MSA & Circus Arts, Chicago

As a graduate of the world-renowned Moscow State Circus school and former performer with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus, Nourbol Meirmanov knows a thing or two about flying through the air with ease. Aside from his impressive physical capabilities and wealth of unique fitness knowledge, Nourbol possesses a passionate desire to share the joy of acrobatics and circus arts with other people, including his son Almas. After working with his dad as a young boy, Almas went on to perform professionally, compete in several international festivals, and act as a stuntman in a number of movies. Now fully grown, Almas has joined his dad to helm a team of experienced trainers at MSA & Circus Arts, a not-for-profit public charity that Nourbol founded.

The warehouse-like space's floor and exposed-brick walls are lined with colorful padding that cushions the landings of amateur athletes preparing for sports-acrobatics competitions. Here, they introduce kids and adults to the thrill of the aerial arts, teaching them to gracefully dance and spin on swinging trapezes and suspended silks, as well as demonstrate other circus arts such as juggling and clowning. During contortion classes, an instructor from the Mongolian Circus School shows students how to twist their bodies into the shape of their own handwritten signatures. The crew also leads competitive-cheer sessions and circus-arts classes designed for preschoolers and homeschooled kids.