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Aerial Dance FAQ
What is the difference between trapeze
dance and circus trapeze?
Circus trapezes are rigged from two points quite high off the
ground. Aerial dance trapeze ropes are rigged at a single point
from a 15-30 foot ceiling, theater truss or tree limb. The trapeze
bar hangs at about shoulder height. The single point allows for
circular pathways as well as straight lines. The exciting moment
of transition in circus trapeze is flying from one trapeze to
the next; the magical moment of transition in aerial dance is
from dancing on the floor to floating through the air. The focus
of circus trapeze is to let go mid-air and perform flips and tricks;
the focus of trapeze dance is expression and artistry. Circus
trapeze routines are often a series of tricks with a pause for
applause between each one. In aerial dance, the choreographer's
goal is to share his or her vision with the audience. Of course,
we too love applause!
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Who invented Aerial Dance and how did
it come to Wisconsin?
Terry
Sendgraff is the inventor and grand dame of aerial dance.
A dancer and acrobat, she was studying circus trapeze when one
day the ropes crossed creating a single point and aerial dance
was born. She named this new form of dance Motivity. In her late
sixties, she still teaches, choreographs and dances in Oakland,
California. Robert Davidson, an important pioneer of aerial dance,
traveled around the country performing and teaching. Many of the
aerial dance companies in the United States were inspired by his
performances and workshops.
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What does "Cycropia" mean?
Cycropia (sy-KROW-pee-ah) is an artistic spelling of Hyalophora
cecropia, a large, beautiful North American silkworm moth
native to Wisconsin, and featured in the header of this website.
Cecropia moths have reddish brown wings with red borders and grey
and white markings including a crescent moon shape. Gretchen Miller
and Robert Summerbell choreographed a work titled Moth's Diary
in honor of our namesake.
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Do you teach classes?
Yes, we offer annual workshops
for adults.
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Is it dangerous?
The press likes to play up the danger of trapeze dance, perhaps
it draws readers and audience members like moths to a flame, but
actual injuries are rare. As in all forms of dance and exercise,
injuries are possible. Safety and focus are a must, we take pride
in training our dancers to have proper technique, awareness and
good judgement.
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What other dance troupes are doing
aerial work?
Here are some links to other aerial troupes and dancers (If you
are doing aerial work and would like to be listed here, or you
would like to update one of our links, please contact the webmaster):
- Aircat Aerial
Arts (Boulder, CO)
- AirDance
(Albuquerque, NM)
- Air Dance Bernasconi
(Baltimore, MD)
- Airelise
(New York, NY)
- Alban Elved Dance Company
(Winston-Salem, NC)
- AMEBA (Chicago,
IL)
- Blue Lapis Light (Austin, TX)
- Brenda Angiel Aerial
Dance Company (Capital Federal, Argentina)
- Canopy Studio (Athens, GA)
- Capacitor (Oakland/San
Francisco, CA)
- Cirque du Soleil
(Montreal, Quebec, Canada)
- De La Guarda (Buenos
Aires, Argentina)
- Do Jump:
Extremely Physical Theatre (Portland, OR)
- Duo Vertigo (London,
United Kingdom)
- Expressive Feat (Tankerton,
Kent, United Kingdom)
- Flyaway Productions
(San Francisco, CA)
- Fly-by-Night Dance
Theater (New York, NY)
- Frequent Flyers
Productions (Boulder, CO)
- Gemini
Trapeze (Brattleboro, VT)
- High Strung Aerial Dance
(Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
- Hope
College Aerial Dance Company (Holland, MI)
- Momentary Fusion
(London, UK)
- Motivity Aerial
Dance (Oakland, CA)
- O-T-O (Orts Theater of Dance)
(Tucson, AZ)
- Pendulum
Aerial Dance Theatre (Portland, OR)
- Pigeon Horse (Ontario. Canada) no
link currently available
- Project Bandaloop
(Oakland, CA)
- Stephanie Skura
(Seattle, WA)
- STREB! (New York,
NY)
- Trapezius Aerial Dance Company (Philadelphia, PA) no
link currently available
- Vox Medusa Dance Company (Minneapolis, MN) no
link currently available
- Viva Aerial
Dance (United Kingdom)
- Zaccho Dance Theater
(San Francisco, CA)
Articles about aerial dance:
Please feel free to submit any questions you still have about
aerial dance to info@cycropia.org.
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