7th grader Juliette Rees defies gravity, mastering aerial arts at the Hunter Dance Center. With silk fabrics as her canvas, she dances through the air.

Aerial art is a sport that combines acrobatic dance with silk fabrics suspended from the ceiling, enabling performers to perform stunts in the air. She dedicates five hours every Saturday to practicing her skills and learning new techniques. The joy of performing fills her heart although it is stressful. 

Ever since she was a young girl, Juliette has loved aerial and has a passion for it. 

“I have been passionate about aerial since the age of 9. It brings me happiness when I perform, but it can still be nerve racking,” Juliette said. 

Despite the demands of aerial practice, she maintains a balance in her studies. This sport is a very rare one, and a lot. people don’t even know what aerial is. So, how did Juliette find out about this sport?

“I found my passion for aerial from a friend who had aerial silks at her house, and I wanted to try something new,” Juliette said

One of Juliette’s favorite tricks is called the inverted descent. This is a trick where she climbs up to the top of the aerial silk suspended from the ceiling around 12-18 feet off the ground. She wraps the silk around herself, and descends in a split position. 

Despite the lack of motivation sometimes, Juliette still manages to have fun while being up in the air with soft fabrics to remind herself why she’s doing aerial. 

“The main thing keeping me motivated to continue aerial is the fun I have while doing aerial dance,” Juliette said. 

This drive helps her persevere despite the long practice hours. 

“I occasionally feel sick and unwell,” Juliette said. She gets through it by pushing herself and remembering the fun she has while doing aerial. Despite the time and effort required for aerial, it remains a passion that Juliette deeply values. 

“Most aerial practices are on the weekend, so it doesn’t interfere with school too much,” Juliette said.

Juliette has practiced for years, reaching the level of advanced aerial, also known as level 4 out of 6.

Even when juggling various activities and school becomes challenging,”Remind yourself why you are pursuing aerial or any extracurricular activities, and recall the enjoyable moments you have experienced,” Juliette said.

For students who are interested in learning more about aerial dance, visit Hunter Dance Center for more information about signing up for Aerial Silks.