LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!

BOYS AND GIRLS!! KIDS OF ALL AGES!!

Last weekend we took Harley to the FSU Flying High Circus, one of only 2 collegiate circuses in the US.  This year's show was appropriately named, "SPECTACULAR!" (Which coincidentally is the 'word on the street' on Sesame Street today!)

It really was quite impressive!  And although there were no animals, it still exuded that exotic, other worldly feel that only comes with a circus production  Honestly, I don't enjoy the animal acts so much, because I know too much about how they are treated and have to live, and I find it cruel and unnatural.  So, normally, the animal part makes me more sad than anything.  in other words, it was perfect in my book~

There were entrancing acts of all sorts, including: Balancing, Fying trapeze, Tumbling, Clown, Juggling, High wire, Perch poles, Roman rings, Hanging perch, Unicycle, Stilts and much more that I don't know the names of.  These acts are all performed, choreographed, written and managed (equipment and set management) by college kids.  They balance, swing, contort and defy all sorts of natural laws with their amazing young bodies.  Beautiful young people in fabulous costumes and tons of sparkly show make up and of course tight tights (on the boys, oh LORD!).

They made us laugh, and took our breath away.  Harley dug on the clowns and bit his nails incessantly during the flying trapeze acts, or indeed any acts of a gravity defying nature.  "Mommy, that is not very safe what they are doing!"  Poor kid, I thought he was going to have an aneurysm!  We spend half of our time with him gasping and telling him to NOT do UNsafe or dangerous climbing, running in inappropriate places, etc... and then here we are paying to see this same behavior (worse actually) in others and call it entertaining!  We did explain that they have lots of practice and a net in case they fall... which a few did.  Sometimes when your breath is taken away, it's because you know they are college kids, and not professionals and very well could bust their asses!  Or have an embarrassing fall.  All you want for them is to fly high and succeed in their stunts.

There was one particular group of acrobats that were performing a mirror routine with another group.  What I mean is there were two groups of acrobats going the same routine while the equipment was prepared for the next act.  Each act was facing a different direction so that everyone could get a look at what they were doing. These poor kids had one slip up and it threw off the whole rest of the routine for them.  It was 2 or 3 guys and a girl.  The girl would be doing poses or tricks and they guys would be tossing her in the air to in order to get the momentum for said tricks.  Well, she fell on her keester more than once and then at the end, when they made a jump rope out of her... (Yes, one guy had her feet and the other her hands and they were lobbing her in circles while another guy jumped roper over her!  Her being THE rope!!)  I was so afraid her face was going to scrape the ground.... I could barely watch.  Luckily, that did not happen, but something did.  I think the guy holding her wrists lost his grip because she did fall.  I might have blacked out for a sec, I'm not sure.. I was really upset for them, especially her.  Yikes.  That'll give you trust issues!

I promised Harley a hotdog, but there were none available.  Only snow cones, lemonade, and popcorn, so that is what we had and it was fabulous!  We also scored a real clown nose!  We each took turns wearing it and creating photographic evidence of our illicit activities.  (I will post them when I get them on my puter.  This is one of the drawbacks of hub needing the camera for his work).

I'll leave you with this video, and this question:  Is there anything as thrilling and exotic as a circus??

Spectacular!