Christopherz World

20th Year: Honoring the Team AntiGravity Roster

2011-11-06T17:12:00.000-08:00

Founded Nov. 3 1990, Incorporated October 16th 1991

This month marks AntiGravity's 20th year in business and our 21st year since our first gig. We will be celebrating all year long by posting new content, culminating in a big party. I thought the best way to start is by honoring the Team AntiGravity Roster. These phenomenal athletes and performers, as part of our team paved the way for the creation of a new market within the entertainment industry. I honor the contribution of every person on this list. Christopher Harrison, Founder Nov. 3, 2011

Team AntiGravity Performing Athletes who have performed with AntiGravity over the last 20 years: (*denotes champion athlete, listed in no particular order, partial list)

Christopher Harrison* (Founder), Andrew Pacho* (co-founder), Dreya Weber (founding member), Wendy Hilliard* (founding member), Marianne “Mam” Smith (founding member), Andreas Neidermeir (founding member), John Chou (founding member), Gabriel Pou (founding member), Tony Flores* (founding member), Juan Soto (founding member), Alex Schlempp, Shelly Bomb, Daniel Stover*, Jay Howarth, Ric Swezey*, Rayshine Harris*, Svetlana Boguinskaya*, Duncan Pettigrew*, Stephan Choiniere, Tatyana Brikulskaya*, Salina Andrews Bartunek, Lorin-Pierre, Alexandra Apjarova*, Kristie Phillips-Bannister*, Aliane Baquerot Wilson*, Jared Burke, Vitalii Buza*, Niahal “Flipper” Hope, Kiva Kahl, Kamila Zapytowska*, Mandy James Morgan*, Hector Salazar*, Sasha Semin*, Aaron Vexler*, Caroline Vexler, Dominick Minicucci*, LukeVexler*, Marque Black, Darren Bersuk*, Kim Anthony*, Andrew Clemetson*, Tamara Levinson*, Amanda Topaz, Sonny Brown*, Nathan Crawford*, Etienne Deneault*, Nicky Dewhurst, Christine Van Loo*, Brian Delmonico*, Paul H. Simon*, Leslie Barr, Gigi Grose, Tabb Nance, Scott Fowler, Mookie Matthews, Christopher Gattelli, Facundo & Martin Lombard, Keith England, Shannon Beach, Debbi Fuhrman*, Brendan O'Neil*, Mark Odgers, Andrew Ostrovsky, Kenny Raskin, Jason Garcia, Devon Gery, Trey Gillen*, Michael Goodenough, Amy Gordon, Jeff Gordon, Stacey Carlson, Daria Chamanskaia, Candice Coke, Jonathan Nosan, Daniel Gutierrez, Gabe Hansen*, Anna Jack, Brendan King, Troy Liddell, Rod McCune, Ken Kovach*, Danilo Lambo, Elisa Llamido, Scott Loeser, Jonah Logan, Nancy Lemenager*, Jaymes Hodges, Shana Lord, Tim Hunter, Karen Kelsall*, Elizabeth Jimenez*,Christopher Mai, Michael Manzanet, Mike Moran*, Randy Nebel, Jesse Benavides, Chad Duncan, Harrison Beal, Kat Sknarina*, Scott Sloan, Pasha Soukharev, Petra Sprecher, Jamal Story, KD Harris, Kip Simons*, Adam Vasquez, Dario Vasquez, Ivan "Flipz" Velez, Hong Wang*, Olga Chudina*, Jessica Howard*, Wolfgang Bientzle, Tatiana Petruk*, Peter Bileka, Kristin Andre, Vincent Cofield, Cheryl Cox, Holly Cruikshank, Chris Davis, Carol Kim, Peggy Bartunek, Sandor Degrazia, Regina Dobrovitskaya, Carla Duren, Jamie Ellis, Envy, Flambeaux, Ivan Flores, Nathalie Gomes, Adelina Gonsalves, Jorge Gonzalez , Jr., Russell Warfield*, Ami Goodheart, Carlos Guity, Amanda Cortellesso, Shequida Hall, Jennifer Hansen*, Roderick Harrelson, Mark Fichera, Colin Follenweider, Robert Hedglin, Rachel Hennelly, Orli Himmelweit, Duane Lee Holland, Andy Howard*, Jilleyn Lee, Gabe Cadet, Jen Bricker, Chelsea Bacon, Lisa Lee, Hank Levenson, Cheryl Lewis, Shannon Lewis, Kent Lindemer, Dina Margolin, Dirty Martini, Ute Wendland, Jack West, Melissa Zoldan, Acrobazia, Julio Agustin, Billy Angell, Amy Asmuth, Natalia Avgoustova, John Bantay, Roxane Barlow, Kristine Bendul, Carol Bentley-DeAugustine, Randy Bettis, Marina Bourkatskaia, Casey Bryan, Christye Balfanz, Karla Cavalli, George Ceballos, Karl Christian, Lyle Louis McCauley, Dimitri Nekrassov, Elena Nekrassova, Yxia Olivares, Ben Jacobs, Tony James, Ryan Jones, Thomas Pace*, DeJay Branch, Shane Geraghty, Angela Dorsha Phillips, Michael "Tex" Reddinger, Sara Reynolds, Mike Rice, Chris Richards, Tommy Roeder, Brian Roy, Eugene Rukhmanov, Sabina Salay, Tamara Schrader, Josh Petro, Dino Rodriguez, Emily Rosch, Elena Serafimovich, Trent Sherrell, Jennifer Truitt, Josh Turner, Amy Tuttle, Erico Villanueva, Scott Weller, Ron Alalouf, Timothy Albrecht, Mark Bankston, Joanne Baum, Ken Berkeley, Lindell Blake, Stephen Campanella, Buddy Casimano, Diana Correia, Derek Daniels, James Darrah, Drew DiStefano, Carolyn Doherty, Jason Dougherty, Joey Dowling, Colleen Dunn, Mirek Egner, David Elder, Angelo Fraboni, Jennifer Frankel, Leroi Freeman, Ned Gelfars, Feliciano Gonzales, Amy Heggins, Gregangelo Herrera, Carrie Kenneally, Tamer Begum, David Liddell, Joe Martelli, Jeanine Meyers, Marc Oka, Andy Paluselli, Jimmy Petroff, Tito Reyes, Francisco Rosario, Colt Sandberg, Tiffanie Lynn Varchulik, Philippe Versen, Theara Ward, Kristin Willits, Elaine Alfano*, Glenn Aser, Darrell Autor, Hutch Bannister, Stephen Bay, Bryan Brody, Chad Beaman*, Michael Berresse, Michael Blake, Frankie Braxton, David Carmon, Robert Carroll, Michelle Chase, Gregg Curtis, Veronica DeLaRosa, Jeff Elsass, Hubert Etchison, Michael Fielder, Johnny Fox, Daniel Giel, Gary Giffune, Derrick Goss, Kimberly Hester, Dana Jackson, Danny Jacobsen, Kim Kaufman, Justin Laprall, Jeanne Markwardt, Maggie Mittler, Lauren Monte, Kiki Moritsugu, Rusty Mowery, Elizabeth Mozer, Terry Notary, Lincoln Oliver, Starla Pace, Kara Rekeda-Raymond, Toni Seawright, Corey Smith, Andris Freimanis, Amy Splitt, Leonora Stapleton, Christopher Strauss, Owen Taylor, Reina Terror, Lancelot Theobald, Jr., Jolaine Thoden, Don Turner, Jillana Urbina, Rhonda Watson, Sylla Diallo, Karen Fuhrman, John Hartzell, James Styron, Ricco Sarricolea, Zack Miller, Glenn Rodgers, Ramon Jackson, Scott Loeser, Heather Dodt, Beau Sydes, Stetson Sydes, Nathan Henderson, Wes Campbell, Chris Galen, Scott Rosen, Ziporah Roney, Terra Jole Odmark, Lexi Pearl, Francois Voranger, Jillian St.Germaine, Omar Thomas, Ronnie Terrell, Thomas Paul Distefano, Mirek Egner, Peter Sanders, Jesus Villa (if you are a performer who is reading this who did not get credited, or if you know of anyone who was not properly credited, please contact us with info for an update: contact@anti-gravity.com)

Everybody cut FOOTLOOSE --- again!

2011-10-14T16:41:00.000-07:00

As an original cast member, I was invited to the Paramount Pictures screening room to see of the remake of FOOTLOOSE which opened in theaters today. What a flashback!

Not needing to fix something that wasn’t broken, the remake is very much in line with the original. The script and choreography in places is line for line, step for step. There are however, a few significant differences. The film is set in religious Georgia rather than religious Utah, the plot subtext (auto crash) is played out in the opening scene rather than revealed only in conversation, dance styles are current, music is mostly remixed (except the theme song, which was already perfect) and rather than racing tractors they have a school bus demolition. You still leave singing the songs and feeling like you want to go out dancing.

My Story: When I was 23 years old as a dance major at the University of Utah I was cast in the film FOOTLOOSE. It was the motivator to get me to New York City and the confirmation from the universe that I needed to chase the entertainment industry. I made enough money to move. I still get residual checks! In a way, the original film is my story. Although raised in the farm-country of Utah amongst hicks and conservatives (actually officially known as the “fruit basket” -- don’t laugh) like Kevin Bacon’s character I am originally from Chicago. I’ve always had a big city sensibility and rebelled against the status quo. Like the lead I’m a gymnast and dancer. My Grandpa Harrison as a community/church leader actually ran a campaign against dancing!

When they decided to do a remake of the film they contacted me to find out what it was like to be one of the original dancers. Here is the article. http://blog.moviefone.com/2010/09/22/footloose-prom-scene-kevin-bacon-dance-double/http://blog.moviefone.com/2010/09/22/footloose-prom-scene-kevin-bacon-dance-double/

When I was first cast I was a wanna-be dancer hoping to maybe one day have a career. Kevin Bacon’s advice inspired me to move to New York, “if you want to make it --- go there and stay there and don’t give up --- if you have talent you’ll find your way.” I followed his recommendation and here I am over 25 years later. I not only found my way as an athletic dancer but then wound up creating jobs for hundreds of athletic performers like myself -- for twenty years now through my company AntiGravity. www.anti-gravity.com

The greatest irony, however, is reflected in one lyric, “Dancing in the Sheets”. This was the song in which my cameo appeared.

Despite months of filming, it all came down to that moment in time. Now, with my latest creation AntiGravity Yoga, which takes place in silk hammocks, I travel around the globe certifying instructors to teach people how to dance in sheets! www.antigravityyoga.com .

How wonderfully serendipitous life is!

ORIGINAL FOOTLOOSE DRIVE IN SCENE:

I'm easy to spot in the Drive In scene (appearing twice).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_x8nIN2lbEs&feature=autoplay&list=PL2EDA4585DBEDC171&lf=results_main&playnext=2

ORIGINAL FOOTLOOSE PROM SCENE:

The prom scene is quick cuts. I appear 15 times (if you include the flip --- which may be myself or Peter Tramm). I am wearing the navy suit with a light blue tux shirt and white socks. These are the numbers I appear according to this youtube clip.

http://blog.moviefone.com/2010/09/22/footloose-prom-scene-kevin-bacon-dance-double/

0:39, 1:02 (flip), 1:10, 1:13, 1:17, 1:30, 1:43, 1:53, 1:57, 2:14, 2:18, 2:31, 3:48, 3:56, 4:06

AntiGravity Boots over Manhattan

2011-10-05T11:11:00.000-07:00

I love rooftop shoots in New York City! http://www.joemcnally.com/blog/ Most recently, Epson sponsored a photo shoot with famed and respected photographer Joe McNally, under the supervision of AntiGravity's Creator Christopher Harrison, who helped direct the AntiGravity Boots Team bounding over the Manhattan skyline. Veteran Team AntiGravity members Rayshine Harris, Daniel Stover & Vitalii Buza soared to new heights and the entire advertising team overseeing the shoot was blown away by their infectious energy. It was the perfect model for Epson's new campaign “Finish Strong,” which reinforces the message that no matter how great the shoot, it is only as good as your print.

Furthermore, this experience was a great reunion for AntiGravity and photographer Joe McNally. McNally is the photographer's photographer, meaning he has the respect of the entire industry. His impeccable work, made famous in National Geographic and LIFE Magazine, has generated mass appeal and international exposure. When AntiGravity was in its budding stages (before the likes of graphic programs such as Photoshop), they conducted a stunning trampoline photo shoot beneath the Brooklyn Bridge for Nikon under the direction of Joe. Much to AntiGravity's pleasure, this recent collaboration with McNally and Epson proved to be yet another triumph.

On The Tipping Point of Pop Culture

2011-08-23T13:53:00.000-07:00

My name is Christopher Harrison and this week, according to the little lady down the hall and all the latest press (including Good Morning America http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iB9YFlOVe2E ) I am “The Aerial Om Master” and my little fitness creation entitled AntiGravity Yoga is the newest trend. The media “tipped” my AntiGravity brand into international public awareness and suddenly everything has changed. http://www.breakingcopy.com/cocooning. My quest to bring about greater health, wealth and happiness through inversion therapy is gaining wings.

According to the book “The Tipping Point” trends don’t just happen overnight. The collective conscious starts to become aware and then suddenly there is a shift. The NY Times claims it takes 20 years to create an “overnight” sensation. I’ve been working on this, one little step at a time, for almost exactly twenty years now. I first established AntiGravity in1991 as a performance company and conceived of aerial silk hammocks as an aerial artform in 1999. http://www.anti-gravity.com/index_enter.html

One always wonders what it would be like if one’s own personal creation were to find its way into popular culture. How does that moment feel when you realize it? Does it happen in a flash? Are you suddenly transported to some fantasy place? Actually, I’ve experienced a taste of this once before with the creation of the AntiGravity Boots Team (www.anti-gravity.com) and found that this song says it best: “When things all come true just the way you planned it’s funny, but the bells don’t ring, it’s a quiet thing.” These lyrics by the great Broadway composers Kander and Ebb, written for their musical of 1965 Flora The Red Menace in the song “It’s a Quiet Thing”, have been stuck in my head all week.

In its most simple form, I’ve created an apparatus, and broken down the progressions of movement, for the sake of turning one’s body safely upside down with relative ease. Before AntiGravity® Yoga, www.antigravityyoga.com it was generally understood that unless someone was a circus performer or a kid on a playground, people were not meant to hang from an apparatus, nor turn themselves upside down by the hips. This is no longer true, the circus secret is revealed! Now, that modality of movement is available to everyone and its benefits (which include fun) are being discovered worldwide. http://www.antigravityyoga.com/locations.aspx

In short, I created a silk hammock that makes a trapeze bar when closed and a cocoon when open. Creating the AntiGravity® Hammock was a rather simple and somewhat obvious idea. Basically, I reinvented both the standard hammock and the trapeze bar by pulling the points together and utilizing aerial silks fabric. I discovered that when the fabric is closed, it creates a “soft trapeze bar” of sorts, allowing the movement vocabulary from trapeze and aerial silks to be integrated. Hanging upside down is both safer and easier because of the tension created in the fabric. As a choreographer I had first made it into an aerial art form and my team of acrobatic performers (entitled AntiGravity) helped invent the moves. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GcLpmGVdvo Here we discovered the benefits of inversions http://christoharrison.blogspot.com/2008/12/antigravity-yoga-spinal-decompression.html in a much easier, safer and accessible fashion than a traditional yoga headstand. But that’s not all: when the fabric is open, it creates a pouch, which allows for “cocooning”. Being inside of a cocoon is an amazing experience that lends itself naturally to meditation. This, too, helped to inspire my yoga technique. This new device had allowed me to discover a wholly new movement vocabulary for performance, which could take place within it, while suspended high up in the air. However, the magic continued: by bringing the AntiGravity® Hammock down to waist height and placing the suspension points at shoulder width, I was able to integrate moves from yoga, calisthenics, dance and Pilates. By merging these movement forms, I made it accessible to all, gave the experience true meaning, and rendered the technique able to provide even more profound benefits. AntiGravity® Yoga was born.

The bicycle, the skateboard, the snowboard, elliptical machines and such, are apparatus that launched new movement trends that didn’t exist before their creation. The AntiGravity® Hammock is the newest fitness innovation to do the same.

My intention is to put the AntiGravity® Hammock into every wellness studio, gym, and family room across the land. Everyone needs to be able to safely turn their body upside down in order to reap the health benefits of zero compression inversions. It’s also the greatest kinetic chair, babysitter/trainer or sensory re-awakener one can discover. Join me in my quest to be “airful” and help me to create a healthier and happier society, and a lighter existence for all.

Christopher Harrison, AntiGravity

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Calvin_Harrison

“IT’S A QUIET THING”

“When it all comes true Just the way you'd planned It's funny but the bells don't ring
It's a quiet thing When you hold the world In your trembling hand You'd think you'd hear a choir sing It's a quiet thing There are no exploding fireworks Where's the roaring of the crowds Maybe it's the strange new atmosphere Way up here among the clouds But I don't hear the drums And I don't hear the band The sounds I'm told Such moments bring Happiness comes in on tip-toe Well what'd'ya know It's a quiet thing A very - quiet – thing.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flora_the_Red_Menace

Cameron Mathison grows over an inch in AntiGravity® Yoga!

2011-08-15T13:52:00.000-07:00

One of the great advantages to being Christopher Harrison is that I get to fly celebrities. Everyone who flies winds up with their own story. Mariah Carey and her feet, Britney Spears and her gloves, Sherri Shepard and her socks, Jane Krakowski and her defiance of the unions, Richard Branson and his underwear, Nathan Lane and his sound effects, all great stories to be sure. Rubbing noses with Hollywood elite is always an adventure. Cameron Mathison found fame as a soap star on All My Children then later on Dancing with the Stars. He is now a correspondent for Good Morning America and a heartthrob for the ladies. His AntiGravity® story is that he grew over an inch in a one-hour class on Good Morning America (August 16, 2011 8:30am E.S.T.)

Cameron & Christopher in the Inverted Monkey Pose

Cameron, who plays basketball, claims to be six feet two inches tall. Although it is handy in his sport, he admitted that he often claimed 6’1” in order to land modeling gigs. We decided to measure him before and after class. We used a Leica laser distance meter, which measures within a 16^th of an inch. He came out to be exactly 6’1”. Although he was surprised, he said that his father also shrunk as he aged. I promised him we’d have him back to 6’2” by the end of class. During the exercises he proclaimed, “I can feel my spine elongating!” We measured him again at the end of class. Sure enough, he was 6’2” & 5/16^th! He had grown over an inch and a quarter! Good Morning America cameras caught all of this. Not that he needed it, but what a great promise to make good on!

Cameron overcame a very serious physical challenge as a child (Perthes disease) that had him walking in braces for years. Perthes disease attacks the hip socket, for him it attacked both. He obviously understands that one’s health is their true wealth. I explained how AGY would allow the head of his femur to distract from the hip socket slightly, thereby hydrating the soft tissue of the joint. The Flying Dog series also gave a deep massage to the tendons of his hip flexors, breaking up fascia. This would be helpful for him. In this move one feels the pressure. I offered him a pad to help alleviate the discomfort, but he refused, preferring to experience it as die-hard AntiGravity® yogis do.

I had the honor of hanging the hunk upside down, testing his strength, flexibility, agility and sense of adventure. I created an AGY® class especially for him, with my NY team as the other students. He has a great sense of humor and pulled out some of his best soap opera stares while inverted, keeping us all in stiches. I drew upon many of the challenging maneuvers to see how he would do. I was very impressed. In his first class he pulled off the Inverted Monkey, the Vampire, the Handstand, a Backward Angel Flip and a challenging Tugs and Levitations set.

Cameron (renown for his abs and his pasodoble) is not only fit, he is also well-balanced. He has good body awareness. He is not only strong he is also somewhat flexible. His range of motion does not unduly limit him. This makes him fairly agile as well. He has a good awareness of interconnectedness of body and mind. He knows as an actor that his body is his tool so he takes care of himself. Best of all, he is game. This really showed up in his class. Although he entered the room with a fair amount of skepticism, he was unafraid of trying something new or looking silly. It takes a healthy ego to go into a new environment of athletes, dancers and yogis in front of the cameras without trepidation. Even though Cameron was fresh off a flight from LA, he didn’t hesitate or complain and he brought honest enthusiasm to the shoot. As I often say, “one is only as young as their back is flexible and their mind is open.” Cameron seems to have a very open mind, which allowed him to learn quickly. He is now a new AntiGravity® Yoga disciple and cannot wait to install his new AntiGravity® Yoga hammock in his home. His spine will become more flexible, his hips will regain mobility and the AntiGravity® Hammock will be the worlds’ best babysitter and agility trainer for kids Leila and Lucas! Best of all, he’ll ward off shrinkage!

