Melody makes a cheery elf!

I have a confession to make: I love Christmas music. Every year, just after Thanksgiving, I’ll find myself bursting into an off-key but heartfelt rendition “All I Want for Christmas is You” or “Jingle Bell Rock” or even “Away in a Manger” while folding laundry or washing the dishes. At this point, my husband will look up from whatever he’s doing, roll his eyes, and brace himself for my very merry month-long serenade. Oh, have I mentioned I am completely tone-deaf?

Christmas Cowgirls and their "Reindeer"

Fortunately, for both myself and for my long-suffering spouse, I can now get my Christmas music fix every Monday and Tuesday when I’m manging the Arabian Nights Holiday Show. In addition to hearing it piped into the arena as ambient music before the show starts, the show itself features and amazing mix of Christmas songs. The soundtrack includes some of my all-time favorites, including renditions of “Winter Wonderland,” “Carol of the Bells,” “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” and selections from “The Nutcracker Suite.” The finale is set to “Merry Xmas: War is Over,” a song to which I have a deep and abiding sentimental attachment. Fortunately, Princess Scheherazade and Santa have wonderful singing voices, unlike yours truly.

Csaba is "chilling" as Jack Frost.

Looking back over this post so far, it kind of sounds like I’m singing my own praises about my involvement in the Holiday Show, so I’m going to issue a disclaimer. I had exactly zero involvement in the planning of the show. Honestly. You can tell because if I had been in charge, it would have included twice as many musical numbers and required an intermission. The fact that so many of my favorite songs are featured is pure kismet, and it just might mean that I love the Holiday Show even more than the regular show!

Zach as the Candy Cane Man

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the other reason that the Holiday Show has a special place in my heart. Arabian Nights is running a special promotion from now until December 22nd. If you bring in a new, unwrapped toy to donate when you come to the show, you’ll save $20 off the regular ticket price. At the end of the promotion, we’ll be donating all the toys to the Baby DJ Drive, which distributes them to children who might not otherwise get anything for Christmas. Not only does our show feature Santa Claus, but we get to help Santa out by collecting all those toys.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go grab a hot cocoa and watch the performers rehearsing that “Winter Wonderland” act again. Snow falling, music playing, horses prancing in formation. That’s my idea of a winter wonderland in Central Florida, all right!

Prancing in a Winter Wonderland

Misty is the American Princess

Today, we’ll be profiling Misty Morgan, who works in the stables at Arabian Nights. If you’re a fan of Arabian Nights, you’d probably recognize her, even if you didn’t know her name. Why would she seem so familiar to you? Well, that’s Misty’s face, smiling out at you from T-shirts, business cards, brochures, posters, signs, and anywhere else you’ve seen the American Princess logo. While Misty isn’t the only rider who plays Princess Scheherazade, she’s certainly the most famous! She was kind enough to answer my questions about her time at Arabian Nights.

The full version of that very famous photo.

How does it feel to be the face of the American Princess at Arabian Nights?
After ten years of being with the company, I am so happy to be given this honor. The Princess’s riding acts are my favorites, especially the finale.

Which horse is that you’re riding in the publicity photo?
That’s Sabre. I love him – he’s a sweet horse with a very lively personality.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with us about this very famous photo?
Well, about five years ago, I worked very hard with Sabre to get him into this act.  To have a picture of the two of us as the main publicity photo for Arabian Nights is very meaningful to me.

Misty on Horatio in the Holiday Show.

Aside from Sabre, who is your favorite horse, and why?
Sandpiper and Horatio are two of my favorites. I enjoy riding them, and they both have great, loving personalities.

In addition to the final Princess act, what is your favorite act in the show?
I really like the Native Act, as well. But the final Princess act has a special place in my heart.

Misty in the Gypsy act on Monte

Which costume is your favorite? The Princess?
Actually, the Gypsy costume is my favorite.

What part of your day at Arabian Nights do you like best?
My favorite part is taking care of the horses.

What hobbies do you enjoy outside of work?
I enjoy teaching, riding, and showing. I’m never really out of the stables.

Misty as the Princess.

What was your most memorable moment in the show?
I fell off the Black Stallion during the very first holiday show.

What was your background before coming to work here?
I have been riding for 22 years. I grew up competing in the hunters, jumpers, and equitation.

What made you choose a job at Arabian Nights?
The horses – and getting paid to do what I truly love!

Thanks, Misty! I get to see Misty every day on my business card, but you can watch her ride at most showings of the American Princess.

