Trapeze School in Cincinnati, Ohio/Newport, Kentucky

Imagine for a moment you are at the circus with family or friends. It may be the Shrine Circus, Ringling Brothers, or some other event. Can you imagine what it would be like, if when you are watching the men and women on the flying trapeze, you could truthfully tell those you are with you've done that and it's fun? If you are ever in the Cincinnati, Ohio, area on a vacation, or live in the area, you might get that chance, if you attend the Trapeze School at Newport, Kentucky, a suburb of Cincinnati, at Newport on the Levee.

The Cincinnati Circus Company and the Amazing Portable Circus operate the Trapeze School for children and adults. The school opened in the summer of 2010. From Thursday to Sunday your children can have an introductory lesson and swing on the flying trapeze for $14.95. If you are on vacation, there are a variety of activities to see in Newport and Cincinnati, including a chance to ride ducks, visit an aquarium, visit an art museum, and many other places, after you have been to the Trapeze School. Other classes are offered throughout the week for everybody.

Have you ever been at a circus, or watched on television, and wondered if those daring athletes on the trapeze will make it safely to the other side? Did you ever dream of being one of them? Did you ever wonder what it would be like to hear the crowd cheer, grab the bars, or feel the wind hit you? You now have that chance at the Trapeze School in the Cincinnati/Newport area.

Those who operate the school say those who attend will fall in love with being on a flying trapeze, as they once did themselves. While it may be a great place to visit on a vacation, for those who live in the Cincinnati area, attending the school can be great for a birthday party, date, or bachelor or bachelorette party.

You might wonder what you would need to attend the school, and the answer is nothing. All you have to do is complete some paperwork and bring a valid identification. If you are early, you will have the chance to do some stretching exercises. You can learn about the flying trapeze by watching a YouTube video. All you need is a spirit of adventure.

For those who really take flying on a trapeze seriously, there are also gymnastic classes. There are aerial classes.

You might wonder about age limits and other concerns you might believe would affect safety. Nobody is accepted for class than is younger than 5 or older than 100. Participants should be in reasonable physical condition. They should be able to hold their body weight while hanging from a bar. Comfortable clothing, such as shorts and t-shirts should be worn. Nobody should take a class whose mental and physical abilities have been affected by medication or alcohol, and such affects should be reported. You might feel more safe to know that if you take a class there will be a safety net underneath you, and you will be attached to safety lines.

Owner Scott Willacker is so concerned about safety, at least in part because he once had a fear of height himself. He recalled that when he first bought the equipment that would later be used in the school, he was afraid himself to climb to the top.

"I climbed up and I had to stop and cling to the ladder, 2/3rds of the way up because I was too scared," Willacker recalled in an article in the website, http://www.wcpo.com.

"This is the first flying trapeze school in the Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky area and we are thrilled to be part of this exciting and uniquely entertaining experience," P. Ellen Prows, General Manager of Newport on the Levee, said on the website, www.wcpo.com, of the Trapeze School.

Prices are $55 for an adult lesson and $35 for a child's lesson on Saturday and Sunday. Through the week they are $45 for an adult, $35 for a child, and $25 for a child younger than 12. For more information, call 513-921-5454.

Citations:

FlyingTrapezeSchool, no author listed, ohiotraveler.com

The Amazing Portable Circus, no author listed, amazinportablecircus.com

Trapeze school is a labor of love for Cincinnati Circus owner, by Scott Wegener, wcpo.com