Almost Equal

2011-07-04T13:44:00.001-07:00

“All men are created EQUAL”, “Liberty and justice for ALL.” Until now, for me these were but hopeful dreams and sad realizations of empty promises. This month as we celebrate Independence Day and as I enter into my 50^th year, same sex marriage will become a reality in my state of New York. Hooray!

Once the decision was made I found myself unexpectedly weeping. I’ve been on the front lines fighting for my rights now since the ugly Reagan years, and just like the citizens of color in our country in November of 2009 who didn’t expect Obama to win, deep down I don’t think I ever believed this day would come in my lifetime.

I’m a fifty year-old man raised in Utah who came of age as less than a second-class citizen. The first time I heard of “homosexuality” it was in a fiery sermon from those whom I respected most, my father and church leaders, “Homosexuals and murderers go to the darkest corner of hell”. Throughout my childhood, the word never came out of anyone’s mouth except for in that context. I heard it every Sunday. It was drummed into my head as much as “Christ died for our sins”, “Joseph Smith was a true prophet of God” and “Jesus wants me for a sunbeam”. Years later in an ironic “life imitates art” fashion, I was a churchgoer in a similar scene played by actor John Lithgow in my film debut in “Footloose”.

I put two and two together very early, probably by age eight after playing around with other boy scouts. For them it was nothing, but for me I knew things were different, I was discovering my sexuality. I was also told I’d get warts on my hands if I played with “it”, but neither the concept of hell nor warts could hold back my true nature. However deep shame and internalized

homophobia were my secret burden.

By the time I was in high school Anita Bryant had found huge national support in her campaign to paint all gays as child molesters. Harvey Milk our countries first gay mayor was murdered and everything around me was virulently antigay. I dated all the girls, hiding behind the church precepts of “no premarital sex” in order to not have to act on what did not feel natural. I fantasized about my male schoolmates, but would never dare act on my feelings in such a hate-filled climate.

My senior year in high school I found “love” with a young man. I couldn’t wait to tell my best girlfriend, under the promise of secrecy. That didn’t last long. Within hours my entire school knew “Chris Harrison is a faggot.”

In college I thought things would be different, but instead I was outed by the other gay cheerleader on my squad and immediately ostracized by the team.

I moved to NY to get away from the judgment and hypocrisy of religion. By the time I finally “came out” the age of AIDS hit hard. I fell in love with Jeffrey Allen Simpson. We were both 25. He got sick and died an ugly, sad death before we turned 27. His parents wouldn’t allow me at his funeral. Jeffrey and I were innocent lovers. We never even had intercourse, but in 1986 much was misunderstood and fear was everywhere. His hospital room was quarantined. I thought for sure I too would die.

The “gay plague” was all around me. I was in the epicenter. Being in the theater, many of my friends were dying. I’d do a show, make a bond and then go to another funeral where families were too ashamed to show up after having blocked the chosen family of friends from our beloved's final. We weren’t even allowed in the hospital room. Despite this calamity Reagan would not even mention AIDS. It was as if we didn’t matter, as if we deserved to die. This did not do much for my self-esteem. Finally, I joined Larry Kramer’s Act-Up and marched on Washington. Still I became angry, bitter and deeply depressed over the realization that I was a cypher. I left America for a few years and traveled the world. In Europe it was no better. There too my friends died horrible deaths. In Japan I wouldn’t be allowed in gay bars “no AIDS here” they would say.

Years went by, lovers came and went, shame ruined many of my relationships. I didn’t feel worthy of being loved and of having love in my life.

Eventually, I found a dear boyfriend who was a psychotherapist and had come back from the brink of an AIDS death. During our five years together I came to terms with my shame. I chose forgiveness, first of myself, then of others. It’s been a process and I'm still working on the subtle layers that remain.

I evolved and we as a people have evolved. I soon will have almost the same legal rights as my neighbors, brothers, sisters and friends. I also have a beautiful man in my life that I love and who loves me. We’ve been together now for three years as of this month. Although we have no intention of getting married straight away, it is hard to find words to describe the shift that this made in me and in us just to have the right.

As we marched/flew proudly in the Gay Pride parade, for the first time I actually experienced true gay pride. I’m proud just to still be alive! It has been 30 years since AIDS and 45 years since “Boys in the Band” I can say a heartfelt thank you to all those courageous leaders who made the sacrifice so that this day could come. Thank you especially to playwright Mart Crowley, the Stonewall rebels and the early pioneers such as the remarkable Larry Kramer, Ryan White’s mother, Cynthia O’Neal, Sally Fisher and so many more. Thank you to our politicians especially, Senator Tom Duane, Ex-Governor David Patterson, Governor Andrew Cuomo and yes even President Obama whose support has not been with the bravado nor political action in the manner I would prefer, but who promised us in his acceptance speech that we would be acknowledged and has set up the political climate for it to organically occur. He still holds my “audacious hope” that the policy will change on a national level while he is in office. Mostly, thank you to Jeffrey, Brian, Dan, Jess, Paul, Daniel, Juka, Phillip, Michael, Bob, Stephen, Keith, Randy, Niahal and all the millions of others who have suffered and who died of AIDS so that we as a people could wake up and understand that love is to be celebrated and is not shameful.

Last night I kissed my boyfriend in public without shame. Tears rolled gently down my face. Our love is no longer something we have to hide in public. The younger generation already knows this, but for those of us who survived the gay dark ages it requires unloading a lot of baggage just to enjoy this simple gesture of love. My load just got lighter, my smile just got brighter and my capacity to love has grown.

In tennis love means nothing, but in life it sustains us. We still have much to achieve, this was not a national proclamation, only local. Gays still don’t have full rights around taxes, immigration, social security and inheritance. We are almost equal. I will continue to fight, but for now I’m going to live in gratitude and enjoy the hard won and well-deserved victory for love in the great state of New York in my aspiring young country, America!

EMBRACING VULNERABILITY

2011-01-19T17:57:00.000-08:00

Our vulnerability is our light. It is not where we are perfect that makes us interesting to others rather it is our humanness.

Allowing oneself to embrace the vulnerability of their imperfections is the true quest of a master, more so than the rush of achieving the gratification of immediate perfection in execution. Needless to say, this is a process. Remembering this, however, puts us back into our own place of power. This is a concept that we don’t often dwell on. We are constantly in either achievement mode (doing) or pleasure mode (relaxing). Yet, neither can truly exist without first the willingness to let go and be open to new experiences. In order to achieve one must be susceptible to learning. To learn one must first admit that they desire more knowledge. On the flip side, in order to accept pleasure one must first admit they have needs.

This topic has become of special interest of late as I travel around the world training new aerial yogis. For established instructors it takes an evolved soul who is not caught up in ego to allow themselves to be an amateur in a new technique. Usually as the teacher, they are accustomed to being the star in the room. While training, we all are struggling through the nuances of learning a new form and it’s not always a smooth process. It takes courage. All those who do step up wind up grateful for the new knowledge and empowered by their new-found skills.

There is nothing innately fun for ones ego when it comers to being a beginner. When I try a new physical modality, people who know of my background expect me to be immediately great at it. Sometimes that is the case, but often it is not. Recently I trained a team of pole fitness specialists on AGY. They kindly gave me a quick lesson in Pole Fitness and a dose of my own medicine. Although they claimed to be impressed with my skills, I was truly humbled by these lithe female warriors.

Although I try not to live in regret, as a student there are times I ponder how many great opportunities were lost because I didn’t want to mentally suffer through the humility of the learning curve? Certainly this was true for me in team sports. My mother, not wanting to drive back and forth to the ball field twice in one day, put me onto my older brothers team where I was too young and therefore humiliated. The damage done by heckling bullies in baseball carried on for years. I know I’ve not been alone in this. Undoing the messages of my mind based on a childhood memory took work.

With this understanding, in my classes I have nothing but support in my heart and teaching approach. Students walk in with trepidation and it is my goal to see them walk out feeling victorious. When first time students take themselves so seriously that they momentarily forget to enjoy what they are doing I nip this in the bud. Reminder: Anti-gravity also equals “against graveness”, time to laugh! We nurture play and make light of our imperfections. We celebrate that there is still something more to aspire to so we don't get bored. When we allow ourselves to laugh at our foibles and relish in our humanity we banish judgment and summon joy. By embracing our human imperfections, we actually protect ourselves while being exposed; laughing with rather than laughing at. In doing so we become a sponge for learning.

AGY is a body/mind/spirit practice leading to enhanced self-actualization. If Krishna came down himself and deemed Aerial Yoga the new approach, however, some people would still be skeptical. It is easier to put down the form than to allow one’s self to be a vulnerable beginner. The fear of “not looking perfect” gets in the way.

Allowing ourselves to be vulnerable opens our minds and keeps us young. Therefore, when the philosophy of AntiGravity Yoga is practiced in conjunction with the physical form, it is a true anti-aging technique.

COMPETITION AND YOGA

2011-01-18T14:45:00.000-08:00

As a former high-level athlete and Broadway dancer I come from a highly competitive background. I had to compete with my teammates for titles. I had to compete with my comrades for jobs in the entertainment industry. As a New Yorker and international entrepreneur in both the entertainment and fitness industries, I continue to live in a highly competitive world. It is the nature of things. However, the thing I love about the practice of yoga (versus the business of yoga) is that it is one place where I do not have to compete. Learning this has been a great challenge and rewarding discovery.
In the early 1990’s, my early years of yoga training, I was not only competing with myself for more advance postures, I was also competing with those around me to hold longer and go deeper. After all, since I’m a world-class gymnast shouldn’t I be able to do what the person next to me is doing? My kind instructor saw me suffering through this and suggested I consider Hatha yoga as a precursor to the modality I was studying so that I could learn the principle of non-competition. I followed his advice and began to retrain my brain out of my mental habits. It is a practice and I am a student.

In 2003, when I was in the creation process of AntiGravity Yoga as my own yoga technique, since noncompetition was such a crucial lesson to learn for myself, I made certain that this was part of the DNA of the AGY philosophy. In AntiGravity Yoga, one is there to do their best at that moment in time – no better, no less. Sometimes my best does not feel or look impressive, as I may be working around an injury or operating from fatigue. “Is this what my best looks like?” is a common question I ask myself. “Am I trying to do better than ‘my best’ in this moment?” is always the follow up. This self-monitoring technique helps guide me to a place of understanding and compassion for myself and also of others. I am training my brain to allow myself to be okay with where I am on any given day.

Reminding my students of this dynamic takes away the pressure of having to be perfect for themselves as well. Striving for perfection is a double-edged sword that slices deep if not monitored carefully. Without the perfect image that is worth striving for, we lack a roadmap and therefore motivation. No one ever achieved anything truly great without the desire to master a form. On the other hand, in the extreme cases, the dancer who no longer enjoys the art; the athlete that doesn’t know when to stop training and sabotages their chance for a medal; the yogi that injures themselves because they push the boundaries beyond their capabilities are prime examples of the bloody edge of the sword that I understand.

How do we find balance? When one thinks of competition they consider how they look in comparison to others or to a former image of themselves. There is another word for competition that is not pretty -- judgment. When we judge others, we are really judging ourselves against them. When we judge ourselves, often we are either feeding the “not good enough” beast or the “I’m better than” monster. Learning to identify self-defeating thoughts of competitiveness is often all that is needed in order to manifest a shift. Learning to be okay with who we are, where we are at any given time is the goal.

The next time that you catch yourself making comparisons or pushing beyond what is healthy, ask yourself, “who is actually doing the judging?” The answer is always the same – your ego mind. In yoga, the objective is to quiet the ego mind and allow spirit to resonate. Spirit understands that the world is an abundant place. Perhaps if we learn this valuable lesson in yoga we can learn to apply it elsewhere in life as well.

“Awakening the Spirit"

2010-12-15T15:07:00.000-08:00

Lately, I find myself traveling around the globe teaching people to hang upside down. People come to my AntiGravity Yoga workshops and classes to have fun while improving their BODY. Doing so they also get a healing of mind and spirit. As my students playfully invert I find myself in immense gratitude. How lucky am I?

MIND

Exercising on a silk hammock; swinging, cocooning and inverting we awaken an unexplored or often long-forgotten aspect of ourselves. Each of us holds a mental image of ourselves, often based on stories from long ago. Challenging our limited beliefs revitalizes the mind. By renewing our own sense of accomplishment we get to reconsider those old beliefs we hold about ourselves. In Aerial Yoga everyone leaves with a smile on their face and a renewed sense of “can do” --- everyone. The joy on someone’s face when they achieve something they never thought possible is priceless.

SPIRIT

As we go deeper something even greater has emerged. My own personal challenges over the years (knee surgeries, Lymes disease) required me to step up my mental and spiritual practice to find healing. Since this is yoga I’ve incorporated this knowledge into the technique. Truly healing the body often requires getting in touch one’s own limiting thoughts of self. Where was I buying into lack and scarcity? Refocusing thoughts speeds up the process. Rather than falling into inertia and despondency over the difficult task of healing from injuries and illnesses I was required to step up or risk being separated from my passion. In short, my initial physical quest has been instrumental in leading me to discover my own inner yearnings of awakening spirit. During our savasana I now get to share this, without pretense and in the gentlest way.

Incorporating spiritual growth into my daily workout brings meaning to the time I dedicate daily to self-improvement. I find that this pattern is now replicating itself in my AntiGravity Yoga students.

Recently I did an Aerial Yoga teacher training in Ireland, a country that is deep in superstition and new to the quest for spirit. The franchisee, LabFitness has amazingly talented instructors, champion pole fitness competitors! Needless to say, they didn't lack core strength. However, the trainees were extremely resistant at first to chanting “om “as we do in the cocoon during class. In the world I live in here in NYC, everyone has some kind of self-discovery background so it is expected to chant or laugh or howl in a yoga class. This is not the case as I travel the globe, especially when I'm in a fitness studio, rather than a yoga studio. While teaching I found that I needed to explain spirit in the simplest way, since as instructors they will also have a similar experience with their students. Here was my simple explanation that seemed to work.

Yoga denotes a body/mind/spirit workout. We work the body with exercises that build strength, flexibility, agility and such. We work the mind by creating mental stamina, physio/verbio acuity, increased focus and such. The two are inextricably intertwined. We work the spirit differently. By focusing on breath as the only movement of the body and by quieting the mind to extraneous thought, we exercise our spirit. We return to the true essence of ourselves within the context of the universe; who we were before we were given a name rather than the labels we now identify ourselves with. It is that simple.

By the end of the training, after this simple practice, the trainees each had a transformation, emotionally and spiritually. They were not only intent on exploring more by diving into the suggested reading list, but they were also excited to guide their students to the same peaceful respite from the daily grind. I encouraged them to expand their yoga practice to other yoga forms to truly understand what we just scratched the surface of.

By creating a body/mind/spirit technique that is fun and accessible, I'm also guiding unsuspecting students to delve into self-discovery. I am myself but a student of truth, far from a spiritual master, yet by sharing my own discoveries in the simplest way I know how, I suddenly find myself a guru. What greater gift can I give and receive?

BLACK FRIDAY FLASHMOB!

2010-11-28T07:19:00.000-08:00

http://www.wtnh.com/generic/online_guides/redefine-christmasI'm not big on Christmas. The whole commercialization of a Pagan ritual into an opportunity to hoard more "stuff" just doesn't tickle my fancy. This year, however, I got to redefine the Christmas holiday for myself and hopefully for others in a big way.

RedefineChristmas.org is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to suggest that people exchange gifts of charity. When you purchase a gift-card from redefinechristmas.org they will channel it to a not-for-profit organization that represents the cares of its recipient. Whether it is donating for fresh water for villages in Africa, a grant for your local arts organization, finding a cure for breast cancer, giving meals to the homeless or finding homes for stray animals, giving a gift of charity is the way we should be spending our money during the holidays. I mean do we really need another sweater with reindeer?

The organization literally found my company in the yellow pages under dance companies, NY. I didn't know anyone still used the yellow pages. Hey, AntiGravity is an A listing. They had no idea of who I am and what I do. In truth, it was actually some powerful angels that knew I was the right man for this project. I've been yearning to stage a flashmob, ever since I first heard of this unique new form of expression three years ago. A flashmob is an internet phenomenon where people come together in a public space and do an impromptu performance piece. As a maverick artist, the idea of working in a public space, working with non-professionals to get them to stretch outside of their comfort zone is delicious. Adding the element of surprise while breaking the rules is just too much fun to resist!

Zumba ladies, aspiring dancers, cheerleaders, truck drivers, housewives and accountants who want to be a part of something special show up for our four hour required rehearsal. They each have a chart to study, music and choreography to learn and a story to tell through their performance.

Westfield Mall, Millford, Connecticut, Black Friday. The stunningly beautiful New York Yoga Goddess, Shelly Bomb, levitating on 5 inch heels with lights in her hair, dressed as the Spirit of Redefined Christmas enters cascading down a expansive red velvet staircase ringing a bell in the middle of the Food Court. She climbs up onto one of the tables and starts a dance that redefines Christmas, capturing the attention of every holiday shopper. The dance beckons others to reconsider how they view gift giving during the holiday season. Suddenly "strangers" in the food court start to join her in our impromptu ballet. By the end, our flashmob dancer/holiday shoppers are up dancing on the tables, on the escalators, on the staircase. Onlookers munching on their fries and sipping their sodas are caught by surprise. Children giggle with glee, seniors stare in bewilderment and the cool tribe that hangs out there knows we've just out-cooled them for a moment in time.

I'm accustomed to doing live performances that have a short life. Their fleeting nature makes the experience even more beautiful. Like a flower that blooms but for one day or a pastry that is only fresh for a few hours, it must be enjoyed in the moment. For many participants, this is a once in a lifetime experience. Knowing we're all a part of something bigger that we can take pride in, we all feel connected through this joyful convergence.

When our flashmob performance has ended, the performers who just stood up and danced in synchronicity blend back into the woodwork. The onlookers, who were given a gift, open it up and find a gift certificate they can give to their favorite charity --- solid!

There is a photo shoot 15 minutes later where we all applaud ourselves for pulling it off. As we mingle, we find out the stories of the players. Why did they choose to join us? What did they learn about themselves in the process? These nonprofessionals who donated their time were truly happy just to be a part of Connecticut's first flashmob. "My husband/wife thinks I'm crazy" is a common phrase one hears muttered. Parents who brought their kids to be involved found themselves in the mix as well. "Why should my daughter get to have all the fun ---I don't have any talent, but I enjoy feeling special too!" One chat with an "echo dancer" named Emily revealed that she is quite shy and chose to do this because she is preparing for being a bride and needed to overcome stage fright. She is here as a goal to rehearse being in front of people. One gentleman decided this was a great way to celebrate his 40th birthday. His whole family showed up to watch him. A beautiful dancer named Cindy aspires to become a professional dancer and see's this as a resume builder. We hug as we leave, a bit sad to let go of the moment, so precious.

The great thing about the internet is that this project is just beginning. We can touch someone new every time someone hits "like". Enjoy, and consider giving a gift of charity for Christmas this year. Meanwhile, watch out for the AntiGravity MobSquad, coming to your town soon!

Over the Rainbow: A Message To Gay Teens

2010-10-06T09:05:00.000-07:00

I had no gay role models growing up --- none. After the recent spat of suicides by gay teens, I am choosing to stand up and be a gay role model. I want to give other kids like me who struggle because of their sexuality a fighting chance. I'm going to be bold and truthful.

On Oct. 3rd I attended a candlelight vigil in Washington Square Park commemorating the lives of six gay teens who recently committed suicide. I didn’t expect the emotional reaction that came up in me. Standing in the rain with many while holding a glowstick high in the air we all sang a somber and quiet rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” Tears of sorrow dripped from the sky and off our cheeks. A few rainbow flags peeked up above the umbrellas. The governor was there to pay his respects as well. Without any cheat sheets or prompting we all knew all the lyrics and joined in the reverent requiem. Finally I know why this song became a gay anthem and why Judy Garland became a gay hero. Many gay kids raised to feel like outsiders have contemplated suicide. After singing the lyrics within this context, I can never hear the song the same again.

