The art of flying

ENTERING the world of aerial acrobatics, I was able to hang around, quite literally, on lavish black and pink ‘silks’ draped across the studio ceilings, writes Hanna Lana, who embarked on a fitness adventure that left her feeling empowered.

Aerial acrobatics is the style of acrobatics performed in the air on a suspended apparatus.

As soon as I stepped into aerial arts and fitness centre Carousel, I could just feel the encouraging vibes from the affirmative texts on the doors to the jovial faces of students walking by.

I was warmly greeted by Danielle “Danni” Hunneyball, a passionate aerial and flexibility enthusiast, and Carousel silks and flexibility instructor. We started with a quick and effective warm-up, during which she shared her story of how she first got inspired to enter the world of fitness.

“We had to give our beloved pet horse here in Bahrain away, which left me restless and pushed me to search for things to do,” the 40-year-old English expatriate from Leicestershire told GulfWeekly.

“Whilst scrolling the internet, I came across an intriguing advertisement for pole fitness and was hooked right after my first class, which led me to venture into other aerial styles. I went on to pursue an aerial silks certification, which I completed in just two weeks,” the Jasra resident, who also holds a coaching certificate and is currently working on her pole and hoop credentials, added.

Pole fitness is an engaging form of exercise that combines various elements like gymnastics and acrobatics using a vertical pole.

After the warm-up, the fitness escapade began with the basics of climbing: hooking my foot onto the special fabrics as a technique to support the climb-up. For this, I really needed to engage my core, and boy I could feel those biceps working!

Performing tricks at the top is a little more advanced, and usually achieved after several classes since it requires a lot of upper body strength.

I then got to explore some solo and partner shapes, which challenged my balance and flexibility equally. I definitely grasped a lot of spatial body awareness along the way,

“The benefits of aerial arts are incredible, a full body workout that ranges from increasing strength, to building muscle tone, as well as improving co-ordination,” Danni added.

The best moment for me was hanging upside down and letting my hands free, supported solely by the silks that were strategically placed to support my lower back. It might feel scary at first, but it’s a liberating experience, and probably the closest feeling to flying upside-down.

The session ended with a relaxing cool-down, which usually helps to unwind, or, as in my case, inspired me to return and learn some more new tricks.

While there is no need for specialised clothing or shoes, I recommend wearing leggings and long-sleeves to protect yourself from any potential silk burns. The class, which is an only-ladies session, is perfect for those who don’t like to work up a sweat, but still want to tone up those muscles. Emphasis is placed on slow and flowing movements, combined with aesthetic poses. Think of a peaceful swan floating away and flapping its luxurious, long and silky (but super strong) wings.

Carousel is located at Bahrain Financial Harbour, and offers a variety of aerial, dance and flexibility classes for adults and kids. There are two studios: one specialising in the art of acrobatics, equipped with silks, hoops, and a variety of yoga props, and the other exclusively for pole fitness.

For those wanting to pursue a similar path in life, Danni has one simple advice: “Just go for it! Weight and age don’t restrict you so, this style of fitness really suits everyone.“

When Danni is not busy teaching, you might spot her horse-riding in Jasra or scuba-diving in neighbouring Saudi Arabia. Aside from being a fitness fan, the manager at Servcorp, a premium office space provider, is a dog lover and has six fur babies of which four are ‘famous’ Dalmatians who even have their own Instagram account.

While aerial acrobatics does require quite a bit of strength and is more challenging than it’s intended to look, all in all, I found the experience therapeutic and empowering. So, to summarise the grit and grace of this class, I’d call it the art of flying.