Sophomore Adelle Gertsch balances on a rock to test her flexibility. Gertsch has been recently been training to join the circus after high school. “I’ve always loved watching people preform in the circus, but at the same time I would be a little sad.” Gertsch said, “Then one day I decided to try aerial silks and it was the best decision I’ve ever made.”
A BIG BENDY DREAM
Sophomore Adelle Gertsch is training to become an acrobatic circus performer at Circus Harmony
by Evan Becker
a bridge and then someone will do like a chin stand on the person doing a bridge, stuff like that. In my aerial classes we work on trapeze skills and Aerial octors, lawyers, firefighters; the common answers to “What do you silk tricks.” want to be when you grow up?” But sophomore Adelle Gertsch doesn’t The path to a career in the circus is paved the same way as many other want to be common. She wants to live in a unique way, and for her, careers. She studies hard, applies for colleges, and after going to the colleges, that means as a circus performer. she can be hired for the best gigs. The only difference is in the content of the As a child, Adelle was very active, even doing gymnastics at the age of five. classes. She showed a clear inclination towards the performing arts. “You don’t have to take science or math classes because it focuses on what “I mean, Adelle has always been a monkey basically,” Adelle’s mom Carolyn your actual career is,” Adelle said. “It’s more of your art form and trying to Gertsch said. “She was always climbing on things, hanging on things, always master it.” been a kind of a daredevil not afraid to try stuff. So yeah, Deanna Massie is a college professor, educator and it wasn’t surprising to me at all that she wanted to do [the researcher. She’s known Adelle since Adelle was about five circus].” years old and was ecstatic to hear that Adelle wanted to be a Circus Harmony, the program Adelle uses to learn circus part of the circus. Check out the Circus skills has multiple levels. Seeing the highest levels of their “We have become a society that’s too focused on stuff that Harmony website here: classes, Circus Flora, perform was what inspired her to join. won’t make everyone happy,” Massie said. “Adelle has always bit.ly/36JraTq “I always went to the Circus Flora, and I always was been bored in school and she’s always had higher goals. I was enjoying the show,” Adelle said. “But I always thought like, super excited that she found a track she wanted to do that man, I just wish I could do that. I always wanted to be able would make her happy.” to do those amazing tricks. When I quit softball my parents were like let’s For Adelle, it’s not just a place that she can expend her energy but, it’s also a harness this energy, and I was like, maybe aerial silks?” place where she feels like she truly belongs. Every performer at Circus Harmony has to take basic classes covering the “Circus was originally where all the weird people went, the outcasts, where usual skills of juggling and plate spinning. Adelle, however, focuses specifically they could be outcasts together,” Adelle said. “And so it’s just nice that the on contortion and aerial silks. circus community is very inviting and appreciates everyone. I love everything “In my contortion class, we get all bendy,” Adelle said. “Sometimes we’ll do about it.” ebecker066@g.fhsdschools.org
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FHNTODAY.COM | 11.20.19 | FEATURES
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