TEEN aerial performers from the Limerick-based Irish Arial Creation Centre (IACC) have achieved what countless kids have wanted to do for generations – they’ve gone and joined the circus.
Seven young performers were flying high after being invited into the big top to show their spectacular skills in the art of the high ropes at the weekend.
Circus Gerbola was in Limerick for the first time and contacted the IACC parent circus company, Fidget Feet, to ask if the young performers would like a chance to perform in the traditional sawdust ring.
“We were delighted,” aerial arts teacher Sara Granda told the Limerick Post. “A chance to perform under the big top has been on my bucket lists for years so it’s such a fantastic opportunity for ourย students.”
Because the senior students are so dedicated and advanced, Sara allowed them to come up with their own routine, involving climbing, dancing, and performing suspended on a two-rope installation.
And in the spirit of collaboration, the circus offered a flying trapeze class to all of the teachers in the IACC and Fidget Feet performers.
Speaking before the performance, Rudi Welbourne said she was “nervous and excited. We don’t know what to expect.”
Ethan Murphy told the Limerick Post “we’ve performed for people before but nothing like this”, while Naomi McDermott said she was looking forward to “a new experience, I only went to the circus once before and nearly feel through the bleachers. But it didn’t put me off heights.”
Lucky Doherty said she is treasured “a rare opportunity to perform in the big top”.
Having got the invitation just a week ago, the intrepid seven had just six hours of rehearsals to pull the performance off.
So does that mean all Sara’s young students now want to run away from home to join the circus? “They already wanted that – they already have joined the circus. Fidget Feet is a circus company,” she joked.