OVER THE RAINBOW
When all the world is a hopeless jumble and the raindrops tumble all around.
Heaven opens a magic gate. When all the clouds darken up the skyway, there’s a rainbow highway to be found, Leading from your windowpane, just a bit beyond the clouds, just a step beyond the rain. Somewhere over the rainbow way up high, there’s a land that I heard of once in a lullaby. Somewhere over the rainbow skies are blue, and the dreams that you dared to dream really do come true. Someday I’ll wish upon a star and wake up where the clouds are far behind me. Where troubles melt like lemon drops a way above the chimney tops, that’s where you’ll find me. Somewhere over the rainbow bluebirds fly. Birds fly over the rainbow, why then oh why can’t I? If happy little bluebirds fly, beyond the rainbow why oh why can’t I?

For Asher Brown (13), Seth Walsh (13), Justin Aaberg (15), Billy Lucas (15), Tyler Clementi (18) and Raymond Chase (19) I feel so sorry. I too contemplated the rainbow where I would not be teased, bullied and taunted for the true expression of me. For those teens who may read this who are also feeling like the odd man out or the freak, hear me. It does get better!

My Story
When I was a budding teen, just entering puberty I had a constant erection. It would pop up unexpectedly all day long. Like a witching stick to water it told me instantly what I found attractive. My erection didn’t care what society or the church authorities who were ever present in my world had to say. It had a mind of its own and it did not choose the opposite sex -- ever. The showers in Junior High were the worst. We were forced to shower together in gym and to wait naked in line to be assigned a swimsuit before swimming class. No matter how I tried to shift my focus on anything else, my cock would be crowing at full mast surrounded by my peers. There was no hiding it – so everyone knew of my attraction. Needless to say, aside from being humiliating, this was also very confusing since everything and everyone in my world was geared towards the dynamic between males and females being attracted to one another.

I was raised L.D.S (Latter Day Saint) aka Mormon in Brigham City, Utah – a city named after the modern day prophet Brigham Young. The Mormon religion is built entirely around marriage. They preach the importance of family at every sermon. In the afterlife, a man and his wife/wives will rule their own planets provided they don’t make mistakes in this lifetime. The only mistake as grand as murder is the sin of homosexuality. The murders and the homos wind up in a kingdom known as the terrestrial kingdom aka hell. This was reiterated to me incessantly since there was no separation between church or state or home or family in my small town.

With this kind of fire and brimstone all around me and with the beautiful example of my parents happy marriage, why would I choose anything but the life set before me by my elders; the life that six generations of my ancestors on each side of my family fought so hard for? In the news Anita Bryant was likening gays to child-molesters and gay politicians in San Francisco were being murdered. So why was my uncontrollable erection so defiant?! Why as my voice was changing was it a bit lispy? Why did I love "girly" things like doing the splits and braiding hair? Why did I hate hunting and football and adore dancing and singing and dressing up?

I was accustomed to being called a sissy. In school I was involved in the theater and in gymnastics and dance. I was very expressive. This made me a target for gay jokes, which were not shunned by anyone around me. I developed a great cover crawling deep into a closet of self-denial. Only my right hand and I knew my dark secret (the left hand felt unnatural).

Shame, guilt and I became buddies. Hiding became my mode of operation and self-loathing began to set in. My self-esteem was being stifled at every turn, having to fight hard to flourish and grow. At times I contemplated climbing up to the peak of the mountain and diving off --- flipping all the way down to a dramatic end. However, those thoughts didn't last long. I knew deep down I had the love of my parents. This was enough to keep me here. Other kids are not so lucky.

Although most of my relatives still would deny me acceptance into their future heavenly kingdom, my immediate family wound up leaving the church in support of me -- choosing family first. Although the road is not easy, the challenges life gives us are what lead us to greatness. I have an amazing life of much success that I lead without apology. Prejudice is still something I am constantly dealing with, but I am far from alone.

Words of Wisdom
Boyd K Packer, the second highest authority in the Mormon church (ironically a family friend from my hometown) continues with the damning dogma. Recently he proclaimed that same-sex attraction is unnatural and same-sex unions are immoral. He risked further alienating LGBT youth and potentially contributing to suicides of even more vulnerable young people. He told them that their very identities are "impure and unnatural" inciting the violence and bullying that often drives them to suicide by repeating lies disproven by both science and the experience of millions of Americans who know their LGBT neighbors and care about them.
To young, gay kids who live in a conservative world. If your environment is toxic, find a way out. Get resourceful, be brave and do what you must. When you make a bold decision to take control of your life and own up to whom you are the universe will support your choice and will guide you to find yourself. The road is not easy, but it is worth it. Life is beautiful and hard and frustrating and painful, but once you gain perspective it is filled with magic!

I am so grateful for my life and therefore I live without regret of the past or of how God made me. See your challengers as teachers that are guiding you to your best good. Celebrate your own uniqueness. Learn to love yourself without apology -- exactly as you are, and the world will learn to love you back.

Choose to be brave and to live your life. There is love waiting for you. There are untold pleasures ahead. There and heartfelt emotions and delicious tastes and beautiful sunsets and rainstorms too. Those happy little bluebirds who fly beyond the rainbow have hearts that beat and wings that flap. The beauty is in the struggle. The gift at the end of the rainbow is the gift of life itself.

Take Action Against Mormon Dogma --- https://secure3.convio.net/hrc/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=945

Gay Youth Support --- http://www.lambda.org/youth.htm

New York Times Featurette

2010-08-25T09:08:00.000-07:00

New York Times reporter Alana Casanova-Burgess found me testing my back flip during a recent trip to the beach in Fort Tilden.

Read the interview:

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/08/04/enjoying-the-waterfront-actively-and-passively/#more-205291

Eulogizing Aunt Michele

2010-08-18T04:58:00.000-07:00

My Aunt Michele

Of all the many hats I wear, my most favorite is that of Uncle. Brothers and sisters taunt, parents and kids nag but the role of an Uncle or Aunt is just to give support and to love. This I learned from my Aunt Michele. When the rest of the world held judgment, my Aunt Michele saw me as fabulous and held only love.

For the last seven years I’ve been lucky enough to have her as a neighbor in my highrise building in NYC. Recently I went down my four flights to invite her up for dinner and found that her body was there but her spirit was not. She was dead. Before I contacted the police I brought our mutual close friends and family by for a vigil to say goodbye and send her on her way with grace. We lit candles, said prayers, picked angel cards and eulogized her beautifully. On her piano I played an original song I’d written for my fathers funeral almost exactly 20 years earlier “Calling All Angels”.

Once the cops showed up they did the NY cop thing. Despite that I told 911 she was definitely deceased they came with 2 fire engines and 2 ambulances at full siren. They threatened putting her 7 (yes seven) cats in a shelter the next day and rummaged through her bags to retrieve her identifications for confiscation.

While allowing myself to go through the phases of grief, stories emerge.

I was raised with my four brothers on triple bunk beds. Once, while I was on the top bunk and Aunt Michele was babysitting, I peered down over the book she was reading us to see the pictures and fell straight into her lap. Although I’m certain she was annoyed, she never showed it. She held only compassion. The book was “The Little Red Lighthouse Under the Big Gray Bridge” and it took place in Manhattan. Ironically we both wound up living here and visiting this place together. That very place is where I am writing this now.

Another childhood example was the costume box. Having a good mix of yin and yang (called sissy where I’m from), I found amusement in a yellow and black flamenco skirt. While I was twirling around making it spin for my siblings and cousins, Aunt Michele caught me and her face was a bit astonished. In that moment we both knew something although at this tender age for me it had no name. From there on out, however, I always felt she had my back as she made nothing of it. She and her daughters later in life were the only people in my family to take up gay causes.

Aunt Michele was not only family, she was one of my best friends. The thing I value the most in life are my friendships and I have many that are long-lasting. My friends and I will sometimes marvel about how long our relationship has lasted. Recently there was a little gathering of this kind and after everyone had piped in trying to top each other. Aunt Michele casually said, “I changed his diapers.” Everyone fell out laughing. We did Sunday breakfasts, Friday night movies, holidays, beach days and snowstorms together. We lived high in the sky on floors 42 & 46 only a stone’s throw away from each other. If I needed to borrow a serving dish or have someone to feed my cat I could always count on Aunt Michele. If she needed an extra hand or wanted company for a video, we were at each others door.

We both relished living as “quintessential New Yorkers” together in Hell’s Kitchen. We adored our maple walnut cookies from Good and Plenty, the sour cream apple pies from the Little Pie Company and the Belgium waffles at Market Diner. We lamented over the homogenization of our neighborhood; losing our view to new skyscrapers and losing our long-standing local businesses to chains establishments. Often we would serendipitously run into each other in the lobby, on the sidewalk, or in the elevator as we were on our mad rush through the day; warming our hearts, and brightening our day.

For the first ten years I lived in NYC, I had no family nearby. Being born under the sign of Cancer, I treasure family and home. It was very difficult for me. When Michele moved to NY my world changed. When she moved into my building I knew not to take it for granted. Having someone who knew me and all my nuances from my entire life was special, besides, Aunt Michele was the keeper of many family memories.

Together we talked about many things. I treasure most the conversations about our mutual love for my father in the presence of his sculptured bust, while serenading her on the piano. She showed up to all of my shows and was an enthusiastic supporter of everything AntiGravity. She was proud of me and told me so. She never forgot a birthday or Christmas and always knew the most thoughtful gift to give. When I forgot my passport, like a night in shining armor she rushed it to me at the airport in a cab, saving the day.

My friends and building acquaintances all loved Aunt Michele too --- she became known as Aunt Michele by many. She was an active part of my social circle. Her friendship with Patrick (renown NY theater personality) became as strong as my own. Since she was a long-standing arts empassionado, he valued her keen opinions. She was a sitter for Tally’s baby girls for a while. She took our mutual friends Shelly and Pat to the ballet with her extra tickets she would get from work. My boyfriends knew they had to win her over if they wanted to win my heart. She went to Crayton’s film opening in Berlin and she was eulogized in Bobby’s magazine column.

Although she is no longer living in my world, she will never be gone. Whenever I see a tugboat or watch the entire credits in the movies or get politically active with Move On or act as a conscious citizen, whenever I donate to needy children or help a stray cat or order up Chinese from Happy Family, or hear of someone swimming in the Hudson or get a Korean massage or use Chinese medicine or have Polish food, I will think of her. Whenever I give the perfect gift with wrapping paper or listen to public radio or explore Brooklyn or make silver dollar pancakes or watch the Dog Whisperer or try to teach someone with wide hips how to hang upside down on an AntiGravity Hammock or when I give an AntiGravity massage I will think of Aunt Michele. When I choose to reinvent myself after a chapter of my life has passed or when I dare to say “yes” to an adventure on my own or go to a movie in the park or lose time in a good book or eat fresh blueberries or use expensive face cream or when I walk briskly through the city streets on exactly the right shoes or when I have a pedicure I will remember her. On every Thanksgiving I will remember her great cooking and her selfless grace. When I look at the layout of my AntiGravity Yoga manual which was our last project together I will think of Aunt Michele. I will dedicate to her. In fact, whenever I enter or exit my building and pass the 42nd floor, I will remember how very lucky I am to have had an Aunt Michele who loved and showed support to me for 49 years.

In the last week of her life Aunt Michele graciously and enthusiastically played the role of Great Aunt Michele while I was in Brazil. With Bryan and Trianna in the city, they went body surfing in the Atlantic and biking with gusto all the way around Central Park. They helped her organize and remodeled yet another closet. She even took the kids out for Turkish food and for her infamous mani/pedi excursion downtown. Best of all, she took them to the midnight showing of “Rocky Horror Picture Show” and danced the Time Warp. Upon my return, she hosted us for a picnic at a Bryant Park film festival to see The French Connection. Our last night together went out for late night dinner and beers on the Hudson piers and got caught in a beautiful lightning storm. We laughed together, we loved the city together and we were there for each other.

Aunt Michele lived her life. She will always be remembered as someone who loved her family dearly, who said yes to opportunity and reinvented herself when necessary, who took risks, was a sincere friend and who loved being an Aunt. I am truly her nephew not just in blood but also in action. Her example lives on in me.

TO FLY YOU MUST FIRST LET GO

2010-07-04T14:59:00.000-07:00

I love how the universe works. This week a new student named Marcos, a handsome, young, self-assured athlete came to my advanced AntiGravity Yoga class. Having never done flying inversions before he was seeking a challenge. After an hour and a half of turning upside down, flipping, swinging and sweating he had one thing to say to me. "Do you have a motto as of yet for this class? It should be 'In order to fly -- first you must be willing to let go." AntiGravity Yoga is an exercise in just that --- and I am the guide for others to release their fears. In every class together we fly. I gently guide participants to overcome unfounded fears. Everyone leaves feeling accomplished. Marcos' innocent self evaluation was a direct message from the universe which he experienced himself but that spoke to me as I am struggling with letting go. He gave me a piece of my own medicine just when I needed it most.

This week I moved my offices. After ten incredibly productive and challenging years of growth in Hell's Kitchen in Midtown Manhattan, the AntiGravity Worldwide Corporate headquarters have moved deeper into the heart of Gotham. Although I am very excited about the move up, it has been a challenging process of letting go and accepting change.

In 1999, our ninth year in business, I had built my performance company up enough to afford to move us out of my home and into our own space. The AntiGravity Skyloft was a stunningly beautiful studio with giant skylights, impeccable wood floors, roof decks and custom designed offices. We had a costume and rigging shop, trampolines, a garage and even housed many of our performing athletes in commune style apartments in the space. It was an urban collective and creative hotbed for the acrobatic arts in the heart of Manhattan. It was also party central! We were always in trouble with the neighbors. We had AntiGravity Boots rehearsals while bounding up the street and on the corner park, marching bands on the roof, fire eaters and boa constrictors, people hanging from the ceiling --- it all happened in this magical space.

As a business model we were unique. I subsidized the expense by renting the studio out as an events space and for photo shoots. Celebrities from P.Diddy to Britney Spears rehearsed there and then hired us for their tours and TV appearances. It was a true urban artistic center indicative of the New York I envisioned when I moved here from my small town in 1984. Now in retrospect, I realize what an anomaly we were and how unique those times were. Although we eventually downsized in accordance with the economy shifting our training center to Orlando, while at the AntiGravity Skyloft we created three original theatrical productions that played in NY and across the US. It served as our corporate offices and rehearsal space for hundreds of gigs, the bread and butter of our work. From Samsung campaigns to Chrysler industrial shows to the NY club show circuit and international rave scene; from international building openings to 12 Broadway Bares benefits and involvement with 6 Broadway shows to 11 Operas at the Met and numerous Macy's parades to the VMA's, and The Olympic Games, we were there. The production came out of our 519 West 36th Street space.

If change is the only thing we can count on then letting go is an imperative to happiness and a necessary business skill. Holding on to the past is like an oil soaked bird trying to fly.

Marcos' off the cuff comment came on a day that I was tearfully shredding hundreds of files containing memories of past projects. Cast lists, contracts, creative concepts, sketches and such each representing months of labor and the joy of completion. I'm often jealous of painters and sculptures whose work is lasting. A choreographer for live work experiences the fleeting nature of art over and over again. Each creative child is but a memory held together by the collective memories of its players and any momentos left over. Although many relationships remain, the majority of my company members from that time have moved on since then. Many have had illustrious careers based on the foundations formed and lessons during that special time. As hard as it is, releasing and letting go is the only way to stay young and vibrant and current. Like the physician required to heal himself, I took a scalpel out and cut loose the memories that brought pain while holding on to those that bring me joy.

On my last day there I was still holding on. I found myself walking around with my camera trying desperately to catch something that was no longer there. The life force for my company that exists is with me and my own creative drive. I put the camera down as I realized this. A deeper awareness came over me that I had to be content with the past being over in order to welcome the wondrous future that is in store.

My new offices were renovated to be a beautiful white box filled with sunshine on the 11th floor (how auspicious) of a Garment district building five short blocks from Times Square. I had a sage ceremony in the empty space and soaked in the potentials at hand. I envisioned AntiGravity becoming a respected, international household name, which has always been my goal. I played Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue while holding a vision for prosperity and happiness.

The future is bright with so many bourgeoning opportunities at hand. Business both in the states and internationally is flourishing despite the recession --- albeit not in the usual sectors. I spread my wings and jump off the edge yet again, trusting that as in the past, there will be enough wind to keep from hitting the bottom and that the momentum we've built has set into motion enough to propel us into an expansive future. With twenty years of experience and the wisdom to not hang on, I reflected on Marcos' words inspired by AntiGravity Yoga and I let go in order to fly!

Circles & Ripple Effects

2010-04-28T11:32:00.000-07:00

This weekend my company performed at Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center. For 17 years I attended Unity services there in that hall on Sundays under the careful guidance of the late, great spiritual master Eric Butterworth. "Divine love, flowing through me blesses and increases all that I give and all that I receive" was our mantra. During some of the sermons my mind would wander and I would fantasize about doing aerials in that magnificent concert hall. It took a while, but I finally manifested the action to go with the thought.

Our performance was with the Little Orchestra Society, which is actually not so little as they feature a 50-piece orchestra. The performance was stellar --- the artists and audiences were fulfilled. Witnessing Team AntiGravity's beautiful ballerinas (Jillian and Francoise) leaping and flying 20 feet in the air, at times over the orchestra was exhilarating! The hip hop edge of Omar mixed with classical music was fresh. Watching kids tumbling in synchronicity, building pyramids and spinning ribbons made everyone smile. I am so lucky to be able to create in this venue with such beautiful and talented performers!

This week there was a break-through at Lincoln Center. Although I've been creating choreographic work in numerous theaters there for over twenty years, my commissions were limited to nonaerial choreographic works. "Armida" opened at the Metropolitan Opera with my aerial design work on Monday. On Saturday we made the same history at Avery Fisher Hall. For both venues, this was the first time that the venue had ever allowed dance aerials on their stage. The door has been pried open and we've taken a major step forward.

When I first began AntiGravity in 1990, incorporating dance aerials into a performance was rare unless it was in a circus tent or the occasional modern dance concert. Since we are not a circus, at that time, we defied gravity from the ground up with tumbling and sports acrobatics. Although that is still much of our repertoire, now we prefer to fly from ceilings.

Many theatrical venues like Avery Fisher Hall had never had aerials. Resistance was strong. Unions, producers, the city inspectors -- everyone had safety concerns and could conjure up all kinds of regulations prohibiting my work. In fact, as a trailblazer in my field, my job for the early years of my company was really learning how to jump through hoops. While we accomplished the aerial feats around the world, we were often shut down in our hometown. New York --- if you can make it there... Now, with our impeccable long safety history, my company has established a strong reputation and the hoop jumping has gotten easier. Indeed, our in-house rigger helped establish the new O.S.H.A code and I worked on standards for aerials for Actors Equity Association. It only took me getting over 500 hundred gigs under my belt before they'd say yes.

Furthermore, audiences are coming to understand that there is another dimension available. Dance concerts and Broadway productions almost seem bleak without aerials. Numerous other spin-off companies are flourishing on the path I helped to pave, creating jobs for dancers and athletes -- turned aerialists. I take great pride in that. Time has allowed us to circle back around. One step at a time progress has been made.

On another front, AntiGravity Original Founding Member and former President of the Women's Sports Foundation, Wendy Hilliard and I noted another victory. In 1996, she established the Wendy Hilliard Foundation and I joined her board in order to bring acrobatic sports to the youth of our community. The organization has not only created Olympic athletes, but it's also become a feeder program for AntiGravity. Aliane (30), one of Wendy’s students who we began working with when she was eleven years old eventually made it to the Olympic games and became a member of Team AntiGravity. Now, so many years later, Aliane is not only our star performer but also my Choreographic Assistant for our upcoming Brazil tour. We expect that her baby Jackson Wilson (son of 2 Olympians) will keep the legacy alive. Ziporah Roney (20), Wendy's rhythmic gymnastics team member, who began at age 8 with Wendy, performed a solo in the show this weekend and will also tour with AntiGravity to Brazil. A seven-year-old named Luftanza (ironic name indeed), who also performed with us for her first time in this weeks production I predict will be in the next generation of champions. For the finale of the show I put Wendy's 4-year-old boy BJ into the show, flying high in an AntiGravity Hammock with a dreamscape of movement emerging below him. It was his performance debut and it sure made me smile, maybe he too will catch the bug!

