When thinking of sports, you might think of football, basketball, baseball, volleyball, etc. Sophomore Shanun Sun sees them as a way of living on the edge. A year ago, Sun began the art of aerial acrobatics, otherwise known as aerial silks.

“Aerial silk is a silk that hangs from the ceiling and can hang one of two ways, but you just do movements on it,” Sun said. “You don’t realize that you are doing it, but, by the end, you are really sore because you have been holding yourself up for so long.”

In class, the instructor will show students a move and then each person will go through it with the instructor. While waiting for their turn, the acrobats do push-ups or curl-ups. Acrobats will usually do climbs, wraps and drops in each session.

“Drops are the scariest but the most fun,” Sun said.

Sun not only practices aerial silks; she continues her passion of rock climbing that she’s had since fourth grade. Sun was a former student at Bemis Elementary School but moved to Shanghai and spent her middle school years there.

“When I climb here, there’s a lot more people—usually adults—at Planet Rock that are just doing it for a workout or hobby,” Sun said. “When I was climbing in China, I did it with a coach and there was a lot of younger students who were competing.”

Sun does not prefer one sport over the other.

“Rock climbing is more physical, but still has that artistic element because you have to think your way up,” Sun said.. “Then aerial is a lot more about just looking pretty.”

Some may say that one who possesses a passion like this makes them unique, but Sun disagrees.

“I think that it’s just like any other passion,” said Sun. “I care about it and I am working to get better at it.”