Climbing up the steps to Meirmanov Sports Acro & Circus Arts, about two blocks from the Western Blue Line on North Campbell Avenue, feels like walking into a gymnastics training zone. There’s padding along the 23-foot exposed brick wall, a blue spring floor, a trampoline and a long, bouncy tumble track. But tilt your head up and you’ll see the trapeze, ropes and long draping fabric, used to train students in aerial circus arts.
MSA, as its known, is a two-year-old nonprofit owned by Nourbol Meirmanov, a short, well-built man who was born in Kazakhstan and trained for five years at the world-famous Moscow Circus school. Known as the go-to consultant within the Chicago circus community for developing or improving circus acts, Meirmanov, 58, has performed throughout the world with the Moscow Circus and in the United States with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.
At his gym, adults and children can take lessons in contortion, sports acrobatics (a combination of stretching, balancing, tumbling and trampoline skills), aerial arts or circus arts (juggling, aerial, trapeze, hand-balancing, trampoline, plate-spinning). The classes are taught by a rotating cast of instructors who’ve performed in circuses, many of whom were trained by Meirmanov.
The classes, most of which are 90 minutes long, are offered in four-week blocs, but you can try one out first. Cost varies depending on how many times you go per week, ranging from $30 to about $18 a class. Lessons run in the afternoons and evenings, Monday to Saturday, and class size varies from about five to 12 students. (See current schedule for adults below.)
Adults shouldn’t be afraid to try out a class as a beginner, Meirmanov said. First, he or another instructor will “check out what kind of physical activity you have,” then assess what you can do and build a program from there.“It takes time to learn,” Meirmanov said. In the beginning, adult students often work on flexibility, endurance and strength before jumping into tricks like human pyramid and arch-building.
Meirmanov, who can balance his 7-year-old daughter in the palm of his hand, assures beginners they will use a harness for safety until they’re ready to balance on their own.
At Saturday’s aerial arts class, Jill Heyser, 42, teaches students tricks on the “silks” or “fabrics,” which are two, long red or blue strips hanging from the ceiling. Heyser says many dancers with strong leg muscles attend the class to build strength in their back, core and upper body. Heyser says she works those muscle groups with beginners until they can “invert” or flip upside down, which is done by balancing on or wrapping oneself in the fabric.
Instructors and students from MSA will be performing throughout Chicago during the year, including a show in May at the Portage Theater. This summer you can catch them in conjunction with The Midnight Circus doing shows in several of the city’s parks.
MSA & Circus Arts
1934 N. Campbell Ave.
773-687-8840
www.msacircusarts.com
Spring 2011 schedule:
Adult sport acrobatics: Mon., Wed. 7:30-9 p.m.; Sat. noon-1:30 p.m.
Adult aerial arts: Sat. noon-1:30 p.m. or 2-3:30 p.m.
Circus arts: Sat. 3:30-4:30 p.m.
Adult contortion: Fri. 4-5:50 p.m.
