It’s not offered every semester, but when it is, David DeBlieck’s “Aerial Acrobatics” course is highflying fun. The visiting assistant professor introduces students to disciplines like trapeze, aerial silk and floor-based acrobatics.
In spring 2024 though, a project-based grant from the Central Minnesota Arts Board helped take the class even higher. The result was Circus Extravaganza – a breathtaking performance for the whole community.
“The grant allowed us to bring in two guest artists – both professionals from the Twin Cities – to work with our students,” explains DeBlieck. “One of them, Cade Holmseth, teaches and performs aerial acrobatics. Cade worked with three performers on a triple trapeze routine. He also choreographed a duet for two performers on silks. And he did a piece with six dancers doing floor-based acrobatics, partner balancing and crazy formations and poses.
“Then our other artist, Luverne Seifert, specializes in physical comedy and clowning. And he came and shared some clowning skills with our students and they created their own vignettes.”
Aerial Acrobatics, and all dance classes, are theater department classes that count toward that minor. (The proposed “theater and dance” minor would allow students to build a minor concentrating almost exclusively on dance.) They also fulfill the artistic expression requirement of the Integrations Curriculum for any student.