My crazy circus life. How in the world does one come to want to do circus? Take one flexible gymnast, add in 6 shows of Cirque du Soleil and my parents who allow me to dream openly and in living color, that’s how I came to love the circus.

I live in small town America. We do have a very large, diverse and extremely artsy community since we also have a major university here however what we don’t have are any circus training centers. I have found one or two people who have experienced circus opportunities in the past and what I would love most is to bring this really fun art form to the front and center in our community. I know there are more kids, and adults, like me who have this passion. If we could just get them all together and open a training center, my heart may be overjoyed and filled with love!

Due to not having those options, I am fairly self taught in almost everything I know. I have “how-to” manuals to learn aerial silks. I have watched countless YouTube videos and Instagram videos, I have simply just tried new things hoping that I am doing them right. Four years ago, I was lucky enough to start attending an actual advanced circus camp. I have attend Circus Smirkus for 2 summers and The National Cirque School program in Montreal for 1 summer. Outside of those 2 weeks per year, I am on my own.

Things I have taught myself and then perfected at summer camps: aerial silks, lyra, rolla bolla, tightwire/slackline, juggling, diabolo, hand balancing/contortion, chinese pole and more.  I am also lucky enough to have friends who built a tightwire that I use, my parents built me hand balancing canes, my gymnastics training center allowed me to hang and practice on my aerial silks in their facility. If you want to do something badly enough, you find a way.

For all of my self taught training, I cannot be more excited that Circus Smirkus has looked beyond the things I am not perfect at and have seen that I am determined and willing to do what it takes to be there. This opportunity is a game changer for me, thank you to everyone who has believed in me all these years, to those that have said no as well as yes (it only made me work harder) and to Smirkus for the best phone call of my life!