Wednesday, December 9, 2009

The Rolling Good Times Part 3

Walking the snakes.



Selling Tickets.

Mr. Loomis!


Elephant Dance.

The Rolling Good Times Part 2

Me and Mr. Loomis

Styling it up!

Chiffon Action...

Melted Tights from the Chiffon.


Patching to make it through the night.

Staying warm.

The Rolling Good Times

Ahhhh, Sunshine and water!

Me and Irene enjoying the day off.

The poles were lost so Becky went hunting for them.


Alabama cotton and a little bit of forgiveness.

Aerial Abby, Mr. Loomis, Becky

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Loomis Fun!




We have had a lot of fun here on the circus.
Right now we are in Bushnell Florida which is the winter quarters for the circus. Its been a great time playing for the public who know the circus well. We have been fortunate enough to have great crowds most of the tour. It keeps your spirit up and the hands green.

The other night we celebrated Leo the Clowns birthday. We were in the great historic town of St. Augustine and ran the town. There was a local band that some of the performers new well so of course we went dancing. They were a blast and very personable. They talked the circus up and promoted it at the bar. Very nice to have the exposure any time you can get it.
Fernando got up and sang La Bamba, Leo got up and danced, it was hilarious!

My friend Justin Loomis surprised me by taking me in style... in a limousine! He and I tore the town up. We sat back and enjoyed the ride. It is wonderful to be waited on every now and then.
That's how Loomis roles!

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Touring

Ohhhh, its been a long journey already. There has been a lot of action and excitement in a short period. We have been all over Florida and parts of Georgia and Alabama. Soon we will head back down to the southern part of Florida. Yah, more warmth! There have been some really cold nights and being in unitards and spandex is brutal. The beginning of the tour, there was awefull humidity. Super humid! Working on the chiffon was a 'sticky' mess. I guess its better then being slippery. Its very exhausting working with the heat and extreme humidity.

Drama....man, has there been drama. Cant talk about it all but....
We had 4 showgirls which all looked great...but not everyone is cut out for the circus touring life.
Becky and I have had our ups and down. You know its a true friend when you fight and can make up. We are living in very close quarters.
Because she is leaving for a week to go to Evansville, the show made me my own living space. It has a kitchen and a shower!!! Super excited!

My time here has been very occupied with travel and performance. There isn't a lot of time for rehearsing, running or flexibility stretching like I would like. I am very limited on sleep. Any two day stand, we like to hang out and enjoy every ones company, which sometimes ends up being very very long nights.

I have many jobs on the circus which includes all kinds of trades. I sell tickets before each show. I even help with set up and tear down and I drive a truck and trailer for my boss. The extra jobs keep me busy and RICH! HAAAA...

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Circus!




Florida bound it is!

Once I arrived in Florida, of course, the first thing we did was go to the beach!! Becky and I took her daughter Fresia to have a fun day before we had to head north for the tour. It was over 90 degrees in Florida which is a huge difference from Vermont and coming across the country.
It was great to see the ocean again and enjoy the wonderful weather since I seem to always be stuck where it snows. Great change of pace.

We got the trailer ready and organized and I had to get a new swivel and junk like that...it took us a while to hit the road to meet up with the team.

We all finally made it and as soon as we got to the lot, rigging rigging rigging!! The rigging was insane!

We learned two acts in about an hour and then performed. It took all day for the riggers to rig, hince only an hour of practice.

The first couple days was pretty crazy getting everything kinda together and situated. There are two shows a day and hardly anytime to develop or practice my other acts. But I am performing my fabric act, a web act and the elephant dance, I am ok with that. Most of the dates are two day stands which makes it easier to go to the store, and easier on our bodies.

There are some incredible people that I am working with like Gabriella and Robert Zerbini, Leo the Clown, The Amazing Sladek, Rebecca Ostroff, Brian Franzen, and many more. Its a pleasure working with some of the greatest traditional circus artist.




