Living the high life at forty feet
December 10, 2007 No CommentsEnglish professor Dr. Reanna Ursin takes trapeze lessons in Baltimore
By Ryan Hickey
She stands forty feet above the ground on a platform, clasping a horizontal bar that will be her lifeline when she jumps. To her left is the Atlantic Ocean anticipating her drop; to her right, the eyes of hundreds of people walking by as they view the Inner Harbor, its daily activities and, on this fateful day, the plunge of one McDaniel College faculty member who has discovered that some of life’s best thrlls happen off campus.
For Dr. Reanna Ursin, life has always been about experiencing new challenges and living life to the fullest.
Since her move to Baltimore six months ago Ursin has been embracing this pressure and exhilaration by taking Trapeze lessons at the Trapeze School New York (TSNY) Baltimore, which is located at Baltimore’s Inner harbor at the north end of Rash Field.
“I don’t think ten years ago I would have never pictured myself doing this now,” said Dr. Ursin when asked about her most recent adventure, and with a sly smile said, “But it has been an absolutely amazing experience, I’m living life.”
This is Dr. Ursin’s first year at McDaniel College after transporting herself from Notre Dame University to McDaniel.
She is a professor of English, Women’s Studies, Contemporary African American Literature and she also teaches the FYS class Transition into Adulthood. In her FYS class she often tells her students to, “Consistently challenge themselves, it will only help you grow.”
This is also something that she too is still learning to do she says.
“From this experience I learned a lot about myself, I learn how to confront a fear,” said Ursin.
In trapeze, the acrobat hangs from a horizontal bar and while hanging on leaps from a platform, typically ranging anywhere from 20 to 40 feet tall, hoping to then perform a trick while swinging from this bar.
Ursin usually jumps from a platform closer to 30 feet high.
“Trapeze is something that tests you in ways that you wouldn’t normally challenge yourself,” said Ursin. “It’s something out of the ordinary that makes you build your character but that you can apply to other places in life. I confronted a fear; I had to learn to surpass this fear and just jump. I’m living life.”
For more information on the trapeze School New York, Baltimore, go to
Baltimore Trapeze School. Or, to check out the scene the actual structure and school is located at Baltimore’s Inner harbor at the north end of Rash Field, right next to Baltimore Breach.
To get more information on the trapeze School New York, Baltimore go to Baltimore.trapezeschool.com. Or to check out the scene the actual structure and school is located at Baltimore’s Inner harbor at the north end of Rash Field, right next to Baltimore Breach.
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