Work is a real balancing act for Zero Gravity Circus duo

We all struggle with balance in our lives. But these people struggle, literally, with balance – and when they slip up, the costs are high. Ben Burland, 35, and Jen Georgopoulos, 38, are members of Toronto's Zero Gravity Circus, and spend their days doing complicated tricks that rely on a clear mind and a great sense of how to attain equilibrium. They spoke to The Globe and Mail about whether they've got a head start when it comes to balancing their lives.

When did you decide you wanted to do this for a living?

BB: I was maybe 20. I had a regular job and decided that was no fun. So I decided to do something more independent.

JG:About 13 years ago. I was a gymnast growing up. I studied kinesiology and planned to go into medicine but I went to school in Seattle to become a stunt person and just met someone that was going to do a recreational adult trapeze class. I thought, that would be fun, and once I did it, I was immediately back where I should be. Being in the body and being physical was my right life.

How did you discover your balancing skill?

BB: I bought a unicycle because I thought it was a weird thing I should do, on a whim. I'd never seen anyone do it before. Then I saw a performance and I thought I should do something like that. I kept adding things to it.

What is the question you get asked the most when you tell people you work at the circus?

BB: "Do you get paid to do this?"

JG:"What do you do? Is it dangerous? Do you get hurt?" Mostly, people are just like, "Oh, cool!"

Do you find yourself balancing things around the house?

BB: Anything and everything.

What do you think about when you're staying balanced on things?

BB: I think about trying to keep everything aligned, everything central. You have deviations from that but, ultimately, you just want to bring it back to that centre line. It's a constant series of corrections.

JG:When the trapeze is at the horizontal point of its swing, you flip and twist and catch back on your same trapeze. It has to be absolutely perfect timing. If you're off for a fraction of a second, you smash. It's very much about being calm, waiting for the timing, and then going when you're supposed to go. For the other things I do, like silk and hoop, I've been doing them for so long and they're easier for me – so when I'm out there I can really just get lost in the act and emotion, which I love.

Is there anything you avoid thinking about?

BB:Yeah, you've got to be clear. Your mind has to be free of distractions. If you're juggling machetes in front of a group of people, high in the air, your mind can't be wandering because, then, so are the machetes.

JG:Try to avoid thinking about anything. When I train, I can be on the equipment practising here but also someone's shouting to me about booking a birthday party and I've got my head half into my e-mails and I'm okay with that because I'm not running an act, I'm running tricks. When I'm running an act, I don't think of anything. It's the best place for me to be. I'm completely lost in the artistry of the act. The trapeze is probably the most Zen place for me to be because I can't think of anything else or I'm not going to execute it properly. So I'm extremely in the moment when I'm up there.

How do you gain that focus?

BB: Repetition, over time.

What is your favourite feat to perform?

BB: I do a wine-glasses-on-a-mouth-stick balancing routine that is fairly unique that I'm known for.

JG: Swinging trapeze.

How do you achieve balance in other parts of your life?

BB:Practice.

Is your life philosophy influenced by how much time you spend thinking about balance?

JG: I worry sometimes that I'm not as balanced in life as perhaps I should be. Because I spend 12 hours a week on the road going to Montreal and training there, and then I'm really busy here with shows and the school, my personal life doesn't get exercised that often.

That being said, I work in the circus! My life is super-social

and I'm with these big

personalities all the time, so I don't feel like I'm missing out on much … except perhaps some down time.

This interview has been condensed and edited.