Run Away With The Circus At “Trapeze Las Vegas”

Earlier this summer, while writing for HotelChatter, I detailed a newly-opened attraction at Club Med Punta Cana (Dominican Republic).  Called “Creactive”, this family-friendly addition to Club Med offerings provided instruction in all things “circus”…by none other than actual Cirque du Soleil staffers.  Wouldn’t it be cool if something similar was available in Las Vegas? After all, Vegas is home to eight resident Cirque shows. Well, it turns out that there already is!

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“Trapeze Las Vegas” is the name of Sin City’s own circus school.  It was founded by Lisa and Stephan Cote, who both taught circus skills at…wait for it…Club Med. After teaching and performing all over the world, they settled in Vegas to retire.  But apparently, when the circus is in your blood, retirement is only a temporary thing.

It was only by chance that I learned about TLV last week during an open house at Team Land Studios, hosted by master puppeteer Scott Land and wife Lisa.  You may remember them from last summer’s VC article about their workshop. But, I digress…

One of the guests, Charles Strachan (aka Charlie The Clown), is part the team at Trapeze Las Vegas. He told me he joined TLV for fitness reasons after getting out of circus activities for awhile. Since then, he’s become a trainer, trapeze catcher and juggling instructor, with more on the way.

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While Charlie already had experience with Disney and Ringling Brothers, you don’t need a circus background to try out Trapeze Las Vegas.  It’s designed for residents and visitors of all levels of experience…or none at all.

While you’re there, don’t be surprised if you recognize some familiar faces, especially if your a fan of Vegas acrobatics. Gifted stars from shows like KA, Zumanity and Le Reve are part of the Trapeze Las Vegas training team. Performers and competitors alike come to TLV to hone their skills (and learn new ones), so you can actually train alongside the talented guys and gals who dazzle us on the Strip.

This summer, Disney’s Tarzan – The Stage Musical has been playing to sold-out crowds at Super Summer Theater at Spring Mountain Ranch State Park. The show’s lead performer, Cory Lloyd (Tarzan) and the rest of the cast learned to swing from vines and sail through the air with plenty of help from the team at Trapeze Las Vegas.

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The cast of Disney’s “Tarzan” learns to fly high…

Despite the name, Trapeze Las Vegas is much more than just flying trapeze instruction. They have two locations, both a very short distance from McCarran International Airport.  The outdoor space, at 121 E. Sunset Road, is where the bulk of flying trapeze instruction takes place.  The staff goes to great lengths to assure that your visit will be exciting..and also very safe.  Reservations are required and may be booked online. A pre-registration form/waiver can be downloaded here.  Ages 6 and up are welcome, and families can attend as a group.

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“The Studio”, an indoor location at 6280 S. Valley View Blvd., is where you can learn how to juggle, perform aerial arts, pole acrobatics, trampoline, wire balancing and much more.  Newly-added classes like partner balance, aerial fitness/conditioning, dance for aerial and tumbling are part of the scheduled curriculum. Monthly class packages in varying increments can be applied toward any lessons at the studio. A listing is available here.

If you’re looking to give your upcoming event a really offbeat edge, Trapeze Las Vegas hosts corporate events, birthdays and bachelor/bachelorette parties.

So the next time somebody asks what you did on your Vegas trip, you can tell them that you ran off and joined the circus.  And you won’t be lying.

Photos: Trapeze Las Vegas, Eduardo Cordova via Facebook

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