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Here at the Aerial Angels, we like the finer things in life: librarian salads and nerf gun fights, standing ovations and Home Depot. (See below.) And poetry. We found this one, written by Sir Thomas Malory in 1485, about the month of May:
The month of May was come, when every lusty heart beginneth to blossom, and to bring forth fruit;
for like as herbs and trees bring forth fruit and flourish in May, in likewise every lusty heart that is in any manner a lover, springeth and flourisheth in lusty deeds.
For it giveth unto all lovers courage, that lusty month of May.
We like this poem because it's about living passionately! And that's precisely what we're about here at the Aerial Angels. Providing people with joy and wonder regardless of their ability to pay. Living passionately this summer? Tell us how: Chelsea@angelsintheair.com.
(If you don't like poetry, or to unsubscribe, you can also contact Chelsea@angelsintheair.com.)
May your summer be lusty-
The Aerial Angels
NACA Northern Plains
In April, Isabella, Flame, Spike and Chelsea spent a weekend in St. Paul, Minnesota at the National Association of Campus Activities Conference.
Day One: Eat "Librarian Salad" at local Greek restaurant. Haul rig awkwardly into convention center elevator. Perform for student delegates from over one-hundred schools looking for campus entertainment to compliment Facebook and beer pong!
Day Two: Mall of America! There's shops AND rollercoasters! Hang out at the GP Entertainment Booth with our agent, Rich. Get in a nasty nerf gun fight with the booth across the way. Meet lots of friendly Cheeseheads and Dakota-ers(?). One brings us a backpack. Thanks, Alfonso!
Standing Up at Home
May 13th was an extra special performance for Stand Up Eight. With five cast members hailing from western Michigan, the group jumped at the opportunity to partner with Paw Paw Performing Arts Center and give back to the community. All proceeds from the sold-out house went to benefit Paw Paw High School.
Spike says, "My friends finally believe me when I say, 'I get tied up and suspended and eat some fire'." Eight made believers out of a lot of friends last week. They earned a standing ovation on their home turf.
Don't know about Stand Up Eight, the large-scale indoor touring show launched by the Angels in 2008? Check out standupeightshow.com.
Angels in Europe
In just a few days, Isabella, Mimi and Anthony launch the Aerial Angels tour of Eastern and Central Europe! The team begins by returning to the Skopje Buskerfest in Macedonia. Next, they head to Kosovo and the twisty streets of old Sibenik, Croatia. The official tour concludes in Austria, but we'll be sticking around to do some street performing across Europe. If anyone has a favorite spot, we'd love to hear it! Email Chelsea@angelsintheair.com.
Not spending the summer in Europe? That's okay. Keep up with your favorite Angels at www.angelsintheair.com/blog. We love to hear from our fans when we're on the road!
Training Camp
I call Anthony, newest Aerial Angel. I hear power tools in the background. On his first day off from training camp, Anthony is at Home Depot cutting down his hand-balancing stands to make them more portable for the trip to Europe.
Anthony first met the Angels when Isabella and Spike directed Fallen at the University of Alaska at Anchorage in spring 2009. A little over a year later, he's at the gym nine hours a day preparing for a whirlwind tour!
"Mimi and I got our trapeze routine choreographed in a matter of four or five days. That was an adventure! Yesterday, I spent probably five hours on tramp wall. I was scared to try, but I did it. For me, training camp has been about finding my limits and realizing that I can push through them."
Six Questions with...Niki Dreistadt
1. What do you do?
I am a stage manager for Stand Up 8 which involves everything from creating the daily schedules, to maintaining a relationship with the venue, to carrying extra snacks for hard-working actors. When I'm not working for 8 I attend the University of Colorado as a BFA performance major. In my free time (if I have any) I enjoy hiking and farming on my sister's farm.
2. Who is your favorite hero/heroine in literature?
I've always loved Wendy from Peter Pan because she gets to go on the adventure of a life time but she never forgets about her family or where she came from.
