This podcast is dedicated to circus. It’s a place for professionals in the industry to share their stories, view points, and information.
Support the podcast by becoming a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to circus. It’s a place for professionals in the industry to share their stories, view points, and information.
Support the podcast by becoming a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
Ulrike Storch describes herself as “Europe’s worst foot juggler,” and yet with some business smarts, she has performed all over the world. In this episode, she breaks down her strategy and gives Shannon some free business advice- current and aspiring performers listen immediately!
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Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Follow Shannon
IG: @shannon.mckenna.aerial
website: http://www.shannonmckennaaerial.com
________________
Find Ulrike Online:
Instagram (please follow her, it makes her feel popular) - @ulrikestorch
THE SELLING CIRCUS METHOD - https://www.ulrikestorch.com
See her foot juggling work - https://www.footjuggler.com/
One of the top aerial riggers in the UK gives practical advice and insane stories from his decades long career. A can’t miss episode!
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Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Follow Shannon
IG: @shannon.mckenna.aerial
website: http://www.shannonmckennaaerial.com
________________
WEBSITE: http://www.highperformanceproductions.net/
More Info on Circus Rigging: https://circusrigging.info/
No matter what stage in your career you’re at, we all feel a little lost sometimes and look for guidance from people ahead of us on the path. For many aerialists, Lindsey Butcher is one of those guides. She was one in the wave of dancers who took to the air in the early 90’s. In this interview, she talks about her journey and how we can all be our own creative guides.
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Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Follow Shannon
IG: @shannon.mckenna.aerial
website: http://www.shannonmckennaaerial.com
________________
Website: https://www.gravity-levity.net/
With 25 years of acrobatics, Isis Clegg-Vinell has experience with both the good (contracts with Cirque du Soleil and winning gold at festivals) and the bad (big falls and canceled career opportunities). Shannon met up with her in London to hear her story.
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Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Follow Shannon
IG: @shannon.mckenna.aerial
website: http://www.shannonmckennaaerial.com
________________
IG: @theveganacrobat @triovertex Links: Trio Vertex - https://www.triovertex.com/ Nathan&Isis - https://www.nathanandisis.com/ Other relevant episodes: Nathan Price: episode 34 Nadja Hauser: episode 137Megan Vaughan Giesbrecht went from being a single mother with a 9-5 job to being a single mother touring the world with the Australian circus company, Gravity and Other Myths. This inspiring interview offers insights into what it means to parent intentionally while living out the life that makes you feel the most like yourself.
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Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Follow Shannon
IG: @shannon.mckenna.aerial
website: http://www.shannonmckennaaerial.com
________________
IG: @acromegan
Website: https://www.acromegan.com/
Jerome Sordillon is an award winning straps artist who is entering a new phase of his career- touring with his family. Hear about how he’s doing it.
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: theartistathlete
Other guests mentioned in this episode:
Chloe Farrah- Episode 43
Erika Lemay- Episode 131
Aurelia Cats- Episode 115
How does an artist stay relevant in an industry that’s obsessed with young bodies and the next trend? Shannon talks to Nancy Smith, one of the trailblazers of aerial dance in North America, to discuss the importance of recognizing your teachers, keeping inspiration going, and gaining cockroach status.
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: theartistathlete
Learn More about Frequent Flyers:
No, you don’t have to be from a family. No, you don’t need to train animals. Yes, some gymnastics helps. But there’s more to it than that, and this week, cyr wheel artist Lea Toran Jenner tells it all!
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: theartistathlete
Follow her on TikTok: @leatoranjenner
Insta: @leatoranjenner
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3o7pb6nVPVQ
Aleksei Goloborodko shares wisdom on how to gain flexibility without getting injured and talks about his unique approach to the art of contortion.
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: theartistathlete
Follow him on Instagram: @galexey94kid
One of the pioneers of aerial silks, Ginger Alvarez talks candidly about her career trajectory and where she sees the art form going next.
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Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: theartistathlete
------------------------------------------------
People mentioned in this interview who have previously been interviewed:
Isabelle Chasse - Episode 80
Christine Van Loo - Episode 67
“If you want to change who’s in the audience, you need to change who’s onstage.” is the firm credo under which circus director Billy Alwen and his collaborators built Extraordinary Bodies- which focuses on representation for disabled circus artists.
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Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: theartistathlete
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Extraordinary Bodies Website: https://www.extraordinarybodies.org.uk/
Watch Humans: https://youtu.be/rgRGN08_W30
Cirque Bijou: https://www.cirquebijou.co.uk/
Guardian Article: https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2021/oct/05/circus-extraordinary-bodies-human
Youngstage is one of the largest platforms for artists under the age of 27. But why the age cut off? This is just one of the many topics addressed in this week’s interview with Nadja Hauser, the founder of Youngstage Festival.
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Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: theartistathlete
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Dr. Sherry Walling is a clinical psychologist and recreational aerialist. Shannon McKenna is a professional aerialist with a love for promoting conversations about mental health. Here’s an interview about grief.
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Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: theartistathlete
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For tickets and information about Touching Two Worlds visit: https://www.touchingtwoworlds.com/circus
To learn more about Sherry, visit here website: http://www.sherrywalling.com
Nami: https://www.nami.org/
Performance Psychologists:
Dr. Veronique Richards - episode 128
Dr. Kip Matthews - episode 14
Circus Specific Eating Disorder Specialist:
Dr. Jodie Richardson - episode 110
Hear a deep dive into the creative process of one of the most prolific circus directors of our time.
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Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: theartistathlete
-------------------------------------------------
Recommended Reading
Towards A Poor Theatre by Jerzey Growtowski
Theatre and It’s Double by Anton Artaud
‘The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction’ by Walter Benjamin
https://web.mit.edu/allanmc/www/benjamin.pdf
Hear interviews with artists who have worked with Circa
Lauren Joy Herley - 69
Lewis West - 61
Freyja Wild- 50
Introducing an iconic interview with the legendary Olga Pikhienko. The darling of Cirque du Soleil during its “heyday,” Olga talks about her flexibility, creative journey, and the power of positive thinking.
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Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: theartistathlete
----------------------------------------
Instagram: @olgaupsidedown
https://www.olgapikhienko.com/
Together with her twin sister, Serenity, and independently, Elsie Smith has a performing and teaching career spanning over 3 decades and revolutionized the way recreational aerial arts is taught.
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Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: theartistathlete
-----------------------------------
New England Center for Circus Arts
https://necenterforcircusarts.org/
Nimble Arts
Today’s guest parties hard and makes art even harder- Elena Brocade insists on living life on her own terms, and as a result, has revolutionized the art of aerial storytelling and quick change.
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Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: theartistathlete
---------------------------------------------
Website: http://www.elenabrocade.com
Instagram: elena_brocade
Elena’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/elenabrocade
Shayna Swanson’s interview is episode 26
Erika Lemay, one of the “New Queens of Circus,” tells tales of growing up fast, perfectionism gone right, and coming back from injury.
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Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: theartistathlete
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Web site: www.erikalemay.com
Instagram: http://instagram.com/erika.lemay
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ErikaLemayOfficial/
LEMAlab™ whose mission is to help performers have a long and injury-free career: www.LEMAlab.eu and has launched the first supplement on the market specifically created for flexibility and injury prevention.
The Book Almost Perfect — The Life Guide to Creating Your Success Story Through Passion and Fearlessness, available in your favourite bookstore online and off.
Today we talk to fire artist, hula-hooper and mega content creator Grace Good. After amassing over 8 million followers on TikTok, Grace is leading the way into the twenty-first century. We talk to her about how she gets brand deals and how she keeps her stage shows, street shows and online content fresh.
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Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: theartistathlete
--------------------------------------------------
Grace’s website: https://www.gracegoodcirque.com/
Episode 88 with Lisa Lottie: https://www.theartistathlete.com/episode-88-for-the-love-of-hula-hoops-with-lisa-lottie
Dominique Jando has been involved in the circus world for half a century and he has OPINIONS. This episode is challenging, insightful, and hopefully will spark wonderful conversations.