This is how I see Misty every day!

Csaba and Brawny in the Native Act.

One of the most challenging acts in the show is the Native Act – a demonstration of an equestrian technique known as reining. Reining is a type of Western riding, and is occasionally referred to as “Western dressage” due to the degree of difficulty of the practice. It is a technique that is truly native to America, making it the perfect technique to demonstrate in Arabian Nights’ tribute to Native Americans.

Brie demonstrates neck reining with Inca.

Reining as we know it today is a series of horseback maneuvers that the earliest cowboys adopted to herd cattle. These maneuvers are extremely similar to those that various Plains Indian tribes used when herding and hunting buffalo. Ironically, many techniques that fall under the heading of reining are either performed by neck reining, which involves only the pressure of the rein on the horse’s neck, or without using the reins at all, and require the rider to control the horse using other cues. At Arabian Nights, all horse are trained to respond to verbal cues, as well as non-verbal cues.

Kami uses a combination of neck reining and verbal cues.

The specific techniques that make up reining involve the horse and rider moving in a series of smaller and larger circles, at different speeds, creating a complex pattern. The slower parts of this series are often accomplished without the use of reins, however reins are used the faster maneuvers. During the faster portions of the reining act, the horse runs at a gallop before sliding to a dramatic halt. Because these various elements of reining involve so many skill sets, it typically takes three to four years to train a reining horse.

Melody and Comanche demonstrate a sliding stop.

Reining is one of the most athletically advanced things a horse can do. For this reason, a horse really needs to love reining, particularly in a show like ours. Not every horse is cut out to be a reining horse; the most popular breed for this technique is the American Quarter Horse, though Arabian Nights’ act also features Appaloosas, Arabians, and half-Arabians. Reining horses also wear special shoes to perform. While generally shaped like regular horse shoes, these “sliding plates” are both wider and slightly elongated, and function in a manner not unlike water-skis. This elongation and additional width allows for those dramatic sliding stops characteristic of reining.

An early version of the Native Act, 1990s.

Arabian Nights has featured a reining act for about seventeen years now. The concept and choreography where originated by Mark Miller as a tribute to Native American culture. He revised and reworked the choreography for about a year before he was fully satisfied with the result. It wasn’t until he finally found the right piece of music that the act solidified, and the elements fell into place. For a single-rider act, the Native Act is surprisingly expensive. The lighting pattern, designed to create a dreamlike and almost spiritual mood, is projected onto a fog that fill the arena floor. The horse and rider swirl and gallop through these delicately lighted fog banks, creating an almost mystical atmosphere.

Melody rides Comanche without using the reins.

The riders who perform in the Native Act have to be just as special as the carefully trained horses they ride. Due to the level of skill required in the performance, it is the hardest act to get into, and though many riders have aspired to perform it over the years, comparatively few have done it in the show. In addition to the technical skills, riders in the Native Act are encouraged to ride as if they were by themselves in the arena, performing with abandon, as though they are alone with their horse. This requires the riders to become emotionally invested in their performances; the result is always a strong audience reaction.

Melody and Inca glow under the blacklight.

The Native Act, circa 1996.

For a closer look at the Native Act over the years at Arabian Nights, click the thumbnails to enlarge the photos.

Zach Selling Tickets at the Horsey Yard Sale

Today, we’ll be profiling Zachary Becker who works in the Stables at Arabian Nights. Last month, Zach was named Employee of the Month for his all his hard work, especially his extra efforts in promoting Arabian Nights at the Horsey Yard Sale. I also learned last night that he does a pretty snazzy victory dance when he’s bowling. He was nice enough to answer my questions about his job.

How long have you been with Arabian Nights?
I’ve been here almost four years.

Zach and Storm performing at the Horsey Yard Sale.

Who is your favorite horse, and why?
I actually have two – Storm and Sampson. They’re my favorites because of their mutual respect for one another.

What is your favorite act in the show?
I like playing Prince Khalid, so all of his acts.

Which costume is your favorite?
The Prince costume is my favorite.

Zach Performs in the Square Dance

What part of your day at Arabian Nights do you like best?
I like training during the day, and being in the spotlight at night!

What hobbies do you enjoy outside of work?
My hobbies are riding and playing with my dogs.

What was your most memorable moment in the show?
Once, when I was playing Prince Khalid, I was was running near the curtain. The curtain caught on my spur, and followed me until I tripped. I fell flat on my face, just as the curtain opened for the Black Stallion, and all the spotlights hit me.

