KEY POINTS:
Cirque Espace, in the grounds of Novotel Twin Waters Resort, lets members of the public and resort guests run away to join the circus - if only for an hour or two.
This circus-training facility for the public offers a range of skills - flying trapeze, juggling, bungee trampolining, static trapeze, low tight-wire and unicycle.
Over the course of a recent 60-minute session, I saw my teenage son conquer his nerves, overcome any fear of failure, and finally (as the old song goes) fly through the air with the greatest of ease as a daring young man on a flying trapeze.
From children aged six to adults, the participants that day walked away with a real buzz and sense of achievement.
After donning safety gear, the trapeze participants are given instruction on the ground on such things as stepping off the platform and holding the bar.
Next, they step up to the practice bar - like on a child's swing set at ground level. They learn to listen for commands, bringing their legs up and over the bar to the swing position with no hands, stretching out and looking for the swing at the opposite end, regaining the bar with the hands and finally letting go to fall into the safety net.
All harnessed up with all the safety precautions in place, they climb the ladder to wait their turn on the platform.
Up they go, again and again, with some even adding a backflip to their dismount routine, until they have mastered their task and are ready for the final hurrah - the catch.
Timing is everything in this manoeuvre. The participant must step off the platform at the right time - in sync with the "catcher" swinging at the opposite end of the trapeze area, then be confident enough to ensure their legs let go of the bar on command and reach out with open palms.
If all goes to plan, they will not try to grab on but rather allow themselves to be caught by the forearm by the masterly trapeze artist and swing through the air before falling into the net to applause of the crowd. If not, they prematurely find the net and try again.
The "team bonding session" saw adults and kids alike shout encouragement, and strangers spur each other on after minor setbacks.
Photos capture a moment in time when mere mortals flew like Superman.
- SUNSHINE COAST DAILY
