When I started aerial I started it as a solo sport, which for the most part it is. However, one of the greatest aspects of Aerial Dance is the sisterhood. We each walk through the door on a different journey, coming from different places, going home to different situations, working on differing things, with different end goals. It’s part of the gloriousness of the studio.
One of my struggles throughout my time has been walking the line of asking about, learning, and appreciating other people’s journeys while not playing the comparison game. I never stop catching myself staring at other women doing aerial in amazement. We are amazing creatures and I’m always impressed by the way we do things. And then I realize I’m staring and try to stop because… well I know “out in the wild” it’s frowned upon. I want to know how everyone does the amazing stuff. How are some people so naturally graceful? How do some people seem to fall so eloquently? How does a move work differently for someone?
There is honestly so much about aerial that should be questioned and shared and discussed. Kind of like life. The more we talk about it, the more we know, the better we can do and be. As women we walk through the world often trying to make it on our own or “tough it out” on our own. Guess what, by default, doing aerial on your own is dangerous. Like physically dangerous. There is a reason instructors spend a significant amount of time being trained and practicing spotting techniques regularly.
Now that we agree we need the sisterhood support for the physical safety aspect of it, I hope we can really dive into also understanding that by sharing our journeys, talking about our struggles and our wins, sharing the tips we’ve learned or what has helped us along the way, we will all be better for it. We will all be stronger. We will all have more knowledge.
And back to the struggle in this, the comparison game. It’s hard not to do. Not comparing ourselves to our former abilities, not comparing ourselves to any other person that walks through the studio is hard. We see what we could do. We see what others can do. We also want to do they can do. And we need to remember that we will… when it fits into our journey. Because that person in your class with you is also walking a journey and unless you have walked hand in hand, you will absolutely have different paths taken, tricks used, and goals achieved.
As I continue on my journey, I strive to be better at asking people about their journeys. And also remembering that there is someone out there who is in awe of my journey and also is hesitant to ask the questions.