What I was able to acknowledge with this show was the beautiful circle of life that we get to experience in our little family of performing athletes over time. Jumping through hoops and being tenacious enough to push through the chorus of "no's" has led us somewhere. The ripple effect that our work has had throughout the industry and in individuals’ lives is a beautiful thing. Whether it was the parent of the child who needed a victory, or the kid who discovered a passion, or the professional who paid their rent or an audience member who discovered unmitigated joy, I was inundated with heartfelt thank you's. I am grateful to be the one who is able to open the door for so much talent to emerge and for audiences to be inspired.

I love what I do. Every morning I awaken and thank God for my life and I remember, "Divine love, flowing through me blesses and increases all that I give and all that I receive." With Eric as my guru, I learned the power of my words. It is not ironic that my capacity to give has grown and my capacity to receive and feel love for mankind has also increased exponentially since I first stepped foot into Avery Fisher Hall.

Billy Preston had a great funky song that has been stuck in my head of late: "Will it go round in circles? Will it fly high like a bird up in the sky" to the universe I answer, "Yes it does --- life moves in circles and I am creating this company in such a way that we will continue to fly for many generations to come!"

Flying at the Metropolitan Opera

2010-04-12T09:21:00.000-07:00

Twenty five years ago I was an acrobat at the Metropolitan Opera House. It was my first professional New York City credit after moving to the big apple from my small town. I had stars in my eyes and sheer determination to become a Broadway dancer despite the odds. The show was Parade with designs by David Hockney and featuring star dancer Gary Chryst. I flipped all the way across the giant stage to the syncopation of the Met Orchestra’s notes led by James Levine. As a kid from a small town, I was very proud and sent Met postcards to everyone I knew announcing my success.

I wound up being involved with15 productions there over 10 seasons and eventually found myself running the house acrobatic troupe. My acrobatic staging can still be seen each season. I wound up involved in operas by the worlds greatest directors from Franco Zefferrilli to Hal Prince with the greatest opera stars from Pavarotti to Domingo. However, frustrated by the ceiling for growth (I wanted to stage aerials there) I left after ten years and have been away now for nearly the same amount of time. Some of my key team players stayed to take over in my capacities.

This spring, however, I am back, staging the very first “aerial dance” segment for an original production at the Met, “Armida”. Despite all the years away, it seems they did not forget me and had in fact been watching the growth of my unique brand of acrobatic entertainment. They knew of the segment I created for Jane Krakowski in the Broadway production of “Nine” that helped her win a Tony Award. They had also heard of my accomplishments in the world of pop culture.

Their newest production of “Armida” needed an exciting opening moment. Finally the “ceiling” is broken and I now get to put aerials into one of their original operas. Going back after so many years to stage this number I was almost as excited as the first time I stepped foot into the Met. It’s amazing, but many of the familiar faces are still there.

The director cast dancer Teela Ude as the character of “Love” and conceived of her descending to the stage from the heavens as her opening. We decided a red silk AntiGravity Hammock would be the perfect entrance. Teela is a beautiful ballerina, but has never performed aerials.

The silk hammock is over 40 feet long to accommodate the proscenium opening. In other words, it’s a long fall. As soon as she was cast she immediately came to train with me in AntiGravity Yoga at Om Factory. There in my classes she built strength in her upper body and gained the necessary kinesthetic awareness needed for aerials. Needless to say, descending inverted from up high without a harness, one needs to know where their body is in relation to the floor at all times.

Once in actual rehearsals Teela learned fast. I brought in Team AntiGravity superstar Alexandra Apjarova to give her a few tips and by the time we got to the stage, she was ready. Maintaining ample spin was one of the greater challenges we faced, but luckily Teela doesn’t have a tendency for dizziness. Performing a move from AntiGravity Yoga called “Chandelier” she will descend from up above in an inverted position while spiraling to the stage. (*see footnote). The Met Orchestra will play the lively Rossini score and Diva Rene Fleming will meet her on the stage to then take over. Under the lights and against the backdrop of the magnificent set, it will be an exquisite opening equal to the caliber of the other amazing artists involved in the production and worthy of the Metropolitan Opera!

After our technical rehearsals had finished I told Teela that she would no longer be required to come to my AntiGravity Yoga classes. She looked up at me with her big blue eyes and said, can I come anyway? I love it!

“Armida” opens at the Metropolitan Opera House on the 12th of April and will run through May 15th.

ARMIDA
Renée Fleming stars in the title role of Rossini’s Armida, which has its Met premiere on April 12. Riccardo Frizza conducts, and Mary Zimmerman directs this story of a sorceress who enthralls men in her island prison. The cast includes six tenor roles in all, with the principal male parts taken in this production by Lawrence Brownlee as Rinaldo, Bruce Ford as Goffredo, José Manuel Zapata as Gernando, Barry Banks as Carlo, and Kobie van Rensburg as Ubaldo. Richard Hudson designs the sets and costumes, Brian MacDevitt is the lighting designer, and Graciela Daniele makes her Met debut as choreographer with aerials by AntiGravity. Zimmerman, whose hit production of Lucia di Lammermoor opened the 2007-08 season, calls Armida “a buried treasure, a box of jewels.” She notes that the opera “has an epic, enchanted quality and a tremendous visual element.” This production of Armida is a gift of The Sybil B. Harrington Endowment Fund.

Easter Parade 2010

2010-04-05T13:16:00.000-07:00

Easter represents renewal, rebirth and the resurrecting of one's spirit. It is my favorite religious holiday. However, rather than partake in a solemn affair that also includes crucifixion gore, I choose to revive my spirit by sharing my joy for life with strangers; I do this in the Easter Parade.

Every year in NYC on 5th avenue from 57th street to 50th street, the avenue is closed for people watching. Folks come out in their Easter outfits to gawk at each other. Needless to say, this has become more and more over the top as years have passed. What used to be one's "Sunday best" is now one's “most tasteful extreme”. Unlike the Halloween parade (which I also love) this is actually not a real parade because it is not a procession --- it is people parading around. St. Patricks cathedral is the epicenter since that is where all of New York's Christian elite spend the holiday. People come out of the church services and there is this fabulous mayhem going on.

The lyrics of this song actually say it like it is.

"In your Easter bonnet, with all the frills upon it,
We'll be the grandest couple in the Easter parade.
You'll be all in clover and when they look you over,
I'll be the proudest fellow in the Easter parade.
On the avenue, fifth avenue, the photographers will snap us,
And you'll find that you're in the rotogravure. (the newspaper)
Oh, I could write a sonnet about your Easter bonnet,
And of the girl I'm taking to the Easter parade."

The girl I have with me is none other than the amazing Shelly Bomb (she calls me her gay husband.) She was my partner in crime last year as well and we made it into the Styles section of the NY Times. She styles us (from the AntiGravity closet) and I decorate our horseless chariot with flowers (aka “Miles” the Segway.) It's a blast!

We got to meet so many people from all over the world who were amused by our little display. We took pictures with hundreds of kids and grandmas and dogs and such. We got to wish everyone a Happy Easter and put innocent smiles on people’s faces ---- somehow I think Jesus would dig it.

ABOLISH “DON'T ASK DONT TELL” FROM SPORTS.

2010-03-13T09:33:00.000-08:00

We applaud cocky straight males in sports --- they are the prototype. We even allow closeted gay men in sports --- provided they "don't tell". However, we cannot accept a cocky gay man and trust me, no one is "asking." How many gay athletes can you name?

As a former high-level competitive athlete and as someone involved with the Olympics more than once (on a production level), whenever I am not there I vicariously live the Olympic Games on TV/Web. Since I also come from an artistic sport (gymnastics) during the Winter Games I am compelled to watch the skating. I especially love the combination of virtuosity and artistry of the men's figure skating.

I was very pleased to see an American skater win gold, but after careful scrutiny in my humble opinion, the athlete that demonstrated the most virtuosity and artistry in their fine-tuned performance was hands down, Johnny Weir performing David Wilson's magnificent choreography. I should note for the record, that I have not followed Mr. Weir’s career at all before the Olympics, so I am not preconditioned to have an opinion about him other than what I saw during the Games.

A skating routine is a production number that has many variables to consider. Music choice & edits, costume, choreography as well as artistic expression and technique and virtuosity are all part of the program.

Imagine if the track icon Dan Jansen and ABT prima ballerina Gelsey Kirkland had a baby boy. This could be Johnny Weir. Johnny is an amazing athlete with virtuosity and grace. He has great technique; consistent triple jump combinations, good speed, fancy footwork and stunning bodylines. Although his quad is not consistent enough for competition, supposedly he has been known to land it. As an Olympian, his athletic prowess is therefore undisputed. He is every bit the skater that Evan Lysacek is and had an equally stellar performance with nary a miss. He placed sixth. I think he was underscored.

Some people say it is because he took a few years off (which the skating world will punish you for) yet so did Plushenko. The NY times columnist tried to blame the discrepancy on scoring rules which rewards virtuosity more than artistry, but I beg to differ. Aside from Plushenko’s quad/triple combo (which even Lysacek could not match) he had the skills. Here is the truth that we dare not speak although it appears constantly in many different forms. Johnny Weir did not win because the homophobic judges did not want a flamboyant gay on the podium, whereas a closeted one is fine.

With the recent popularity of the XGames sports, skating has taken a second seat. Although Johnny Weirs pop culture savvy business skills in creating controversy will help the sport with ratings, the belief is that if he were the gold medalist it may send an even stronger message to the world that men’s figure skating is a “sissy sport.” The beauty of sports is that the best athlete should win regardless of nationality or sexual orientation. An athletes physical accomplishments should surpass the bias.

I've been a judge in various situations before. In artistic sports, judging is subjective. A judge can choose to score slightly less based on impression --- based on a taste. If every judge takes off a few tenths, unless there is a very big lead or a big mistake, they can keep someone from medaling. There were no significant mistakes in the Vancouver Games amongst the top contenders (a bobble in a spin doesn’t count). This left the commentators to justify the scores with, "the devil is in the details". If that is the case then Johnny Weir was truly slighted.

Had Johnny Weir butched it up as best as possible ---- worn a military outfit, shaved his head, skated to the Rocky theme and held a fist the entire time, maybe then he would have had a much better chance at winning. However, the objective of an artist is to bring your authentic personality out in your performance. It takes an immense amount of courage to do this when your type is an effeminate male. Johnny went there unabashedly. His forwardness made my own internalized homophobe very uncomfortable. I was forced to examine that and this is why I am feeling the need to write.

Finally on TV and Film the "Gentle Male" has emerged as a viable prototype. Queer Eye, Will & Grace, Glee and so many other shows with strong characters of late that we all know and love are amongst us, but not in sports. There are exceptions of course. Rudy Galindo won gold on the national level after coming out. Greg Louganis had talent so far over and above everyone else's that there was no room for another opinion. Diving, however, is much less subjective. Meanwhile, there has never been an out male gymnast. Unless an athlete is heads and tails above the rest in gymnastics, they will always be scored just slightly lower and kept from the podium. I believe this is what happened to Johnny Weir. The miracle is that he made it as far as he did.

To add insult to injury, Johnny Weir has NOT been invited to do the Stars On Ice Tour because he is not “family friendly”. Johnny has come out as “fabulous”, but not officially as “gay”. He is currently putting his little brother through college and supporting his family financially (his father is disabled) through the earnings he makes as a skater. By doing so he is a great example of an honorable family member. To be snubbed on the Tour is yet one more ugly example of our homophobic society. Maybe if they end “don’t ask don’t tell” in the military, it will set the precedence for tolerance in the rest of our society.

Olympics 2010: A Champion Athletes Equanimity

2010-02-26T09:59:00.000-08:00

A high level athlete knows much about setting goals and sticking to their vision despite obstacles. They learn from their mistakes and grow stronger. The Olympics has once again inspired me. The tenacity and passion of the athletes brings me to tears. This time, however, I’ve found an interesting new perspective emerging in me. Striving for perfection is a trap. Although it is to be admired in sports, in life it leaves you continually unsettled. How can one achieve happiness if they are constantly in achievement mode?

As a high-level competitive athlete and coach, recently turned yogi, I’ve learned a few things about winning. It’s over-rated. The joy is short-lived and the work it took to accomplish the win is not only addictive, it can sabotage your bliss. Although it sets up positive patterns for success, it is who we are being, not what we accomplish that counts the most. How we balance the aspirations and determination of our mind with the ability to be present in the moment is the true test.

Like all Olympians, Kim Yu-na had the pressure not only of her family, but of an entire nation on her shoulders. Her routines had numerous risky jumps and spins that could have easily made her falter and lose. Yet somehow at every juncture Kim demonstrated equanimity. In her interviews she didn’t seem nervous despite the fear-provoking questions from the press. I have a sense that Kim Yu-na knows something.

Happiness is the ultimate goal. Appreciation is the key to happiness. One cannot be in striving mode and in appreciation at the same time. Kim skated with ease and confidence. She was not a “wanna-be”. She seemed to be skating from appreciation and joy as if she had already attained her vision. The universe simply responded in accordance with her clarity.

Introspectively I take note how often is my inner voice saying, “I want” or “I need”. Yearning is the mind of a child whereas an actualized mind learns to say “I am” and to see the perfection in imperfection. If an athlete wants for then they cannot be. If an athlete is then they do not want for.

Who will the athlete who didn’t medal be after the Games. Will they live unsettled knowing they didn’t accomplish their goal or will they be grateful for the amazing journey they took to get there? Will the one who took silver be able to unplug from the drive and savor the experience without regret? Will the gold medalist be able to feel the true joy of their accomplishment?

High level competition is extremely demanding. There are many coaches around to help one achieve their goal, but once the competition is over and the competitive years are done, who is there to help a high-level athlete assimilate back into a more normal life? Where does all that energy and passion go? How does one channel it appropriately without allowing it to get in one’s own way?

For me, the answer has been turning inside. Yoga has helped me to discover the athlete within. I am becoming as impassioned now about achieving equanimity and joy in my life as I was about multiple aerial somersaults. Maybe this discovery is something that comes to everyone with age and experience. Maybe I wouldn’t have been able to hear someone had they given me this knowledge in my youth. Who knows? I’m just grateful to be beginning to understand it. Now the goal is to fine tune the practice of presence with the same vigor I gave to my competitive years. I am learning. I am grateful. I am discovering my personal bliss.

Not so ironically, as an athlete I continue to expand my movement vocabulary, only now it coincides with my inner dialogue. My new moves won’t take me to the Olympic Games, but they keep me alive in my passion and they are fun for me to share.

Congratulations to all of the 2010 Olympians. I honor your sacrifice and your talents. Now, seek out your internal bliss with as much vigor and your love for your sport will never die.

A Tough Reminder to Savor Life

2010-02-09T06:52:00.000-08:00

My greatest fear is not death, it is to be incapacitated --- to be alive but non-functioning. Today I had to vicariously face that fear. John (not real name), one of the early generations of Team AntiGravity is in a nursing home dying of Lou Gerigs disease. He is my same age. He has lost his ability to walk, talk and even lift his hand to itch himself. He is in constant pain and yet refuses all drugs. He lives in a nursing home in Buffalo. There is no hope of recovery.

When I first met John, he was the vision of health --- literally. A former gymnast from Penn State who made the national Olympic team, he had ripped abs of steel, giant arms and a smile for everyone who crossed his path. He was a print model for numerous medical companies and even textbooks needing to show the perfect body. On top of that, he had the most genuine demeanor. He never had a bad word to say about anyone. He was a man of integrity, self-discipline and joy. We shared a passion for gymnastics.

Yesterday when I walked into his room at the old folks home his walls were filled with impressive professional photos and tearsheets of his healthier self and of his friends. A giant poster of his biggest gig with AntiGravity was up. He was in an automated wheelchair, but he could no longer manage the joystick. His eyes lit up and his familiar smile swept across his face, strained but real. His mind is alert as ever and his memories are astute, but he cannot communicate except for trying to spell out words with grunts --- which can take a very long time. Despite the difficulty, we spoke about so many beautiful memories together in NYC and of how he misses the city. We told him all the wonderful things we think of one another but never say. At one point I wiped the dribble on his chin and ran my hand through his still thick head of hair. He looked at me with eyes that told me the whole sad story of losing his amazing physical prowess.

He was optimistic and positive and upbeat, so happy to see us, we put on our happy faces as well, matching his joy. His sister helped make it a celebration with champagne and cheese. We toasted him ⎯-the honorable life he has led, the courage he now shows and the influence we have been blessed to have on each other. During the toast we finally broke down and wept, knowing this would be the last time we would see each other. Although it was hard to decipher, his last words were, “I love you”.

Flying home I felt so grateful for life and for health. I asked myself, “how can I go about my day taking it all for granted?” My frustrations of the day had to do with slow load up time for my internet connection, dropped calls on my cell phone, a delayed flight, not finding a convenient parking space. For John, getting someone to help him roll over or change the channel or open the window or. . . is an ordeal.

Dying is the one thing we are all guaranteed. How we die, however, is left up to destiny. I hope that when I go it is quick, but if it is not, I pray that I have the courage it takes to be present every moment I’m alive. John has learned that through this ordeal. His body may no longer be functioning but his heart has not diminished a bit --- in fact it has grown. We felt his love and it was large. Life has slowed down to almost a standstill robbing him of all pleasures excepting his memories and the joy of sun on his face, yet these are not lost on John. He still wears the same smile in his eyes and he has not lost the ability to laugh.

Today I really savored the taste of my food, I worked out with more vigor, I made love with my heart open and I enjoyed the tears of gratitude that fell freely down my face as I had yet another reminder to appreciate life and all its wonders both large and small.

Mother of Five Confronts “The Stork” in AntiGravity Yoga

2010-02-02T08:49:00.000-08:00

When my mother turned 40, after bearing 7 kids (I’m #2) she put on her rollerskates for the first time in over 20 years. She added an entirely new chapter to her life and won the state competition (see photo). So, when Annie, a mother of five, submitted her packet for the AntiGravity Yoga Teacher Training I was impressed. Annie’s youngest child is two but she must've started having kids very young because her body is incredibly resilient. Annie (not real name) escaped from motherhood for five days to come to NY for the AntiGravity Yoga Teacher Training. After spending 15 consecutive years changing diapers and packing school lunches, she decided to do something for herself while bringing a special gift back for her kids. Mothers sacrifice so much of themselves that often they forget to take care of their own needs. Childbirth is not easy on the spine. Teaching yoga for Annie has been respite from her routine. AntiGravity Yoga will be her unique healing tool that also incorporates fun! We have a move called “The Stork” because one cradles their leg in hammock as one would cradle an infant in a pouch. The nomenclature caused Annie to pop a knowing smile. Although at first she definitely met up with her share of challenges in the teacher training, Annie proved that motherhood prepares a woman with fortitude beyond what a man can ever know. Despite her still nursing breasts Annie was victorious! She completed the training and went home with two AntiGravity Hammocks to continue her practice. What she doesn’t know yet, is that the hammocks will actually be the ultimate babysitter and kinesthetic awareness / muscular conditioning device for her kids. For a mother of five I'm certain that is priceless!

“Senior Citizen” passes AntiGravity Yoga Teacher Certification with flying colors!

2010-02-01T16:50:00.000-08:00

Sharon (not real name) turns 65 in a few months and will be eligible for retirement pay from the government. She is not happy about this word “retirement” and has decided to tackle it head-on by reinventing herself as someone who defies the conventional “wisdom” and teaches others to fly! Sharon, a petite and adorable grandmother immediately identified AntiGravity Yoga as an anti-aging technique. She came up from her first inversion and proclaimed “I feel like I just had a face lift!” Although the intensive training is grueling (a much younger and very fit woman in this same training dropped out) Sharon found her wings. She learned to execute and properly teach all of the basic AntiGravity Yoga class ⎯- including the Vitruvian Man / Falling Star sequence! Furthermore, while only a portion of the students passed, she was one of the top graduates! Sharon, also a fitness instructor for our newest franchise in London Ontario, is an inspiration ⎯- and as such embodies the core philosophy of the technique ⎯- AntiGravity is anti-aging! By keeping the joints moving, the muscles in use and the disks of your spine hydrated thru decompression, one stays limber and their movement stays light and youthful. I’m elated to be one day taking this amazing practice to seniors ⎯- Sharon proves you are never too old to try something new and with AntiGravity Yoga, never too old to learn to fly!

