Archive for Aerial Acts
Aerial wheel- The blast-off to “the Bizarre and Curious Quest of Killian Cog”
We are featuring a few of the fabulous parts of our new show, “The Bizarre and Curious Quest of Killian Cog”.
In rehearsal
The flying clock!
This week I’d like to introduce our watch spirits on Aerial Wheel! Our show is all steampunk-y, so of course, we have to start it off with a giant spinning, flying Wheel/Clock, just as it ends with a fabulous German Wheel act by Killian, played by Chris Delgado.
Just when Killian thinks his crazy-time-traveling-flying-clock creation is a bust, the thing comes to life (isn’t that ALWAYS the way it is?). AND it happens to come with three lovely watch spirits inside, Michelle Dortignac, Kristin Olness, and Hannah Risner. In addition to performing an incredible and dynamic aerial trio, these mechanized ladies show Killian how his time travel map works and what he needs to do to get to each place. They also hint to the audience what kind of ride this unsuspecting guy is in for.
They set the course. Killian then must decide exactly how far he will go. Below is a Facebook link to the Theater in Ohio.
https://www.facebook.com/KSUPAC
Champagne Aerialists/Aerial Bartenders
What are Champagne Aerialists or Aerial Bartenders?
These graceful performers pour flutes of champagne (or other light colored beverage of your choice) for your guests for a fun and unexpected welcome!
What does Aerial Champagne Serving look like?
Our video is “in the shop” getting a makeover with footage from our latest events – check back soon!
Aerial Bartender
What do Aerial Bartenders need to perform?
Don’t worry – we have rigging options to suit nearly every venue! This act requires a single rigging point (exposed beam, sky hook, truss, theatrical grid, etc.), and a ceiling height of at least 10 feet. Free-standing rigs are also available. Email us at us@imaginaerial.com or call us at 212-252-3131 – we’re happy to answer your questions!
FAQs
- This act is atmospheric. Artists can perform up to 4 fifteen-minute sets in a four hour period, and must have at least 15 minutes between sets.
- This act is perfect for the cocktail hour or for welcoming guests!
- This act requires at least 10 feet to be safely performed.
- This act is appropriate for all audiences.
- There are multiple costume and silk choices for this act.
- Floor must be completely clear (no tables, chairs, sets, etc.) Performer must be at least 3 feet from the edge of a stage or platform.
- Performers may not perform directly over audience members. All necessary precautions must be taken to prevent audience from walking underneath the aerialist.
For booking info for this and other awesome acts, please contact us at us@imaginaerial.com or 212-252-3131.
Aerial Hoop/Lyra
Lyra/Aerial Hoop
What is Aerial Hoop/Lyra?
Aerial hoop, sometimes called lyra, features an aerialist contorting, spinning, and performing breathtaking acrobatics within a large, metal ring. Elegant and dynamic, this is one of our most popular acts!
What does Aerial Hoop/Lyra look like? Click the arrow below to start the video.
For more images of this act, please visit our Pinterest Lyra page! Click the ImaginAerial button to see all our boards.
What does Aerial Hoop/Lyra need to perform?
Don’t worry – we have rigging options to suit nearly every venue! This act requires a single rigging point (exposed beam, sky hook, truss, theatrical grid, etc.), and a ceiling height of at least 14 feet. Free-standing rigs are also available. Email us at us@imaginaerial.com or call us at 212-252-3131 – we’re happy to answer your questions!
FAQs
- This act is 6-8 minutes long.
- This act may also be performed as atmosphere. Artists can perform up to 5 ten-minute sets in a four hour period.
- This act spins, and can swing if desired.
- This act is perfect for performances with audience on all sides.
- This act requires at least 14 feet to be safely performed in its entirety.
- This act is appropriate for all audiences.
- There are multiple costume and music choices for this act.
- Floor must be completely clear (no tables, chairs, sets, etc.) Performer must be at least 3 feet from the edge of a stage or platform.
- Performers may not perform directly over audience members. All necessary precautions must be taken to prevent audience from walking underneath the aerialist.
For booking info for this and other awesome acts, please contact us at us@imaginaerial.com or 212-252-3131.
Trio Triangle Trapeze
What is Trio Triangle Trapeze?
This act consists of three artists performing stunning aerial acrobatics on a single-point triangular trapeze. This is a perfect act for performances “in the round” (audience on all sides).
What does Trio Triangle Trapeze look like? Click the image below to start the video!
What does this act need to perform?
Don’t worry – we have rigging options to suit nearly every venue! This act requires a single rigging point (exposed beam, sky hook, truss, theatrical grid, etc.), and a ceiling height of at least 17 feet. Free-standing rigs are also available. Email us at us@imaginaerial.com or call us at 212-252-3131 – we’re happy to answer your questions!
