The All Star Team was busy taking in all that we experienced during the week in Montreal and the time got away from us to keep up on the trip blog. Here are the remaining 9 all stars with their favorite moments from our trip.

Makarri Doggette, Buckeye Gymnastics:

So Wednesday we went to learn how to do trapeze with the cirque trainers.  Let me tell you how scared I was! It is now confirmed that I am scared of heights. But I faced my fears and I jumped off the high block thing and I swung like I’ve never swung before. Honestly it was the best decision I’ve ever made and I had so much fun. I wasn’t very good at getting my legs through fast but I managed and I got better as I kept doing it. Even though I wasn’t amazing at trapeze, I still felt like I was all that and I’m going to be in Cirque as a flyer after college. I’m going to prove EVERYONE wrong! I also did the silks but that’s a whole different story. I was terrible. I think it’s only for graceful, flexible people and I however am none of those things. The complete opposite matter of fact. Don’t get me wrong, it was hilarious to watch but it hurt and I felt like I had zero strength so it was kind of embarrassing too lol.

We also did the static trapeze and I was actually not that bad. Mati and I were great partners and really had something going there. Our tricks where sweet, that might be our calling, but I’m still trying to decide between being a flyer or doing that. Either way it’s happening so catch me in Cirque. Anyways, overall the experience was something I will never forget and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. Thank you for an awesome experience Region 5!!!

Sarah Hargrove, Cincinnati Gymnastics

We woke up early Wednesday morning and went to breakfast. From breakfast we went straight to the lessons. We split into 2 groups of 6. The group I was with started on the silks. It was actually very hard to hold on to and it hurt your fingers. We started by just climbing with our feet in the silks. We learned how to do the splitz and also do a front flip kinda thing. Then we went to the actual trapeze bar and I was the first one to go. First we just learned how to get our feet in and get a good swing to do a fly away. I straddled my legs a little too much on the flyaway and split the rope. We did that for 2 rounds and the second round was way better! Then on the last round we got to let go and the trapeze instructor caught us. Then we had a single bar that we could do partner stuff with by flexing our feet which is way harder than you would think! Kai and I were partners for it and we weren’t very good at all. We also learned a solo miniature routine. We left there and went to a little market to have lunch then we walked to worlds. We all walked in and found our seats there were 2 sessions of competition before the United States competed in session3.  The first 2 sessions were interesting because of some of the skills other countries did. Then it was about time for the last session to start so we got some food and made posters that said go usa on them. Overall it was such a fun day and week! Go region 5!!

Ella Cesario, Legacy Elite:

On wednesday we woke up somewhat early went to breakfast. After breakfast, we went to a place where we learned how to do silks, trapeze, and small trapeze. First we were taught the form and technique of how to do trapeze. Eventually we were ready to get harnessed in and swing on the trapeze. The first routine on trapeze was to swing, then hook on our legs,  let go with our hands then bring our feet back down then do a back tuck. The second routine on the trapeze was to swing then hook our legs and grab the helpers arms after we let go of the bar. It was scary at first but after we did it it was so fun. Everyone was nervous but after the first round we all were so excited to go again.

Personally i liked the trapeze the best. After that we were taught some basic moves on the silks. We learned from how to climb and how to flip on the silks. The expectation for the silks was that they were literal silk, but it turned out they were stretchy. After that we learned how to do moves on the small trapeze by ourselves and with a partner. I had so much fun doing these activities and it was really cool seeing the different techniques of trapeze artists. I would definitely recommend trying it.

Kai Rivers, Twistars:
As a whole the trip was amazing. From learning new things to being introduced to new things we’ve never seen. It was fun being with Region 5 people, working out with them, and being engrossed in new cultures. We learned Trapeze artistry, we watched worlds, and learned about cirque. Also reading everything in French and hearing people speak it was totally different but very cool. I think this trip was definitely one of the most special ones because watching worlds was such a cool thing to experience together and the group of girls was super close knit. We ended the trip with an amazing Brazilian dinner so to say the least we dove into many different cultures. I want to thank Region 5 and everyone who helped make this happen because these trips are one of a kind and amazing opportunities, I wouldn’t trade them for the world!!! From the fun times in our rooms to the planned out activities it was the best one yet. Thank you for everything.

