So…How Can I Hang in the Air and Flip Like Pink?

Now, if you ask me, the best musical performance of last night’s GRAMMYs was, without fail, Kendrick Lamar and Imagine Dragons. They slayed, no question.

But. Pink happened.

If you want to talk to me about breathtaking, intriguing, and low-key awe-inspiring, I’d have to say Pink.

I know, I know, we’ve all seen her acrobatics before, but I think there’s something about her particular style of acrobatics – she might be in the air during every performance, but you have to pay attention; it’s not the same moves, the same flips, and if you’re familiar with the work of Cirque du Soleil, this kind of work is less of a “gimmick” and more of an “art form.

Pink, with a grown man flagpoling off of her. Holy moly.

Believe it or not, you, too, can learn to flip in the air like Pink! Known as “aerial silks,” the average class teaches you how to perform a lot of the same moves that Pink performs, only maybe two feet from the ground as opposed to the 40 that Pink performed.

Unless, of course, you’re this girl and you’re doing it comfortably after only six months:

…or this girl:

Pink’s performance was a combination of Cirque and pieces reminiscent of the @progressive_calisthenics twitter:

…and…

…and a wee bit of…

were all enough to make me feel not only proud of the athleticism displayed, but inspired. Capable bodies, bodies that perform, are strong. Kudos to Pink for displaying that during the show. Her physique is obviously strong, and it’s clear she trains hard – only the most confident of performers can do what she’s done, and do it repeatedly. That’s so, so major.

If you want to test out aerial silks for yourself, you’ll need to find a trapeze school, a Cirque-inspired dance studio, or – very simply – an Aerial Silks studio in your area. Trust me, I know – Mini-me wants to be Pink when she grows up!

And don’t ask me how I feel about it – I tried a class once, and was so unready. So, soooo unready! (I’m going back, though!)

What about you? Have you taken aerial silks before? Got any good studio recs for your area? Let’s hear it!