3. What was your favorite toy as a child?
I had a blanket that you could clip a face and hands and feet to and then she would become a huge doll. You could play pretend with her, eat a picnic on top of her, use her as a cape, and then cuddle up in the blanket at the end of the day.
4. Do you have a motto to live by?
Work smarter, not harder.
5. What was your most embarassing performance moment?
When I was really little I did The Grapes of Wrath. My Dad starred and I played a random little steet urchin. In one performance I lost my tooth and my mouth started gushing blood all over the stage. I began to cry because I thought I had ruined the whole play. Luckily, my Dad came onstage moments later, in character, with a tissue in his pocket. He told me as soon as I got offstage someone would be there with a warm washcloth and take care of me. After the show he even bought me ice cream.
6. Do you have a hidden talent?
I make phenomenal cheesecake. |
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The poet William Wordsworth once said, "Up from the sea, the wild north wind is blowing. Under the sky's gray arch; Smiling I watch the shaken elm boughs, knowing it is the wind of March."
The Aerial Angels can feel the wind blowing, too, Mr. Wordsworth. After a week with the Icelandic circus community, we're revolutionizing circus from Alberta to Florida with Stand Up Eight. And we're planning for an exciting summer by inviting interested artists to apply for Angel internship positions.
May the winds of March shake the boughs of your elms-
The Aerial Angels
Standing Up...From Canada to Florida
Stand Up 8 is revolutionizing circus. And we're starting with an epic trip across North America. On February 26th, Stand Up 8 premiered in Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada. We ll take the whole operation to the Polk Theatre in sunny Lakeland, Florida for performances on April 9th and 10th. Are you an artist, entrepreneur, or curious individual living in Central Florida? Want to know how a touring show is created? Want to be inspired? Allison 'Isabella' Williams, Artistic Director of Aerial Angels and Director of Stand Up Eight will be offering speaking engagements free of charge to interested clubs and groups about Women in Business, Blending Old and New Marketing, and Attracting Investors. If you are interested in bringing Allison to your group, contact Chelsea@angelsintheair.com.
Goodbye Mac 'n' Cheese
Isabella spent early February teaching aerial workshops at Sirkus Island (Circus Iceland) in Reykjavik. She says, "The circus community in Iceland is small but very dedicated - my students were so encouraging to each other and very motivated to make the most of our week together. As the only American in a shared gym full of serious, mute Slavic coaches working with little vaulters and beamers, my nationality got the best of me! I was the loudest coach in the gym: 'Higher, hold it, strong feet, you got it, you GOT it, YOU GOT IT GO GO GO YES!' At the end of the week, the class went out for traditional Icelandic food, and let me say that Seabiscuit and Shamu were delicious. For the record, Icelanders are totally grossed out by macaroni and cheese."
Silks Instructional Video Now Available
Our latest DVD is a beginner's guide to the art of aerial silks. It will be for sale on the Angels site within the next week and makes an excellent St. Patrick's Day gift. (Warning: One should not attempt to train while intoxicated...)
Six Questions With...Misti Bernard
Misti Bernard, Stand Up 8 cast member, has toured professionally since 1992 and sings in six languages from Spanish to Urdu, with regular forays into scat and improvisation. A founding member of world music ensemble Blue Muse Trio and the Irish groups Brollywacker and Old Soles. Misti studied with Ali Akbar Khan and has performed and recorded with Irish flute player Grey Larsen, vocalist Stephanie Heidemann and free jazz drone ensemble PoOg, amongst others, and has opened for acclaimed Celtic rock band The Young Dubliners.
1. What do you do?
I sing, play the hammered dulcimer, guitar, Irish flute, pennywhistle... music is my silly wonderful amazing life.
2. Who is your favorite hero/heroine in literature?
I tend to love the ballsy heroines and heroes who must overcome adversity in order to step into their larger, grander purpose. I love the Jungian 'heroes journey' type of characters, and I also have a secret adoration of science fiction, so everyone from Robin McKinnley and Patricia McKillip's strong women to Paul Atreides and Luke Skywalker. Yeah yeah, geek flag already. :)
3. What was your favorite toy as a child?
I still have my chocolate-brown, velvet teddy bear, named, appropriately, 'bear'. He has a red t-shirt and looks like pooh, and is thread-bare and beautiful. This is the first year I've felt he was too fragile to be on the road with me, and I miss him.
4. Do you have a motto to live by?
"To live life, take large bites. Moderation is for monks." Heinlein
"Fortune never did favor the meek, Misti Lynn. Are you an adventurer or an Ohio farm-girl?" Me
5. Do you have a hidden talent?
I swing dance, shoot bow and arrow and study Japanese Tea Ceremony.
6. What three words would your friends use to describe you?
This one honestly stumped me, so I texted a half-dozen friends. The results came up "whimsical, bold, spirited, intelligent, driven, fiery, goofy, fierce, dorky," and a few others I'm not at liberty to share...
Last Call on Internships!
The Aerial Angels are accepting applicants for summer internships through March 10th. We will be selecting this summer's interns at the end of March. It's a competitive year, with some amazing applicants so far - we've received 16 applicants for two positions. If
you'd like to apply, read more about the program.
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From the beaches of Belize to the stages of Fort McMurray, Canada, the Aerial Angels are embracing our mission: We are personally involved with our audience, and we entertain them regardless of their ability to pay. We can't wait to see you in 2010!
Stand Up 8 in Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada
Stand Up 8, our theatrical circus with groundbreaking use of script, story, and skill, is coming to Fort McMurray, Alberta on February 26th and 27th. With extraordinary ability and edge-of-your-seat stunts, the cast shares not only their tricks but also their trials - the funny, poignant, terrifying and triumphant journeys that brought them to the stage. The Stand Up 8 site is under construction, so keep checking back.
Want to know what audiences are saying about Stand Up 8?
"It was a very good mix of comedy and awesome-ness."
"Everything was absolutely great. It was one of the best shows I've seen in awhile."
"Some of those pieces left me nervous. It was gut-wrenching, you didn't know what was going to happen next."
"I really liked getting to know the people - like, it was really incredible to hear their stories."
"The skating was awesome. There was hardly anything that wasn't awesome."
"I really must say it exceeded my expectations as far as just production and concept..."
"I want to get back to acting class! You inspired me!"
Mimi and Isabella Perform in Mexico and Belize
Chestnuts roasting on an open fire. Jack Frost nipping at your nose. The warm Belizean breeze off the San Pedro Pier. The sound of a chicken plopping to the ground. The anticipatory silence of the crowd while we all wait for it to, er, poop.
Isabella and Mimi did Christmas differently this year. The Angels took the company Toyota all the way down to Mexico and Belize, street performing along the way. Isabella reflects, "Our favorite show in Belize was at Fido's Bar, where ace barman Trevor set us up on the beach to do a show for the weekly Chicken Drop [see above]. The tourists (mostly American and European) watched from the bar, the locals were the other half of the circle on the beach. After the show, the local kids helped us take down the rig and then spent the rest of the night trying acro moves with us and each other!"
Six Questions with...Sam Brown
Sam Brown, Stand Up 8 cast member, hails from just outside of Boston and currently lives in Chicago where he performs with The Midnight Circus and in various theatre productions or anywhere they let him on stage. He started his performing career with Circus Smirkus in 1999 and toured with them for 5 seasons. He graduated from Roger Williams University with a BA in Theatre in 2006. This past year he traveled to Dubai to perform for Opportunity Knocks. He has also done some commercial work including an ad for Coke Zero.
