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Andy Evangelista
first appeared 27 September 1999 She Flies with the Greatest of Ease Fourth-year UCSF medical student Elysa Marco does not spend all of her time in the hospital. At least two days a week, she escapes the rigors of medical education through a different type of training. At her other school, she can even call some of the faculty a bunch of clowns. Marco attends the San Francisco School of Circus Arts where she is mastering the art of flying trapeze. "Some people go to the gym; some people go hiking or rock climbing; I fly on the trapeze," says Marco.
The San Francisco School of Circus Arts is a quick tumble from the Parnassus campus. It is located in the old Polytechnic High gymnasium on Frederick Street, across from Kezar Stadium. Marco was hunting for an apartment when she learned about the school from a landlord. He mentioned that he took a flying trapeze class and she checked it out. For Marco, it was love at first leap. "I was addicted immediately," she said. "Not only is flying completely exhilarating, but it’s great exercise and a potent stress reliever. We spend so much of our day using our brains, it’s nice to give the rest of our body a chance to learn." Marco, who has a background in dance, says that anyone can do the trapeze. The only prerequisite is that you must be able to climb the 30-foot ladder. Trapeze flying does not require extraordinary athletic ability or daring, she insists. Her classmates have ranged from videogame programmers to homemakers. Beginners start by putting on a safety harness, which is attached to ropes, and these safety lines are held securely by the coaches below. The next step is to grab the fly bar, step off the board and then you are flying. At the very first class, students can hang by their knees and fly across to the catcher. "Don’t worry," says Marco, "there’s always a net!" Medical school taxes the time of every student, but Marco has juggled her schedule over the years to retain frequent-flyer status. In addition to biweekly practice, she performs twice a year with her team of instructors and students at the circus school. Her current trick -- full of flipping and twisting -- is called the "fluxus." Flying trapeze and medical school are a lot alike, says Marco. They both require hard work, practice, patience and teamwork. Marco has no plans to join the circus any time soon. Instead, she intends to use her circus training as a pediatric resident in the Summer of 2000. Not a Multiplex Considering the cost of going to the movies, UCSF’s Cole Hall Cinema continues to be one of the campus’ best deals. On Thursday and Friday evenings during the school year, Cole transforms from lecture hall to movie theater. Variety again is offered this season, which begins October 7 with a family night showing of Disney’s "Tarzan" and ends with November 19 on romance night with "Runaway Bride." Other movies in the fall series include "Healing by Killing," the shocking documentary about Nazi Germany's euthanasia program to eliminate the mentally handicapped; a pre-Halloween showing of "The Creature from the Black Lagoon" (in 3-D); and the "Blair Witch Project." Admission for UCSF students and Millberry Union members is $2.50, and UCSF employees, other students and seniors pay only $3 -- less than most videos. Popcorn is $1.50-$2, and moviegoers may park for $1 in the UCSF garage. For the movie schedule, check out the Cole Hall Cinema website. Passing the Buck We found interesting a recent AP story that detailed the evolution of the vending machine. The Egyptians in 215 BC used them to dispense holy water, the Chinese in the year 1076 sold pencils, the English started taking coins for tobacco in the 1700s, and Tutti-Frutti gum was sold from machines at New York train stations in 1888. Today, vending machines are so sophisticated that they can grind coffee, instruct a robotic arm to move your soda slowly down the delivery door so it doesn’t explode in your face, and can track by computer which products are selling and at what time of the day. But what we really want is a machine that will suck up your dollar bill -- crumpled or crispy -- on the first try, and spit out a Pepsi or Hershey bar, so that you can get back to your desk quickly and get your keyboard all sticky. Readers: If you have any items or suggestions for this column, send us an email: aevangelista@pubaff.ucsf.edu . |
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Marco
has now been doing it for over five years, and she’s good enough to
be an "advanced flyer." In the circus world that’s equivalent
to being a graduate student -- you’re good enough to fly on your own
and tutor some of the beginners, but you better have the professor around
just in case.