Universities in the country that boasted a student circus( albeit on a swimming scholarship.) I decided to give up collegiate swimming at some point and found the FSU Flying High circus. Maybe my version of running away and joining the circus! I was chosen to be on the traveling troupe performing teeterboard. We would travel to various places, like a sports team, erect our tent, do the show then break it down. I think back now at the incredible amount of trust we had in each other from setting up the tent and equipment to working our acts. It was an experience of a lifetime on many levels.

Those were incredibly fun days. Once the sawdust gets in your blood it never leaves. My youngest daughter has embarked on a career in the entertainment industry and I have joined a talent management firm but those are posts for another day! Enjoy your weekend and make some time to do something you love!

Wow, dont' know when this was but a Quartette adagio team. The 4th member is out of the shot.

Setting up safety nets for flying trapeze

Another older shot of hanging trapeze.