Opera Singer adds 6 notes to her range through AntiGravity Yoga

2010-01-20T16:08:00.000-08:00

The effects of freeing up the spine through decompression therapy have yet to be documented and researched fully so everything that I say here is completely subjective. That said, I am finding some amazing results in my classes. I am watching people's bodies restructure and I witness joyful recoveries every time I teach. This next case study is one of my favorites.

Brenda (not real name) is an opera singer who came to take my AntiGravity Yoga class because she had been experiencing pain in her hips due to tightness. She fell in love with the technique and has come every day since --- literally every day. Opera singers are very in tune with their instruments and quantify every minute change in timber, range and breath stamina. A singer must be a master at breath control, which is often affected by the looseness or tightness of the surrounding musculature. After a few classes Brenda felt a release in her hip girdle area and after only a week, she claims to have increased her range by six notes! Advanced singers work for years to gain maybe two or three notes to their register. To add six in such a short range of time is unheard of! Needless to say, she was exuberant and couldn't wait to tell me. Her vocal teacher, who is flabbergasted, thinks it has to do with the release in skeletal structure that had been causing her tightness.

I understand that case studies mean nothing without formal research so this is my call out --- who wants to do a very cool study?

Martin Luther King; a true American hero

2010-01-18T14:31:00.000-08:00

Being raised in conservative America, the history I was taught was skewed. The importance of Martin Luther King was nonexistent in my education. It was not until I traveled to Berlin in my early twenties and went to the Civil Rights museum there at Check Point Charlie that I learned who he really was and what he stood for.

Now, as I join in the battle for my basic rights as a citizen of this country, I get to see firsthand how much the work that is being done rides on the shoulders of this great American. If he were alive today I know our country would not still be mired in prejudice. I wonder how different my life would be had I been raised knowing that I am equal to my brothers and that my love is as valid as every Americans.

Martin Luther King Day is a special holiday. It's not about gifts or turkeys or costumes, all that is expected is that we spend time in reflection honoring his work and asking ourselves how we can help to further his legacy in the lives we lead.
_________________________________________________________

An American clergyman, activist & prominent leader in the African-American civil rights movement; Michael Luther King, Jr., but later had his name changed to Martin was born on January 15, 1929.

His main legacy was to secure progress on civil rights in the USA & he’s become a human rights icon: MLK is recognized as a martyr by 2 Christian churches.
A Baptist minister, MLK became a civil rights activist early in his career. He led the 1955 Montgomery Bus Boycott & helped found the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in 1957, serving as its 1st president.

MLK's efforts led to the 1963 March on Washington, where He delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech. There, he raised public consciousness of the civil rights movement & established himself as one of the greatest orators in U.S. history.

In 1964, MLK became the youngest person to receive the Nobel Peace Prize for his work to end racial segregation & racial discrimination thru civil disobedience & other non-violent means.
By the time of his death, he had refocused his efforts on ending poverty & opposing the Vietnam War, both from a religious perspective.
MLK was assassinated on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee. He was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1977 & Congressional Gold Medal in 2004.

There are opposing views even w/in the King family — regarding the slain civil rights leader's religious & political views about LGBT people. King's widow Coretta said publicly that she believed her husband would have supported gay rights. However, his daughter Bernice believed he would have been opposed to gay marriage. The King Center includes discrimination, & lists homophobia as one of its examples, in its list of "The Triple Evils" that should be opposed.

In 1980, the Department of Interior designated King's boyhood home in Atlanta & several nearby buildings the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site.
In 1996, United States Congress authorized the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity to establish a foundation to manage fund raising & design of a Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial on the Mall in Washington, DC. MLK was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha, the 1st intercollegiate Greek-letter fraternity established by & for African Americans.
MLK was the 1st African American honored w/ his own memorial in the National Mall area & the 1st non-President to be commemorated in such a way.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day was established as a U.S. national holiday in 1986.

http://www.martinlutherking.org
http://www.thekingcenter.org

Resolutions & Body Dysmorphia

2010-01-02T10:05:00.000-08:00

Resolutions: "I resolve to. . ." Every year at this time I go over last years resolutions and health and fitness heads the list. Health is our most valuable possession to be sure and there is always room to improve. This year, however, I'm NOT going to resolve to cut up my abs again. Instead, I'm going to resolve to be continue my health & fitness regime, but to be happy where I am and to appreciate my body exactly where it is. It's not that I don't still have improvements to make, it is that by appreciating my body rather than focusing on the imperfections I will be on a more effective road to health, fitness and better sex. As athletes and dancers know best, body dysmorphia is a cruel taskmaster -- especially as we age. It doesn't matter how "perfect" one is in reality because perception is everything. Too many of us see ourselves as imperfect and put our focus there rather than seeing what is right and good. So, this year I resolve to love my little love handles. They signify that I am human and that I am enjoying my life. Attitude of gratitude. . .

Spending the holidays in a swimsuit on a beach in Brazil where there is no such thing as body fat is either a beautiful adventure or a nightmare. For my friend Sharon (not real name) it seemed the latter. She is a lovely 34 year old with a beautiful body with curves. She exercises rigorously and watches what she eats/drinks but she cannot get her body to become the skinny girl she was in her 20's. For her vacation she spent alot of money to visit paradise but she was living in hell. The other girls around her were more fit and only reinforced her own personal nightmare. She covered up with wraps, hid behind others in photos and only picked at delicious meals. She cannot see her own beauty and the torture of her thoughts actually make the lie into truth. Her laugh has become forced and her spirit diminished. I'm sure this is true both in and out of the bedroom. The real irony is that she will someday look back and see how beautiful she was and wish she could have felt it. I told her that the only thing she needed to fix was her own perception of herself. She couldn't hear me.

On the airplane back I sat next to a talkative, 28 year old car mechanic named Winston. As I wrote my New Years resolutions in my journal he couldn't help but comment. He'd had a few champagnes and was talkative. He decided to tell me all his resolutions, yet he skipped heath & fitness. His focus was primarily material. When he was finished I asked, "what about health?" He went on about how he was too busy to exercise and that's why he'd put on 30 pounds in the last year (based on the size of his waistline I guessed he wasn't exaggerating). I asked him if his sex life suffered from it. He laughed but didn't answer -- he didn't need to. I asked him how many clients could have avoided huge costs in auto repair if they had just done a regular tune up and put proper oil in their cars. Exercise is like the rent you pay to be in your body. If you don't want to live in squalor or be evicted early, you must pay. Winston's body dysmorphia was of another kind. He was in denial that he was in his body and that his attention to it affected its appearance. Although it was quite audacious of me to bring it up, he thanked me for our chat and reminded me to put oil in my car.

Life and happiness are all about balance ---- and perception is everything!

Teaching a Robin to Fly

2009-12-18T05:25:00.000-08:00

Teaching others to be in touch with their bodies is such a beautiful gift. Every class I witness miracles. Robin is an exotic and beautiful woman in her early twenties with coffee skin and ethereal, light green eyes. Her smile lightens up a room. She has a beautiful tattoo of the Goddess energy she exudes down her back. By day she works behind a desk. Recently she discovered AntiGravity Yoga. From her first day she was hooked and in just three months her body has completely transformed shedding 25 pounds!

A typical native New Yorker, Robin had very little physical experience with her body. Her first class she could do very little. Her muscles were weak, her alignment completely off and she had poor kinesthetic awareness. She is somewhat flexible, but without muscular support on her frame that carries an extra 30-40 pounds, her physical looseness is only a liability --- an accident waiting to happen. She struggled hard through the exercises, barely able to get through the class --- breathing heavily and sweating profusely on the simplest of tasks. Enthusiasm is the most under-rated emotion. Robin was never defeated. She finished the class and committed to returning the next day. Every time she got better and she acknowledged every new progression with excitement no matter how small. At times her struggle was painful to watch but her hope and devotion was inspiring.

Robin knew that she was meant to fly --- it was in her name. With her body lighter and more agile she now glides and soars through class. Her sheer glee carried her through the storm of mastering her body. Her enthusiasm made it seem effortless. She can perform the Vetruvian Man, the Vampire and even the Falling Star! She has even expressed interest in becoming an instructor!

I learn so much from my students. From Robin I have learned the power of enthusiasm behind a vision. She saw herself as a beautiful bird who was meant to fly and she became it. No matter how hard the struggle, she never lost hope. She kept her sights on the end goal and she transformed accordingly. I can't wait to see where she will be in a year!

Ahh---- to be sharing the gift of flight and lightness ---- both meanings of antigravity --- I am so blessed!

ELEVEN = INSPIRATION

2009-11-17T14:53:00.000-08:00

I'm not superstitious, but I love omens. I'm born on 7/11 and have been an elevens freak for a long while, attracting many others who were also born on an 11. In numerology, eleven = inspiration. I've come to believe that when I see elevens it signifies that I'm on the right track --that I'm at one with my destiny. When I see a 711 combo I feel extra lucky. They come to me on receipts, on license plates, in totals, on clocks and in random areas. Since this is the 11th month my world has been filled with my favorite auspicious symbols. My subconscious must be at work because I even caught the clock just by chance on 11:11 on 11/11 (2009 adds up to 11).

Today, 11/17 while following my regular pattern, I pushed the button on my elevator and went to the window to look out at the West Side of Manhattan from 46 floors high as I waited for my daily downward commute. Outside, a train races under a tunnel that is exposed at 44th street where I can see it if the timing is right. Today it raced by with a special message. I noticed three numbers on the front car of the train in large red letters that signified what number this train was -- 711. They were the only distinguishable numbers on this speed train. What a beautiful metaphor --- my special numbers on a speeding train! I savored the moment and called it an extra good omen.

“Flying By The Seat Of My Pants" for 19 years

2009-11-06T13:44:00.000-08:00

The actual day was missed. I was in Milan training new disciples in AntiGravity Yoga and I had no idea what day it was. By the time I realized that the 19th anniversary of AntiGravity had come and gone it was too late. It's okay, I told myself, next year will be the one to blow out. I came home from the trip, untweaked my back on my AntiGravity hammock from the long flight and then spent some time in reflection – and in gratitude.

I dropped out of business school to study dance. My father was dismayed but he supported me following my passion, despite the obvious struggle ahead for a kid from a small town in Utah. After six years of performing around the world and on Broadway, I found my true talents underutilized so I formed my own company.

When we first began there was no internet. Faxes and pagers were state of the art. When we first began very few had heard of Cirque du Soleil and there was no such thing as the X Games. When we first began acrobat was a dirty word and those who mastered their body were still treated by the industry like baton twirlers. When we first began Jane Fonda style aerobics was considered the best form of exercise. There was no bungee dancing, no flying silks, no AntiGravity Boots and no real integration of dance and acrobatics in America. AntiGravity athletes were the pioneers and gladly, all that has changed.

We began as a bunch of gymnasts, street tumblers and acrobats who had no place large enough to express our passion for movement. We wanted to break out and experiment with physicality without the confining rules of sport. We wanted to fly!

Our very first gig was to entertain the exhausted athletes from the NYC marathon at their post-party celebration at Roseland. We flipped in synchronicity to the music in a dance that created a wholly new movement vocabulary. We flew thru the roof with our very first show. The budget for all 10 of us was $2000 for two numbers. I’m proud to say we’ve since commanded one hundred times that for the same amount of time. When the excited announcer asked the name of our group and we had yet to make one up, I spontaneously and auspiciously quoted an album cover I’d seen earlier that day “Zero-Gravity” (which I soon changed to start with an A rather than Z). Our next gig was a featured spot in the Easter Show at Radio City Music Hall, which we did seasonally for three years. Since then we’ve performed in 24 countries and on every major event from the Olympics to the Academy Awards. My proudest moment, however, came earlier this year as we performed on national TV with the biggest celebrities of our day, as the only non-musical act for the inauguration of the new President of the United States, OBAMA!

Now, beyond entertainment, our brand has expanded to include fitness. AntiGravity is becoming a global brand and may one day soon be a household name. With each new franchise I see the vision expanding and I am honored to touch more people with the passion of movement and see their joy as they are victorious in challenging their own limits.

In my childhood I remember watching a man fly around with a jet-pack at the State Fair back in the 1960’s. My father told me that one day, probably by the millennium we would all be able to fly around like that. I never got my jetpack, but I sprouted my own kind of wings.

I’m certain that the years ahead will be equally as fulfilling. Our foundation is solid and our wings are now full with beautiful feathers. We are currently being courted by the top international fitness companies who recognize the value in our intellectual property, trademarks and work ethic. Every day is another fabulous adventure in business. Our journey is just beginning.

During this road to twenty I will expose much on this blog and the knowledge from the oft rethreaded seat of my pants will be here to inspire others.

photo: Lois Greenfield, Raymond Weil Watch campaign circa 1993

AntiGravity Boots High Diving: A New Sport?

2009-10-20T09:03:00.000-07:00

I never cease to be inspired by my team of athletes. Whenever we are together, we encourage each other to challenge our limits and to reach new heights. This week we had a performance for the Grand Opening of the AT&T Performing Arts Center in Dallas. We condensed our touring show down to three 15 minute sets and rocked the house large. AntiGravity athletes bounced on bungees, flipped on AntiGravity boots, flew from trampolines, spun on flying apparatus and tumbled up and over each other with panache and bravado. As usual, the audience watches with their jaws dropped. We’ve carved this special niche in the theatre world as athletes who take to the stage to demonstrate human potential. Other industry professionals think we are crazy, but we are really just bringing what we do on the ski slopes, basketball courts and competition floors to a new environment. We live to jump and flip and soar, so even on our day off in Dallas we decided to go have some extreme fun.

Beau Sydes is a former champion diver from SMU in Dallas. His former coach Jim is cut from the same thread as our team. When Beau approached him about Team AntiGravity coming to play in his pool, he was all in. His pool has diving platforms. On a dare, Beau took his AntiGravity Boots to the pool, climbed up his familiar ladder and bounced into the water. This was great fun to watch and all the team was there to encourage him. But that wasn’t enough. We egged him on. Each boot weighs 8.5 pounds and is definitely cumbersome. In diving even the smallest variant can throw you off. A "smack" from that high would be extremely painful, similar to getting hit in the stomach with a baseball bat. You lose all your breath and 99% of the time the diver will pass out. This goes along with bruised and blistered skin and coughing up blood. Still, the peer pressure and the adrenaline rush got his champion mentality to push forward. With very little hesitation he performed a "double front with a half twist" from the 10 meter platform and landed it perfectly securing his Legacy Wings with Team AntiGravity.

It's always fun to find a new recipe for cross-blending artistic sports. We've been reinventing now for nineteen years. Perhaps Team AntiGravity has discovered a new dimension of a standard sport once again.

(watch for upcoming video on youtube/antigravitynyc)

Photos by Taylor Brody & Shelly Bomb

Giving Yourself Permission To Grow

2009-09-28T12:01:00.000-07:00

Teaching adults to hang upside down is a most marvelous thing. When one’s world is suddenly reversed all kinds of stuff comes up. This was the case for Sarah (not real name & not photo of her). Sarah was raised in NYC during the 60’s / 70’s. Kids had very few playgrounds and since the culture in NY is litigious, anything that looked like it could be dangerous was discouraged --- unless it was football, basketball or baseball. Since women weren’t part of team sports in those days, there were few opportunities for them to discover their own physical prowess. Many women age 45 and older from NYC are not in tune with their own body. Yoga however is a safe and gentle place for them and many women are attracted to it. Although AntiGravity Yoga is actually easier than many other forms of yoga, it does require a certain amount of body awareness and some courage.

Sarah, who showed up for my class, had been studying yoga and also bikes. She is fit, but carries a lot of fears and insecurities. She excelled beautifully in my class but when it came time for the Monkey inversion, she suddenly freaked out. Her heart started racing, she couldn’t determine up from down, left from right or her foot from her hand. I had to spot her in and out of every progression and spent too much time trying to get her to relax. At the end of class she came up to me with all of her insecurities and started to give me a myriad of reasons as to why she couldn’t do it (weak core, uncoordinated, no arm strength etc.) I knew these were all stories she had made up about herself or stories someone else had fed her that were simply not true. I am an expert at discerning physical talent and capability --- it is what I do. I had no doubt that she was physically capable, so I gave her a decree that would change her life forever. First I told her of my credentials and asked her if she trusted me to which she said, “yes”. Then I told her that her stories were all innocent lies and that they need to be revisited. I then gave her a quick but thorough assessment of her body and told her the following, “As a fitness expert whose job it is to assess physical prowess, I hereby do decree that YOU, SARAH ARE CAPABLE” and I touched her on the head. Immediately I saw a shift in her consciousness as she gave herself permission to grow and released years of limiting thought with a smile. In her next class she easily conquered the Monkey inversion on her own and even made it to the Chandelier inversion without any freakout. We were both excited by her growth and she thanked me profusely. The experience filled me with gratitude to be able to help her. It also made me ask myself what limitations I put on my own talent that hold me back from my best good.

Forgetting Sept. 11th

2009-09-12T11:08:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was Sept. 11th, the eighth anniversary of the attacks. I swore that I would “never forget”, but I am taking it back. I hope that what I am about to say doesn’t sound like heresy, but my feelings of anger and disappointment are now stronger than my feelings of sorrow or sympathy towards the victims of the tragedy.

On the first anniversary of 9/11 I produced a benefit show here in NYC honoring the sacrifice of the rescue-workers raising money for worth-while related causes. The non-verbal, imagery-based production we collaboratively created and performed was entitled “An American Band”. It used retro pop tunes to tell a story of how we as New Yorkers came together to recover from the events of that horrible day. The weather on the one year anniversary was odd in NY. Candlelight vigils had been established all over the city in the parks, but instead of peaceful memorials, a giant windstorm came through blowing out all the candles. As if to say, “move on”, the winds of change stormed through the streets cleansing every crevice, digging up every scrap and even twisting anything that wasn’t secured.

For me, the sign from Mother Nature did not go unnoticed, but unfortunately the same was not true for the rest of our society. What has ensued since then in the name of “never forgetting” is despicable. If only we all could have listened to the winds and left it behind us.

Instead, we have started two wars, bankrupting our country while killing thousands of more Americans and hundreds of thousands of Iraqis in a futile attempt to at revenge. We fell into the mode of fear and succumbed to the lies of corrupt politicians who sold us a bill of good. Many Americans are now destitute and we are caught up in a war quagmire. 911 has been leveraged on every front, from the families of the victims who perpetuate the giant hole in the ground downtown, to the disgusting former mayor who profited to the tune of millions despite his ineptitude and even ran for president based on the tragedy --- and on and on.

We relinquished our “land of the free and home of the brave” and opted instead for fear-mongering and revenge. We are now paying the price.

I didn’t turn on the television and listen to the reading of the names. I didn’t put flowers at my local firestation. I didn’t call and commemorate with my friends. I didn’t even light a candle. I moved on.

There will always be a pain deep inside me on this day as I consider the immense losses. There will always be sympathy for the victims and the families they left behind. There will always be a respect for the challenges faced and the courage shown by many. There will always be gratitude in my heart for the fact that despite my team and I departing from JFK on American Airlines on the Sept. 11th, 2001, we were not one of the fateful flights. These things I will never forget, but I am choosing not to get stuck in the past --- enough residual damage has already been done through that practice.

Handstanding Grandmas

2009-09-11T14:48:00.000-07:00

Last night two grandmothers from Connecticut came into the city to take my AntiGravity Yoga class at Om Factory. They had followed the progress of AGY on line and were anxious to take from the master himself. I always claim that the class is designed for anyone, provided they already have some kind of fitness regime --- now I had to prove it. Needless to say, I watched them closely. The sun salutation portion (stretching and flexibility) was easy. The cardio and conditioning section they got thru (although one had to sit down for a moment to get over a hot flash). The flying downward dog inversion went well and so I took them the distance along with the rest of the younger set. I decided to teach the handstand. To perform the handstand, one must follow clear directions and specific progressions. It requires body awareness, core strength and upper body strength. First you wrap the AntiGravity Hammock at the fulcrum point on your body and glue it there by walking backward to tension. Then you lever your body back and tiptoe under the plumb line (abs!). Then you lift one leg up at a time to a tucked position til you are balancing on the hammock on the back side of your hips while holding on with your hands. Then you open your legs to the outside of the AntiGravity Hammock and allow your hands to slide down 8". Then you leg lock your legs around and allow your head to go back. Next your hands go below your shoulders onto the ground. From there you push upward with your legs and your arms to a handstand while squeezing your legs together. The AntiGravity Hammock supports you completely so you cannot fall and actually assists you in the lift. The entire class got it --- including my lovely Baby Boomer ladies! When they came out of the pose they were giddy --- like schoolgirls. After class I let them take photos for proof to show to their grandkids. Gotta love that! Believe it or not, this was as fulfilling for me as it was for them. My objective has always been to create a fitness technique for everyone and to have students leave with a feeling of accomplishment as well as better health. Every time I teach there are wonderful stories of success. Way to go Connecticut Grandmas! You proved me right!