Mati Waligora and Gabby Wilson, Olympia:

I think most gymnasts would agree it’s a little weird to watch gymnastics and not be doing it. Still, all of us were super excited to watch World Championships. Something different we all realized was how dark the arena was. As JO gymnasts, we’re used to everything being lit.?So it was interesting being in the stands because it looked like there was a spotlight over all the equipment. These meets are no joke. Since they warm up all their skills in the back, they only get one touch on the “real” equipment. ?? This made the meet go a lot faster so there was always something to watch. However, the funniest part of the meet was between events when the whole arena got dark and the big screen played a song that sang “ROTATION! ROTATION! ROTATION!”?? over and over again. At that time we got up and danced to try to get on the big screen. ? Right away in the second session all of our eyes were drawn to Melanie DeJesus. Her gymnastics was gorgeous and  her technique was insane. ?We were all super excited for her when she made AA final ??Nevertheless, nothing compared to the anticipation of watching team USA compete in the qualification round. We’d all agree we were on the edge of our seats while they were competing beam but we were all ecstatic when Ragan and Morgan made AA finals. ??You feel a sense of motivation while watching amazing gymnastics. It makes you wanna get in the gym so you can compete with the poise and confidence they have. ?? All in all, I was most impressed with how all the gymnasts handled mistakes. They remained calm and collected and didn’t show emotions if they fell off the apparatus. That maturity stood out to me.? While watching we saw the meet didn’t go perfectly for everyone but if I could tell them all one thing, it would be how much I respect their commitment to the sport and they all deserve success. ? Thank you Region 5! I had an amazing time! Gabby and I

Alyssa Al-Ashari, Twistars:

We woke up early in the morning and had breakfast and went immediately to the bus to go to Cirque. In the bus, I could hardly contain my excitement because I had never done anything like this. Right inside the door, there was a flight stairs. once we went up the stairs we found the gym and a viewing area. There were silks, a trapeze, and a small bar for practicing. My favorite part was definitely the flying trapeze out of the three because I loved the feeling of flipping through the air. It was really cool to see the different techniques between gymnastics and acrobatics because they were so different. At the beginning we split up into groups. My group was Sierra, Gabby, Q, Payton, Andi, and Ella. We started at the trapeze just trying to get the hang of it. At the end you are supposed to do a flyaway so I tried doing one but I let go right at the bottom and almost hit my head! The next time I went I was really nervous but it went okay. Next we went to the practice bar and our teacher was showing us different moves and it was really exciting! Then we went to silk and it was a lot different then I thought. They weren’t stiff like I thought they were going to be. After that, we went back to the trapeze and We released one bar and was caught by one of the guys teaching us! The people said that we were the first group in seven years to catch all the releases! Once we finished we said thank you to the workers and took pictures! It was my favorite activity so far!

Payton Richards, Aerial:

This trip with the region five was full of excitement, adventure, and lots memories that I will keep with me forever. We accomplished a lot of things in a short amount of time from Niagara Falls,to a circus Olay training session,to world championships. My favorite thing that we did on this trip was go to Niagara Falls. This is my first time being a Niagara Falls and I would say that wow is an understatement. The amazing views and splashes of water really made Niagara Falls unforgettable. Another exciting thing that we got to experience was trapeze lessons and silks. I’ve never been to a Cirque du Soleil show so walking in I was very impressed with what the people were showing us what to do. Also having the opportunity to watch USA at world championships was very inspirational. I had lots of fun cheering on USA with region five. We also had opportunity to train in two Canadian gyms. In addition, we got to train along side with the French national team members. All in all I would say that of all the All-Star trips I’ve been on this one was definitely my favorite one. I will never forget the fun memories I made on this trip and the exciting experiences.

JerQuavia Henderson “Q”, Gym Corner:

Going into the all star trip, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but had more fun than I thought I would. From the get go, the girls and I bonded very well. I enjoyed our many songs and stepping over each other just to get snacks. As the bus ride continued, I was more and more anxious to get to Niagara Falls. While walking around, I was amazed at how beautiful everything was. I literally could not take my eyes off the water or the rainbows. Going under Niagara Falls and seeing all of the tunnels was one of my favorite parts.  From the Falls we traveled to Montreal where the real experience started for me. I was very intrigued by the culture in montreal. The language switched to being less english and mostly french. Other than the amazing breakfast we had every morning, one of my favorite activities in Montreal was the trapeze and silks lessons.  I was scared out of my mind climbing to the top of the platform. When demonstrated, the movements were graceful and seamed easy. Doing it is a completely different story. As soon as I jumped my heart fell to my stomach. The feeling reminded me of what it felt like to do a fly away; the feeling of flying. After a few tries, I finally got the hang of the swings and was ready to be caught by one of the instructors. I was actually surprised at how well the silks went. I only fell once but other than that it went well. Silks requires a lot of core strength and flexibility. The last part of our activities included watching the world championships. It was amazing to see what skills were considered to be elite in other countries. I got a lot of ideas of skills and movements for my own routines. Going to worlds in general was inspirational. It’s amazing because not many people see past the 1:30 routine. It takes hard work, and seeing the girls compete made me fall in love with the sport all over again. The Region 5 All Star trip was very inspirational and motivational for me and I am grateful to have been a part of the experience.