The Gymnast

Plot Summary

Jane Hawkins was once one of America's top gymnasts, but events and injury prevented her from fulfilling her Olympic destiny. Almost twenty years have passed in obscurity, working hand to mouth as a massage therapist while slowly disappearing in a passionless marriage. In an attempt to give meaning to her life, she has been secretly trying to get pregnant, against her husband David's wishes. Though still in peak condition, her doctor informs her that she may have waited too long to have children. And without David's money, she can't afford the fertility drugs that might make the difference. A chance meeting with Denise, a former gymnastic teammate, provokes Jane to reexamine her life and past. While visiting a gymnasium, she is recognized by a coach, who recruits Jane for a completely different kind of venture: being part of a Cirque du Soleil type of aerial act. Also recruited to be part of the act is an enigmatic dancer named Serena.