Zach looking dapper in the Holiday Show.

What was your background before coming to work here?
I’m originally from Iowa, and I graduated college with a degree in Equine Management. After graduation, I moved to Florida to start my career training and performing with horses.

What made you choose a job at Arabian Nights?
My love of horses and my love of performing is combined here, making this the best job in the world! I am also learning more about training, especially dressage.

You can find Zach in the Stables, or come watch him shine in the spotlight as Prince Khalid during the show. Thanks, Zach!

A bareback performance, 1988.

Since I’ve spent the last several weeks sharing my performer for a day experience, this week’s post will be a tribute to the act in which I performed: the Gypsy Bareback act, which Mark Miller calls “the heart of the show.” I sat down with him to find out how the act came into being.

An early acrobatics performance, 1988.

When Arabian Nights opened on February 29, 1988, it was just the Bareback act. In it, a rider named Anouk stood up on the horse and did a few stunts, such as leaning backwards over the horse’s back to pluck a feather out of the ground while she rode by. By June, Anouk had left the show, and Laura, a young rider of Danish Gypsy heritage, took over the act. She convinced Mark to hire two other riders with bareback and trick riding experience, and began putting together the first version of the high-powered horseback acrobatics act that still stops the show to this day.

Fire Jump from 1990.

Mark credits Laura with really “growing” the act. She was raised in a family of performers who had a teeterboard act, and when she was young, she apprenticed with friends of her family who had a bareback act. Laura’s expertise came with life-long training and longtime exposure to Gypsy culture, and it is this expertise and authenticity that Mark feels makes the act such a special moment in the show.

Highlights from the act in 1997.

A lover of Gypsy culture, Mark was excited to include an act that highlighted a variety of riding and acrobatic techniques that are on the way to becoming “lost arts.” Before long, the act was attracting up-and-coming riders and acrobats who felt a similar passion for preserving these techniques, and Arabian Nights became something of a training facility for would-be bareback riders. Here, circus-style trick riding (including vaulting and the Hippodrome) are still taught and used in the show. The Gypsy Bareback act has been in every single iteration and rewrite of the show ever since. It has changed and evolved over time, depending on which performers are working in the stables.

Fire Jump from the late 90s.

As Mark told me about the history of the act, he explained that Gypsy travelling traditions shaped the types of performances they would give. Because the Roma Gypsies would travel from town to town in horse-drawn carriages, they horses they used in their performances were the same strong horses that made up their caravan: draught horses. At Arabian Nights, our bareback act includes Percherons, Belgians, and American Creams.

Highlights from the act in 2002.

As performer for a day, I learned that it isn’t exactly a bareback act – our horses wear a rosin pad during performances. While it’s certainly possible for the acrobats to do their flips on a bareback horse, it’s not really as safe as when the same tricks are performed with a three-inch pad on the horse’s back. The pad is coated with a rosin powder to increase traction. In fact, if you look closely during the show, you might see a little puff of the rosin come up as the acrobats land. Even though the acrobats are landing very lightly, the constant pressure of humans landing on the horse’s back again and again causes the horse fatigue. Furthermore, the effort of landing gently on a bare horse’s back causes additional physical stress to the acrobats. Overall, horses and acrobats who perform these maneuvers without padding have a shorter performance “life-span” than those who use the padding, and if there is one thing I learned, it’s that the well-being of the horses and their riders is paramount here.

Trick riding, 2010.

When I first started learning the act, I was expecting to hear a list of specific techniques and tricks that are used in the show. But as the performer for a day, it was made clear that aside from a few key poses and skills (like standing up), the bareback acrobatics performed vary from person to person.

Gypsy Acrobatics, 2010.

I soon realized that the Gypsy act can’t be categorized the way that other acts can, because it’s constantly changing. For one thing, every performer who participates in the act has a particular skill set, and the daily schedule of the cast means that not every performance will include the same people. Therefore, the act shifts nightly to best showcase the individual talent’s of that show’s performers. Long story short, the Gypsy act is one of the most exciting in the show because it’s never the same twice!

Roman Riding and Acrobatics, 2010.

There is, however, one element of the Gypsy Act that is performed every night without fail: the fire jump. This maneuver requires the perfect combination of horse, rider, and handler, all working in concert. Only our steadiest, calmest horses ride in the fire jump, and only after they’ve become used to working in proximity to the fire hoop. The rider, of course, must be a skilled and fearless acrobat, because this isn’t a trick – that’s real fire, and every night, one performer holds a fire blanket, just in case. But the horse and rider are both depending on the handler cuing the horse to move at a steady pace. The handler for the fire jump is always someone with experience and patience, to ensure the safety of all. The fire jump is literally a showstopper, and ends the Gypsy Act on a high note.

