Durban - Paging through the CV of a PhD student specialising in optic science, one would expect to see a long list of published research papers and game-changing projects.
One thing one would not expect to see on the list of interests that include computer simulations, mathematics and quantum computing, is circus-style aerial dance and acrobatics.
However, Benjamin Perez, who “aced” a Bachelors in Engineering Physics and a Masters in Electronic Engineering and is currently completing his PhD in Optics, is also a trained cirque du soleil-style aerial acrobat. Perez is currently on a four-month research stay with the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s (UKZN) School of Physics.
“I always used to like gymnastics and circus stuff, but I’ve been working and studying. But five years ago I decided to start training to be in the circus,” said the 29-year-old Mexican.
And that is exactly what Perez did in his home town of Monterrey. “We actually have a few circus academies in Mexico. So I started taking classes and training.”
The advantage Perez had was that he already spent a lot of time at the gym. “I was already into lifting weights. So I already had a bit of upper body strength.
“When I told my mother and grandmother, they just laughed at me and told me to focus on my studies. But they also get worried because obviously there is a risk when you’re 15m up using silk straps or the hoop, and you’re only hanging by your hands. There is no net, no security. So if you fall, you’re screwed,” he said.
When he knew he had risky performances coming up, he would never tell his mother. He admits, however, to loving the adrenalin rush.
When asked what attracted him to the circus, his answer was simple. “The fact that I can make art with my body.”
One of the unique aspects of acrobatics training in comparison to normal training in the gym is its difference in energy use. Perez said if you were efficient in your energy use, you did not get tired and drained.
“Training at the gym, you can get injured and often use up more energy than necessary.” Perez explained that the big muscles that men like to train, such as the biceps and the chest, were not the vital muscles needed to be an aerial acrobat. “In this kind of discipline, you actually use the smaller muscles around your shoulders and underarms.”
Since 2013, Perez has actively taken part in national and international circus performances for Dragon Espectaculos and Tour de Force respectively. “Being in the circus in Mexico is not weird, but it is also not common,” he said.
Perez’s daily routine involves a strict diet and at least one hour of training a day to maintain his physique.
For breakfast he has granola with milk and fruit and occasionally an egg. For a mid-morning snack he has fruit; for lunch he has chicken; tuna as a mid-afternoon meal and, for dinner, fish and vegetables. “Because I am doing research all the time, my brain is asking for sugar and carbohydrates. But I cannot have those carbs. The problem is I love bread!”
Although he admits a career in physics, maths and quantum computing is more than just a stone’s throw from performing internationally for a Mexican circus, Perez believes, just like any hobby, aerial acrobatics is a rehabilitation of the mind. “If you want to turn off your brain and do something… that’s all it is.”
From May 25 until June 5, Perez will have to put away his silks and straps as he and his mentor, Professor Thomas Konrad, will be jetting off to Chennai, India, to conduct further research at the Institute of Mathematical Sciences.
Independent on Saturday