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Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: theartistathlete
---------------------------------------------------
Dr. Veronique Richard Ph.D. does extensive research in how creativity impacts physical performance- her favorite research subjects: circus artists. Listen in to find out her findings and mindset shifts that you can make to change how you train.
----------------------------------------
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: theartistathlete
----------------------------------------
Train Your Mind to Train Your Body: mental performance workshop
https://www.crowdcast.io/e/train-your-mind-to-train-2
Read more of Dr. Richard’s research
Watch Canadian Synchronized Figure Skating
Marco Motta has carried his culture with him from the streets of Brazil to the stage of Paris, but it hasn’t been an easy journey. He is still fighting prejudice and oppression with the greatest weapon he has: his art.
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Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: theartistathlete
-------------------------------------------------------
Marco’s Website: https://marcomottaart.wixsite.com/artist
Instagram: @ marcomottaart
Asnuci
https://www.facebook.com/Asnuci-nuevos-ciudadanos-por-la-interculturalidad-190535224651479/
Courage Collective
https://www.partnershipfunds.org/project-1-the-collective-courage-fund
Can a circus artist be great if they are all skills and no concept? What if they’re brilliant artists but have no technical ability? Jay Gilligan grapples with this and more on this week’s episode.
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Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: theartistathlete
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Get your ticket!
Interview referenced in podcast
http://www.juggling.org/people/interviews/gilligan.html
Jay’s Podcast
Can a circus artist be great if they are all skills and no concept? What if they’re brilliant artists but have no technical ability? Jay Gilligan grapples with this and more on this week’s episode.
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Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: theartistathlete
------------------------------------------------------------------
Get your ticket!
Interview referenced in podcast
http://www.juggling.org/people/interviews/gilligan.html
Jay’s Podcast
A trapeze star turned circus coach and sexual harm prevention educator in one of hopefully MANY conversations we can have about making the circus safer. ------------------------------------------------
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: theartistathlete
------------------------------------------------
CRISIS HELPLINES
https://www.rainn.org (USA)
https://endingviolencecanada.org/sexual-assault-centres-crisis-lines-and-support-services (Canada)
https://www.supportline.org.uk/problems/rape-and-sexual-assault (United Kingdom)
https://www.1800respect.org.au (Australia)
Other Resources
Watch Adie’s Tedtalk: https://www.ted.com/talks/adie_delaney_an_aerialist_on_listening_to_your_body_s_signals
Check out Adie’s Youth Circus School in Tasmania:
Instagram: @the_circus_studio
Instagram Account to anonymously report experiences to the circus community:
@victims_voices_circus
Advocacy and Education for Children in Sport
Center for Non-Violent Communication
Therapeutic interventions for peodophilic tendencies
https://troubled-desire.com/en/
Recommended reading:
The Body Keeps The Score by Bessel van der Kolk M.D.
Martin Frenette has been an aerialist for 17 years and hopes to do 15 more! He talks about how the industry has changed and what makes an act great.
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Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: theartistathlete
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Martin’s signature act: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qu40N0DO3xI
Instagram: @martinfrenetteonstage
Closing out 2021 with one of the most widely requested aerial duos- Girls Gone Rope! Eve and PJ talk about creating a duo rope act, the difference between festival and contract performing, and the importance of getting rid of Stressica.
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Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: theartistathlete
-----------------------------------------------
GGR Showreel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNpf4IuD4vA
IG: @girls_gone_rope
Many people dream of running away to join the circus, but today’s guest, who spent 6 years performing with Cirque du Soleil wanted to run away FROM the circus. What happened next was something she never could have imagined.
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Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: theartistathlete
---------------------------------------------------------- My interview in Corine’s podcast: https://www.corinemoments.com/Ulzii Kee was at one time one of the best mongolian contortionists on stage with Cirque du Soleil, but at what price?
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Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: theartistathlete
--------------------------------------------
Follow: @ulziikee
https://www.amicusmongolia.com/mongolian-traditional-art-contortion.html
https://eurasianet.org/mongolia-contortionists-aim-for-unesco-recognition
Viktor Kee is so much more than juggling. In this episode we discuss owning your work, inspiration and of course, what Viktor is up to next!
