High Flying Artistry takes courage
By Michael Williams
September 26, 2023

By day Leann Farley teaches silk aerial arts in the evening she performs with her partner Semyon Gruzdev at the Mountain of Entertainment Theater.

For silk aerial artist Leann Farley, a typical day of work involves dangling precariously 20 feet above the floor of her class teaching students the art of aerial acrobatics while suspended from two strands of silk. The art form was popularized in the 1990s by Andre Simard who developed an act for Cirque du Soleil.

Learning the demanding art form takes patience, passion, strength, flexibility, stamina but above all, courage. Farley teaches a class where she trains the next generation of aerial artists. When done well aerial artistry is as inspiring and graceful as a ballet.

Farley began her career as a dancer at the age of 15. Her passion for dance took her to numerous venues across the U.S. After high school she attended Missouri State University where she studied criminality. It was a degree she never put to use. Soon afterwards she was working in Branson, Missouri where she met a young Russian dancer, Semyon Gruzdev, who was performing at the Yakov Smirnoff Show. The two formed a friendship and soon began working together.

“Silk aerialism was something that always interested me,” said Farley. “Semyon and I purchased a set of silks and began practicing at the YMCA.” The two practiced and honed their newfound skill for seven months. After a lot of trial and error and careful planning the two formed the partnership known as Duo Artis.

Duo Artis perform a quick change act at the Mountain of Entertainment Theater.

The duo has performed on cruise ships, and at many destinations in the United States and overseas. The act has provided both a means to not only entertain audiences but an opportunity to see the world as well.

Duo Artis has performed at Dolly Parton’s Stampede and were regular cast members at the Smoky Mountain Opry for eight years until the show ended in 2011. Following the closing the pair began traveling the country for performances.

“For the past three years we have been performing in Indiana,” Farley said.

“We perform in Northern Indiana at Christmas time as well.

In addition to their silk aerial performance the pair perform a quick-change act in which they change their costumes in a blink of an eye during a dance routine.

“To do the quick-change costumes must be tailor made to fit a particular performer,” said Farley. “No one else can wear my outfits and I cannot wear someone else’s outfits.”

By day, Farley teaches her students of all ages the artform as well as strength conditioning, and occasionally helps her students to overcome fear of heights as well as teaching them to trust the silk strands that suspend them. By night, many of her students have visited the local theater where they can watch their instructor and her partner thrill their audience with acrobatic wizardry.

This past July Farley and Gruzdev joined the cast of Array at the Mountain of Entertainment Theater in Pigeon Forge where they perform nightly as a specialty act Monday through Saturday.

“Duo Artis combine a knowledge of dance, performance and aerial artistry with silks,” said Hugh Warren, producer of Array. “They will whirl and somersault in a beautiful flowing routine spinning twenty feet above the stage in a spine-tingling performance. They will wow people. There are no safety nets.”

Farley teaches silk aerial arts at Aerial Dance and Discipline in Sevierville. Duo Artis performs nightly at the Mountain of Entertainment Theater in Pigeon Forge.