UW staff defy gravity and dance through the air with grace

By day, Amy Bethel, Rebecca Bock and Billy Kardasz hold their respective positions within the UW–Madison community. Outside campus, however, you may find them flying through the air.   

As members of Cycropia, an aerial dance troupe, Bethel, Bock and Kardasz have the ability to combine modern dance and athleticism to perform as aerial artists.

Founded in 1990, Cycropia is a Madison-based troupe. As one of the oldest continuing aerial-dance troupes within the United States, its shows feature single-point trapezes and numerous other apparatus. Cycropia is devoted to building a strong community and prospering as a nonprofit organization.

Cycropia is unique in that the majority of its dancers have different arts backgrounds and professions. Together, they run the troupe as a collective with monthly meetings.

The collective structure of Cycropia allows any member to choreograph a piece and employs the entire group’s feedback as dances are planned and the season is put together. As their own marketers, directors, accountants and costume designers, members of Cycropia share responsibility democratically.

“We spend a lot of time coming to consensus, working together and agreeing upon which pathway we’re going to pursue for various dances and shows,” says Bock.

Bock, an associate in the communications program of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, has been performing with Cycropia since 1995. “When I first saw an aerial dance performance, all I thought was that I just had to do this,” she said.

Prior to starting aerial dance, Bock had done contra and swing dance. “Creativity permeates my life and shows up in many ways,” she says. “In Cycropia, I love the feel of wind on my face … the community, the performances and the costumes. The playfulness of this dance is unbeatable.”

Kardasz, an instructional webmaster for the School of Business, joined Cycropia in 2003. After several years of classes, he became a troupe member in 2008. The bond between music, movement and expression drew him into performance.

“The beauty of aerial dance is that you don’t peak in your 20s and it’s all over,” he says. “I will perform in the troupe as long as I’m inspired and can continue to dance and create at the levels of which I expect of myself.”

Cycropia’s performances vary each year. One public performance is held; however, there are many instances in which the dance troupe is hired to perform for private functions. Their shows range from aerial performances to simply engaging people by walking through a crowd in costume.

Cycropia is a hard-working community of artists working to foster creative expression through dance and community building. “Being equals creates a strong incubational environment that promotes learning, experience and flexibility,” says Kardasz.

For more information on the group, visit http://www.cycropia.org.