Fire Jump, 2011.

Michael, my acrobatics instructor when I was the performer for a day, frequently does the fire jump. He joked that since I loved flying off the horse so much, I might as well put the skill to good use and jump through a hoop of fire. I don’t see that happening any time soon.

Finn's previous equestrian experience - he loves all horses, even the wooden ones!

My performer for a day experience a couple of weeks ago wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the special guests who came to watch me in the show: my mother, my grandmother, and my son, Finn. Finn loves horses, but had never seen one in real life before. What follows is an interview I did with him, or “Arabian Nights Through the Eyes of a Two-and-a-Half Year-Old.”

Please note: this interview was transcribed verbatim – these were his word-for-word responses, and the toddler-level grammar has be preserved for your reading enjoyment.

This tractor removes the ramp into the arena. My son loves trucks, and thought it was part of the show.

Gina: Honey, what did you see when you came to visit mommy at work?

Finn: Forklift!

Gina: Right, there was a forklift. What else did you see?

Finn: Grandma took me to see horsies.

Gina: And what did the horses do?

Finn: Horsie licked me! And a horsie did a poop.

"I kiss it!" (Confetti was very patient.)

Gina: Er, yes that sometimes happens.

Finn: A big poop.

Gina: Moving on. What else did you see in the barn?

Finn: I touch a horsie’s nose.

Gina: What did it feel like?

Finn: So soft! I like to touch a horsie’s nose.

Gina: Did you kiss the horse’s nose?

Finn: Horsie had a really soft nose. I kiss it!

Gina: What else did you like about the horse?

"She's pretty!" The lovely Scheherazade, as played by Tristyn Cook.

Finn: Horsie was wearing red socks. I touch a horsie’s socks.

Gina: What did you see the horses do?

Finn: Horsies did a dance for a lady.

Gina: Who was the lady? Was she in the balcony?

Finn: Lady was a princess. She’s pretty.

"Run fast!" Finn loved the stickhorse games.

Gina:Did you like the princess?

Finn: I like a forklift.

Gina: What else happened?

Finn: Me and grandma run fast.

Gina: Why did you run fast?

Finn: Run with a horsie. And Troy brought me a light.

Troy is one of our lead guest assistants. He's now Finn's hero.

Gina: That was nice of him. What do you say to Troy?

Finn: Thank you Troy! Troy brought me a light, and a man had a light.

Gina: Which man had a light?

Finn: Man on a big horsie had a hot fire.

Gina: Were you scared of the man?

The Evil Prince Vaneer!

Finn: No. He had a hot fire light.

Gina: Right, he did. What happened next?

Finn: Forklift!

Gina: No, the forklift was earlier. What happened after the man with the fire left?

Finn: A baby goat came out.

All small animals are baby animals when you're 2.

Gina: That’s right.

Finn: And a baby goat ran away.

Gina: Do you remember what happened after the goat?

Finn: A lady make a smoke. A big, big smoke.

Gina: And what came out of the smoke?

The talented Joyce Lemos dances with the unicorn.

Finn: Unicorn! Unicorn did a dance with a lady. And Troy brought me a light.

Gina: Yup. And then what happened?

Finn: Chocolate cake! And I eat it up.

Gina: Yeah, I saw you later – you were a big mess.

Finn: It’s okay, grandma clean it up.

Gina: Then who did you see on the horse?

Michael Martin leaps through the fire hoop!

Finn: A man!

Gina: A man? What did the man do?

Finn: Man jumped through the hot fire! Horsies go round and round, and a man jumped through the hot fire.

Gina: Who came out on a horse and waved to you?

Finn: Mommy!

Mommy waved at me!

Gina: That’s right. And did you wave back to me?

Finn: Mommy look silly.

Gina: I looked silly?!

Finn: And pretty.

Gina: Aw, thank you sweetie.

Finn: And I touch a horsie’s socks!

I touch a horsie's socks!

My mother and Finn had to leave soon after the Gypsy Bareback act, as it was getting close to his bed time. However, since his visit, we’ve had some variation of the following conversation every morning when I leave for work:

Gina: Bye-bye, Finn. Mommy has to go to work now, so be a good boy today.

Finn: Mommy go to work and ride the horsies?

Gina: Um, not today sweetie.