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Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: theartistathlete
----------------------------------------
Francis Brunn:
http://www.juggling.org/fame/fbrunn/index.html
Dralion:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0d0JtIqcc2E
“Light”:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vipk5JAnBF0
In 2014, in the middle of her circus career, Erin Ball’s life changed completely when she became a double below the knee amputee. After a year, she began a lifelong process of undoing ableism and sanism within herself and started relearning aerial arts. In this interview, she breaks down what it means to her to be disabled and gives suggestions on how the circus industry can become more accessible.
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Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: theartistathlete
-----------------------------------
Ever wondered how circus shows get made? Where do all the ideas and moneys come from? Josh and Lyndsay Aviner, independent producers who make circus shows and have a podcast about making circus shows, join Shannon on this crossover episode.
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Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: theartistathlete
---------------------------------
LISTEN to Shannon’s interview on the Hideaway Circus Podcast
http://hideawaycircus.com/podcast/2021/5/20/episode-106-shannon-mckenna-the-artist-athlete
@hideawaycircus
A question that has plagued many aspiring professional circus artists for YEARS is “how much should I charge for this stuff anyway?” And today, Ileigh Reynolds, artist, event co-ordinator and founder of the online company Circus Boss is here to give you some answers! ------------------------------------------------------------------
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: theartistathlete
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Links:
circusboss.com/gigpayguide
youneedabudget.com
Books:
Profit First but Mike Michalowicz
As circus artists, do we NEED social media in our lives? That’s the question this interview with Shante Coefield, physical therapist turned online entrepreneur, seeks to answer on this episode. Plenty of actionable tips and tricks to grow your social media presence in this episode (if that’s what you WANT to do.)
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Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: theartistathlete
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Books by White Guys that Shante mentions:
Steven Pressfield
Seth Godin
James Clear
GO WATCH THIS RIGHT NOW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLgMEXCyeN0
Aurelia Cats created not only an act, but an iconic style of trapeze in the early 2000’s. This interview is full of stories of gluing fake nails onto the skin of her fingers, doing doubles until she was bleeding in China, and playing the role of the “bad” judge on Celebrity Circus. Additionally, Aurelia reflects on the business of circus- then and now- and how to move forward in this new circus landscape.
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Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: theartistathlete
The famous Elena Panova originated swinging trapeze as it is today, but even this siren of the sky had to overcome fear and self-doubt to reach her greatest potential. Hear how she did it, and so much more.
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Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: theartistathlete
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For more on Elena:
IG: @elena.panova.trapeze
Rodleigh Stevens is a fifth generation circus performer, but his journey to the big top was anything but easy. His father died when he was young and his mother forbade him from following in his footsteps. Hear how passion won out and Rodleigh’s advice for coaching.
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: theartistathlete
Find Rodleigh online:
http://www.yourcircuscoach.com
IG: rodleigh_stevens
Circus Barum:
https://gettotext.com/gerd-siemoneit-barum-the-circus-legend-has-died/
Elena Lev hit the world’s stages young with an innovative hula hoop act that became a Cirque du Soleil staple, meanwhile, off stage, she was navigating the challenges of motherhood, evolving as an artist, and developing her other interests, while feeding her passion for the circus life.
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: theartistathlete
---------------------------------------------
For more on Elena:
Instagram: @hoopsact_elenalev
The Iconic Act: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rycHQRzQxHA
Kicking off our four part series on iconic stars of the circus is Richie Gaona, a fourth generation circus performer who flew with one of the most successful flying trapeze families of the time: The Flying Gaonas.
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: theartistathlete
-----------------------
Resources:
Richie Gaona website: https://flyingtrapeze.com/
The Flying Gaonas documentary: www.Theflightfantastic.com.
Richie Gaona at the World Acrobatic Society: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRofvWvvZ4Y
What causes an eating disorder? Why do some people get them and some don’t? How do you know if you have one? Dr. Jodie Richardson, clinical psychologist and eating disorder specialist, answers all of our questions and more.
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: theartistathlete
--------------------------------------
For more resources and support on Eating Disorders, please see the following links:
Dare to Fuel Performance - Training and consulting organization that educates and supports the sporting and performance arts environments in the prevention, management and treatment of eating disorders.
