Mason Bendixen

Aerial dance / circus performing

As seen on King5 Evening Magazine!

Aerial is best explained with a visual so here is a video from the KDC's recent group piece at the October 2007 Outreach show

Our studio features seventeen foot ceilings with three ropes (corde de lisse), two fabrics, a hoop, two trapezes, and five 10'x5'x8" crash mats.

Circus performing is a remarkably scalable fitness activity that is accessible to most anyone who is not overweight but can provide an intense challenge to even the most advanced athletes. Each session is self paced so people can start at any time and everyone works at their own level. This is a remarkable way to build core strength and start building upper body strength.

This is a remarkably safe, heavily-supervised activity. It also tends to attract a really fun group of people. The number one reason fail to meet their fitness goals is boredom. That won't be a problem with circus performing!

My Classes

I teach aerial at the Kirkland Dance Center. This is a great non-profit community dance studio.

There are many different training options. My Wednesday night slot is an actual structured class and is priced like any other dance class. The morning slots are just rehearsal times and I just volunteer so there is a nominal fee to pay studio rental and generate money for the equipment fund.

This is my current schedule:

• Tuesday 8am-9am ($3)
• Wednesday - 7pm-8pm (as low as $8 with punch card and $12 drop-in)
• Wednesday - 8pm-9pm (as low as $8 with punch card and $12 drop-in)
• Friday 8am-9am ($3)
• Saturday 8am-9am ($3)

Here are directions:

    Kirkland Dance Center
    835 7th Avenue
    Kirkland, Wa 98033

• Take 520 Eastbound
• Take I-405 Northbound
• Take exit 18 NE 85th / Redmond Way and take the Kirkland ramp (the second one)
• Take the first right on 114th Ave
• At the stop sign, turn left onto NE 87th St
• Drive slowly over the railroad tracks (NE 87th St becomes 7th Ave)
• The Kirkland Dance Center is the 4th building on the left after the railroad crossing.
• There is a big sign that says 835 on it.

The morning time slots feature a twenty-five minute long yoga warm up. It is important that people wear long pants (tights, sweat pants, yoga pants, etc.) that reach down to the top of the foot (no shorts!), refrain from wearing clothing with metal (like zippers of rivets), leave jewelry at home, and wear some sort of athletic shirt that is long enough to tuck into the pants.