KMB: Bat City Circus 2.0

After last month’s KMB feature shoot, it was an easy decision to make a second trip and continue with the other circus tricks included at Bat City Circus. If you missed last month’s feature, be sure to follow up and review my thoughts to learn more about the facility and owner/coach Eve Richter Dinnan. 

Since our gym pleasantries and instruction were already accomplished during our first visit, we jumped right in and Eve warmed me up on the Hammocks, which got my body cooking — after all, it was a cold day in Austin, possibly in the 40s, so warming up was essential. 

Like our first KMB session, Eve showcased the movements for me and gave me a great visual to follow — or at least try to follow.

We started with a series of core exercises on Hammocks that challenged the full body, even though Eve emphasized they were for the core. I honestly don’t know how you break up the core from the full body in this case. I must share that Eve has great core strength! I was impressed!

After about 15 minutes of testing my core strength, we moved to the hanging metal Cube. Picture a giant metal empty Rubik’s Cube hanging from the ceiling that spins and rotates depending on the users’ movements. 

Out of both sessions, this apparatus ended up being my second favorite, after the trapeze. It was interesting how the cube moved while I “walked” around the outside of its dimensions. Eve directed me to try walking both left and right to learn how it moved and to gain some balance while it moved from my steps. I was able to maneuver around it fairly well and tried hanging upside down and balancing in a horizontal position with my feet planted on the bars — a move to work on, as it would certainly build my overall body strength.

After working on the Cube, we moved to the Trapeze swing that had a different rigging than the last session, and Eve demonstrated a few of her favorite moves for me to try and duplicate. 

While changing positions, I would need a small break and I found myself finding opportunities to spin and felt like a kid again. Patiently, Eve continued to lead me through numerous positions, and we ended with the super challenging Iron Cross position. This movement was not only hard to lift the body up, but the position was hard on the hands too, and I was only able to hold for a split second or two maybe three times. Wow! 

Aside from the construction going on next door, this training session was tremendously fun and once again, I felt my full body worked. It was a terrific experience and I know without a doubt that the challenge of learning more would pull me in if I was to live close enough to train here. 

At the end of the session, Eve had a couple of clients start their training, and I was able to watch them move elegantly through some of the movements I was barely scratching the surface of.  

Eve has a fun way of coaching and because of her passion for the arts — she brings the joys of the circus to all who find their way to her.

I hope you will make your way to Bat City Circus and register yourself for something potentially different, challenging and fun for yourself. Please let her know Mo sent ya!