Trapeze school flies high above Gilbert
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Nick Thompson, For the Tribune
After 11 years of entertaining people 40 feet above the ground, Dylan Phillips has high hopes for the trapeze school he opened last week on a county island in Gilbert.
VIDEO: Instructor Dylan Phillips talks about the school
SLIDESHOW: See trapeze artists in action
Phillips is now enrolling students to take both introductory and advanced classes at Trapeze U. It is the first school of its kind in Arizona, according to Phillips, and "anyone with a spirit for adventure" is welcome.
The campus consists of an office, changing rooms, several classrooms, and 30-foot full-size flying trapeze apparatus. The trapeze rig is outdoors and easily visible from the street at the southeast corner of Pecos and Lindsay roads.
The construction of the school hasn't gone unnoticed by neighboring businesses.
Kristine Nau, the community manager of Capital Consultants Management Corp., can see the trapeze from her office window across the street.
"Everybody who walks through my door has something to say about the trapeze school," she said. "We look forward to its opening, and I wouldn't mind trying it out myself."
A two-hour class is $65 with an initial sign-up fee of $20, although Trapeze U will waive the sign-up fee through the end of April. The two-hour session includes classroom time and hands-on, "in the air" experience.
The most accessible class is Trapeze Arts 101, where students will learn the basics of the trapeze in the classroom and in the air. While there are no prerequisites for taking classes at Trapeze U, Phillips said a background in gymnastics is helpful for those seeking advanced training.
A Sacramento transplant, the 35-year-old Phillips has been a professional trapeze artist for 11 years, mostly working for Club Med in Florida, the Caribbean, and Bali, Indonesia. After 14 years of competitive gymnastic training from his early childhood, Phillips said, "I found in the trapeze a way to utilize my experience, to travel, and to have fun. I'm hoping to share that fun with other people."
The 100-plus degree summers in the Valley will be a difficult challenge for the school's outdoor trapeze rig. During the summer, Phillips plans to conduct classes early in the morning or after sunset. The trapeze apparatus does have a lighting system that will allow the school to teach night classes.
In addition to teaching classes at the school, Phillips plans on catering to corporate parties and believes that Trapeze U will be a great venue for company team-building exercises.
At the end of the day, Phillips said, the trapeze is a way for people to push the limits and do something they've never done before.
"Everyone has different goals on the trapeze," he said. "Some people want to do a double back flip, and some people just want to get on the platform."
Phillips and the other members of the faculty are all active trapeze artists, so class times may vary each week depending on the artists' professional obligations. Phillips has set up a phone number, (888) 872-7101, so prospective students can call to find out when classes will be held the following week.
