Day 19: Trapeze Lessons

Me, doing a backwards somersault dismount.

Cost: $55
Time: 2 hours
Difficulty: 5

Jessica Sun Lee was one of the first people to suggest a definitive idea for the 28 days. She had always wanted to take trapeze lessons and that was definitely different.

The Trapeze School of New York has a Boston chapter (confusingly located in Reading) that operates within a Jordans Furniture store. If you're not familiar with Jordans it's a furniture store with a carnival like atmosphere: some have IMAX theaters in them, some have rides, etc. The reading one has a trapeze school next to a jellybean store.

We took a two hour lesson and it was incredible. You get to swing from the high trapeze within fifteen minutes of the class starting and on your first swing you will probably do an upside-down knee hang. By your second you can do backwards somersaults (you're partially supported by a safety harness which makes this maneuver easier). At the end of the class you get two tries to "catch" with an instructor.

Video of Jessica performing the knee hang and somersault dismount.

Jessica being caught by an instructor.