If we’ve learned anything from movies and other forms of pop culture, it’s generally not a good idea when one finds a book of spells to read the contents aloud.
If you go
WHAT: San Juan Circus presents “A Book of Spells.”
WHEN: 6:30 p.m. (family friendly early show) and 9 p.m. late show, “Aerial after dark” (not family friendly, 18 and older), Oct. 31.
WHERE: Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College, 1000 Rim Drive.
TICKETS: $10 to $45. Available at https://tinyurl.com/3mkhys2y.
MORE INFORMATION: Visit www.sanjuancircus.com.
But, in the case of San Juan Circus’ upcoming Halloween shows, “A Book of Spells,” spells read aloud produce aerial and acrobatic feats high above the stage at the Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College on Oct. 31.
“People find an old spell book, start reading spells out of it, and the spells come to life in the air,” said San Juan Circus owner Cynthia Bae.
The Circus formed in 2021, said Bae, who has an extensive background in gymnastics and coaching. She said she started aerial work in 2018 and fell in love with it immediately.
Now, San Juan Circus offers a host of aerial classes at its studio in Durango Fitness Club. Classes include Beginner Aerial, Open Training, Aerial Yoga, Strength and Conditioning, a variety of Silks classes (silks are two panels of fabric suspended from the ceiling that performers climb and wrap themselves in), and even Aerial Littles for those ages 4 to 7. And for those who may feel a little intimidated by the thought of aerial work, the studio’s “Foundations” class offers lessons for complete beginners and no strength or flexibility requirements are needed, according to its website. And, in fact, upper body strength and flexibility will come with training.
“A Book of Spells” will feature two performances – a family-friendly show and a late-night, 18-and-older version that’s a little more risqué, Bae said.
“We’re bringing in some really amazing talent from out of town, as well some of our coaches here and some of the local performers,” she said, adding that the performers have been working on the show for months. “We’ve been practicing almost every day. There’s a lot of coordination with rigging, and we have some people moving up and down in the air; that’s several people involved in doing that correctly.”
And by “in the air,” the aerialists are reaching heights of about 25 feet above the stage at the Concert Hall, Bae said, which is why there will only be professionals performing in the show.
“You get used to it if you’re spinning; we have learned that you can’t tell how high you are, so it’s almost less scary if you’re spinning up high,” she said.
“A Book of Spells” will be a lot of fun for the audience, too, Bae said.
“I think Durango has a lot of amazing talent that hasn’t been shown in this way,” Bae said. “We haven’t done a show at this theater before, and it allows some bigger things to happen in this kind of a theater, so we’re excited to show what we can do that hasn’t been seen here before.”
katie@durangoherald.com
