Girl Gone Wild: Slackline Girl Dominique Harrison

Photo by Charles Yacoub

Slacklining may just be the most challenging thing I've ever tried (if you don't know what it is, check out my post on getting inspired to try it here). Still, when I see women like Dominique Harrison walking gracefully across the line, I can't help but envision myself there. So I caught up with the well-balanced lady to learn a little more about her sport and chat about slacking with elephants and challenging the guys:

Tell me about yourself, Dominique.
I was born in Scotland and grew up in Uganda, Indonesia and Kenya (where home is at the moment). I'm 20 years old and at university in Brighton, England where I'm training to be a teacher.

How did you get into slacklining?
Someone told me about it and I went along to a session that was linked with my university, and as soon as I tried it I was addicted.

How long did it take you to walk all the way across a slackline for the first time?
I think the first time I walked a 15 meter line was my fourth time I went to a session. I was so determined!

What's the hardest obstacle to overcome when learning and what's your advice to doing so?
Everyone will have different obstacles. The first trick I found difficult was the butt bounce, but I was so focused on doing it that after a lot of practice I got it, and the satisfaction was so worth it. When you're trying to conquer something on the line, it really is about balance, not just of the body but of the mind. You really have to concentrate and relax at the same time.

Photo by Sophie Harrison

I'm a total beginner myself, so can you give me the rundown on what you need as far as equipment goes?
All you need is a slackline, including a rachet or a pulley system that should come with the line , two tries or poles as anchor points, and some tree protection (I use bits of old cardboard). To start with, you're probably best off with a short trickline (a line lower to the ground that you do tricks on as opposed to a highline, which is longer and, believe it not, higher ha!). You can usually get them about 15 meters long, but if you set it up between two trees closer together, it's easier and you can lengthen as your confidence increases. It's also easier to start off barefoot, as you can feel the line better, but closed, tightly laces shoes work well too, especially when you start doing tricks.

Where's the scariest place you've slacklined?
The other day I was slacking here at home in Northern Kenya, and I didn't realize until I took my line down that there was a large bull elephant watching me from about 12 meters away. That was fun. I love to slack over rivers or the sea, too. Oh, and I like to slack higher off the ground with a harness. It gives me a bit of an adrenaline pump.

Photo by Josima Quintelier

What do people ask you when they see you slacking?
I get a lot of "are you in the circus?" questions. My favorite is when someone (usually a guy) comes up and chats about how he has great balance and how it looks so easy, then has a go at it and crumbles as soon as he gets up. They usually swallow their pride and leave.

What goals have you set for yourself?
Right now I want to start doing some good trick combinations on the trickline, then take it from there. I also really want to try doing longer and higher lines because then I can do do them in epic places.

Photo by Sophie Harrison

What's your advice for leading a happy, healthy life?
Take fewer things seriously, take risks and make mistakes, go on trips to places you've never been, and never stop learning. As cheesy as it sounds, coming from a slackliner, it's all about balance.

Thanks Dominique! And a big thank you to Jillian from SlacklineGirls for introducing us!