Finn:Go with Mommy to work and ride the horsies!

Let's go, Confetti!

I don’t have the heart to tell him that Mommy’s not an equestrian.

Weeks later, Finn is still talking about what a great time he had, I’m still talking about how sore I was, and the staff is still teasing me about my brief stint in the arena – so I’d have to say that this project was a huge success all around! Since my experience, I’ve seen a few actual Performers for a Day come in and do the show. Thankfully, they all style better than me.

Waving in the Gypsy Parade, with my buddy Aries.

Melody selected a few Gypsy costumes from the wardrobe department, and after some experimentation, we found a look that worked. I couldn’t help but notice that every costume that Melody presented seemed to be missing a little fabric around the midriff. At least she found some nice, full skirts to cover my nice, full hips. She even managed to find a hair piece that would mask my short hair and make me look more like the rest of the Gypsy performers. Fortunately, there was an extra one on hand that matched my hair color perfectly.

Clapping and daning in Full Gypsy Regalia during the show.

Once I was attired in full Gypsy regalia, Emily Del Valle, a performer who often plays the Princess, helped me do my make-up. I had done stage make-up before, but stage make-up for an equestrian show is done a little heavier, particularly around the eyes. The application is also a little heavier to ensure that it’s not being sweat off during the performance. Emily had me picture-perfect and ready to go just in time to greet guests for the VIP sneak peek of the barn.

My son liked Devin better than the Gypsy lady who claimed she was his mommy.

I stood with Gary Herrero, another of our talented riders, as Emily painted Comanche for the Native Act later in the show. Guests wandered in and out, and many of them stopped to take photos of Gary, Emily and I. I was even asked to sign a few souvenir posters, which is probably a testament to the great job Emily and Melody did with my costume. In fact, they did such a wonderful job that when my two-year-old son arrived in the barn, he didn’t recognize me at first. It took his grandmother and I about five minutes to convince him that the Gypsy lady was actually his mommy, but once he accepted my strange clothing and suddenly-long hair, he was more interested in looking at every horse in the stable than the silly outfit I’d adopted.

Gary leads Aries and I into the arena.

Once the VIP sneak peek was over, I changed back into my street clothes to watch the opening of the show with my family. My son’s reactions were pretty priceless (but more on that next week), so I was curious to see how he’d feel when I suddenly appeared in the arena as well. When it was time for me to head backstage, he was so enthralled with the show that he didn’t even realize I’d left.

This is how the staff normally sees me during a show!

In the runway, the immediate area behind the curtain into the arena, I was reunited with Aries as Gary hoisted me up onto his back. The Gypsy theme music started up, and Gary, Aries, and I joined the Gypsy parade into the arena. As I waved from Aries’ back, I spotted my son in the crowd, looking mystified and delighted – as did several members of the dining staff, who were more used to seeing me in my Manager on Duty mode during the show.

Twirling those skirts like it's my job.

During the Gypsy act, I was supposed to stand in one of the spotlights and dance as Melody, Michael, Emily, and the rest of the riders performed acrobatics that I could never accomplish in my wildest dreams. I had been told to just pick a spotlight, stand in it, and swirl my skirts in time to the music. However, as I watched Melody jumping rope on horseback, I started to feel a little self-conscious. What was I doing dancing around in the spotlight while an actually talented individual was performing?

Charlotte coaxes me back into the spotlight. Check out that hair!

Slowly, trying not to draw further attention, I began backing out of the lights. My retreat didn’t last long. I was soon stopped by Charlotte Reynolds, one of few riders who provides backup, but doesn’t actually perform in the Gypsy Act. Charlotte is usually responsible for supporting PFDs during this portion of the experience. She asked me where I thought I was going, and I told her I probably didn’t need to be in the spotlight anymore, did I? Charlotte was really sweet about it. She just laughed and told me to get back in there and swing my skirts for all I was worth. I felt better when she hopped into the spotlight opposite the arena from mine and began to dance to the music as well.

Clearly, I don't know my right from my left.

At the end of the act, Melody gestured me to come up and style and bow with the rest of the cast. I tried to style as femininely as possible, but then ended up bowing in the wrong direction – facing the skybox while everyone else was facing the Princess on the other side of the arena. Oh dear. I’m just glad Csaba wasn’t around to witness it – I’m sure he would have had something clever to say.

See you next week!

Next week, I’ll be concluding my Performer for a Day series with an account of the show through the eyes of my son; the magic and wonder of Arabian Nights, as described by a two-year-old boy.

