Bar-to-Bar Trapeze Schools

While Flying Trapeze continues to gain popularity worldwide, Bar-to-Bar rigs remain something of a rarity, existing in only a few schools in Europe and a couple of professional acts. But it is actually the original form of flying trapeze, invented by Jules Leotard in the 1860s (catchers came later).

Bar-to-Bar rigs different from a standard 'Bar-to-Catcher' layout in that they have no catcher, and two facing platforms with two fly bars. Flyers perform their tricks on one of the fly bars and then instead of being caught by the catcher, they catch the other fly bar which has been set swinging by a helper on the opposite platform. The vast majority of tricks that are possible with a catcher are also possible on this type of rig.

There is a lot to love about it:

• Unlimited catching – no need to wait for a catcher to climb up at the end of a class. Start throwing tricks whenever you are ready!
• Keep going and going – You’ll love the additional challenge of connecting different tricks into sequences.
• Focus on the beauty – Rather than constantly doing bigger and bigger tricks, bar-to-bar encourages you to focus on doing simple tricks really smoothly in order to keep your height for the next trick in your sequence.
• A team sport – You don’t need a catcher, but you are not performing alone. It requires a team effort and trust of everyone on both platforms.

If you are interested in finding out more, you can find a free downloadable information sheet in the Resources Section.

You can discover this rare variant of flying trapeze at the following schools: