As we prepare for our upcoming winter spectacular and celebrate our 14th year of performances, I've been reflecting on the journey that brought Arodrome Show from a daring idea to the internationally recognized aerial performance company it is today. Many of our newer audience members have asked about our origins, so I thought I'd share the story of how a small group of dreamers created what you see on stage today.

The Spark of an Idea (2008-2009)

The seeds of Arodrome Show were planted long before our first performance. As a former gymnast who transitioned to aerial arts in my twenties, I had been performing with various circus and theatrical companies throughout Europe. While these experiences were invaluable, I increasingly found myself dreaming of a different kind of aerial performance – one that blended the technical precision of circus arts with the emotional depth of theater and the production values of contemporary dance.

In late 2008, during a performance run in Berlin, I met Sophia Reynolds, who shared my vision for elevating aerial arts beyond traditional circus presentations. Over countless late-night conversations in cafés, we sketched out what would become Arodrome Show – named for the Greek "aero" (air) and "drome" (course or arena), literally "a place for air."

Our vision was ambitious: to create aerial performances that told compelling stories, that moved audiences emotionally, and that presented aerial arts in theatrical contexts rather than as isolated acts of skill. We wanted to create full-length shows where the aerial elements served the narrative, not the other way around.

Early concept sketches Early concept sketches for what would become our first production

Taking the Leap (2010)

Turning this vision into reality required both courage and practical steps. In early 2010, we took the plunge. I used my savings to rent a small warehouse space on the outskirts of London – our first studio and rehearsal space. The conditions were far from ideal: concrete floors, leaky roof, and minimal heating. But it had the one thing we absolutely needed: height for rigging aerial equipment.

Sophia and I gathered a small group of like-minded performers – four aerial artists, a dancer, and a former theater director – who believed in our vision enough to work for minimal pay (and sometimes just for meals). Daniel Harrison, now our Technical Director, joined us early on, bringing crucial expertise in rigging and technical production.

Those first months were a true labor of love. We spent days training and developing a performance vocabulary that would define Arodrome's unique style. Evenings were dedicated to building equipment, sewing costumes, and handling the endless administrative tasks of establishing a new company. None of us had business experience, and we learned through trial and error – sometimes more error than trial!

"The early days were equal parts exhilarating and terrifying. We were creating something that didn't quite exist yet, with no roadmap to follow. But there was a magical energy in that warehouse – the feeling that we were at the beginning of something important."

— Elena Petrova

Our First Production: "Ascension" (2010)

After six months of development, we premiered our first production, "Ascension," in October 2010. With no budget for a proper theater, we transformed our warehouse studio into a performance space, hanging black drapes to create a more theatrical environment and borrowing chairs from a local community center.

We invited everyone we knew – friends, family, former colleagues, and a few local arts journalists. To our surprise and delight, all three scheduled performances sold out, with people standing at the back when we ran out of chairs.

"Ascension" was a 60-minute production exploring themes of ambition, flight, and human connection through aerial silk, hoop, and trapeze. By today's standards, it was modest in scale and production values, but it contained the essence of what would become our signature style: emotional storytelling through aerial movement, theatrical framing, and a cohesive artistic vision rather than disconnected acts.

The response exceeded our expectations. A reviewer from a small arts publication described it as "a revelation – aerial arts with the soul of theater and the vision of dance." This review caught the attention of a local arts festival director, who offered us a slot in the upcoming spring festival – our first professional booking.

First Arodrome Show production A scene from our first production, "Ascension" (2010)

Growing Pains (2011-2013)

The following years were a period of both growth and struggle. The festival performance led to more bookings, and we gradually built a reputation in the UK performing arts scene. We expanded our company to eight performers and created two new productions: "Elements" (2011) and "Passages" (2012).

However, we also faced significant challenges. Financial stability remained elusive – we were earning enough to continue but not enough to provide full-time employment for our company members, who took other jobs between Arodrome projects. We lost our warehouse space to redevelopment in 2012 and spent several months nomadic, rehearsing in borrowed spaces and storing equipment in our apartments.

The turning point came in late 2012 when we were invited to perform "Elements" at an international arts festival in Edinburgh. The exposure led to our first international booking – a month-long residence at a theater in Barcelona. This opportunity allowed us to work full-time as a company for the first time and gave us the stability to refine our artistic vision and technical capabilities.

During this period, we also established our training program, initially as a way to develop new talent for our own productions but eventually becoming an important part of our organization and mission. Many of our current performers came through this program, including Maria Sanchez, who joined us as a trainee in 2013 and is now our lead performer.

Breakthrough: "Ethereal" (2014)

Our 2014 production "Ethereal" marked a significant leap forward for Arodrome Show. With the experience gained from previous shows and a modest but meaningful grant from a UK arts foundation, we created our most ambitious production to date.

