A Daring Reporter On A Flying Trapeze

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - As part of the Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts, circus arts professionals are giving the public trapeze lessons on South Broad Street. KYW Newsradio community affairs reporter Karin Phillips took one of the classes.

The song says there was a "Daring Young Man on a Flying Trapeze."  And then, there was me.

You can scratch swinging from a trapeze off my bucket list. Twenty-five feet off the ground, surrounded by very helpful instructors, strapped into a safety harness and guided by safety lines.

Fly School Circus Arts Executive Director Mary Kelly Rayel said people find out that, "Everybody can try trapeze and you build your abilities as you go and everyone learns at their own pace and everyone has their own experience.  So we have people from all walks of life come and enjoy class with us."

Anya, 11, of Princeton Junction was my classmate.  The best part for her, "The sensation when they first drop you and you first fly."

The trapeze lessons are held every day, twice a day, right across from the Kimmel Center through May 1st. You can sign up at PIFA.org.

For information about other PIFA events, check out the CBS Philly PIFA Guide.

Reported by Karin Phillips, KYW Newsradio 1060