by Linda Ray . photos by Brent Fleury

At night, it’s not unusual to find Anna Holbrook dangling perilously 20 feet in the air from a thin piece of colored silk. But by day, her feet are planted firmly on the ground.

You’ve probably seen the 29-year-old Ashevillean, a member of the aerial dance performance group The Libravado Sisters, at arts festivals, fundraisers and downtown clubs like Scandals. "Anywhere that has high ceilings," she says. But what you probably didn’t know is that the tall slender blonde teaches children with learning disabilities at Woodfin Elementary School and has a daughter, Maylee, who’s five. Holbrook is getting her master’s degree in special education at Western Carolina University, attending school full time between dance and teaching gigs. "I have to keep moving," says Holbrook, who’s spent time in Mexico doing fire-spinning shows. "I get bored easily."

About a year ago, Holbrook and two other aerialists created The Libravado Sisters, an imaginary Russian family. Libravado is a combination of the Latin word for balance, "libra," and "bravado," which means bravery. Now that one of the "sisters," chiropractor Renee Graziano, has left the group, the group consists of Holbrook, whose stage name is Annabella, and SamiTe Lev (Zamitenova), and their rigger, Forrest Kelly (Ushba). Kelly, a professional tree climber, occasionally stands in for performances.

The trio recently found a new rehearsal space at High Flight Gymnastics in downtown Asheville. The best part: its padded floor and 22-foot ceilings. "The hardest part of our job is finding rooms that are high enough," she says.

Having a creative outlet like aerial performance does help keep her sane, she says. But she also loves teaching, and for now doesn’t intend to make aerial arts her full-time gig. "We’re not just flying by the seat of our pants," she says. "We all have other lives and none of us has any intention of running away with the circus."

Catch the Libravado Sisters at the Fairy Tale Ball at Club 828 on April 24, starting at 9pm. For details, check www.libravadosisters.com.