1. What do you do?
That's a loaded question. I'm a clown and actor by profession...hopefully...one day. I work with a company in Chicago, Midnight Circus. I work part-time at the UPS store. I like to cook. And I'm in Stand Up 8. With amazing people.
2. Who is your favorite hero/heroine in literature?
I always liked Huck Finn. He's kind of a trickster at heart. He wanted to run away and he ran away. I respect that. Plus, it's a fun story. But...I'm going to have to say Spider Man! I grew up reading his comic books. He's a funny guy. He was witty while he was fighting criminals.
3. What was your favorite toy as a child?
One was my bubble gun. It was shaped like a machine gun but it shot bubbles. But my brothers and I fought over it so my mom ran over it with the car. My second favorite was Pipe Works. They were plastic pipes you could build things with. My brothers and I built a Pipe Works toboggan that we could ride on.
4. What was your most embarrassing performance moment?
I was doing my street performing act in Boston with my partner, Ryan. We were doing our flat board act. A flat board is exactly what it sounds like: a big board that makes a noise when you hit it. It has to be timed really well, almost like a dance, or the flat board gets dangerous. Near the beginning of our act, I turned over the wrong shoulder and the board hit me in the eye. The whole rest of the show I had a blood shot, winky eye. I had to go talk to people and they were so scared of me. There's nothing less funny than a bleeding clown.
5. Do you have a hidden talent?
I can cook a mean pot of meatballs.
6. When you're on the road, what do you miss the most?
My kitchen.
Angels Wins Highest Award for Excellent Customer Service
We couldn't be prouder of Richard "Frank" Oaxaca for winning a DAZZLE award, the highest award granted for Excellent Customer Service aboard the Norwegian Jewel. One cruiser says, "His smile will light up your day, and his genuine zest for life is contagious. (Not to mention those 12 pack abs!)" We applaud you, Richard, for embodying the spirit of the Aerial Angels on the high seas!
We Blog
Want to hear about the time Spike had to pee in a New York City traffic jam? How about when Isabella almost plummeted to her death as an Angel in a Christmas spectacular? How about the time we were covered in white paint and couldn't take a shower during a Baltimore winter? Catch up on years of Angels history and get to know your favorite performers by visiting our newly-launched blog. We love to read your comments!
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In 2009, Aerial Angels performed across the globe. But with the luxury of travel comes the difficulty of throwing a company holiday party! With Angels wintering in Florida, Michigan, North Carolina, Winnipeg, Connecticut and onboard a Caribbean cruise (hi Frank!), we can only imagine sitting down together...
Flip and Frank groan, sore from conditioning for the Stand Up Eight tour. Flip's excited to leave her new California home for the February show in Alberta. "Yay, snow!"
"This will keep us warm!" Flame emerges from the kitchen with a cup of cider, fresh from teaching class at New England Center for Circus Arts and raising chickens at home.
"After freezing with the moose, this weather is great!" laugh Isabella and Spike, who created Fallen at the University of Alaska in March. Sarah Palin didn't make the show, but everyone else in Anchorage did the show sold out its entire run.
A cloud of smoke follows Miss Pussycat out of the kitchen. She's set something on fire. Again. Cover girl of Revue Magazine's August "Hot" issue, Miss Pussycat was also a Grand Rapids' ArtPrize finalist.
"Jamjamah, jamjanah!" toast Frank and Mimi in Turkish. They toured the Balkans with Isabella in June/July, developing the street show in Macedonian, Serbian, Croatian, Czech and German. And nothing says fun like driving to Bulgaria with a carload of drunk mimes.
Luna's left hand catches the light. "Tell them, tell them!" cheers Spike, who helped plan Luna's engagement at a surprise show in Waterloo, Ontario in August. Star, who tied the knot this year, laughs, "I've got stacks of magazines they're all yours!" The Canadian tour included return visits to InterPLAY and the Edmonton Fringe Festival, and the Angels raised a record-breaking $3200 benefit hat performing the "Naughty No-No Show" at Waterloo (with great guest artists Flame Oz, Pogo Fred, and the Phantastyks) for over 1500 people in the public square.
