Circus School

Circus School I am a very lucky duck, and was treated to an afternoon at the San Francisco School of Circus Arts. After some short training on the ground, we climb a tall ladder and stand on a tiny platform, where we get secured into a harness. First, grab the [9 pound] bar with your right hand. Then your left hand. (It really helps to trust the person holding on to your belt.) Then lean forward. (This is where you really need to trust the person holding on to you.) You think youre leaning as far forward as physically possible, but apparently youre not. Lean more. Now jump! Wheeeee The goal of our session was to get our legs over the bar and swing by our knees. Even if you (e.g. Mitra) have no upper body muscles, you can still get your legs up there using your momentum. (For confirmation, take 8.01: Classical Mechanics.) (I did this on my second try, but didnt get any photos, so here are two pictures of my coworkers swing.) More pictures (and special stunts) after the jump! We were not on land for long before we began risking our lives yet again. The leaning tower of Mitra. Hidden talent #73: Having a thigh that appears to be twice as thick (thin) as the other. LEAPFROG! What cool things have you done so far this summer?