Teaching Archives - Paper Doll Militia

To Rosin or not to Rosin?

Personal Practice • August 5, 2023

To Rosin or not to Rosin?

This is a hot topic! We get these types of questions all the time, from the perspective of aerialists, instructors, and studio owners. “Should I […]

by : Paper Doll Militia

When Your Students Surpass You

Teaching • June 24, 2016

When Your Students Surpass You

So many things come into play with this question, ego of course being one of them. The first question to ask is: WHO’S EGO IS […]

by : Sarah Bebe Holmes

😊 Our committed educators return for another ro

😊 Our committed educators return for another round, delving even further into their expertise in our Silks Teacher Training — Level 2!

These individuals continue to ascend and nurture the dynamic and evolving realm of aerial arts.

@Amaryllis.aerial
@ettafungsoprano
@yay.go.aerial
@maggieneuwald
@AerialAmbitionsSC
@littlefoot_on_fire
@lennyblueboo

The art of the transition

We’ve always heard “it’s about the journey, not the destination”….An easier said than done expression that can help us appreciate the effort and learning of a new skill or ambition in life.

Well, it’s the same when it comes to aerial choreography. It’s so easy to ‘zone out’ when moving from point A to point B, too focused on hitting the shape, or trick, or drop that we’re excited about.

But I think many of us would agree that the transitions are where the magic lies. What if we milked the transitions just a little more, and emphasized the trick a little bit less?

Try it the next time you’re in the studio working your way through a sequence.

This lyra sequence feels like a fun place to really work transition technique (ooooh, new term? I like it) I love the foot stamp when coming out of the flip up, and the fun head and torso circle on the way down into the hoop.

Are you a Lyra artists who wants to expand your movement range and find the flow? Come join us on our annual Greece Retreats! We have a few spots left for week 1, which features Lyra and Silks; May 2024

All the details are you know where 😉

#lyraflow #aerialsequence #aerialtransitions

There’s so much that goes into a circus producti

There’s so much that goes into a circus production, and when you can have really cool collaborations with all aspects of the team it can be a real joy to create. This is a little snippet from A Wire Apart where we were playing with light as an object of containment.

Wonderful collaboration with lighting designer George Tarbuck.

Sound design by @badoreti
Film by @rarebirdmedia

Have you ever played with light or tech elements in a unique way? Tell us about it!

🇬🇷 Some of the highlights of the Paper Doll

🇬🇷 Some of the highlights of the Paper Doll Militia Aerial Retreats on the Isle of Crete, Greece from some of the 2023 retreaters. @julia.schoemig @circusfritz @xemilyjane27 @901graced

We are SOLD OUT for Week 2, but we still have spaces left for Week 1: May 12 – 19, 2024 – Silks & Lyra

We also have an exciting announcement...1 private room option JUST opened up for week 1. This is our most popular room option, and has been full since we opened registration.

We also have shared room options....take your pick!

Register now to snag your preferred room!
Link in bio 🔗

🌀At the heart of it, aerial arts is an expressi

🌀At the heart of it, aerial arts is an expressive art form

🎭 Bodies are amazing storytellers. What story do you want to tell?

🎪 While circus is a great tool for telling stories of strength and virtuosity....as the art form develops and deepens, contemporary artists explore new ways to use circus for expression.

🥺 Circus can ALSO be a medium to express stories of vulnerability, grief and anger. (and so much more) Yes, the full spectrum of an emotional journey.

To tap into these impactful stories, we must transcend the tricks. But wait! Aren’t the tricks at the foundation of what we do?

I see my job as a circus creator as similar to an assemblage artist. Someone who collects and gathers different random bits of material to assemble them into something new. The tricks are important because they are part of what makes up the whole. But it’s just one element of a much broader vision.

This clip was assembled (see how i did that?) from some improvisations I did around the emotional arch of a personal story. It was an illuminating exercise.

Sometimes exercise like this can be a spark for a new act or show idea. Sometimes they are simply a way to develop your range as a performer. (and get out of your comfort zone!) We use exercises like this one all the time in our “Vertical Theatre Method.”

❓So tell us, how comfortable are you with expressing emotion in the air? Is this something you want to do more of?

This piece is unfolding in so many surprising ways

This piece is unfolding in so many surprising ways, and we’re embracing the mystery.
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As an artist, it can be easy to fall into the trap of only sharing work when it’s “finished.” (I know, is art ever truly finished) But I think this is a disservice to the community. Especially in our case, where our community is full of fellow artists and visionaries.
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So we wanted to share a behind the scenes looking to the early development of one of our new pieces, Homeostasis.
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You can read about the inception, development, and future dreams for this piece on the blog page of the Paper Doll Militia website. Follow the challenges and breakthroughs of Rain Anya and @saffronsmagic in their “self-imposed artist residency.” Wait....what even is that?? You’ll have to read the blog to find out. Link in bio
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Once you’ve read it, come back and join in the conversation in the comments of this post.
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#ArtIsValuable #ArtistsAreEssential #makeartnotwar

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info@PaperDollMilitia.com retreatsaerial@gmail.com pdmteachertraining@gmail.com