Alec Stoddard

Alec! Tell us more about your coaching style! Or for those into the cerebral side of things: explain your pedagogy! Thanks to all my incredible photographers who make me look super cool: @haphazardimagination @mx.wolfe @stupolks @d20photographyco Image descriptions: Slide 1: “get to know me as a chains coach, slide 1 of 9, self-shot portait,” with a graphic inviting folks to swipe to the next slide. It features an orange-y headshot of Alec’s profile with his chains draped over his arm. Slide 2: “I wanna re-introduce myself as a chains coach and researcher! I’ve been working on chains choreography since 2016. Notice I said choreography and not repertoire. This is because I’m a big proponent of chains remaining a repertoire-free apparatus. When people work on chains with me, we work from a place of their own orientation to movement. The artists I coach already have a practice on other apparatuses, so one of my jobs as an instructor is to help them integrate that existing knowledge onto this new apparatus. Slide 2 of 9, photo credit to Haphazard Imagination.” There is a close up photo of Alec performing on chains and reaching out to the side while in the air. Slide 3: “This means that everyone’s chains journey will be completely different! To support that, I only teach workshops, series(es), and privates on chains so that I can provide the personal guidance toward discovering movement that resonates with the individual. What folks uncover through their own exploration is infinitely more interesting than any syllabus I could impose. Slide 3 of 9, photo credit to Mx. Wolfe.” There is a performance photo of Alec tipped to one side in the air on chains and reaching downward. Image descriptions continued in comments

From the premiere of Éclosion @denver.scratch ! Finally! This is one part of a triptych that I’ve been working on for four years now, and I am sososo grateful to the Denver circus community for coming out to give me feedback on it. I’ve always known that the drop to the ankles needed to be the ending of Éclosion, and this final segment here is the first time that I invert *at all* in the entire six minute piece. Because of finally being upside down, more of my layers and body underneath become visible, where they were once largely obscured by the rigid and baggy clothing, without me doing anything more than simply existing through the end of the act. This is a really crucial part to Éclosion and to the entire triptych, which reflects on my trans body as a performance site in and of itself. (More on this on my patreon, obviously, as it follows the development of the act.) Obviously huge thanks to my beloveds @freaktattoos and @tswolfboy (also one of my pullers AND opened the show with heartachingly beautiful music) for driving 15 hours through the mountains with me, and to @janelledinosaurs and @ryehickmandraws (Rye captured this footage, and Janelle also pulled, as well as produced the show!) for letting us weirdos stay in your house and showing us all the good coffee spots. Thanks to @denvercircuscollective for the space to make it happen (this piece needs serious height), to @d20photographyco for photographing the performances, and forever and always grateful and inspired by @snakesofrussia for this custom track written exclusively for this piece. Video description: Alec balances while spinning on the area where his neck meets his shoulder, upside down in both chain loops. They bend their knees to exit down into the loops with one leg in each, folded forward in a ball shape. She then extends her legs in long shape that takes her to hanging upside down from her knees, arms moving outward slowly, until suddenly straightening knees to land on the tops of her feet in the bottom of the loops.

The section of my act with the catches in it. 🥰 Filmed by @rosemary.k.le at @clubfugazisf for @spectrum.transbenefit . Easily one of my favorite performances ever, and always a delight to see how different the chains are in so many different environments. The releases and catches became part of my choreography development in 2021 when I lost one side of the chains in a performance and wondered, “what if?” From there, I’ve been asking them all kinds of questions over the years! You can see full videos of my work and more detailed discussion of my processes and research on my Patreon. Video description: Alec on a vintage-looking stage with an amber-lighted proscenium catches a free-flying side of his doubled-looped chain apparatus while supported on the other side. The free chain spirals behind their back and they turn into the support and facing their whole body downward. From there she sits up, letting one section of chain go from the upper body to loop around to the front, where she puts a free foot into it. He leans forward to perform a split between both chain loops, then twists his body using the tension of the chains on his feet to a legs-crossed position. Alec then releases both hands and balances from the ankles in the cross-legged position.

