Quick Q&A: The Acrobatic Christine Van Loo

For much of your act, you’re hanging 40 feet above the stage. Ever get nervous?
No, I prefer being in the air. It’s really emotional and limitless.

Surely some of the stunts are unnerving, though. Which ones are the most difficult?
Sometimes the small stunts are the hardest. When I’m supporting all my weight with my forearm, it may not look like much, but it isn’t easy. When my partner spins me like a helicopter, sometimes I get dizzy and feel like my eyeballs are going to pop out.

How is performing with a live orchestra different from traditional acrobatics?
You feel the music through your entire body. It’s much more powerful coming from a giant orchestra than it is from a stereo. You become one of the instruments. You pass energy to the audience, and they pass it back to you. I love that giant circle of energy.

This interview appeared in the May 2014 issue.