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FEATURE ARTICLE
How the flying Newman family brought trapeze arts to Park districts across the country are competing successfully with their private sector counterparts in registering community participants in athletic and creative programs. But even with programs that range from fine arts and culture to extreme sports, the Winnetka Park District has outdone itself. This past September, the park district brought its residents the opportunity to "fly through the air with the greatest of ease," on a trapeze. The Flying Newmans Winnetka, a village of 12,000, is located on Chicago's affluent North Shore, where many of its residents have both the money and the means to explore their wildest dreams. One Winnetka family, oncologists Steven and Sara Newman, their 12-year-old son Sam and daughter Rachel, 15, take a family vacation each spring. In 1997 they traveled to Ixtapa, Mexico, expecting this Club Med vacation to be much the same as every other, fun-filled family trip. But this particular spring break holiday was unlike any other. In many ways, it would change not only their lives, but the lives of many of their friends, neighbors and fellow residents who support and participate in Winnetka Park District programs. The Newmans vacation four years ago marked their introduction to the trapeze rig—a performance art and sport that would evolve into a lifelong practice and passion. "We absolutely fell in love with flying," says Dr. Steven Newman. "The trapeze classes and performances were so exciting and invigorating," says Newman, "that I knew, there had to be a way to bring this excitement and enjoyment into our lives on a regular basis." The fascination Newman and his family experienced while watching the resort counselors "glide through the air" are shared by audiences worldwide, whenever the circus comes to town. The attraction is understandable, particularly since many of the trapeze staff have trained and performed at the famed Cirque du Soleil or other equally prestigious trapeze facilities. The Flying Gaonas Steven's appetite to fly was so strong that business trips became outlets and new opportunities to find and visit trapeze trainers, classes and performances. During one such trip to California, he met Richie Gaona of the Flying Gaona Family, a seven-generation circus family. Newmans acquaintance with Gaona, a trapezist and popular stunt man for the entertainment industry, eventually led to meeting other Flying Gaona family members and ultimately to a friendship and business relationship between Newman, the Gaonas, and the Winnetka Park District.
March/April 2002 19 FEATURE ARTICLE Fast-forwarding to the summer of 2001 finds Steven and Sara Newman, now devoted trapeze supporters, dining out at a neighborhood restaurant where they run into longtime friend, immediate past president of the Winnetka Park District's board of directors, Joe Dooley. Newman promptly engaged Dooley in conversation about the magic of the trapeze and the prospect of the park district sponsoring trapeze classes. Shortly thereafter, Newman and Dooley met with Winnetka Park District director Liza McElroy and recreation superintendent Lee Volpe to discuss the idea. All were invited to witness and, if they desired, to experience trapezing firsthand. The invitation was extended by Steven and Sara Newman, who earlier in the summer hired Peter Gold, a Las Vegas trapeze performer, to provide instruction on the trapeze rig he built, assembled, and installed in the Newman's backyard. Discussions continued between the park district, the Newmans and David Gaona of The Flying Gaonas, (who along with his wife Yana, brother Julio and sister-in-law Gloria, ultimately, would teach the park district's trapeze classes). The idea received unanimous support on all fronts with an agenda established to coordinate the logistics. The biggest obstacle in bringing trapeze classes to Winnetka Park District was the sheer size of a trapeze rig, which extends to a height of 30 feet. Few buildings are designed to accommodate the contraption's substantial proportions, but since Chicago's Indian summers are as beautiful as its winters inclement, city and park district personnel agreed that Winnetka's Indian Hill Park was an ideal location. The rig was set up the last week of September and classes began on September 20. The classes were open to "daring young men and women of any age" with or without prior experience. Courses were offered at beginning, intermediate and advanced levels, according to recreation supervisor Rochelle McKinnon. "We had 30 people enroll in the five-week beginner class, 37 in a two-hour beginning level section, 25 for the five-week intermediate level, and four advanced registrants,' says McKinnon. Fees for the program varied in range, depending on length of time. In addition, Volpe and McKinnon thought it would be a great idea to allow people an opportunity to fly for $10 on a onetime basis. "Over 200 people took advantage of this opportunity," says McKinnon. "Its truly amazing how many 'daring' folks there are in Winnetka and we're absolutely thrilled that we were able to bring our community such a unique and exciting program," says Volpe, who along with other park district executives, hopes that the classes will resume, weather permitting or once an alternative site is identified. In addition to the trapeze classes, park district staff are now exploring the possibility of offering a circus camp this summer.
ROCHELLE McKINNON
LEE A. VOLPE
20 Illinois Parks and Recreation |
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