FAQs
- This act is 6-8 minutes long.
- This act does not swing or spin.
- This act is perfect for performances with audience on all sides.
- This act requires at least 17 feet to be safely performed in its entirety.
- This act is appropriate for all audiences.
- There are multiple costumes and music choices for this act.
- Floor must be completely clear (no tables, chairs, sets, etc.) Performer must be at least 3 feet from the edge of a stage or platform.
- Performers may not perform directly over audience members. All necessary precautions must be taken to prevent audience from walking underneath the aerialist.
Duo Trapeze
What is Duo Trapeze?
Duo Trapeze is one of our most requested acts! Two artists flip, hang, and perform stunning aerial acrobatics around a stationary trapeze bar. This phenomenal act has been performed around the world, from the Casino Estoril in Portugal to a tented circus in Romania! It’s a must-see!
What does Duo Trapeze look like? Click the image below to start the video!
What does this act need to perform?
Don’t worry – we have rigging options to suit nearly every venue! This act requires two rigging (hanging) points – exposed beam, sky hook, truss, theatrical grid, etc.- and a ceiling height of at least 14 feet. This act can also be performed off a single hanging point. Free-standing rigs are also available. Email us at us@imaginaerial.com or call us at 212-252-3131 – we’re happy to answer your questions!
FAQ’s
- This act does not swing.
- This act is 6 minutes long.
- This act requires at least 14 feet to be safely performed in its entirety.
- This act is appropriate for all audiences.
- Floor must be completely clear (no tables, chairs, sets, etc.) Performer must be at least 3 feet from the edge of a stage or platform.
- Performers may not perform directly over audience members. All necessary precautions must be taken to prevent audience from walking underneath the aerialist.
- There are multiple costumes and music choices available for this act.
Duo Aerial Silks
What are Duo Aerial Silks?
Two artists perform stunning aerial acrobatics on a single fabric. This award-winning act is the signature piece from the internationally recognized aerial duo Luminosity, and has been performed at some of the most famous venues in the world. Not to be missed!
What do Duo Aerial Silks look like? Click the image below to start the video.
What does this act need to perform?
Don’t worry – we have rigging options to suit nearly every venue! This act requires a single rigging (hanging) point – exposed beam, sky hook, truss, theatrical grid, etc. – and a ceiling height of at least 15 feet. Free-standing rigs are also available. Email us at us@imaginaerial.com or call us at 212-252-3131 – we’re happy to answer your questions!
FAQs
- This act is 6-8 minutes long.
- This act does not swing.
- This act requires at least 15 feet to be safely performed in its entirety.
- This act is appropriate for all audiences.
- There are multiple costumes, music choices, and silk colors for this act.
- Floor must be completely clear (no tables, chairs, sets, etc.) Performer must be at least 3 feet from the edge of a stage or platform.
- Performers may not perform directly over audience members. All necessary precautions must be taken to prevent audience from walking underneath the aerialist.
For booking information, please email us at us@imaginAerial.com or give us a ring at 212-252-3131!
Learning How to be Funny and other Aerial Tricks
"Dead" And yes, I'm holding Laura by her ponytail in this picture!
The aerial world tends to take itself a little seriously, and maybe that’s because it’s so damn physically difficult. We are usually too busy just trying to hang on and force a smile through the pain and exertion. Aerial work definitely always amazes people and has a certain mystique about it, and performers know it. Performers are often either sexy or showy or artsy, but rarely hilarious. Any attempts at comedy tend to be more cute than actually funny.
A couple of years ago, we were on tour and both had the flu and Laura asked what would happen if one of us sort of fell apart in the middle of the act? Then we wondered, what if one of us died? Could the other person make sure that the show will go on? Laura and I decided to give comedy a shot and came up with this piece “Dead”. We had a blast creating it because it was something we’d never done into before. We even got some feedback from our professional clown friends. We discovered how important timing is and how big we have to make gestures in order for them to read. The act has continued to be many people’s favorite because it’s aerial work with a dark twist. I hope you enjoy watching it as much as we enjoyed creating it.
ImaginAerial’s Opening Act- How We Met
Everyone loves how-we-met stories because they are often funny and romantic and just a little cheesy. Laura and I are no exception. Even though years later, like many partners we would go through couple’s (business) therapy on national television, that doesn’t tinge our adorable beginnings.
It was one bright eve in an outer borough. Laura and I were both performing solo acts, she on silk and I on rope at a nightclub in Queens that no longer exists. I remember seeing Laura and thought how professional she looked, all cirque-like. I felt like a country mouse next to her glittered up self. We were performing at different times and on opposite sides of the room and people kept thinking we were the same person and calling us by the other’s name. Since then, people have asked us on numerous occasions if we were twins which is a little strange given our height difference. On that night though, our similar looks made things a bit confusing. Laura called me the next day and (as she likes to put it) threatened me,“Join me or die.” I think she was slightly more charming than that, but whatever the method I quickly agreed and we began rehearsals.