Bonding with Aries before my lesson.

In case you missed it, last week I began the story of my experience as an Arabian Nights Performer for a Day. This week, the saga continues.

After my basic riding lesson with Lucky, Melody and I took her back to the stables removed her tack, and handed her over to the barn staff for a snack and a pre-show “bath.” Meanwhile, we were joined by Michael, one of our acrobatic riders, and Aries, a gorgeous Percheron who performs in the Gypsy Bareback act. Aries is one of the largest performers at Arabian Nights, and while Michael and I curried his coat, Michael explained Aries’ temperament to me.

It's easy to do this move when Aries slows to a walk.

While generally friendly and good tempered, Aries is very curious about the acrobatics that are routinely performed on his back. A horse will be naturally suspicious of anything on its back because the back is a horse’s most vulnerable point. It is therefore crucial that a horse establish a level of trust with any rider standing or sitting (or performing acrobatics) on its back.

Melody, Michael, and Csaba give me advice.

Aries is no exception. Although you’d think he’d be used to it by now, he still likes to turn his head and “watch” performers land on his back. Part of it, Michael thinks, is that Aries seems to feel things more sensitively on his back than other draught horses, and for this reason he wears an extra-thick pad when he’s performing. Because the pad cushions him so much, he can no longer acutely feel what the performers are doing, so now he likes to turn his head and check out the action, as if to make sure that whoever’s on his back knows what they’re doing. This turning movement causes unexpected variations in Aries’ gait, meaning more performers have become unbalanced on – or even fallen off of – Aries than any other horse currently in show. So basically, they put me on the hardest horse in the herd.

Blogger Overboard!

Once Michael had demonstrated how to fasten Aries’ tack and pad, he let me give it a try. Next, we headed back out in the arena where we put on my “tack:” the mechanic. The mechanic is a harness that is attached to a pulley system from the ceiling. It ensured that when I fell off the horse (and I did, many times), I didn’t just hit the arena floor. Instead, I swung from the ceiling like a piñata. This is the part where I thank Michael for being my “muscle,” providing counterweight, and making sure I never actually hit the dirt.

I only look proud of myself here because Aries is barely moving.

Michael and Melody decided to teach me a few basic skills that everyone who does the Gypsy act needs to know. The first of these was to stand up on my knees. Next, I was supposed kneel on one knee, with my other leg extended far behind me (and then switch midair). Then I was supposed to do an upward-facing dog off Aries’ back, raising one leg. Finally, I was going to stand all the way up, and hold the reins in one hand.

Standing up!

Not surprisingly, years of yoga meant that all of these things were well within my comfort zone – while Aries was standing still. However, it wouldn’t be a very exciting show if everyone did these moves while the horses just stood around, so I practiced doing them at a walk, a trot, and finally a canter. I did manage to accomplish each move at each gait – but not without difficulty. The walk, clearly, was the easiest, but I felt like the canter was easier than the trot. I bounced so much during Aries’ trot that I was only able to stay on his back maybe half the time. That mechanic is worth my weight in gold.

Ta-da!

I’m not a big fan of cliches, like “a picture speaks a thousand words,” but in this case, there’s no point in trying to describe how I did when I can just show you. Click the thumbnails for larger images of my spectacular acrobatic performance.

Csaba just looks embarrassed for me here.

A big thanks to Csaba (our Performance Director and the star of the show) and his wife Trisha(our Stage Manager and Photographer) who took time out of their fourth wedding anniversary to participate in and document my experience. Please note Trisha’s skill in capturing my “crazy eyes” and rictus grin – that was pretty much the only facial expression I could muster after an hour of flopping off Aries like a particularly ungainly sack of flour.

Am I styling, or just shrugging?

Wondering what on earth I’m doing with my hands in so many of these pictures? It’s called “styling” and apparently I don’t do it well. Csaba says I style “like a man,” which, as I am not a man, is not a good thing. Csaba, Michael, and Melody all took pains to teach me how to style – ie. what do to with one’s free hands while performing acrobatics – but I just couldn’t seem to get it right. Suggestions for improvement included “pretend you’re holding an invisible wine goblet” and “pretend your about to pick an apple.”

Me and Aries, working hard.

All I could manage was “pretend you’re doing something with that hand while you try not to fall off the horse.” I guess I just don’t have “style.”Next week’s post will feature an account of my actual performance in the show that evening. Check back then for more, including pictures from the show!

Hey, guys? How'd I do? Guys?