Meet Luca Flores | Aerial Acrobat

We had the good fortune of connecting with Luca Flores and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Luca, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
When I was younger, I used to do gymnastics. It was a lot of fun being able to perform tricks in a routine in front of judges and I really enjoyed the competition aspect of it. However, once I was finished with level 7 at the age of 11, I was too young to move up to the next level. So, without wanting to repeat a year of gymnastics I decided to join my parents at their aerial gym and do aerial acrobatics. Looking back on my experience with gymnastics, I’m very glad that I now have the freedom of choosing my performance style(s) and tricks, which I didn’t have in gymnastics before. I chose to do aerial acrobatics because it kept me healthy and fit and I have a lot of freedom in creating my routines and coming up with new tricks or using old ones. It really is a newer branch of acrobatics that has an ever growing library of tricks and moves that never end.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
When I first started aerial, I saw a trick on Instagram that really caught my attention: a full twist. It involves swinging to the side, letting go, twisting, and regrabbing. I relentlessly trained that move until I finally caught it at the age of 11. Then I decided to level up my trick and did one full twist followed by another at the age of 12. Then I became more ambitious and decided to go for two twists before catching the rope. I finally caught the trick when I was 13 years old in early 2020. This, “double full” as we call it, has become my signature move and is rarely competed on the aerial rope. I have brought routines including this move and others to competitions and festivals like the Festival Internacional Del Circ Elefant d’Or in Girona, Spain and The Viva Fest in Las Vegas. I got to where I am today professionally from working hard and doing my best to improve my technique and skills and creating connections with people I meet. The process wasn’t exactly easy as it took a lot of time to refine my technique and skills to the point they are at now. I have been doing aerial for around 7 years now and every second of it has counted towards my current status in the aerial world. My parents helped me overcome the mental and physical blocks that have obstructed my path in the past. They push me to do better every day and I’m very thankful for that. They have definitely been the driving force behind helping me overcome obstacles and hardships. One lesson that I’ve learned along the way is that you have to try your hardest when training and to be kind to the people around you. I want the world to know that I’m ready for any opportunities it gives me. I’m always happy to try as many things as I can and meet as many people as I can.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I would personally start with taking them to the San Diego zoo or safari park as those are very enjoyable to go see and visit. Sea World is also a lot of fun for both rollercoaster rides and seeing ocean animals and stunt shows. I would also take them to La Jolla Cove for a beautiful place to eat at the Brockton Villa Restaurant, which has very good food and a good view. Other than that, if we had time I would take them on a drive through the city at night and go see what’s happening there.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My parents definitely deserve a lot of credit and recognition. My mom has helped me a lot with figuring out my future path and setting me up for success by connecting me with a lot of great people, who can help forward my professional acrobat career. Both my mom and my dad have helped me with all of my aerial training and have made me the person I am today. I am very thankful for their love and support.

Website: https://linktr.ee/lucaflores

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lucacirque?igsh=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr