Finding Strength in Flight: How Hildy Feen Empowers Older Adults Through Circus Arts

Hildy Feen retired from working in information technology and project management to teaching low flying trapeze to older adults.
She has been dancing on the ground and in the air for over 20 years. Having started taking aerial classes at 47, she studies and performs trapeze, silks, cloud swing, wall running, and contact improvisation. When she choreographs, she likes her pieces to tell a story, often with humor.
With over a decade of experience teaching low-flying trapeze, she's on a mission to empower adults who may believe they're too old or out-of-shape to embrace the circus arts. For Hildy, exercise classes aren't just about physical well-being; they're a lifeline for those seeking companionship and camaraderie, nurturing both body and mind.
In this episode we talk about:
How Hildy got started teaching low-flying trapeze
How she addresses fear with adults starting with low-flying trapeze
The improvements students are getting in both physical and mental well-being
The various circus arts and places that offer this type of movement practice

Links for Hildy:
Madison Circus Space (where Hildy teaches) https://madisoncircusspace.com/ 

Cyropia Aerial Dance: https://www.cycropia.org/

The Rumpus Room: https://therumpusroom.org/ 

Videos of Hildy's performances:
Hildy with Roger her gorilla dance partner and Madison Circus Space’s mascot https://mcs.widen.net/view/video/opeefbxxk4/Rodger-Show-20230602-Rainbow-Waltz?x.share=true&x.portal_shortcode_generated=oieixf3p&x.app=portals

Hildy as Tululabelle, her clown character's name:
https://mcs.widen.net/s/9w5hvxrlvh/mcs-10th-anniversary-2023_part-16-of-27_tululabelle

A performance by her students:
https://vimeo.com/837085599/545a8bcb7f?share=copy


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