Thursday, October 22, 2009

Across Country





The drive across country was successful!
No wrecks, only one small fight with my mother, and my body felt pretty good. It took us 3 days to get to Texas from Vermont. The doggies enjoyed themselves for the most part. Koda's nervousness held off until the last day of driving. Grizzly fully enjoyed himself watching outside the windows and relaxing.

My mother and I had a great time with each other. The trip was easier this time, personally because my neck injury has healed quite a bit. I started to have problems around the same time Koda did, which was the last day.

We stopped in Amish country up in Indiana and went to an apple orchard where we picked some apples and had fresh cider and caramel apples. We splurged!! It was great to stop and enjoy the country alittle.

Needless to say I was thrilled to get to Texas....

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Leaving VT

Wow- its been a while...

I have one more week here in Brattleboro VT. First stop Texas, second stop Florida to work with the Loomis Brothers Circus.
Leaving Vt just in time for the cold weather. Thank goodness for that!!

Earlier this month I debuted 3 new acts... yes 3! I thought my life was going to slow down a little after the shows were over but it only sped up. You can check the acts out at

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/video/video.php?v=549336523100&subj=732627066

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQ7gc9_K0EQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fe4Yhz3oXes

I have been extremely busy with training, dance rehearsals, packing, and not to mention my wonderful trip to Chicago!
I had a wonderful time visiting the Kelly Miller Circus and seeing friends. Its always a joy to be around my clown!! :)
Becky Ostroff is on the show, displaying her beautiful self. I was finally able to see her in action with out pirate wear~! Her swinging trapeze act was very beautifull and it makes me want to train swinging trap.
Its going to be a blast working with her on the Loomis Bro. Circus!!

As for now my schedule is jam packed until I leave on the 2nd. I am mostly packed and I am not looking forward to the across country drive.

My website is mostly finished. YAH!!!
check it out.
www.aerialabby.com

Thursday, August 6, 2009

'Hats to You'

I had a pretty awesome week! Still moving forward in residency.
Jahnavi, Rhada, and I have been working hard to get our dance/acrobatic piece together. We have given ourselves 1 month to have it done and then we will be debuting it in New York City. We had a rapid flow of creativeness today, made a ton of progress. Its pretty much choreographed, we just have to get the counts....we need the counts......dang counts.
Something new for me this week was working on back walkovers into handstand. Yah! I can stall it, and I can almost get my balance. I give it a week. Its nice to finally feel the mobility in my back working. Ahhhhh....

Here is a very small taster of whats to come....




I made a ton of progress on promo material this week, thanks to a lot of great friends, helping and pushing me..... Thank you......!!

My one very bad weakness came over me this week. I went shopping.
I found some very cool hats for my hat collection. They are from the 20s and 30s period.
Big score!! Super happy- I already sported the black hat.

I got more news today from Becky about the circus in Florida. Contracts are coming soon, and the pay went up! All great news. The dates are from mid October to mid December. I will be on the spanish web and my favorite part, I will ride the elephants during their act.
Looks like I will be 'show girling' it up in Florida. Guess I cant complain about that. Hee hee....

Till next week,

'Fly High and Walk Tall'

AerialAbby

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Healing Time

Well its been another fun filled week of my life...
Lots of training and lots of healing.

I have been learning a bunch of new tricks. All ground tricks, which is AWESOME!
I am putting a new beginning to my latest fabric act. I am trying to incorporate my hand balancing into it.
I have felt a lot more mobile since I had my vacation. You know sometimes you feel stuck....
Lately, since I have NOT been OVER training, my body feels so much more free. Imagine that.....
Finally I have put a limit of working out on myself, and the results have really paid off so far. YAH!

I started physical therapy back this week for my neck. They stick me in 'the traction device' which makes me taller, so I hope anyway. :) They want me to buy one for my house, but I am afraid I will take advantage of it, since I am only 5ft 1 inch tall and I should be at least 5ft 4 inch. RIGHT?
I had one of the best massages this week. My good friend Rhadha blessed me with her healing hands. She could then understand why I complain of certain areas of my body. I have been re cooperating from my deep tissue massage and taking Epsom salt baths and icing as much as I can. I hate injuries. Chronic ones at that! Some day there will be no pain!!

