Reaching above the ordinary

Gymnaires alumni homeshow

Everybody strives for greatness. At least, I hope most of us do. But what happens when that thing we are trying to get to is just out of reach? The Gymnaires annual alumni homeshow this past weekend demonstrated through storytelling just what it means to look above what is ordinary and reach for something greater. It started with a girl and a balloon in the clouds. Her goal was to reach the balloon. When others offered her different balloons, she wasn’t satisfied. Her eyes were on the clouds. 

The Gymnaires theme this year is “Aim High”. Through hundreds of hours of practice and preparation, they have been telling the story of reaching for the clouds through 13 performances across the states. Through these shows, over 3,000 people have watched them and seen their story. The alumni homeshow was the culmination of everything they’ve been working on, and what a show it was! With three highs, tumbling, hand-to-hand two highs, flips on the teeter board, lots of tossing, and comedic relief from Coby Bramham inside a giant balloon, the Gymnaires told the story of reaching for the clouds and wanting something greater. 

Katie Carlson represented the girl with a higher goal. With the help of her friends, she worked to reach the balloon. She performed alongside her teammates with artistic and impressive skills to entertain the crowd. In the middle of the two-part act, the Gymnaires brought audience members to be a part of the show, too. From alumni dads to alumni’s infants, participants were given the opportunity to reach the sky from a Gymnaire-assisted elevator and wave to the rest of the crowd. Near the end of the night, one kid from the crowd was pulled onstage to surf across a human wave while Thomas McFarland acted as a surfboard. 

The performance ended with the girl reaching her dream. Surrounded by her friends, she held the giant balloon with pride. But what then? What do you do with your success? After a moment of thought, she traded her one balloon for lots of little ones and handed one to everyone gathered around her. There was a lesson in the story: the joy of succeeding can be shared, and we can encourage those around us to aim high too. 

After applause and bows, Coach Matt Teller gathered the team on the mats and invited all Gymnaires alumni to come up too. From the people gathered on the mats, it was clear to see the family connection that extends across generations. Ava Mai said, “We spend a lot of time together, both on and off the mats… Having to have the level of trust in another person that's required of the Gymnaires is really scary at first, but you get close very quickly, and before you know it, you'd trust any one of them with your life.”

We hope to see you all next year’s homeshow for a new theme, a new story, and a new lesson from the Gymnaires acrobatic team. 

By Madi Hoffer