'I feel like it’s meant to be': Eight-year-old Emirati acrobat finds her feet in the air

Eight-year-old Jawaher Essa Sharafi, an acrobat from the United Arab Emirates, is making a name for herself in the world of aerial athletics. Wearing a colorful outfit, she practices gracefully at Aerial Lab in Dubai, suspended from a hoop. The young athlete has already achieved international success, winning bronze in aerial hoop at the IAAA Grand Open Cup in Belgrade, Serbia, in September. At just two years old, Jawaher became the first Emirati to compete on the world stage in this unique discipline.

Aerial arts involve performing on suspended apparatus like hoops, trapezes, and silks, combining acrobatics with artistic expression. Jawaher trained primarily on the hoop, a metal circular apparatus, for its challenge and uniqueness. She describes the hoop as "the best" because it requires her to push her limits and challenge herself.

Her mother, Fatma Almadani, has been involved in aerial arts since she was a child, teaching and practicing the discipline. She encouraged Jawaher to join classes at six, despite the age restriction. Watching her mother's classes gave Jawaher the motivation to train alongside the older children. Competing on the world stage has given her confidence and allowed her to find her footing in this thrilling athletic pursuit.