"Ethereal" featured more complex aerial choreography, custom-designed apparatus, original music commissioned specifically for the show, and a more sophisticated narrative structure. It explored the boundary between dreams and reality through a story of a woman who discovers a parallel world where the laws of physics operate differently.

The production premiered at a respected London theater and received critical acclaim, with one major newspaper describing it as "a watershed moment for aerial theater." The six-week run sold out, and "Ethereal" went on to tour throughout the UK and Europe for the next two years.

This success established Arodrome Show as a significant voice in contemporary performance and allowed us to finally achieve financial stability. We secured our current studio and administrative space, hired our first non-performer staff members, and began developing multiple productions simultaneously.

Ethereal production A pivotal moment from "Ethereal," our breakthrough production (2014)

Expanding Horizons (2015-2019)

The years following "Ethereal" were a period of expansion and artistic development. We created several new productions, including:

  • "Chroma" (2015) – An exploration of color and emotion through aerial movement
  • "Tempest" (2017) – Our adaptation of Shakespeare's play, bringing its magical elements to life through aerial performance
  • "Nocturne" (2018) – A meditation on night, dreams, and the subconscious
  • "Odyssey" (2019) – Inspired by the classic epic, reimagined through contemporary aerial arts

During this period, we also expanded internationally, performing in over 15 countries across Europe, Asia, and North America. This global exposure influenced our artistic development, as we encountered different performance traditions and collaborated with artists from diverse backgrounds.

We grew to a company of 16 regular performers and established our education department, offering workshops and masterclasses alongside our performances. Our technical capabilities expanded significantly, incorporating more sophisticated rigging systems, lighting design, and digital elements into our productions.

Weathering the Storm (2020-2021)

Like performing arts organizations worldwide, Arodrome Show faced unprecedented challenges during the global pandemic. With theaters closed and international travel restricted, our performance schedule was completely disrupted.

Rather than going dormant, we used this forced pause to reimagine aspects of our work. We created our first digital content, including a series of short films that translated our aerial storytelling to the screen. We developed remote training programs, connecting with aerial artists worldwide who were similarly isolated.

Perhaps most significantly, we used this time for research and development, exploring new techniques and technologies that would have been difficult to pursue during our normal production schedule. Many of the innovations you'll see in our upcoming winter spectacular emerged from this period of focused creativity.

The pandemic experience also reinforced the importance of community and resilience in our organization's culture. We emerged from this challenging period with a renewed commitment to our artistic mission and a deeper appreciation for the privilege of performing for live audiences.

Present and Future

Today, Arodrome Show stands as one of the leading aerial performance companies globally. From our humble beginnings in a leaky warehouse to performing in prestigious venues worldwide, the journey has been extraordinary.

Our current company includes 24 performers from 11 different countries, supported by a dedicated production and administrative team. We maintain a training facility that nurtures the next generation of aerial artists and a robust education program that shares our passion for aerial arts with students of all ages and backgrounds.

Recent productions like "Lumina" (2022) and "Prism" (2023) have continued to push the boundaries of what's possible in aerial theater, incorporating new technologies and artistic influences. Our upcoming winter spectacular, "Crystal Flight," represents the culmination of our artistic journey so far – blending the narrative depth we've always valued with spectacular aerial innovation and immersive production elements.

Recent Arodrome Show production A scene from our recent production "Prism" (2023)

Looking to the future, we remain committed to the vision that started it all: creating aerial performances that move, inspire, and transform. We continue to explore new artistic territory, from collaborations with digital artists to developing new apparatus and movement vocabularies.

We're also expanding our impact beyond the stage, with initiatives focused on accessibility, community engagement, and environmental sustainability in our production practices.

The Heart of Arodrome

As I reflect on our journey, I'm struck by how much has changed and how much remains the same. Our resources, reach, and capabilities have grown tremendously, but the core artistic values that guided us in that warehouse fourteen years ago still drive every decision we make:

  • A belief that aerial arts can tell profound stories and evoke deep emotions
  • A commitment to artistic integrity alongside technical excellence
  • A collaborative creative process that values every voice
  • A dedication to continually pushing the boundaries of our art form

Most importantly, Arodrome Show has always been about the people – the performers who bring their extraordinary talents and dedication, the technical and administrative team who make everything possible behind the scenes, and the audiences who join us on these imaginative journeys.

To those who have been with us from the beginning and those who are just discovering our work, thank you for being part of this ongoing story. The dream that began in those late-night café conversations has become a reality beyond what we could have imagined, and we're excited to continue this flight with you.

When you join us for "Crystal Flight" this winter, you'll be experiencing not just a show but the latest chapter in a journey that began with a simple but powerful belief: that with enough imagination, dedication, and courage, we can create magic in the air.