Meet the aerialist that hangs by her hair: 'I love using my body to express myself'

NEW YORK -- Meet Erin Blaire, a New York-based aerialist, who suspends herself above the ground hanging only from her hair. "Aerial is a really beautiful art form," says Erin. "It's exciting to people because there are elements of danger, fantasy, and phenomenal athleticism that combine the beauty of dance with the more athletic qualities of sports."

Erin is one of a few aerialists practicing and preserving the art of hair hanging, a classic circus act that has been around for many years. "At the beginning of the pandemic, I was looking for new ways to keep making my art and keep challenging myself," Erin explains. "I had a friend from Mexico who knew the secret technique of doing the hair and we had all this time together training."

After months of training, Erin now confidently hangs off street poles and signs, captivating people through her incredible stunts both in-person and online. "At the end of the day what I hope people take away from my performance is that anything is possible," says Erin. "I hope that they see me and they see something that they have never seen before, or didn't imagine could be, and then it makes them realize that maybe there are things they can do that they never imagined."