Vanessa Cerrito makes a living flying through the air.

As an aerialist with "Waikiki nei" — a Cirque du Soleil-type artistic production that celebrates Waikiki's past and present — a harnessed Cerrito wows audiences from 30 feet above them as she glides on a surfboard or hangs gracefully from straps in a swimming scene.

"Oh, it's awesome and so much fun," said Cerrito, whose character, Estrella (Cerrito named her herself), is a visitor from Spain who falls in love with an Island boy.

Cerrito is one of those fortunate few: Not only does she love her job, it's thanks to her work that she's in such great shape.

Cerrito performs in the show once a day, six days a week. In addition to the physical demands of the actual performances, Cerrito takes time before each show to practice — a workout in itself.

It all starts with her 30-minute walk to the "Waikiki nei" theater. Once there, she spends about another 30 minutes doing yoga and Pilates stretches to warm up.

That's followed by nearly an hour of practicing on stage with the nylon straps used in the production. Described by Cerrito as sturdy "rock-climbing" straps, she uses them to go over the acrobatics involved in the performance — whether hanging from just one hand or hanging upside down.

She also includes additional stretches while on the straps during rehearsals to help strengthen her muscles, she said.

Then comes Cerrito's favorite part — the show itself — which is about an hour and 15 minutes long.

"It's like that adrenaline high," said Cerrito, a former dancer and aerialist with "Ulalena," a similar production on Maui that combines acrobatics, projected visuals and Hawaiiana. "It's a rush, and it just brings me happiness."

Cerrito ends her day with more yoga and Pilates right before bed.

An interesting side note: Cerrito is pregnant and due on Feb. 25. But she plans on performing for as long as she's allowed by her obstetrician.

"Right now, I feel great," Cerrito said. "I feel like I could do it forever."

VANESSA CERRITO

Age: 34

Profession: dancer, aerial acrobat and actress

Home: Honolulu; born in Chicago

Height: 5 feet 4

Weight: 107 pounds

Stays in shape by: aerial training, yoga, Pilates and dancing six days a week, along with eating well

When and why I started working out: "I've danced since I was 4. I never really considered it working out, though. I really got into yoga when I was in my early 20s, and Pilates came shortly after. I really started 'working out' when I was asked to start training to be an aerial acrobat in 'Ulalena' about 2 1/2 years ago."

My good foods/bad foods: "Good stuff — kale, flax, pumpkin seeds, quinoa, kombucha, tempeh, salmon, fruits, all kinds of veggies. Bad stuff — french fries!"

My biggest motivator: "The intense and beautiful high I get from creating beauty and sharing my love for art with my cast mates and the audience."

What saves my sanity: "Painting and dancing like a crazy woman till all hours of the night."

Advice for those in the same boat: "Find what you love and do it for as long as you possibly can."