Burning Man

2009-09-02T15:23:00.000-07:00

Burning Man is the greatest festival on this planet of any kind. I am so sad to have missed it this year --- for the rest of my life at this time I will always want to be in Black Rock City, Nevada. Since I didn't have my blog back then, I'm going to post a blurb about it now.

If friendly and creative aliens from another planet were to land in the desert and throw a party, would you go? This is what Black Rock City is like in comparison to the "normal" world. Everyone who goes there has two obligations --- to give freely and to live creatively. There is no currency, there are no distinctive factors between classes, there is no judgment, no lawyers --- there is only love; for each other, for the environment around you, for the amazing gift of life.

As a successful someone in the creative arts I thought I understood what that meant --- to live creatively, but until I experienced Burning Man, I truly had no idea. All the precious training and experience had me stuck in a box. Burning Man forces you out. This experience has changed me significantly --- I can never go back to who I was before.

Here are a few images from my trip ---- they say so much. To all the Burners who made it back out to Black Rock City --- I am desperately missing you --- and regretting that I allowed life to get in the way of yet another adventure. http://www.burningman.com/

What AntiGravity Can Do For Yoga?

2009-08-27T14:58:00.000-07:00

In the last months I have been traveling around the U.S. and Canada setting up new franchises and training new instructors in AntiGravity Yoga. The exclusivity with Crunch expired and we are now expanding internationally --- working hard to fulfill orders from all over the world. Every new franchise is an exciting new adventure. This billboard is in Halifax.

In Nova Scotia the first Canadian AGY Team are all Pilates trained. Their knowledge of the body and their ability to articulate kinesiology makes them terrific instructors. They love the scientific aspects of the work. The Utah Team are all modern dancers and love the choreographic nature of the work. The Team in New Mexico are pole dancers and love the inherent sensuality of AG Yoga. The Team in New Jersey are gyrotonics and yoga instructors whose clientele have tired of their usual regime. They love the newness and the physical challenge. The Team in Italy are all fitness based and love the “whole body workout” of AGY as well as the non-impact nature. The Team in Germany appreciate the creativity and the thoroughness of the technique as well as the clarity of the manual. The New York Team, which will launch at Om Factory in September include some self-acclaimed yoga purists who are understandably skeptical of this new hybrid using the name yoga. This letter is to clarify my intentions to them and to the greater yoga community.

I launched AGY at Crunch Fitness in order to get the technique out as fast and as far-reaching as possible. Although they are a fitness chain that is not known for the quality of their yoga classes, they do have a great legacy as trend-setters in fitness. Most other fitness techniques are all about body beautiful and don’t take in mind the whole person so the two rarely mix well. Yoga purists may be loathe to cross-associate with the fitness world, but no matter how you slice it yoga is a fitness technique. Since it encompasses body/mind/spirit while creating overall health, I think yoga is the ultimate fitness technique, however, because people can find spirituality through yoga, practitioners often get this confused. Having recovered from two partial knee reconstructions and Lymes Disease, I've been forced to learn about the power of my own thoughts in relation to health. Although I am but a student of life and far from a guru, I have been on my path towards self-actualization for over 25 years.

As a physical being I am an athlete-turned dancer/choreographer who has evolved into a Nuevo Yogi (made-up word). My life experience began in gymnastics competition, turned to making beauty through art and has now morphed into creating overall health and well-being with my own personal style. As an artist I’ve never been interested in creating art for the elite. To me, they are too easy --- willing to fall for any emperor’s new wardrobe. As a creator of a fitness technique, I am also not interested in creating for the elite who already have their practice that works for them. I want to utilize the intriguing aspects of AGY to entice the non-yoga mainstream to discover yoga. Most of the population in the Western world has yet to explore what “presence” is, but they are well on their path to discovering how to keep fit. If through AGY I can introduce body/mind/spirit awareness then people will want to go deeper into the yoga practice and may also find their way to one of the recognized yoga paths and therefore a deeper sense of spirit.

The question was asked, "It is evident what yoga brings to AntiGravity training, but what does AntiGravity bring to yoga?" I believe that since this is a creative technique I can be one of the yogis that effectively brings yoga to the masses. I can also challenge yoga practitioners with a new take on a traditional technique while revitalizing existing studios whose clientele are seeking something new. Through AGY, I can help people discover a path towards self-actualization while helping to solve the complex problem of health care and obesity in our world.

AGY’s reach is wide. It does not discriminate against the physically challenged and it is creative in nature and therefore will attract newcomers to fitness. I have hundreds of letters from people who abhor exercise who enthusiastically say, “this is the answer to my health dilemma.” Everyone who has taken the class comes out feeling taller, lighter and more self-assured. The Doctors TV show recently named AGY as one of the top ten HEALTH trends of 2009. The technique is certified through the AFAA. Marika Molnar, the head Physical Therapist for NYC Ballet and editor of the Dance Therapy Journal has endorsed the technique as well. Now it is time to prove its benefits to the yoga community.

Not too long ago I attended Burning Man. There I learned first-hand that we are all here on this planet to give to one another. I have found my gift to humanity. I am using strong business principles in order to keep my gift pure (ensuring the safety of others) and to be able to share my gift with as many people as possible.

Come fly with us at Om Factory and bring your friends. Together we can escape the gravity of our times and learn to connect our spirit with the universal energy that heals the world.

I will be teaching classes daily at the Om Factory in New York City along with some stellar yogis starting in September. Visit the AntiGravity Yoga website for details.

25th Anniversary in NYC

2009-07-26T12:22:00.000-07:00

In 1982 while attending the University of Utah I was cast in the movie “Footloose”. One day on set I approached the star Kevin Bacon for his advice. “What does one have to do to make it in New York City?” He thought about it for a moment then looked me dead in the eyes and said, “You’ve got to go there and stay there and never give up.” My Salt Lake City based agent for the film was one of Kevin’s former roommates in NYC who, despite her talent had given up on the Great White Way, opting to be a big fish in a small pond instead of another worm trying to carve a hole in the Big Apple.

Fast forward 25 years. I’m still here --- right in the heart of Hell’s Kitchen. July 15th was my anniversary.

At the tender age of 23, I had just graduated with a “Bachelors of University Studies -- emphasizing Theatre and Dance Performance”. I was also fresh out of two partial knee reconstructions. I had no connections and was absolutely clueless, but I had talent, a major film credit and loads of ambition.

The day before my departure my one friend in NY, Julie Butler called to tell me that I couldn’t be her roommate after-all, that White Plains was too far from the city and that Manhattan was where I needed to be. She said, “you’ll thank me years down the road.” I did, but it didn’t make my plight any easier at the time.

My first night: An acquaintance, Kimberly Comprix, let me crash the first night on her floor. It was July 15th and the middle of a classic NY summer heat-wave in the heart of Hells Kitchen. Her tiny studio apartment was so packed that we had to put my luggage (everything I owned in 3 bags) in the bathtub. She said I could stay for two days until her wary boyfriend returned.

My first audition: At my first audition, “Sesame Street Live!” I learned the hierarchy of the industry. Non-union members are seen last, provided there was time after a full day of reviewing hundreds of out-of-work card-carrying members. To get a union card you had to do a union show (catch-22). Luckily, they needed dancers who could flip and I got the job --- but I had to travel on the road in a horrible costume for 9 months before I’d get my union card. Although I desperately needed it, I was courageous enough to turn it down. The fellow gymnast I’d met at the audition also got the job and took it. It burnt him out and he left the industry shortly there after (to become the very successful clothing designer and porn star, Raymond Dragon).

My first job: By the end of my second month I’d blown through all of my hard-earned money, still had no support system and did not have my union card. I took a job at Pizzeria Uno in the Village but was fired after my second day because they discovered I didn’t know any beers outside of Coors, Bud and Miller (thanks Utah). Luckily, soon after I wound up with a chorus job in a dinner theater that would allow me to live like a church mouse and would get me my union card at the end of the 13 week run.

My first apartment: After a few difficult sublets I wound up with my own apartment on 44th street and 9th avenue (the same street as A Chorus Line!). I faced the back of the building where from a half-way house I would watch hookers escape from their Johns down the back of the neighboring building in the middle of the night. My next door neighbor Pablo was a porn star who lived in his too short boxer shorts. In the basement level was a Crack-den. Every night was another Hells Kitchen adventure. Although it often scared me, I loved it.

I was ambitious --- dead set on dancing ON BROADWAY! It would take me five years to complete the goal, and the journey there would take me all over the world in pursuit of the quest. Once accomplished, I was ready to move on, my knees weren’t handling the 8 show a week schedule and the camaraderie of theater friends proved to be false. At 28, unfulfilled by anything else I’d discovered in the Entertainment Industry, I started my own dance company: AntiGravity. The rest is history.

For the anniversary I took my memory on a stroll through the neighborhood. So much has changed, so few establishments still remain. I miss the Improvisation Club, Alps Pharmacy, The Studio Café Diner, Curtain Up and so many more. I marvel that Smilers, Rudy’s Bar and the Westway survived. My grungy and somewhat dangerous neighborhood is now hip and cool. Bridge and tunnel revelers come here to party. I remembered something else that Mr. Bacon said, "You'll know you made it because the NY Times will write about you." I guess I'm a success then -- I've been profiled twice.

I’m still here in the same neighborhood (with less hair :), but now from my view on the 46th floor I can see my first apartment. The Theater district is still full of dreamers, a new crop of “wanna-be’s” hungry to make their mark. If per chance I am asked for my advice I reference Kevin Bacon. “If you want to make it in New York City, you have to go there and stay there and never give up.”

Proprioceptors: The Key To Agility

2009-07-08T14:15:00.000-07:00

"Air-awareness" is knowing where the ground is while flipping, spinning and soaring through the air. Like a cat that always lands on its feet, some people have an innate sense of air-awareness. What they really have are keen proprioceptors.

When I was in my early 20's, as a world-class competitive athlete challenging the limits of my body, I blew out my knees. I tore the anterior cruciate ligaments and had to have them reconstructed. The accidents happened approximately one year apart on either side. The therapy protocol back then was very different than today. It required non-weight bearing immobilization for the first 4 months and one year before returning to regular activity. Each time, my leg came out of the cast with the muscles completely atrophied, the nerves severed and the joint having lost 80% of its mobility. I had to rebuild the biomechanics from scratch. Needless to say, the rehab was grueling. My physical therapist had to break up the scar tissue in order to get back mobility one painful millimeter at time. The strength and flexibility training to return to competitive levels tried my will to the core. My saving grace was that I was determined to flip and skip and dance again --- and was unrelenting in my ambition.

One of the many things I learned in the process of recovery was about proprioceptors. Proprioceptors are the sensory receptors in your joints that tell the brain where you are in relation to space. On one end of the spectrum, if your proprioceptors become dull or if they are damaged, you will lose your balance where as high-level athletes have carefully tweaked proprioceptors that give them a greater competitive advantage. Skaters, gymnasts, snow-boarders, trapeze artists and ballet dancers spend years honing in on skills that defy the laws of gravity. What they are really doing is fine-tuning their proprioceptor response in accordance with strength and flexibility.

One of the most basic exercises for regaining proprioceptor response that my trainers gave me, was to stand on one foot for one minute. Try it. Notice how the muscles of your feet are working. Notice the subtle shifts in the joints. Take note of how long you can stay there before you lose balance. What happens when you close your eyes? What happens when you change the position of your free leg? In this simple exercise your proprioceptors are hard at work. In recent years many new tools have found their way into gyms for the sake of this kind of training, from Indo boards to Bosu Balls, however, thus far the only exercises are based on a standing position.

If standing on one foot conditions proprioceptors, imagine what swinging does. In AntiGravity Yoga training we swing perched on the AntiGravity hammock and practice letting go with our hands. The practice of free-swinging, often exercised in childhood, yet forgotten as we get older, is key to maintaining balance and understanding momentum.

Turning upside down is another important exercise for gaining kinesthetic awareness through proprioceptor training. Needless to say, this is also an important progression before practicing the ultimate proprioceptor challenge, the aerial somersault (aka: flip). All of these are practiced safely in AntiGravity Yoga in order to increase astute proprioceptor response.

Living and working in New York City has provided me with great insight on this topic as well. Typical New Yorkers do not have nearly as much physical activity time while growing up as the rest of the country. The litigious nature of NYC inhibits playful exploration and kills progressive P.E. programs for fear of an injury and thus a lawsuit. Swingsets in NY are actually rare. When I am teaching an AntiGravity Yoga class, as I witness someone discover a new plane of motion the process is exciting. First they conquer their fear, then provided their muscles can support, they create a new sensory pathway. Sometimes this happens quickly, often it takes a conditioning period. However, the sense of accomplishment from building a better visceral understanding of one's body always brings about joy.

I like to believe that the coordination conditioning we are doing in class is more than just playful exercise. By building a better kinesthetic awareness we also create a faster response time and could actually save ourselves or someone near us from a dangerous fall or collision. (see blog below entitled "someone saved my life tonite".)

By fine-tuning my proprioceptors, the increased agility does far more than make me a better athlete and dancer. From going through a rapidly revolving door, to saving someone from danger, to driving a Segway through the busy streets of New York safely, with ease and grace, I am constantly using my hyper kinesthetic awareness.

Although the surgeries and subsequent rehabilitation was no fun, I am grateful for what I've learned about proprioception response and that I am able to share that specific knowledge through exercises I've created in AntiGravity Yoga.

Michael Jackson / Peter Pan (a dark fairy tale)

2009-07-05T18:57:00.000-07:00

Peter Pan refuses to grow up. He chooses instead to live in Neverland with the Lost Boys, fighting off Captain Hook and the Pirates, befriending the Indians and longing for Wendy, whom he is forbidden to touch.

Much has been said about the PeterPan Syndrome in which MJ is a classic example. An overbearing parent makes the world seem too harsh so a child chooses never to grow up and take on adult responsibilities. Although this is certainly an interesting concept that makes a lot of sense, I think it only touches on the truth. I think the “syndrome” led to a Peter Pan Complex, a trap that led to a life as elaborate as any fairy tale.

Upon news of his death, Priscilla Presley wrote in her blog about how MJ knew that he would die young. Although it is not pleasant to think about and purely my own conjecture, as a fellow sufferer from the Peter Pan complex who has had to dig deep to rediscover my true self as time steals away youth, I believe that Michael Jacksons death was deliberate. Whether it was conscious or subconscious we may never know, but the story fits --- and it is obvious.

Michael Jackson deliberately chose to model himself after Peter Pan. This meant that he couldn’t allow himself to grow old, it would contradict everything he stood for thereby tarnishing his legacy of youth culture. As an artist, creativity is the expression of individual mastery, therefore, to the ego one’s legacy is everything, worthy of immense sacrifice – even death.

As we all know, just before puberty, MJ was catapulted to superstardom and into a grown up world. On the merits of his own talent, he took flight into a land of his own creation, soaring above all the rest. However, as his power grew, it killed off what was left of his already short childhood. MJ would spend the rest of his life trying to find what was lost, literally creating his own Neverland.

Neverland is a place of adventure, but it is not a pleasure resort. Peter is continually at war with Captain Hook and the pirates, having to be very clever in creating disguises in order to fool others so as not to get caught and pulled back into their grown up world. Joe, his tyrannical father is representative of Hook, always there as a reminder of disapproval, wishing he could somehow regain control. The myriad of lawyers, agents, creditors, paparazzi and even family members and fans were the pirates of his story, constantly in pursuit.

Peter is also required to make peace with the Indians as his competitors for survival in Neverland. Tigerlily and Peter form a bond that brings peace and joy throughout the land --- but only for a short while. Diana Ross and the competitive Motown elite conjoined with MJ, relinquished their enormous controlling power over their industry to the kid wonder --- forming a bond. MJ, like Peter was a unifier, bringing together a divided world with his charm. For a long time, he could do no wrong. Like Peter, he ruled supreme and when he crowed his funky cock-a-doodle-doo we all listened and became his followers.

The Crocodile with the ticking clock that frightened Hook away was a dangerous weapon that Peter knew how to use to his advantage – but it was a delicate balance, as the Crocodile (Time) constantly threatened to gobble him up. It was all part of the adventure and MJ had the control.

Peter is in love with Wendy, but from afar. In the true story of Peter Pan, he is forbidden ever to touch her or he will grow up. Although MJ married, it was always considered a sham by all. Ironically, the mother of “his children” he never had to touch to impregnate. Peter was very clever, far too clever for his own good.

Tinkerbell is pretty and magical and enticing. She helps him find his shadow. Peter listens to her and often follows her advice. His shadow is large enough to create a giant industry of imitators. But Tink is also petty and jealous and a bit dim-witted, leading him astray. The lying doctors who promised him perpetual youth, with their opportunistic scalpels and drugs, the journalists who vowed not to betray his confidence and his team of selfish advisors led him down a path from which eventually he could not escape. Together they are Tink. We all witnessed the painful toll of his trusting them.

The Lost Boys are other children whom Peter spends much time convincing to treasure the sanctity of their own innocent childhood with great adventure. MJ never truly came of age sexually, although his on stage image portrayed that he had. He was fooling us with yet another a clever disguise. He never became a man, instead he remained trapped in his own closet. Most boys play with each other as a matter of self discovery. Had he been their actual age, we all would say, “boys will be boys”. It seems as if he could justify his dalliances because to him his actions truly were innocent. What he didn’t realize is that despite all his attempts to keep from growing up, he had grown up. As an adult his actions were not appropriate and his beautiful fantasy world suddenly came crashing down as we watched him continue to walk the plank.

As Michael’s life got more and more complicated he began to lose his battle against the pirates. He could no longer fight the grown up world. Lost Boys grew up and some joined the pirate’s team. Realizing he was losing the battle against time MJ chose not to allow us to see him succumb to old age. His legacy was becoming more and more tarnished each day that he remained alive.

In a final flourish, MJ staged a “comeback” leaving us to wonder. Was he hoping to hang on to his legacy of youth? Or, was it actually the final plank walk fabricated by the pirates? After grueling rehearsals did he look at the man in the mirror and finally see the truth? Peter Pan was grown up – Tink had led him astray, the crocodile had him in his grip and Neverland was in tatters. On his final day MJ drank the poison to which he had become addicted. Did he think he was invincible and it was all part of the adventure ride he kept us on, or was it his way of avoiding the fate that didn’t fit in his internalized story of PeterPan?

As a culture we immortalize those who die young and we lose interest in those who age. MJ knew this. By leaving this planet when he did, we will never know MJ, the truly old man. We are left here clapping our hands wildly, wondering if we clap long enough maybe he is clever enough to come back to life. Once again he has fooled us. MJ has not left us, he has found a new disguise, an invisible cloak. By leaving his body, he has only grown in stature and in power. We feast upon every morsel we can of his legacy, forgiving him for all his clever tricks as we relish in the world of adventure where we anxiously watch the battles that ensue.

In death, Michael Jackson has escaped from the pirates and spared us all the continued pain of watching Peter Pan grow up. The songs and images he left behind take us all instantly back to Neverland, remembering our youth and celebrating the wild ride he took us all on. Whenever we hear him crow, he is immortal our spirits once again take flight.

The Life Of Michael Jackson is a dark fairytale we will be telling for the rest of time.