What I’ve been up to since January! I’ve had this vision of floating in between the chains since I started aerial in 2013! In 2024, when I was at the Irish Aerial Dance Fest, I worked in a harness for the first time doing counterweighting (on both sides!) and bungee, and quickly learned both how much I loved it and how incredibly challenging it is! (I get harness headache almost every time still.) So to add to the challenge of two independent pieces of chain acting like two separate, but linked apparatuses, I added a third: the harness! In March, I showed my work in progress research to the super receptive audience @denver.scratch and received really valuable feedback on pushing this project forward. An updated version may be coming to a show in California later this year 👀 I’m incredibly grateful to be able to keep working on my circus art while starting grad school this year. It means a lot to me to have my passions not only meet, but kiss! 😘 If you want to know more about the process than I can post here or would like to support me making these things, you know where to find me! (And if you don’t, just dm me and I’ll share a link!) Video description: Alec floats in a seated position between two circling pieces of looped chains. He leans over backwards under and in between their path, revealing more of the support line holding the harness around his hips. As she spins separate of the chains, she sneaks her knees up in a stag shape and then through the center of the harness support triangle to float face down, arms and legs outstretched. Alec catches the two pieces of chain in his hands, sitting all the way upright in a kneeling stance, bringing the chains in front of his body. Letting them go again, she then leans her upper body sideways in the direction of the spin and opens her arms wide to gather the chains in an embrace. Landing one foot on the ground, he uses the contact to push off into a faster spin.”

Really excited to be hosting my first workshop @alteraerial in Laguna Hills and get to meet more of the absolutely incredible SoCal chains community! *Scholarship spot has been claimed!* Come check out the really cool (and admittedly nerdy) spin things I know! As always, my classes are taught by who’s in the room and y’all get to choose your own adventure. Some topics include: which spins work for what circumstances and why; how to stabilize spins and control wobbles, oscillations, and chain splitting; exploring centered vs counterweighted spins; weight sharing with the chains in spins; and the very satisfying releasing and catching of one chain. Photo here captured by @mx.wolfe Image description: a workshop flyer featuring a performance photo of Alec kneeling in one chain loop and balancing the other loop on his foot. This loop is arcing out in a bubble shape from the spin force and her arms are half raised and head down. The flyer info reads “Alec’s Aerial Chain Spin Theory, spinning and sequencing on looped chains. Centered, counterweighted, release & catch. Sunday June 14th 4 to 5:30pm, $75. Alter Aerial 23561 Ridge Route Dr. Ste C Laguna Hills, CA 92653. Reserve your spot at alteraerial.com . Scholarship available! One spot cost waived for: a queer aerialist, new to Alec’s classes, message alecwiththechains.”

Are you hoping to perform in the next Circo Sereno on June 6th @theaerialhouse ? Are you new (-er) to physical performance and want to know more about how ideas and sequences get from class/lesson to stage? Are you an emerging performer who wants some additional insight and inspiration? Come join me for this mini-series where we explore and develop the “soft” skills embedded in performing. You don’t need a complete act or even the intention to perform any time soon, only the desire to refine the more amorphous aspects that go into performance like… Week One we’ll focus on how to plan a physical performance work through selecting music or other auditory influence, mapping that soundscape, selecting choreography and transitions, how to manage stamina, and even how to enter and exit a stage and bow. (This class is more lecture-based, with the option to move, but not required.) Week Two will delve into the performance embellishments that make acts sparkle: the intricacies of armography , groundwork, and apparatus/prop connection/disconnection, stage presence, and how to connect with an audience from different parts of the stage and from different performance lenses. (This will be a physical class.) Week Three we’ll discuss how to set a rehearsal plan and the different ways to delve deeper into putting an act into the body through skills such as marking and tabula rasa. (This will be a physical class.) Take one, two, or all three classes! Hope to see you there and then later, on stage!! Photo by the excellent @haphazardimagination Image description: A workshop flyer featuring a performance photo of Alec reaching up amongst hanging chains circling him. It reads, “Performance Preparation Mini-Series. Sundays May 10th, 17th, and 24th, 4 to 5:30pm, Sign up at , Week 1: Planning a performance. Week 2: Performance embellishments - armography, stage presence. Week 3: Rehearsal strategies.”

Image description for five slides, each with a light beige background and the words “workshop info” in the upper left corner, as well as the slide page number in the bottom right: Slide one has a line art drawing of two hands and reads “What do I do with my hands?? Armography and Conveying Emotion Through Hands” Slide two reads “Armography: What’s it all about? If you browse my workshop brochure, you’ll find this sweet lil gem of a class that is so dear to me (and doesn’t even need aerial points!) I don’t get to teach it often and that might be due to how intimidating it is, so I’d love to alleviate some of that!” This slide has an image captured by user Memphis Moonshine that shows Alec standing on stage in a black satin dress. His hands are on his stomach and chains are hanging behind him. Slide three reads “If you’re newer to aerial or movement expression in general, you might be thinking, Alec, I’m just trying to build technique and skill vocabulary right now! My hands have other jobs like my safety! Great! Because a workshop is an augmentation to and never a substitute for your regular movement study, this is a place where you can try on other hats for your hands! It can give your brain access to different body awareness information you can then choose to incorporate into your skill-building practice. And! When you identify and bookmark pathways that feel safe and familiar in this workshop, they’ll be easier to riff on when it comes time to embellish a skill/phrase/act of your own! My hope is to help front-load and demystify the arm embellishment aspects of creation so it’s not so stressful to figure out right before a show! It’s never too early to experiment!“ This slide has an image captured by user Mx Wolfe and shows Alec standing next to his hanging chains on stage, with one hand reaching toward them. Image description continued in comments.