Mimi and Frank deliver a post-dinner "Toy Soldier" dance party despite rising levels of tryptophan. Sunshine loved joining them at Maryland: "The RenFair is great, it's like a big family!"
As the Angels stumble off to bed, Trixie announces: "See you all bright and early for yoga!" She's certifying as an Iyengar instructor in Calgary. Chelsea says, "I'll set the alarms!" After conquering her fear of heights in A Midsummer Night's Dream, directed by Isabella and Todd Espeland at Rollins College in February, Chelsea signed on as our new business manager. "I'm glad I found a way to be a part of Aerial Angels.from the ground!"
Many new voices are part of the company vision for 2010, including former intern Alex, now company graphic designer, and Mango, reuniting with us in February after studying in France.
In a perfect world, we'd pass the mashed potatoes to you - our colleagues, fans, clients and friends who have made 2009 spectacular. Instead, thank you from afar for your support, and from all the Angels, a raised glass and a very happy new year!
See you down the road
Isabella, Spike, Luna, Flame, Mimi, Flip, Star, Frank, Miss Pussycat, Mango, Sunshine, Trixie, Alex and Chelsea.
P.S. The Aerial Angels distribute a bi-monthly e-newsletter with information about our whereabouts, workshops, shows, projects, ticket discounts and free stuff! We won't flood your inbox and subscribing to our email doesn't sign you up for anything else. If you're not already receiving our e-newsletter and would like to be in the loop, please contact chelsea@angelsintheair.com.
You can also join our mailing list, follow our performance schedule, and find out more about the Angels' company members and mission by visiting www.angelsintheair.com. |
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Dear Friends of Aerial Angels,
As the fall Renaissance Festival season draws to a close, we are celebrating an incredible 2009! We developed Fallen at the University of Alaska, had our first audience for the indoor touring show Stand Up Eight , toured Eastern and Central Europe and Canada, and met amazing people along the way.
As we head into the off-season:
Luna is a Cirkus Princessan! "Thanks to everyone who voted for me online for the Cirkus Princessan 2009 Festival. I got selected for the Festival in Stockholm!" Luna performed with other female circus artists from all over the world and had a great time. "Djulia Mikhaylova won, and she deserved it!" See the winning act, Luna's act, and the other finalists on the Circus Princessan site. .
Isabella's publishing another play, The Scarlet Heart, through Theatrefolk. "The script is done and accepted, and I'm working through the support materials that teach actors the commedia dell'arte style of the play. I'm shooting for a January publication date, fingers crossed!"
Spike has started a new venture: Zay the Happy Hatter! Check out her site for cool holiday wear.
Frank's on a whirlwind tour, flying to Miami to train as an aerialist/dancer for a cruise ship show - catch him on the Norwegian Jewel this winter!
Mimi's taking time to travel and reconnect with friends.
Flame's teaching acrobatics and aerial classes at NECCA.
Flip's doing the audition rounds in LA.
Let us know how YOU'RE doing -the best answer gets a FREE winter hat from Zay the Happy Hatter! Your choice of kitty, wolf, rainbow lizard and many more. Send your answer to Chelsea@angelsintheair.com.
Renfest Season
Fall means Renaissance Festival season for the Aerial Angels. With a team at King Richard's in Massachusetts, the Maryland Renaissance Festival, and the Pennsylvania Renaissance Festival, the Angels have spent September and October in the Northeast (and Medieval Europe). They were happy to return to the company's roots, what Artistic Director Allison "Isabella" Williams calls "school for performers". Isabella began volunteering at Renfests at the age of fifteen. This crowd remains among her favorite to perform for. "I love that I get to play more with the audience, they're more willing to be part of the show - even from their seats - than street audiences, who are a little wary. Weather has been a huge challenge this year, but it's great to get the dedicated fans on rainy days that are up for something special and different - we love changing up the show!"
