Traveling Acrobats Take Their Art on the Road
By Shannon Price
Photography By Shannon Price
Reporting Texas
Milan and Mae practice their trapeze routine before performing live at Cirque du Burlesque in Dallas. Her serene expression belies the intense strength it takes to perform these challenging moves.
After a two-week tour of the East Coast, Mae discovers that she has injured her eye. She checks the eye in the mirror before heading to a rehearsal at Crash Alchemy, an Austin performance collaborative.
The pair demonstrates their strength and flexibility in a hand-to-hand routine at Cirque du Burlesque.
At home in Austin, Milan cooks breakfast in their trailer before a rehearsal. Mae unpacks their cappuccino machine – an essential appliance when they are on the road.
Mae practices her technique on the lyra, or aerial ring. She’s known in the acrobatic community for her lyra choreography.
Just back from a two-week tour, Milan and Mae prepare for their first Crash Alchemy rehearsal.
The couple holds their final pose at the end of their trapeze performance in Dallas. Their real-life chemistry is apparent when they are on stage together.
Milan and Mae enjoy a small breakfast before heading out to a physically demanding rehearsal with Austin-based acrobatic troupe Crash Alchemy.
Milan and Mae arrive in Dallas, the first stop on a long weekend of traveling across Texas to teach and perform.
Mae takes a breather after practicing rigorous contortions during Crash Alchemy rehearsals.
Milan tests his trapeze before teaching a class at The Circus Conservatory in San Antonio.
The free-form environment of Crash Alchemy rehearsals allows for performers to collaborate and learn from each other. Milan practices his juggling with a fellow performer.
Milan and Mae discuss the steps of a new trick they are trying to perfect. Their work requires constant communication – verbal and silent -- in order to keep each other safe.
Milan plays with a puppy before a Crash Alchemy rehearsal.
Mae and Milan begin warm-ups for a Crash Alchemy rehearsal.
Mae and Milan both teach classes to earn extra money. Mae watches as her students practice new lyra techniques at Four Elements Aerial and Creative Movements in Austin.
In a spontaneous moment, Milan lifts Mae into the air while warming up for a rehearsal. The warm-ups help performers to get into the right mindset before practicing their tricks.
Acrobats roll about like “happy puppies” as they warm up during Crash Alchemy rehearsal.
Mae laughs as students try to imitate a difficult technique that she and Milan demonstrated during class.
Mae struggles to perfect a difficult contortion during Crash Alchemy rehearsal. When she performs, she makes the work look easy. During rehearsals, it’s clear how difficult the tricks are.
Mae and Milan swing from the trapeze before teaching a class at The Circus Conservatory in San Antonio, testing to make sure that the trapeze can hold the students’ weight.
Milan practices his juggling as fellow Crash Alchemy performers practice their own techniques around him.
Duo Maelan performs their trapeze routine for Cirque du Burlesque in Dallas. Their partnership relies heavily on mutual trust in each other’s strength and ability.
Duo Maelan makes a curtain call at Cirque du Burlesque. They head back to Austin, only to leave the following morning for San Antonio, where they will teach a master class.
Milan embraces Mae at The Circus Conservatory in San Antonio.
Milan and Mae practice their trapeze routine before performing live at Cirque du Burlesque in Dallas. Her serene expression belies the intense strength it takes to perform these challenging moves.
After a two-week tour of the East Coast, Mae discovers that she has injured her eye. She checks the eye in the mirror before heading to a rehearsal at Crash Alchemy, an Austin performance collaborative.
The pair demonstrates their strength and flexibility in a hand-to-hand routine at Cirque du Burlesque.
At home in Austin, Milan cooks breakfast in their trailer before a rehearsal. Mae unpacks their cappuccino machine – an essential appliance when they are on the road.
Mae practices her technique on the lyra, or aerial ring. She’s known in the acrobatic community for her lyra choreography.
Just back from a two-week tour, Milan and Mae prepare for their first Crash Alchemy rehearsal.
The couple holds their final pose at the end of their trapeze performance in Dallas. Their real-life chemistry is apparent when they are on stage together.
Milan and Mae enjoy a small breakfast before heading out to a physically demanding rehearsal with Austin-based acrobatic troupe Crash Alchemy.
Milan and Mae arrive in Dallas, the first stop on a long weekend of traveling across Texas to teach and perform.
Mae takes a breather after practicing rigorous contortions during Crash Alchemy rehearsals.
Milan tests his trapeze before teaching a class at The Circus Conservatory in San Antonio.
The free-form environment of Crash Alchemy rehearsals allows for performers to collaborate and learn from each other. Milan practices his juggling with a fellow performer.
Milan and Mae discuss the steps of a new trick they are trying to perfect. Their work requires constant communication – verbal and silent -- in order to keep each other safe.
Milan plays with a puppy before a Crash Alchemy rehearsal.
Mae and Milan begin warm-ups for a Crash Alchemy rehearsal.
Mae and Milan both teach classes to earn extra money. Mae watches as her students practice new lyra techniques at Four Elements Aerial and Creative Movements in Austin.
In a spontaneous moment, Milan lifts Mae into the air while warming up for a rehearsal. The warm-ups help performers to get into the right mindset before practicing their tricks.
Acrobats roll about like “happy puppies” as they warm up during Crash Alchemy rehearsal.
Mae laughs as students try to imitate a difficult technique that she and Milan demonstrated during class.
Mae struggles to perfect a difficult contortion during Crash Alchemy rehearsal. When she performs, she makes the work look easy. During rehearsals, it’s clear how difficult the tricks are.
Mae and Milan swing from the trapeze before teaching a class at The Circus Conservatory in San Antonio, testing to make sure that the trapeze can hold the students’ weight.
Milan practices his juggling as fellow Crash Alchemy performers practice their own techniques around him.
Duo Maelan performs their trapeze routine for Cirque du Burlesque in Dallas. Their partnership relies heavily on mutual trust in each other’s strength and ability.
Duo Maelan makes a curtain call at Cirque du Burlesque. They head back to Austin, only to leave the following morning for San Antonio, where they will teach a master class.
Milan embraces Mae at The Circus Conservatory in San Antonio.
Nick Milan and Caty Mae are traveling acrobats who tour the country, performing at circuses, burlesque shows, benefits and business events. The couple, who call themselves Duo Maelan, sometimes travel in a tiny trailer that also is their home base. They recently moved from Austin to San Antonio.
Mae, 26, is the daughter of California circus workers and once toured with the Shrine Circus. Milan, 28, learned acrobatics in Hawaii, where he was a surfer. What began as a hobby became “my obsession” and a full-time job, Milan said.
Reporting Texas photographer Shannon Price spent some time on the road and behind the scenes with Duo Maelan. Their lives are not always glamorous, but there is constant energy, emotion and excitement.