TWO WORKSHOPS with @alecwiththechains Intro to Bullwhips Friday, 3/13 from 1-3 pm Fee: $75/student Learn to crack a whip! In this course, we’ll cover basic bullwhip anatomy and physics, as well as beginner skills such as basic forward and overhead throws. We’ll combine these skills with dance transitions like body wrapping to create a short combination. Note: This class carries the risk of getting popped with a whip! Clothing that covers as much of your skin as possible is recommended. If loud popping sounds make your nervous system nervous, some hearing protection is also recommended. Aerial Chains: Spinning & Sequencing Sunday, 3/15 from 7:15-9:15 pm Fee: $100/student Spinning on looped chains makes for gorgeous flowing shapes that weave seemingly effortlessly from one to the next, creating a mesmerizing, “how’d that get there?!” effect for viewers. For performers, this one’s a satisfying brain-teaser! Designed for aerialists with a well-developed practice; having chains experience is helpful, but not a requirement. We will be exploring types of spinning with weight centered and off-center, and how to use that spin to release one of the chains, then recapture it. We ’ll also examine how to provide greater proprioceptive support for generating spin and balancing in the chains with a fast spin. Pre-Reqs: Students should be comfortable with multiple pull ups and possess good spin tolerance!   Sign up on MindBody today! #aerialchains #bullwhips #workshops #chains #denvercircuscollective

Hope is a weapon, and so is what I’ve been quietly working on! Three months ago, I started the process of applying to graduate programs. I’ve since been accepted to 3 of the 4 so far, one of which being my heart’s desire: a critical studies program focusing on aesthetics and politics. Even farther back than that, I started writing an incredibly ambitious essay in 2023 titled Un-Sanitizing Circus. I finished this essay in December and presented it to this critical studies department, even though I have no formal background in theory or even writing. But hey, when I started circus in 2013, I had no movement background, either! Hope is a weapon! Anyway, since I’ve been accepted, I’ve decided to publicly share the essay! It will be available for free.99 on that other platform we mustn’t speak of here, but where you can find my other writings and full performances. The link to that is always on my website, and I’ll share a more direct link in my stories. Image description: A masked Alec is holding his hands together over her crossed legs to show that the knuckles read “hope is a weapon” tattooed on them. He has long, pink irridescent nails, hand tattoos, and double loop chains are hanging behind her.

The inimitable @alecwiththechains is back, sharing a work in progress that will be so fun to explore and discuss together! Join us for Denver Scratch! Tickets link in bio! 📸 @mx.wolfe

Hey Denver, let’s get together again! I’ll be back in March and looking forward to sharing more whips and chains with you! While the workshop names may look familiar, they are new, updated, living versions of these classes and are different every time I teach them because we are all different each time! Super stoked to share the new things I have with you. 🥰 Don’t forget to stay hydrated, have your area’s rapid response network number saved, know where you can tap into mutual aid nearby, call your representatives, and take care of your nervous system. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. 🖤 Image description: A black background photo features one of Alec’s hands holding a coiled whip and one of Alec’s hands reaching up next to chains hanging vertically. The text reads “Denver Workshops. Dancing with Danger: Intro to Bullwhips Friday March 13th 1 to 3 pm. Spinning and Sequencing on Aerial Chains Sunday March 15th 7:15 to 9:15pm. Save your spot at circuscollective.com.”

Reworking, refining. Big works take a really long time to iron out. Like @thetanyaburka said in a recent post, the small details are constantly under a microscope of “internally rotate my leg a little more to keep the illusion of the foot not moving,” etc. And so, I feel like I don’t have as much video footage to post unless you want to keep watching me minutely change that leg rotation until the foot floats like I want it to. Some of the other changes I’ve needed to make on this work are sustainability ones. My performance style for chains is a bit of an endurance pain challenge: in order to achieve some of the visual effects I want, I have to stay in very uncomfortable (and sometimes risky) positions much longer than I would choose to do on other apparatuses. For instance, this section I’m reworking to take the inverted skill off of my collarbone and have moved it to my hips, where I can stay upside down longer, but now have to sort out the free chain pathway because my foot is inevitably in the way. I’ve also moved my crossed-leg ankle hang positioning after having some neuropathy concerns when entering it from a different shape. That’s all! Just a typical training sesh with my open gym buddies like @fi_cansino and @lyskei in the background. 😌 Video description in comments.