For Rachel Nehmer '04 and Ben Wendel '04, those hours in the lab turned into unique careers as trapeze artists.
After graduation, most Haverford biology majors follow a typical path. Some attend medical school, others do research, still others join the circus. The circus? For Rachel Nehmer '04 and Ben Wendel '04, those hours in the lab turned into unique careers as trapeze artists.
Nehmer's passion for the aerial arts began as a teenager when she attended the French Woods Festival, a performing arts camp in New York. There, she was first introduced to static, or non-flying, and the more well-known flying trapeze styles. At Haverford, her lab partner, Wendel, shared the same love of circus performance. Says Nehmer,“Sitting in lab meeting, thinking about trapeze choreography instead of brain circuitry, it became clear that our passion is in circus.” So after graduation, they moved to Seattle to pursue that passion.
In Seattle, they studied and later taught at the School of Acrobatics and New Circus Arts. Nehmer also worked with the Aerialistas, an all-female troupe that performs at circuses and festivals in that area.“Working with the Aerialistas gave me the inspiration and experience to really dedicate myself to becoming a circus artist,” she says. Wendel and Nehmer later branched out and formed Curly Burly, a static doubles trapeze act (www.curlyburlytrapeze.com). According to their website,“We combine our rare chemistry with strength, grace, and hair to create entertaining and original aerial performance.”
Performing as Curly Burly gives them the opportunity to travel the world. Along the way, they have become part of the close-knit community of circus artists, one of the rewards of their work. Circuses have cross-cultural appeal because they appeal to shared fantasies. Nehmer notes,“Circuses can be escapist on one hand, with bizarre characters enacting fantastical scenarios, while fundamentally human on the other, tapping into basic emotions.” For the past two centuries, trapeze artists have awed audiences with feats of the human body. Curly Burly is now a proud part of that heritage. Highlights of their recent nine-month world tour include studying with their mentors, the famous Russian trapeze artists Duo Artemiev, and training at the renowned Parisian Fratellini circus. On the Thailand-Myanmar border they combined circus and service, teaching acrobatics to spirited and talented refugee kids.
Currently, Curly Burly is based out of New Zealand. Adjusting to their new home has been easy. New Zealand culture is remarkably similar to the United States' culture, with the added bonus of summer in January. They dazzle audiences at public festivals and circuses, as well as private engagements such as weddings and corporate parties. According to Nehmer, the biggest challenge of their profession is the lack of guaranteed work, but they keep plugging on. Their days are spent perfecting their craft through rehearsal and yoga, ballet and weight training, and learning other disciplines, like hand-walking and vertical rope. Nehmer and Wendel also teach at the Mixit Project, a performing arts workshop for African refugees in Auckland.
“The biggest reward has been creating something and being given the opportunity to perform,” says Nehmer. In March, Wendel and Nehmer return to Seattle for the Moisture Festival (www.moisturefestival.com). They cite this international comedy and variety show, a throwback to the days of vaudeville, as one of their favorite places to perform. After, they will hone their skills and perform across North America and Europe. Through it all, they will continue to showcase their passion for the trapeze.
