School of Acrobatics and New Circus Arts, Georgetown
An important element has been missing from my exercise routine. It’s joy, and I’m not sure where I lost it. Somewhere between power yoga and super sculpt spinning, between triathlon training and race day nerves, between injury and recovery, between reading books about diet and magazine articles about attaining the “ideal” bikini body, I forgot about the pleasure of pure movement. I used to delight in moving my body simply for the sake of moving my body. I was a young girl then and exercise was called play, not workouts. Today movement always seems to come with a goal like a flattening my stomach or increasing my mile time.
Enter Jo Montgomery and Chuck Johnson, founders of Seattle’s School of Acrobatics and New Circus Arts (SANCA) where people of all ages can learn to walk a tightrope, perform a handstand, balance on another person’s shoulders, flip on a trampoline, and fly through the air on a trapeze. Jo is a pediatric nurse who is always looking for fun and effective ways to reverse the increasing rates of obesity in children, while Chuck (whose jobs have included stunt rigging for feature films and coaching cheerleaders) has been passionate about juggling, gymnastics and other circus arts since he was a child. Along with a team of talented instructors, the two run this nonprofit school in hopes that children and adults will find joy and confidence through moving their bodies.
Love and trust are the main principles that govern the teaching style at SANCA. “We don’t say ‘wrong,’” Chuck told me on my first visit. “As long as everybody is being safe, there is no wrong way to do the things we teach. Sometimes there are more effective ways, easier ways, but there are no wrong ways.” This “everybody can succeed” attitude makes SANCA a soulful refuge from the overly competitive, often discouraging world of fitness. No wonder I couldn’t keep myself from shouting out loud, “This is so much fun!” while practicing a partner balancing pose during my first class.
School of Acrobatics and New Circus Arts
674 S Orcas ST
(206) 652-4433
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