Neither of us were totally flush at the time, Laura was about to get married and I was moving out of my ex-fiance’s place, so we struck a deal with the Queen’s nightclub owner. We could use the space for free if we would offer performances for a rather reduced rate. At that point, there weren’t any tall aerial rehearsal spaces (yes, kids it’s true) and it seemed perfect. The only drawback was that it was dark, a little musty and had no heat. Winters then aren’t like winters now. We rehearsed with our coats and hats on and then when we thought we got it right, and were fairly warm, we’d take everything off and run whatever we’d gotten through. It took us the better part of a year, rehearsing two hours a day almost every day to get the act right. We were so psyched but then we couldn’t actually get through the darn thing physically because we hadn’t built the endurance back. It’s so funny to us now because now I know that act so well I’m sure we could do it with having no training or prep at any moment.
Repeat performances- How to give ‘em the beef without making it into meatloaf.
I had Cirque style entertainment at my party last year. Everyone absolutely loved it, but how do I top that this year? There can be too much of a good thing, and nobody wants to repeat themselves. Think Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull. Need I say more? Nothing is ever as good as the first time. The last thing you want is to chase after a good idea with a cheap carbon copy formula (or greedy aliens). That said, people love cirque style entertainment and what are you going to do to follow that up, hire a mariachi band? You’ve set the bar pretty high, now you have to at least meet expectations. How do you do that without seeming like you are doing the same thing?
Well, there are ways. You just have to be creative.
1. Talk to us about figuring out something totally different- We’ve hired breakdancers, strolling tables, and girls who dance inside balloons. We are very connected in the entertainment world and could find something really unique for you.
2. Recontextualize the entertainment- Rather than having girls just hanging upside down, put them to work! Have them also pour people’s champagne. Aerial bartending is a fun way to really turn your party upside down. It’s interactive and fun. Most people don’t get to chat with someone hanging by their ankles on a regular basis.
3. Choose really different apparatuses- Silks are beautiful and exciting but also very popular. There are some amazing apparatuses that most people haven’t seen like a quadruple trapeze. It really draws people’s attention.
4. Use technology -There are all sorts of new technologies from interactive lighting, to lights that project video. A lot of it is cheaper than it seems it would be. It’s always good to seem high tech even if you still haven’t entirely figured out your iphone.
Don’t be afraid to be out there. People love telling their friends about that hip cool party where they saw something none of them have seen before. Many people have hired us year after year, but need to make sure their audience is not getting tired of Cirque. It doesn’t have to be always how we think of it, there are many possibilities, All you have to do is to let us think of them!
Aerial Bartending
NYE- Pressure, pressure, pressure….
New Year’s Eve is a time for the big and splashy, a time to pull out all the stops and celebrate until you find yourself sitting on your welcome mat with someone else’s dog. Given that people spend a lot of money to make this night special, as a planner for their party, you want to make darn sure they feel like they got their money’s worth. Cirque style Entertainment is perfect for this kind of celebration.
How do we make sure everything goes flawlessly?
- Book Early It’s especially important on this day to make sure you get the acts you want.
- Nothing After Midnight This advice cannot be emphasized enough. The energy of this night changes after Midnight like no other party does. I was part of the Millenial Celebration in Times Square. The organizers had the great idea of having performances every hour from different parts of the world as each country or region celebrated Midnight. This idea worked marvelously until midnight EST, when the annual mass exodus occurred, but they made us keep performing until 6 am. What a slogfest. By 1:30 am, it was just the performers dancing to tumbling champagne bottle bags and a couple of very resentful TV crews. Even when people do stay to celebrate after the pivotal moment, they will be too busy smearing their lipstick on someone’s face or dancing barefoot in among smashed bits of glass to care about much else.
- Higher Energy Acts Later As people get more inebriated they will need something bright and fast moving to keep them focused. Normally we like to have a balance of energies throughout the evening, but on this night it’s a little different. Put any walkaround performers on early as well as the contortionists. It will warm people up and put them on a great trajectory.
- Have performers arrive the day before This time of year is often fraught with all sorts of delays. This event is too big a deal to take chances. Make sure there is plenty of time for performers to get their luggage too.
- Whenever Possible, Add Glitter and Confetti If you can’t afford confetti canons then we can throw them out of our bras from 18 feet up. However you do it, it ain’t NYE if people aren’t spitting out mouthfuls of chopped up mylar.
Winter Fabulousness
