On Saturday 15th April I entered my first Bend The Air aerial arts competition on the Sunshine Coast. I performed a routine with a James Bond theme, and this was also my first aerial hoop performance outside HAPY Studio where I train on the Gold Coast.
Entering Bend The Air was a goal I set myself for this year, one I proudly ticked off my list in the early hours of Sunday morning.
I was delayed returning to aerial training at the beginning of this year, and snuck in just a few practice sessions to run through the routine before the big night. Regardless, the performance went to plan for the most part, and fortunately the one mishap was well choreographed! I nailed some of the tricks I’ve been struggling with in practice, and successfully pulled off some new ones.
I didn’t place in the competition this time, but from the start I treated the experience as just that, and an opportunity to prepare for the next heat in Brisbane later in the year. I had so much fun and thoroughly enjoyed myself
Thank-you so very much to the team at Bend The Air for making my first competition experience so wonderful, especially to Alicia for answering all my email questions. I learned so much in preparation for this competition, including what size hoop I use and how high off the ground I need it for my crazy aerial hoop/hula hoop finale. And a HUGE thank-you to my family for being my cheer squad (I’m pretty sure my dad nearly had several heart attacks across the course of the night watching silks drops). And a big shoutout to HAPY Studio, for providing the space for me to create and practice my routines, and to express my creativity and expand my love of storytelling into circus.
Thanks also to Artistry Photography for the incredible photos, and to Limelight Multimedia for my performance video. I absolutely love them!
Can’t wait to do it all again in Brisbane in October!!
Kate Kelsen 