History

When I was a little kid my mother used to take me to the circus. Ringling Brothers and Barnum Bailey. Every year like clockwork when the circus rolled into town, we went. By ourselves, with young relatives, friends, classmates, etc. I remember that the perks of having a hot mom included getting backstage so that we could feed and touch the elephants, see where the animals were kept before the performances, say hello to the performers, getting front row seats all the time, and the best, being chosen to ride the clown car around the stadium and after the other kids were sent back to their parents, being able to stay with the clowns and watch the trapeze act sitting on top of this huge silly car with all these zainey characters. I guess if you really think about it, she’s probably to blame for the obsession I’ve always had to “run away” with the circus. Thank goddess. I prefer being this way than the alternative. Open and accepting and in tune with the arts.

The very last time I went to that circus was the day they revealed the much hyped unicorn. It was a white goat with a twisted horn, most likely from the mountains of a distant land. Maybe I had begun to get too old? But at that moment it struck me that the animals involved were in captivity and being made to perform. It just began to take me down a different thought process and after that day I never went back to Ringling Brothers again. But the past lingered.

For many years I had had the thought of going to San Francisco to this huge circus school. First I wanted to be a clown but then I discovered juggling, tightrope walking and trapeze. This school offered all of these and more. I began to plot my next moves.

I never made it to that school but I did begin to go to Cirque du Soleil which opened my mind and horizons and took me to a whole other level. It was amazing. And it felt like home. Though I had thought at the time I was too old to begin to learn, I’m not sure who poisoned my mind at the time and made me believe that there was ever any truth in that statement “too old”, but I never took true advantage of anything at that time at least. It was not until later, not until I found the community I'm involved in now that all those thoughts dreams and desires and cravings surfaced again. They were always there mind you, I dabbed in this and that, but never completed training,I never really dove as deeply as I have now into the circus arts. And now that I’m in it I can’t get enough.

I’m not sure if one would call them circus arts? The range I’m interested in is so much more grand. But a many number of the community are “clowns” and acrobats. Maybe with a slight twist.

I have also a very strong interest in Taiko Drumming, the Fire Arts, Ariel Arts, Photography, Gymnastics, Tribal Belly Dancing, Tabla and Sitar, Stilt Walking, Juggling, Samba, Bhangra and as always music. I have a five piece drum kit that was given to me by a friend as well as a beautiful replica musicman bass given to me by a Russian man I once was Engaged to. I’ve a ear for music I’ve been told, can play by ear? My first instrument was the autoharp (hippie mom) and over the years I’ve dabbled first with the trombone, then flute, horns, drums, piano and other various stringed instruments but aside from the flute, autoharp and trombone, I never sat down to master anything though I am getting to that point in life where I want so. So I have taken the time to train in these things that interest me.

So this is how it all began for me. My history and what helped form who I am today, what I’m into.

My excitement grows as my art does. Guess I’ve found my passion.