16/10/2025
Aerial silks saved my life in 2017.
After my husband past away Des in 2016, I moved to Pretoria. On my very first day, I walked into a shopping mall and saw aerial silks being advertised. I joined immediately.
My journey actually began in 2008, when I went on a cruise and saw aerial performances at night. I remember saying, “I would love to do this.” But back then, I was terrified of turning upside down—heights were not my thing.
Fast forward to 2017, and everything changed. I wasn’t afraid anymore. Everyone handles trauma differently. I became an adrenaline freak, and aerial silks became my lifeline.
When Covid hit and studios closed, I found other ways. I started rigging my silks in trees at parks. With help from an abseiler, I learned how to safely hang them using proper gear and knots. As a landscaper, I’d climb my silks to the branch with a little hammer, tapping it to check the health before starting with my sequences.
In La Lucia, a journalist spotted me and did a write-up. I made the front page of the newspaper.
Now, I carry my silks, rigging gear, and rope with me everywhere. This is my life saver.
What’s yours?
Find something that lights you up. Something that gets you moving, gets you out of the rut, and reminds you—you’re alive