Frank remembers one particularly - uh - unusual day at the Maryland Renaissance Festival. "I did a handstand at the beginning of a show. On a scale of 1 to 10, it was probably a 6. The audience loved it though, and started clapping. Mimi wouldn't let them get away with it. She announces, 'Oh come on guys, make him earn the clap!' It took me a while before I realized what the audience was laughing at."
Canadians Beware: Angels Meet Dragons on November 11th
The Aerial Angels have been selected to appear in an upcoming episode of Dragons' Den, airing Wednesday, November 11th at 8 p.m. (8:30 p.m. in NFLD) on CBC Television. We hope our Canadian fans will catch the episode, dedicated to featuring memorable pitches from previous seasons of Dragons' Den. In case you're new to the Angels or haven't heard of the biggest thing to hit the circus arts since red noses: Last summer, the Aerial Angels pitched their "Big Show" idea to a panel of multi-millionaires. Brett Wilson invested $250,000 in Stand Up Eight (from the proverb, "fall down seven times, stand up eight"). Stand Up Eight combines the Angels' street and stage experience, performers interacting with and talking directly to the audience, but with a bigger budget allowing more technical, set and costume elements.
The show previewed in front of a live audience in May 2009. In 2010, Stand Up Eight begins its North American tour, bringing a unique mix of circus, athleticism, and powerful personal connections to theaters across Canada and the United States.
Six Questions with...MA "Mimi" Harrison
An Angel since 2006, MA has a BA in French Language and Literature and Music from Kalamazoo College. She wrote her thesis on French rap music, culture and politics...in French.
MA's background is in classical ballet, including the Metropolitan Dance Company and Michigan Ballet Theatre. She studied at summer programs with the Joffrey Ballet, Ballet Internationale and Pointe Park College. She discovered theatre in college and has played in Medea, A Dress for Mona, and Naga Mandala.
1. What do you do?
I do aerial, fire eating, partner acro, knitting, cooking and dancing.
2. Who is your favorite hero/heroine in literature?
The Lorax.
3. Do you have a motto to live by?
Anything worth doing is worth doing right.
4. Do you have a hidden talent?
I just found out that I can cut hair! (Just ask Frank!)
5. What item of clothing do you wear most often?
My Tinker Bell pajama shorts.
6. When you're on the road, what do you miss the most?
My cat and visiting my favorite Michigan beaches.
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| | September Mornings Still Can Make Me Feel That Way - Dear Friends of Aerial Angels,
After finishing up a whirlwind Canadian summer tour (read on to find out the naughty way we made $3000), the Angels will spend the fall in New England performing at King Richard's, Maryland, and the Pennsylvania Renais
| 09/14/2009 | | | August Rush - Dear Friends of Aerial Angels and Starfish Circus,
We have had an exhilarating summer! Our tour of central Europe was a success: learning to sputter out our hat line in the tongue of Alexander the Great, enjoying unique theatre (a castle was actuall
| 08/15/2009 | | | Summer Loving - We hope you are eating lots of watermelon and wearing lots of sunscreen! Summer is a busy season, as always, for the Aerial Angels. If you are joining our newsletter, welcome! If you've been with us this year, you'll notice this one looks a lot coole
| 06/20/2009 | | | April Showers - NEWS:
Cirque du K, Kalamazoo College's circus club, debuted their second main stage performance on March 15th in the Dalton Theatre. MAERD (dream spelled backwards!) incorporated a cast of ten student performers and was a great success. Skill
| 04/23/2009 | | | Young Hearts Be Free Tonight - Happy Valentine's Day! We hope this finds you wading into 2009 with fun and excitement!
2008 saw the Angels travel farther than ever, with exceptionally notable events and festivals at home and abroad and incredible people along the way. We were tou
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