My car has been trying to heal this week too. Or maybe get sick? One of the two, its been giving me fits. Twice now I went out to start it and it acted as if the battery was dead. Although it wasn't.
Its been playing tricks on me. I guess it learned a few this week as well.

I have been so lucky as to spend lots of time with my boys. I have been home quite a bit this week and have enjoyed every bit of it. Koda has been a little clingy which those of you who know him, this is very odd. But not unlike him really, after all he is a cuddly bear.

This concludes my week.

Fly High and Walk Tall!
AerialAbby

Monday, July 20, 2009

Creative Breakthrough

Today was a great training day! I was working on transitions into tricks, mostly hand balancing skills. I am putting a modern movement/hand balancing act together. Possibly using a prop or two or three. 'It can be tricky'
All in the creating zone.
I have yet to set a goal date.
It has been empowering to have creative breakthroughs. Not to mention the breakthroughs in flexibility of my back and pure control over certain transitional movements in hand balancing. I can do a pirouette on my hands now too. I love it, all these new breakthroughs.
'The fool leaps forward'!
I started a new jazz class today. The instructor is amazing and exactly the style that I was hoping for. This has brought me great enthusiasm to create and am excited to see what comes of the instruction.

As for life at home-
I have been soaking it up. Every moment that I have at home is very preciously spent. Today, I went out side, contact juggled and watched the dogs play with each other. It was actually warm enough and I didn't feel like I was being attacked by bugs.

I have been trying to get computer work done, but a virus has been slowing me down. :(
Tomorrow I start my regular workout at the gym before training. I have been super lazy about doing it these last 2 weeks. Got to get back at it.....


Flying High and Walking Tall

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Back at Training

Well I am back training in Brattleboro. The residency program trains in the NEYT Theater down the road from the Training Center. I have a designated spot for my training, makes it a bit more reliable and predictable of my day.
I was actually sore this morning! Yah.....Must have been all of the back flexibility work I did yesterday.
The sky is blue as can be. I was wondering if once I left dreary New York if things would shape up once I got to the "Green State". Good 'ol' Vermont didn't let me down. Hopefully we are finally in the months of summer.
I am still working on my website and contueing on promo material. It has been a long haul but I am chisleling away.

Pirating














AHRGGG.....


I am back from playing pirate. It was a delight to have met Becky Ostroff, one of the great traditional circus performers of this time.
My experience working with divers was quit an interesting one. Ahhhh, how it is to be 18. I couldn't keep up if I tried. I figured beauty sleep and proper body care was in my favor.
The first day I got there, I ripped my hands. Oh yeah, on the infamous pull overs. The worst I have ever done. That's what 3 weeks off a bar will do to you. I had to make a nice glove for both of my hands for about a week or so. Becky and I both were always going to the store to get bandages. Between her broken nose and my ripped hands we were a site to see.
Because Becky has been around the block with many traditional circus's, I was honored to have met some of the members of the Cole Brothers Circus as well as the Kelly Miller Circus. While in New York we took full advantage of seeing the circus's. It was a blast to see behind the scenes of both and to talk old circus with people that where born in to it. My favorite part was getting 101 with the elephant master of the Cole Brothers. Elephants are very fascinating. I had know idea that they were pregnant for 2 years! 2 years! Wow!!
We hung with the Kelly Miller Circus a few times, saw the show, and had fun watching the big top being torn down as we BBQed it up at the end of the evening. Props to the guys that deal with the tent! Hard work......
We were able to give back and invite some members to Great Escapes for the day. I was able to talk with Steve and find how interesting and funny he is. Its always great to meet awesome people.
Now I am back in Brattleboro.....gigging and training.....I am so happy to see my two bears! (Grizzly and Koda)
Fly High and Walk Tall