Author: Rebecca Arbeene

A couple months ago, I was introduced to Emerald City Trapeze (www.emeraldcitytrapeze.com) through a Seattle Twitter fundraising event, called Twestival (http://seattletwestival.com/). Global Twestival 2010 and Concern Worldwide (www.concern.net) partnered to hold several fundraising events around the world on one day: March 25, 2010. A few hundred people joined the Seattle-based event for this good cause.

The worldwide event raised over $400,000 for Worldwide Concern's education programs. Over the next year, Concern will impact over 27,000 students and 82 schools in poor communities in countries like Haiti, Burundi, Malawi and Liberia. Plans are underway to renovate or build new classrooms and schools, to supply students with much needed equipment, to train over 250 teachers/headmasters, and to increase enrollment of girls in schools. Furthermore, Concern will open and support new Child Friendly Spaces in Haiti, safe transitional places where kids can learn and play.

The event not only raised money to support these initiatives, but also introduced the Seattle crowd to trapeze! Emerald City Trapeze opened earlier this year, and was a great host for the event. Attendees had the opportunity to take a swing on the trapeze and see what it was all about. I, of course, had to give it a try, which only sparked my interest in taking an actual class down the road! What would it be like to learn how to fly?

After much discussion with friends, we booked a group class in May and spent 2 hours learning not only to fly 40 feet in the air, but to do a knee-hold, flip back, and most exciting of all...do a catch with another instructor (that is, if you scored the "cow bell," AKA acceptable performance).

It's hard to describe one’s emotions during the 2-hour class. After beginning with utter fear, you are filled with adrenaline, excitement, and nervousness each time you make the tall climb up to the platform. You begin to wonder why you are doing this, but several turns and pep talks later, you realize it’s all worth it. You challenge yourself, cheer-on friends, and walk away with a new experience.

Check it out!