NYC Mourns the Death of The King of Pop

2009-06-30T16:06:00.000-07:00

Devastated by the loss of Michael Jackson, I rushed to Colony Records in Times Square to get some of his sheet music before it was all sold out. There I was met by Channel 7 Eyewitness News. They wanted my take as a consumer on the MJ mania ensuing in the city. The day had been quite emotional --- waves of realization of his influence kept running over me. *See Clip

As we mourned together, the city was bathed in a strange golden light --- like nothing I'd ever seen before. I was in Times Square (partially closed off to traffic) and everyone noticed the light. It was as if he was sending his omnipresent love from beyond. We had sunshowers and rainbows that day as well to soothe our aching hearts. *See Pix from my window

"Almost only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades", and "almost" is what I will have to settle with. Michael Jackson is dead, as is my dream of working together. But at least I get to live with "almost". In 2002, Michael Jackson gave my company AntiGravity (in our performance with P.Diddy) a standing ovation at the MTV Video Music Awards at Radio City Music Hall. I will never forget looking out from the stage and seeing him in the front row, all decked out, clapping wildly with a look of utter glee on his face. It was an amazing compliment. Shortly thereafter a representative from Clear Channel Entertainment contacted us saying that Mr. Jackson himself was aware of our work and wanted to meet to discuss a large scale Vegas project (following the Celine Dion/Cirque du Soleil model.) In order to ready us in the eye of the media, the producers brought us to Hollywood and into the "Wango Tango" concert series at the Rose Bowl with a myriad of other celebrities (Nelly, Kiss, Christina Aguillera, Priscilla Presley etc). They also gave us an appearance at the Radio Music Awards where MJ was making a rare appearance (we accepted an award on behalf of 50Cent). The event was a media frenzy so we never got to meet the great master as planned. However, we knew they were sincere because our TV billing was "An All-Star Michael Jackson event featuring AntiGravity". Obviously, the Vegas show was not to be. Days after the Radio Music Awards production Neverland Ranch was raided. Almost . . .

Since MJ and I are in the same age bracket, from an early age his creativity influenced my desire to be involved with the entertainment industry. From my desire to dance, to my need for creating edgy and commercially viable art, to my love for contemporary dance music and my need to at times dress over-the-top, to my Peter Pan complex, etc --- his DNA is deep in everything I do. Although I wound up in a completely different area of entertainment, whenever I produce art that appeals to pop culture, a bit of his legacy lives on. So many other artists and entertainers are saying the same thing. He had the privilege of creating his art without restrictions and what he made was magic.

I've been playing his music over and over. This lyric sticks out --- "You are not alone, I am here with you, although we're far apart you're always in my heart". I don't know if Michael ever experienced real love on a personal level. His life was so complicated and he was surrounded by vampires and leeches. But I do know this --- he truly loved his fans and we loved him.

Forever grateful ------- forever your loyal fan, Christopher Harrison

Someone Saved My Life Tonite

2009-06-29T17:06:00.000-07:00

That Elton John song keeps playing through my mind, cuz today I actually saved someone’s life. I wasn’t trying --- it was pure timing. It has caused me to ponder about all the factors that had me there at that exact moment in time so that I could summon my inner hero. Whenever I'm at an airport as they are giving me my seat assignment I look at the agent and declare with confidence that I am the person they want in the exit row --- often it works. Today I proved it.

The last Sunday in June is Gay Pride in NYC --- and this year it was the first day of sunshine in one of the rainiest Junes on record --- so the streets were crazy! My partner Bobby and I zoomed and twirled through the parade on Segways, making people laugh and smile. Half way through the route, two intoxicated women were sitting on the back of an open hatch truck and one fell off onto the ground, landing on her side. The other woman went to help her, but just as she did, the vehicle started moving --- and it was attached to a heavy trailer of which they were in the gap. Suddenly everything turned into slow motion. The fallen woman’s head was in the path of the wheel, which was edging ever so closely to crush, to which she was oblivious. The other woman was also drunk and not responding in a proactive fashion and I was the next closest person in the scene. I jumped off my Segway, grabbed her and started to tug. She was a big girl and time was of the essence. The driver was obviously unaware and although they were driving slowly, the path would have been tragic; besides, I wasn’t up for a gruesome sight. The calamity would have stopped the parade and left a tarnish on the festivities. Her body was heavy, she was resisting and the wheel was edging closer. I tugged with all my might, but the gap was tightening, the thought passed through my mind that soon I'd be trying to pull her out with the weight of the trailer on top of her. I moved her somewhat but still not enough. The next thought was, okay now only her legs will be crushed --- no fun, but at least no guts spilling out. Finally, this woman must have realized what was going on because she gave a push with her feet so that she cleared just in time --- tragedy averted. One more millisecond and . . .

Instantly I knew that my entire day had been timed to lead up to that moment, which gave just cause for literally everything. The harassment by the cop, the impromptu photo shoots, the phone call I took --- all of which slowed me up. Life suddenly felt so vulnerable to fate. No longer can I name anything good or bad. Somehow, it all seems necessary as if it is tied to a greater karmic plan.

My profession is always about mitigating risk. How far can we safely test the boundaries of physicality and technology. It is my job to push the envelope, but never ever too far. My eye has been trained to recognize the edges of safety. Life is so precious -- health is our most valuable possession. I got to salvage them for a girl who will never really know what happened, who couldn’t muster up a thank you. And the festivities continued for the rest of the day to be a gay old time.

Revitalization in Tuscany

2009-06-22T12:47:00.001-07:00

A private villa on the top of a hillside in Tuscany overlooking olive groves and grape vines is the ultimate remedy for this face-paced New Yorker in need of chill. The only things here that move fast are the hummingbirds. Slowly I feel my old self fall away making my breath open for a gentler being, unhurried, unworried and more in tune with nature. The food, the wine, the landscape, the light --- the citadels with watch towers and grandiose cathedrals --- bellisimo! Together with lover & friends we laugh, we reason, we swim in the infinity pool and we drink the wine from the local vineyards. We eat late and sleep in. It has taken a few days, but I am finding the part of me that is also a part of history, in tune with nature and at one with the energy some call God. It didn’t happen in a church or at the bank or in my bedroom --- it emerged just by slowing down, letting go of the need to be productive --- by being present in the moment all day long. Here where the birds sing in harmony I understand why Verdi, Vivaldi, Puccini and Rossini made such magnificent music. Here where the stars are so bright I realize the genius of Galileo and Leonardo da Vinci. Here where beauty abounds I see why Michelangelo and Raphael had such vision. One doesn’t realize how fast they’ve been running until they have to slow. I take in the smell of wild rosemary, I bask in the Tuscan sun and I waken in the early hours of the morning to see the light glisten on the dew as it peers over the neighboring hillside filled with vineyards and villas. I breathe it in and place it all into my memory so I can find this special place again upon my return to what we crazy New Yorkers deem civilization. Just now, Valbona has another amazing meal with many courses ready. We will enjoy the meal slowly, in stages as the last of the sun’s light sets on this June week, the longest of the year. Here it is easy to forget about the crisis on the planet, the global recession, my tax bill. If there is a heaven on earth, this is it.

EXERCISE AVERSION THERAPY

2009-06-03T09:01:00.000-07:00

My mother Jeanne (69) has been exercise averse now for the past fifteen years. Although a former roller-skating champ, tennis leaguer and ski bunny, inertia settled in when my father died and the pounds started packing on. A frame of 5’2” her body is not meant to handle all the weight. Six years ago she underwent a double hip replacement. She got back to walking, but just barely. She can no longer walk a full city block, let alone ride a stationery bike or take a yoga class. Her joint mobility is extremely limited and prohibits most physical activities. She doesn’t want to be seen in a swimsuit or be humiliated in a group environment. She cannot do weight bearing exercises on her bunioned feet nor find a bra supportive enough to accommodate even low impact.

Naturally, as her son, I want to help. The AntiGravity Hammock is not just for yogis, it is also a tool to help those who are physically challenged and I developed the Restorative techniques with her in mind. For Mothers Day I hung an AntiGravity Hammock up in her home and dedicated time over the week to give her some super simple exercises. While she loved laying down and swinging, she flat out refused to do anything that was stretching or strengthening her muscles for fear she might injure herself. I am a fitness expert whose expertise is being sought out globally, but I had foolishly ignored the first step to fitness. It took my own mother to remind me. Before anyone can be effective at exercise, they must first make the choice to pursue health.

Jeanne watches diet fads come and go and understandably refuses to participate in the madness as she witnesses her idols (Oprah) balloon up and down. Rather than make small changes, she ignores it all. The same is true with exercising. She latches on to stories that promote fear around physicality and chooses complacency over activity. She heard of someone hurting themselves while in physical therapy requiring their hip replacement to be done over and so she chose not to do therapy after the surgeries. She lives by the philosophy, “The more you use it, the less time it will last” rather than “if you don’t use it you will lose it”. Our “exercise” sessions were actually more psychotherapy sessions than workouts. This was much more challenging than just doing the work. Here is what we discovered.

There are many excuses to choose complacency over activity. The mind will seek these out and latch on to them in order to avoid having to exercise. Here are the big three.

• I will injure myself.
I cannot say that this is not true. Exercising requires working not just hard, but also working smart. The path to health is not a steady incline, it is filled with dips and valleys. However, NOT exercising guarantees compromised health --- our greatest asset.

• I will look incompetent and feel inadequate.
This is also true, but who looks worse, someone who is on their path towards fitness or the fool that avoids it. Exercise is like the rent you pay to be in a body. Everyone must pay their landlord or wind up with a mess.

• No matter what I do I will never have my ideal body back so why try.
There are many stories of people who have discovered fitness in their later years. The objective should be to pursue health, not to seek perfection.

Here is the Exercise Aversion Therapy I finally came up with for my mother.

• Start where you are today to create a “practice”.
• Consider this recovery. Be kind and gentle with yourself in the process.
• Do your best every day --- no better, yet no less.
• Something is better than nothing.
• Choose exercises that you enjoy doing.
• Find clever ways to challenge yourself within the process.
• Motivate yourself with your favorite music.
• Choose an outfit you feel comfortable in.
• Choose a time of day when you have energy.
• Bring yourself to presence first and visualize yourself as healthy.
• Banish the negative thoughts as a part of your practice.
• Do not expect overnight success.

Here are the cautionary steps I suggested to minimize the potential for injury.

• Understand and work within your own physical limits.
• Learn to differentiate between good pain from muscle growth and bad pain from joint irritation.
• Use an astute trainer at least twice a month to help you build your routine and monitor your progress.

At the end of the day, I admire my mother for establishing boundaries and I will gently suggest she find someone she can trust to help her take tiny steps back towards health. Hey, change doesn't happen over night. At least she is having fun with her new hammock --- and the grandkids LOVE it!

Latin Music Award Shows Rock!

2009-03-27T12:13:00.000-07:00

March 26th, Miami: Las chikkas de AntiGravity bungee danced from 50 feet high in the Opening Number of Premio Lo Nuestro with reggaeton (Spanish Rap) artists Wisin y Yandel.

The Latin people love spectacle and flash! They are over-the-top, especially when it comes to fashion, music and pop culture. Their award shows reflect it best. This was our fifth Latin Music Awards show for Univision and our third one with this amazing duo whose star has risen rapidly with the popularity of the genre. Whenever we perform in these spectaculars we get the chance to turn it out with large production values --- and the audiences love it! This time, however, we added a bit of extra flare beyond the giant bungee drop. The costumes were black against a black backdrop so we were afraid the girls would get lost while they were flying through the air ---- Alex suggested long blonde wigs and it was done. When you see them in the show the hair is illuminated and the rest of the fabulous female physiques of the athletes are virtually in silhouette thrashing in midair.

The performance was through the roof with giant angels over the audience and a floating cage that dripped with hot women around the artists. But the most memorable part of the program directly followed our number. The new President of the United States of America addressed the audience via video. He made it clear that the Latin community would be heard and their needs would be addressed. He thanked them for voting and spoke to them in Spanish. The audience responded by spontaneously chanting "Si Se Puede!" ("yes we can!"). The looks on their faces was sheer happiness. America no longer belongs to the white fuddy-duddies. As a gay man still fighting for my own rights, my skin became alive with goose-bumples and the reiteration that hope is once again alive in America.

In the review by TradingMarkets.com that keeps tabs on the different commercial markets, the reviewer mentioned us, "another dazzling aerial performance by the Anti-Gravity Performance Company." The program on Univision broke all rating records and out performed NBC and CBS for that hour.

I am honored to share these shows with this community. Tengo mucho amor para los personas Latinas y para el culturo Latino. Es muy differente de los shows similario con el Hip Hop communidad y de mainstream pop culture. Siempre es una fiesta muy feliz!

King of Times Square for a Weekend

2009-03-24T09:58:00.000-07:00

If what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas --- what happens in New York is broadcast for the entire world to see. NYC is the melting pot and Times Square is where it all bubbles over. Like aspiring Broadway performers, savvy companies come to NY to be in the center of it all as they launch their newfangled products. Ordinarily the Naked Cowboy gathers the largest crowd, but last weekend we did.

Hewlett Packard trumped their competition by coming out with the first touchscreen PC so they decided to debut their innovative new product with a bang on the first Spring weekend. My company AntiGravity was lucky enough to get the job. The assignment was to match their level of innovation with a lively performance in Times Square that also demonstrated their product.

This season in NYC is always special. New Yorkers come out of hibernation with smiles, the bridge and tunnel crowd make for a day in the city and tourism abounds. We had four scheduled shows taking place daily in the newly renovated Duffy Square (near the TKTS booth) for the entire three-day weekend. This year, however, giant snowflakes decided to come down on the first day of their launch. Although it didn’t last, it gave us a good scare --- in our world, the show must go on! We didn’t spend all that time in preproduction not to perform so we started the weekend toweling off the pavement. Luckily, by showtime it was dry and we got to do our thing.

AntiGravity has a roster that expands and contracts according to the project at hand. For this gig, twelve Broadway dancer / former rockettes, six champion rhythmic gymnasts, seven of NYC’s top break-dancers, the AntiGravity Boots Team, a celebrity hula hoop stack artist and her matching daughter, one Venezuelan Human Wheel and one Olympics MC were choreographed tightly into an original piece of music. Eight security guards and ten support staff were there to manage the production aspects which included over sixty props. The square was partitioned off and we were the party!

First we entered from four corners of Times Square in a Pied Piper fashion carrying flags and traveling in a dance clump while gathering the crowd. Once we had a good sized group in Duffy Square the show went up --- and up and up! Not only did we wow the crowds, but we also demonstrated the magic of the HP Touchsmart PC with a giant screen made of unwieldy placards and a giant hand that magically came together. Every time the hand would touch the screen it would change --- then another magical performance would ensue. We finished each show inviting the audience to take pictures with us.

As with every live production we had our share of challenges. The performers pulled together and didn’t miss a beat when the power was pulled on our music. Two breakers got landed on by an over-eager tumbler while in a difficult pose and still finished the shows. The wind threatened carrying away a placard or two. But all in all --- we hit! The audience and the clients were happy. Between the shows we kept the party going in our hotel conference room together.

When I first moved to New York from my small town in Utah, twenty five years ago, I was a wanna-be Broadway gypsy with two partially reconstructed knees determined to be in the center of it all. I carried with me three suitcases, a dance degree and lyrics from songs that provoked images of “making it on Broadway”. I moved straight to Hells Kitchen (a much grittier place back then) and have been here ever since. Now I look out my window on 42nd street from my apartment on the 46th floor into Times Square and I am continue to dream. New York can be a tough task-master that keeps us all running hard and fast to survive. One learns to value every small victory. Although I’ve earned my share of luck over the years, Broadway never gave me my starring role. This weekend, however, she opened up her arms and as the director of this crazy extravaganza, let me feel like the King of Times Square, spreading my creativity and sharing my joy with many at the “Crossroads of the World”.

“They say the city lights are bright on Broadway. . .and I won’t quit til I’m a star, on Broadway”. “Gotta Dance! Gotta Dance!” “Naughty, bawdy, Forty Second Street!” “If I can make it there, I’ll make it anywhere, it’s up to you, New York, New York!”

Thanks to: Shelly Bomb (costumes), Malcolm Francis (music), Rocky Giberstein (asst.), Wendy Hilliard (choreo.), Heather Berman (choreo), Kwistep/Full Circle (choreo), Anna Jack (choreo), Daniel Stover (choreo), Empire Entertainment Production Team, J.B. Miller and Industrial Artists Management, Alex Schlempp, Eugena Harrington and the amazing performers from the Team AntiGravity roster.

Choosing Health Despite Ones Current Circumstances

2009-02-22T09:24:00.000-08:00

I am finally able to write about this. In March 2008 I came down with Lymes disease. At first my body started to ache and I thought I had just been overdoing it. However, after a week I could barely walk and I knew it was something more. As the symptoms got worse I chased Western medicine to no avail. The top Rheumatologists in NYC told me I was just an aging athlete. The top Infectious Disease doctors found nothing with all their myriad of tests. Colonocopys, Gallium scans, EKG’s showed nothing more than high infection levels. One day they told me it was early Muscular Dystrophy, the next it was Crohns Disease and for a while their diagnosis was that I was converting to becoming HIV positive, but the tests would not show it for a while. Meanwhile, the 6 percasets and 6 advil per day were barely holding back the unbelievable pain. Simple things like getting out of bed, putting on my socks and opening jars were excruciating tasks. I lost all my strength and 15 pounds off muscle mass. My muscles ached and my joints became virtually immobile. After two months I turned to homeopathy and got a diagnosis of Lymes Disease. Lymes is a very complicated disease -- different in every sufferer and controversial in the medical field, brought on by a bite from a tick. I never got a positive test from Western medicine – which I later learned is typical. However, following the homeopathists path, who was very familiar with Lymes, within two more months I was well on my way to recovery. The bulk of my symptoms were gone after 6 months from the start. The entire ordeal would last 9 months.

As someone who has built my entire life around physicality, needless to say, this ordeal had an enormous effect. To be crippled while launching a new fitness technique in the public eye, made this as much a mental game as a physical one. So many voices of dread were swarming in my brain, yearning to take hold and make me into a victim. I could succumb to the low road and be a martyr in my field that everyone felt sorry for, or I could pull myself up by my bootstraps and chalk up yet another valuable life lesson. Needless to say, I chose the latter. In my early twenties as an aspiring dancer and high-level competitive athlete, I was faced with numerous complicated knee surgeries on both of my legs. I made the same choice then, to fight the odds and pursue a physical career despite the advice of all those around me. I chose “healthy denial”. So this time around not unfamiliar with the practice of visualization, once again I made a choice. I chose to live in the flow of life, unresisting my current circumstances. It became my quest not to project any negativity into the future. Whenever a negative thought would arise, or whenever I would get another negative prediction from a well-meaning professional, I chose to replace it with a vision of health and a mantra of wellness. At first I had to do this numerous times every minute. After a while, however, I disempowered the dark side of my mind and came to be content within the moment, no matter what I was currently experiencing. With every action, and at every juncture I chose health. I learned that it was a moment to moment practice that constantly required fighting the urge to compromise. Despite my circumstances, I alone had to be the one to be relentless while choosing healing.

The road back was incremental. I didn’t get to skip a single rung on the ladder of recovery. But, by being diligent with my thoughts and actions, I recovered. I exercised every day no matter the pain. For months I could only flutter kick in the pool, then as each joint recovered, I worked it to its limit. I also eliminated toxic intake of any kind, including coffee. I saw a psychotherapist and learned without giving myself blame or guilt to recalibrate the actions that might have led me to unconsciously provoke this lesson. I read Eckart Tolle and meditated on joy. I chose health at every juncture.

I am now much wiser in body, mind and spirit and more compassionate with others in pain. Most of all, I am even more committed to my own health and to helping those who are seeking health. As I struggle as a small-business owner in NYC to survive and get ahead, I realize that I cannot compromise my own health in the process --- for this is my truest form of wealth. There is no amount of success or money that can ever make up for the loss of my physical and mental well-being. In my newly informed practice, I choose each day to live in gratitude, informed by my past without being a victim to it, hopeful rather than fearful for the future yet grounded in the present moment – living in the flow. I continue through this recession to choose which thoughts and conversations I will give my time and attention to, aware of how they have the capacity to shape my experience.

I would not wish the pain and suffering of disease on anyone and yet, often it is the reality of being in a human body – the natural evolution of decay. If we live in denial that “anything like that could ever happen to me” then when it comes we can easily fall into the victim mode, which doesn’t help us to take charge of our healing. Life happens. We are not victims, we are students, learning life’s lessons as we go so that we are more complete human beings. Maybe if when challenges hit, we take that attitude, we will be able to continue on with patience and grace and we will emerge stronger than before.

I am frustrated by the inane mechanism that we call the health profession – counterintuitive to healing in nature. However, although Western medicine did not ever give me answers as to what hit me, in the long run I did get to rule out many possible diseases and I don’t know how I would have survived without the pain meds supplied. Meanwhile, my top notch health insurance still cost me thousands and did not cover the expensive homeopathy that I believe eventually led to my recovery.

