Erin Garber-Pearson is a spitfire. No, really. She can spit fire.
“I was just a sculptor, a set builder doing theater stuff. And I realized, I can learn to spit fire. And that sounded exciting and I was really into it,” she says.
Garber-Pearson, a Tuscon native who moved to Toledo to teach art at Bowling Green State University, immersed herself in circus arts, admiring aerialists and acrobats until she built the courage to become one herself. Now, she's bringing circus arts to a local audience with her recently opened Bird's Eye View Circus Space in the Collingwood Arts Center, which offers private lessons and group classes in aerial skills for adults and stilt walking for children. The studio recently produced a show, Three Penny Circus, as well.
The circus lover says that what makes her business unique is the benefits students get from the classes. “It’s similar to workout studios, except that my students and myself are not just focused on health and fitness, we’re also focused on creativity,” she said. “It’s sort of a place between creativity and using your body, and exploring through your body.”
In addition to fostering creativity and fitness, Garber-Pearson says building relationships with her students is what Bird’s Eye View is all about.
“I think as a business, I hope to train other people to be creative with me, not just train them and have them go on their way,” she said. “I want them to be part of my community, where we train together, we train hard and we do shows together.”
If you’re new to the circus world, you’re in good company. Garber-Pearson said most of Bird’s Eye View’s students are first-time performers.
“The majority [of students] are new to this type of training,” she said. “There isn’t an extensive aerial community here in Toledo, but hopefully by the time I’m done, whenever that is, there will be. We’ll have quite the circus community happening.”
Bird’s Eye View Circus Space,
Collingwood Arts Center, Room C116, 2413 Collingwood Blvd., Toledo. Private lessons are $60/hour, and can include multiple students. Group classes are $20 for an hour and a half of instruction. Contact Erin Garber-Pearson at 928-814-2030 to sign up for classes.
(facebook.com/BirdsEyeViewCircusSpace)
