Maria first discovered aerials when she attended a Cirque du Soleil show in Spain. Having been a couch potato her whole life, and afraid of heights, she never thought it’d be a possibility for her to actually do aerial arts, so she kept it as just a dream for years. She finally decided to give it a try when she moved to Canada in 2019 and her life went upside down (literally!) after her first silks class!
Maria feels that Aerial arts have helped heal her stiff body, and it has become stronger, more flexible and mobile than she ever thought possible and has greatly improved her coordination. Maria’s biggest achievement though? That’s, hands down, how much her mental health has improved thanks to aerial training:
Maria says “I fight my anxiety every time that I fight my fear of heights, and I win. This helps me fight anxiety in my day to day too.” “When I’m up on an apparatus depression stays down on the floor…and it seems to have a hard time coming back.” “I look at myself up in the air and I realize how proud of myself I am. I’ve learnt to love myself with all my flaws. My growth is proof that I can, even if my head says no.”
It took Maria 1h of very messy silks practice to turn aerials into a passion, something she cannot live without now. Silks lead to hoop, which became her favourite apparatus, and a “why not?” lead to trapeze which has climbed itself to second position!
Maria wants to bring this passion out to the world, share it and help other people, the way her coaches have changed her life. “Who would have thought that a job could make you this happy?”