Catching Up

Whew! Look how time flies! It's been almost a month since my last post - I can't believe it's gone that fast!
Let's see how to sum this all up...
Yesterday was the END of our classes with my program! After six weeks of Spanish and lectures, we now have a week to relax and prepare for the next step. Then, the 19th of October, our group is splitting in half, with half going on an educational excursion to the north, and the other half to the south. I will be going to the South, where it's green and rainy and the home of the Mapuche people (largest indigenous group in Chile).
We'll be there for two weeks, then immediately start on our independent study project.


So, what have I done the past month? The most exciting news is the circus news.
A few weeks ago, the man I'm taking trapeze classes from mentioned that they were preparing a circus show and wondered if I'd be interested in performing.

Well, of course.

So Saturday, September 27, I packed my circus stuff and hiked up to the Ex-Carcel (remember me talking about this place?) Tall posts had been turned into trapeze rigs, black curtains hung up and blue mats plopped down to make a stage, lights were placed on the top of stone walls, and we were set.
Now, I've warmed up in some pretty scuzzy green rooms, but the one for this show was the scuzziest of all: it was the old prison showers. Barely any light, one broken mirror, stone floors, and eerie eerie shower stalls down the hallway.
No matter, it was worth it. And once all the other performers got in there, with their stripes and clown makeup and brooms and juggling clubs, the ambience changed enough for me to forget the creepy history of the place.
The show went really well, it was a lot of fun. Afterwards there was a lot of congratulating and dancing and making friends - and all of a sudden, I'm an international contortionist!

Here are some photos from the show:





And the next chapter of the story:
The next Tuesday I was between classes and received call on my cell from an unknown number. I picked it up and the conversation went something like this..."Hi Jacki, I'm Claudio from EnViaje Circus, we have a gig this Thursday and our contortionist can't make it. We heard about you from the show at the Ex-Carcel, and were wondering if you were available to do this show?"
Whewh! That night I went to their house to talk to them (three artists: a musician/actor, an aerial/dancer/actress, and a handbalancer/juggler/actor, all living together and making art together.) Their house was beautiful - past a huge eucalyptus tree, up a winding stone staircase, through an iron door with stained-glass windows, and you enter into a huge space with wooden floors, a trapeze hung in the kitchen, artsy collages on the tables and jars of spices lining the windowsills. It was a beautiful place with beautiful people - a true community of friends committed to making beautiful art.
So a long story short, we met and talked it over Tuesday, rehearsed Wednesday, rehearsed Thursday afternoon and performed Thursday night. It was a wonderful experience and very inspiring.

And they, being artists in-between performances, also teach classes. How could I NOT take advantage of that?
Last week looked like this: school classes four days a week, handbalancing lessons four days a week, aerial silks three days a week, trapeze two days a week...




More has happened, and more WILL happen, and I'll try to write more often!