After this ordeal, my advice --- don’t get bit by a tick, but if you do (and the analogy lies true for any disease), choose health – at every turn. Make it your unrelenting mission and know you have my compassion.

Response to the many AG Yoga Inquiries

2009-02-07T06:59:00.000-08:00

I help people to fly. This is what I do for a living. There is an amazing feeling of freedom one gets when their feet are off the ground. I love giving that feeling to others and watching their face light up. I guess you could say that I never grew out of my role-play of Peter Pan. To me we are all Lost Boys in Neverland constantly fighting gravity in one way or another.

My passion of flight has led me down a wonderful road. I’ve flown some of the top music celebrities, business tycoons, talk show hosts and actors of our day. Mariah Carey, Britney Spears, Richard Branson, Jane Krakowski, Diane Sawyer, Nathan Lane and most recently Sherri Shepard have all been flown by my company, aptly named AntiGravity. I’ve also created award winning flying numbers for Broadway shows, operas, circuses and concert productions around the world. I had my AntiGravity Team literally jumping for joy on bungee cords from 50 feet in the air for President Obama at his Inaugural Celebration for all the world to see. I have created and produced my own original full-length theatrical productions based on the theme of flying. But never have I had more satisfaction from my passion than when I am using my knowledge of the body and of physics to teach someone to fly through AntiGravity Yoga, a technique meant for Jo everybody.

In an AntiGravity Yoga class the participant utilizes a silk hammock which acts as a low trapeze swing cradling the body safely. In class we swing freely while exercising the core, hang upside down easily to release pressure in the spine and increase kinesthetic awareness through multiple body positions that also build strength, flexibility and agility. Everyone leaves class feeling lighter, taller and accomplished --- every time. There is no such thing as a panacea for back pain, but through this technique I am privy to so many stories of extreme gratitude from participants who, like me have found relief from spinal compression through this fun flying technique.

It is my desire to share it with as many people as possible and although the process of rigging and limiting liability in business is not an easy one, I am dedicated to knocking down the hurdles in order to share. For the many who have inquired, please be patient as I get my ducks in a row and know that my team and I are working hard to service any AntiGravity Yoga requests as fast as we can. You can help by spreading the word to help create the demand for studios to place the technique --- www.antigravityyoga.com.

Thank you for your interest and patience.

The View

2009-02-04T12:56:00.000-08:00

Nothing is more powerful than chatty celebrity ladies with their own talk show. “The View” on ABC is notorious for getting women’s opinions on every new trend. To be asked to do their show is a huge honor. Their viewership is loyal and their influence is large. If they like something they can help it take flight.

Sherri Shepard, one of the fabulous hosts is a beautiful buxom gal who has been vocal about struggling with her weight. She is somewhat body conscious and typifies many women. When they first chose her for my segment from the panel of hosts I was nervous. Would she be able to do it with so little prep? In order for people to get a good feel for AntiGravity Yoga, I needed to get a lot of information out in a short amount of time. My spot was only 5 minutes. If she made one mistake it could be disastrous. When President Bush fell off the Segway the incident killed their retail business. Fear settles in the public’s consciousness and it is over. Being off the ground is already something that could cause fear in many people so I couldn’t choose anything that Sherri may not immediately succeed at --- yet I wanted to show inversions, swinging, flying downward dog and strength exercises. When I met her, however, she put me at ease. Sherri is not only a down home real girl, but she knows how to have fun. Amongst the madness of television production, I got her to trust me. Not only did she succeed but also she made it fun without making fun of it. The audience loved it and I was successful in making a comprehensive presentation.

When I was in the process of creating AntiGravity Yoga, there was a moment I will never forget. I came to the realization that the technique I was discovering with was not just for the athletically inclined; it is a compassionate fitness program for the exercise challenged. Because it is therapeutic in nature it can help people with back pain and with hip displacement. AntiGravity Yoga is as effective, yet gentler than yoga and it’s truly fun to do! Following my passion has led me to a new calling that can actually help humanity as well as create commerce in a down market; creating health while generating jobs for many.

Immediately after the program our phones and emails started going wild and they haven’t stopped. Yoga studios want to license the technique, yogis want to get certified and people from all walks of life are seeking to find classes. The press has been calling from around the world to do more articles. AntiGravity Yoga has set sail! As an added bonus, my 68 year old mother with two artificial hips who is an avid “The View” watcher is finally inspired to exercise!

The emails are from all kinds of people. Chiropractors, master students, people who have had joint replacements, who have been in car accidents, who suffer from back pain, who are obese and have shunned exercise as well as from many studio owners, yogis, physical therapists and personal trainers.

There is a lot of work ahead to service the inquiries, but the knowledge that I am helping people inspires me to move as fast as I can! In a way this Peter Pan never grew up and has found a new way to get everyone to fly.

The Inaugural Ball of President Barack Obama

2009-01-24T05:37:00.000-08:00

Just 2 weeks ago we got a call from our agent --- they want AntiGravity to help celebrate the Presidential Inauguration at the “Neighborhood Ball” which will be televised on ABC! As an early Obama supporter who made calls on behalf of his campaign I said “yes” immediately and began jumping around the room unable to hold back my excitement! Our agent warned, “They can’t guarantee TV airtime or billing, you may not have a private dressing room, you may have to bunk up in hotels, things may get cancelled last minute, everyone must pass secret service profiling and it only pays expenses”. “fine, fine, fine --- and okay”, I said, compromising all of the usual battles. I hoped my performers would feel the same way. They did.

The day before, Jan 19th, 2009, Martin Luther King Day, The Washington Mall, Team AntiGravity, giddy with excitement, indifferent to the cold in exchange for the immense warmth that emanated from the hearts of the thousands of others walking with us. Americans of all colors but unified, knowing that we were actualizing “the Dream”. We all bought Obama paraphernalia and snapped photos to capture the spirit of the moment. Wearing my Obama jacket I got many compliments and photos. While I was walking with my team past the White House I took note of what it feels like to have my patriotism back and to be truly happy and supremely grateful, tears spilled down my cheeks and my body quivered – I didn’t hide it I savored the moment. If it was just that the Bush/Cheney reign of terror was over --- that would be enough. If it was just that Martin Luther Kings vision was finally being actualized, that would be enough. But we were just beginning!

We walked into the convention center and saw the set with the Presidential Seal backdrop and our fly motors hanging above. The realization that we would be in the same room as Obama on this auspicious day hit again in another wave of excitement. Our stage manager with a sneaky smile, apologized to us because we would have to share our dressing room. All the featured performers would be in the same area. As he escorted us to the pipe and draped area we saw the sign on the entrance, it read: Beyonce, Jay Z, Mary J. Blige, AntiGravity, Sting, Maroon 5. It would also be the holding area for Leonardo DiCaprio, Denzel Washington, Will.I.Am. Jamie Foxx, P.Diddy and a slew of other A List celebrities would also pass through to watch the program on our flatscreen tv and enjoy our sofas as we warmed up. Unlike the many awards shows, egos were all in check. We were all featured performers there to honor the new President of the United States of America --- donating our time, equally honored to be a part of the “yes we can” spirit.

We all watched on the big screens as the historic moment transpired and Obamas words touched our heartstrings. All pre-production stopped, we all hugged and cried. It was holy.

Tech rehearsals are always the best part of a tv show --- before the audience is there, before the performers are in make-up. AntiGravity and the Ball staffers got our own private concert while standing but 10 feet away, doing our part so the cameramen could practice with an audience. Beyonce, Jay Z, Faith Hill, Shakira, Alicia Keys, Sting, Maroon 5, Queen Latifah and a host of other celebs sang “Signed, Sealed Delivered I’m Yours” with Stevie Wonder”. Sting sang “Brand New Day!” while Stevie accompanied him on the harmonica, Alicia Keys (who was raised on my floor, in my building, in Manhattan, before my time) sang “No One” --- and on and on. We had the best concert seats for the best songs with the greatest artists doing a private concert for us!

The big moment when our new President was to arrive had finally come. It was his first Presidential Ball, the most star-studded, televised to hundreds of millions of people around the globe. They put all the performers on stage as we awaited his entrance. There my team stood along side Lucy Liu, Queen Latifah, Mariah Carey and all, soaking up the moment. As “off-camera support”, we were not invited so I grabbed Alex and Shelly and we went to the satellite stage out in the house directly across from the Presidents stage. No one was guarding it telling us not to get on it so as soon as He walked into the room, we climbed up and were eye to eye with Obama and Michele with a sea of people between us. Beyonce, directly across from us on the other satellite stage, cried as she sang “At Last” to him. His face beamed. He seemed genuinely just as excited as we were. His presence and charm in real life is even larger than on screen. Both he and Michele are statuesque. They exude strength, health and beauty, yet they are the neighbors next door, accessible and real. She’s like an athlete in a dress, he’s strikingly handsome and also a bit goofy. It adds up to pure charm. His magnanimous smile beamed to the back of the convention center and he made us all feel as if we were right next to him. When he danced with Michele and later the other “real people” guests, it was as if he was dancing with each one of us. His booty bump with a full-figured fan made us all giggle, his waltz with Michele made us all swoon. His voice had us rapt and his words made us want to join together and get to work. As an added bonus, we have a President and First Lady who are Hip and Cool!

There they sat, 50 feet in the air, on a simple bar, ready to bungee jump on cue. I looked up and took note of “my girls”. Some had been with me from the start when we were all in our early twenties and there were still my top players 19 years later, some now with children --- all still with 6 pack abs. They are now all superstars within their sector in their own right. On stage, balancing on AntiGravity Boots were “my guys”. They followed my lead around the world jumping and flipping on this crazy contraptions to counts in tight formations in circumstances that ranged from runway stages with 8 foot ledges, for live natl. tv cameras, to parades, to ice doused with hundreds of gallons of fresh paint ( SLC Olympics Closing Ceremonies). The surface of the boot that touches the ground is about the size of a silver dollar, so if anything slippery is on the floor they go down. They had all taken a hit at least once. Gymnastics had prepared them to take risks, but nothing like what we do has ever been attempted before. Together they are Team AntiGravity --- a phenomenal team of athletes. For this show we had added some Obama acceptance speech address sound-bites to our music, which made it appropriate for the occasion. On his words, “in America anything is possible”, my guys did a simultaneous front flip on AntiGravity Boots. On the lyrics “let the sunshine” my girls bungee dove head first over the crowd. People gasped and applauded, the numbers both nailed without a flaw! I stood with immense pride soaking it in, savoring each moment, knowing that we were physicalizing the joy of the moment. We filled the house with beauty and strength. We showed grace and ease of movement while taking calculated risks. We stared down fear and demonstrated power and courage. We were inspired and we inspired others. In a way we were demonstrating what Obama will have to do. While the world is spinning madly, he has to hold on, use his experience, trust that the team he has assembled around him will not let him down and allow the purity of his vision to take him to heights never before achieved. If he sticks to his plan and doesn’t succumb to fear, he too can fly!

I awoke the next morning, groggy from the after-party but overjoyed. Was it all a dream? No! My President is African American! My beloved country has purged an enormous amount of negative karma. My hope and patriotism is restored and I am empowered to face the challenges ahead. My company got to do what we set out to do on the grandest scale reaching the pinnacle of events entertainment, bringing our unique brand of entertainment to the world as witnessed by hundreds of millions of people. We all knew we would remember this forever and our AntiGravity familial bond was even stronger. We were officially a part of one of the greatest moments in our nation’s history.

On this gig, wearing our experience in our cap, there were no hurdles. We walked in with no expectations, committed to doing our part, willing to sacrifice whatever was necessary in order for the project to be a success. Everyone there had the same outlook, the work environment was all about flow. From the union stagehands who had worked long shifts the night before to the stage managers and lighting designers and production crew, most of whom knew us from previous gigs, at every juncture we heard the magic word, “yes”. The gig was “incident free” and in the broadcast we were given equal billing and credit. In the world of business everything trickles down from the top. I was inspired as I thought to myself, if this is the environment that Obama can create then his words, “yes we can” not be hollow and we will recover from the mess we are in.

Letter to The AntiGravity Presidential Inauguration Team

2009-01-18T10:22:00.000-08:00

To: The AntiGravity Presidential Inauguration Team

On January 20th, 2009 Barack H. Obama will be inaugurated as the President of the United States of America. AntiGravity, will be there bringing our unique brand of athletic artistry to the grand festivities.

In this country we have aspired to greatness, proclaiming that all men are created equal and that we all share the same rights to liberty and justice for all. It is a lofty order. Our history is rife with stories of how we have fallen short of our ambitions, especially when it comes to race. Barack H. Obama, as elected by the people of this country will be the first Black man ever to lead a predominantly white country, not just in America, but anywhere on earth. Although in practice we may still have far to go, on this special day, as a nation we will have proven to overcome our racial prejudice. Never again can a white person consider another as less because of the color of their skin. Never again can a child from a minority race not aspire to the same greatness. The world will see that we truly have a functioning democracy, where right can prevail through our system and renew in time. Our countries negative karma will have a giant cleansing and we will end the tragic era of lies and corruption perpetuated by the Bush Administration. Hope and patriotism are renewed!

To be a part of this special moment in time is an extreme honor. When I first began this company, it was with the hope of creating a brand that would inspire others. As we jump, twirl, flip and fly through the air, we demonstrate to others how to live in the world of possibilities rather than fear, how to push the boundaries of their own potentials and how one is rewarded by following their dreams. This is our reward for those efforts. To be invited to participate in this event has come about because of your own willingness to take risks by following your passion despite the daily challenges. Be present while here and take it all in!

I am extremely proud of this AntiGravity Presidential Inauguration Team. You were chosen not only because of your talent, but also due to the love you have for what you do, and for your respect of this company. Some of you have been with us from the very start and others for only a few years, but together you represent hundreds of performers and staff who have worked with us throughout our 19 year history.

On stage tonight, some of your fellow cast members that have also followed their passion include: Stevie Wonder, Beyonce, Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey, Faith Hill, Jay-Z, Alicia Keys, Shakira, Diane Sawyer, Charles Gibson and, of course, President Barack H. Obama! For this moment in time we all celebrate for the world, expressing our joy for all to see --- together.

Be Safe, Have Fun, Kick Ass, while we INSPIRE the world with our passion, echoing in movement the words of Barack Obama when he said, “America is a place where all things are possible!” In gratitude and humility together we all “Fly High!”

Christopher C. Harrison, Founder
AntiGravity Inc.

AntiGravity Yoga: genesis

2008-12-15T17:16:00.000-08:00

By seventeen I was an internationally ranked competitive gymnast specializing in tumbling (before sprung floors). In college I flipped off of mini-trampolines over human pyramids in a top ranking cheer squad (onto hard basketball floors). I later transferred those skills as a Broadway acro-dancer (on raked stages) before starting my own acrobatic performance team appropriately named AntiGravity. Although I was the vision of health, the years of compression took a major toll on my joints. By 28 I had well over my share of knee surgeries and was visiting the chiropractor at least twice a week. By my late 30’s, despite finding much relief from yoga, I could no longer comfortably do a headstand and I was visiting rheumatologists to get help for my back pain.

Luckily, necessity is the mother of invention. To save my team from similar injuries, I took my popular company of tumbling athletes up into the air another way, by hanging from apparatus: bungees, wires, ropes and silks. However, we were a team of gymnasts and dancers, not circus performers. We didn’t know how to climb a silk so instead I looped the fabric into a hammock, brought the points in and created a cocoon. We called it the AntiGravity Hammock and it was much kinder than rope or metal bars. This was 1996. Although the concept of a hammock was not new, this particular design of a silk pouch was unique and proved to be very interesting to work within. Aside from our own original productions, with the AntiGravity Hammock, I created the Tony award winning number on Broadway for (Jane Krakowski in “Nine”) and a flying number for Mariah Carey in her Charmbracelet Tour as well as numerous television award shows. Cirque du Soleil eventually adopted the apparatus for their arena show Delirium with AntiGravity performers and choreography and the AntiGravity Hammock is now a standard aerial apparatus in the industry.

While working on the apparatus, the favorite position was a simple upside down hang from the hips. During rehearsals, my athletes would just “hang out” on their breaks, each of us taking turns and noting the back relief and benefits. I loved it so much that I hung one up in my home and began a ritualistic inverted daily meditation. In no time at all, I found that I no longer needed to see my chiropractor and that my back pain disappeared. I found it to be especially handy to decompress after a long flight.

Hanging the apparatus so the bottom comes to waist height allowed for an entirely new movement vocabulary. By distributing the weight between the AntiGravity Hammock and the floor I created a plethora of conditioning, stretching and proprioceptive exercises as well. I took my combined knowledge of yoga, dance, gymnastics, aerial acrobatics, pilates and calisthenic conditioning and created a complete workout. My decompression ritual suddenly became a fully formed fitness regime with each exercise withstanding the scrutiny of the AFAA 5 Questions™ test.

In the summer of 2007 AntiGravity played the Hammerstein Ballroom in Manhattan in a successful run of our touring show. Donna Cyrus, head of programming for Crunch gyms saw the show and approached me about a fitness tie in. Together with Crunch we modified the technique to work for the everyday athlete and in January of 2008 we launched the new suspension program and had it approved by the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America. By October of 2008, together we expanded beyond New York to Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco & Miami.

The program was named the Best New Fitness Program by New Yorker magazine, picked up by numerous TV networks and media outlets and the rest is history. Classes are always wait-listed, Crunch continues to expand into new facilities and a new fitness crazed has begun. Participants are not only very pleased with the affects but also enjoy the creativity and feeling of flying. There is a great sense of accomplishment in each group class and we can boast zero injuries so far in the first year.

The program continues to expand in gyms and yoga studios worldwide. To participate in a class, become certified or include AntiGravity Yoga in your gym or studio, visit our website www.antigravityyoga.com.

AntiGravity Yoga Spinal Decompression

2008-12-02T17:43:00.000-08:00

I am Christopher Harrison, the President of AntiGravity Inc. and the creator of AntiGravity Yoga. I created the technique in order to get relief from back pain induced by years of pounding as a gymnast and dancer. The technique has found its wings so to speak and people are asking me about its benefits. Although back relief is just one benefit, here are my thoughts on the value of spinal decompression through AntiGravity Yoga.

We all know the benefits of cardio endurance and strength training. It’s obvious the benefits of body composition management. We make heroes of those who are the best at mastering physical skill and with the recent surge in yoga we are beginning to better understand the importance of flexibility training for muscular balance and joint mobility. However, an often neglected area of fitness is gaining popularity that could not only help us to maintain good spinal health and prevent injuries, but could save ourselves visits to the chiropractor. This fitness component is spinal decompression.

The concept is simple. We spend most of our day compressing the vertebrae in our spines. As we age the space between the disks diminish pinching the nerves and causing pain. Inverting to a headstand only reverses the compression, often placing undo pressure on the more delicate vertebrae of the neck. Reversing gravity by hanging upside down allows the spine to fall into correct alignment. This process of realigning the vertebrae not only relieves back tension, but also improves our posture. The many positive affects of suspension inversion are accomplished without the negative effects of compression.

The 50’s brought us traction tables, the 70’s brought us gravity boots and the 90’s brought us inversion boards. Each accomplished the job of spinal decompression but put undo stress on other joints, particularly the ankles and knees, where decompression is not necessarily desired. The preferred technique is to hang from the hips --- thus the AntiGravity Hammock.

The AntiGravity Hammock is a soft lycra fabric rated to hold a thousand pounds that hangs from the ceiling from two points at shoulder width and hip height. Through five simple, carefully guided progressions one can hang from their hips with their spine enjoying the effects of gravity’s reversal in a move called “the inverted yogi”. The tension against the hammock and the wrapping of the legs lock one into position so that it is impossible to fall. Coming back up to a stand is accomplished by simply reversing the progressive steps. A similar technique is also used to perform a “flying downward dog”, opening up and allowing decompression for the hips. People who sit for many hours on a daily basis, bicyclists and women who walk in heels or have given birth find this to be extremely helpful to relieve pain from tightness in the hips.

It is estimated that over 40 million Americans suffer from back pain. Although sufferers should consult their physician before-hand, decompression therapy is a simple remedy that could provide relief. At the very least, hanging in the AntiGravity hammock helps one enjoy the numerous positive mental and physical health benefits of inversions.