Connecte Montreal Psychology Group – Blog posts from the Connecte psychology team on eating and weight-related issues and body image. https://connectepsychology.com/en/library/blog/body-image-and-eating/
Alexia de Macar Nutrition Sport & Performance: co-founder of Dare to Fuel Performance www.alexiademacar.com
ANEB - Non-profit organization offering various services including support groups, resources, listening helpline, and conferences for individuals suffering from eating disorders, and their friends and family. https://anebquebec.com/
What causes an eating disorder? Why do some people get them and some don’t? How do you know if you have one? Dr. Jodie Richardson, clinical psychologist and eating disorder specialist, answers all of our questions and more.
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: theartistathlete
--------------------------------------
For more resources and support on Eating Disorders, please see the following links:
Dare to Fuel Performance - Training and consulting organization that educates and supports the sporting and performance arts environments in the prevention, management and treatment of eating disorders.
Connecte Montreal Psychology Group – Blog posts from the Connecte psychology team on eating and weight-related issues and body image. https://connectepsychology.com/en/library/blog/body-image-and-eating/
Alexia de Macar Nutrition Sport & Performance: co-founder of Dare to Fuel Performance www.alexiademacar.com
ANEB - Non-profit organization offering various services including support groups, resources, listening helpline, and conferences for individuals suffering from eating disorders, and their friends and family. https://anebquebec.com/
This episode deals with grief and circus. It is dedicated to Raphael Cruz and it's for anyone out there who is struggling with loss.
Ooops! Last week's episode was Part 2! Sorry about that y'all!
Francisco Cruz went from flipping around with his friends to touring some of the top stages in the world with his friends. While on the surface, his path seems like one of straight forward success, this interview reveals the twists, turns, and trials of an acrobat.
If you're an aerialist or pole artist who has ever been injured (or tried to pretend you weren't) this episode is for you! Dr. Simone Muscat is a physical therapist who specifically treats our tiny and extraordinary subset of the population.
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: theartistathlete
insta: @thepole.physio
website: http://www.simonemuscat.physio
After studying and working for companies in Montreal, Canada, aerialist Sabine returned to her hometown of Capetown, South Africa during the pandemic. In collaboration with students from Zip-Zap Circus, friends from school, and her father, Sabine created a fabulous made-for-video circus show, called Moya. Check it out by following this link: https://www.quicket.co.za/events/131310-moya-an-acrobatic-art-film/#/
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: theartistathlete
Follow Sabine: @circusbean
Follow Zip-zap Circus: @zipzapcircus
Expert rigger Delbert Hall explains everything you need to know to figure out if what you're hanging on is safe.
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: theartistathlete
Check out his online course: https://hallriggingacademy.thinkific.com/courses/aerial-rigging-safety
Episodes about rigging and safety-
Episode 1 with Rigger Brett Copes
Episode 28 with Rigger Kaz
Rachel Strickland is an artist and business coach who helps creative entrepreneurs. She runs The Audacity Project, a program for creatives who want to step up their game, but what makes her so special is she comes from the world of circus, so she knows what it's all about.
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: theartistathlete
Susan Voyticky has a singing and swinging lyra act that will knock your socks off and it makes no logical sense. This episode is all about following your heart.
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: theartistathlete
Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Krin Haglund is a clown, circus director, and the first female cyr wheel performer and she uses every part of her to create- from her humor, to her skills, to her hair (or lack thereof).
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: theartistathlete
Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
IG: @krinhaglund
Marion Crampe explains her life as a movement artist and shares her story. This episode is guaranteed to inspire you to dream big and work hard.
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: theartistathlete
Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Marion Crampe is online at: Marioncrampe.com
Instagram: @marioncrampe
John Gilkey's influential performance style defined Cirque du Soleil's clowning style. This interview is a funny, upbeat, and surprising look at how this comedy master transforms himself and his students in ways both ridiculous and sublime.
https://www.theidiotworkshop.com/
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: theartistathlete
Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
It's episode 100 and The Artist Athlete Podcast is celebrating it with our most ambitious project yet! Today, we're interviewing Victor Fomine, a legendary coach who invented swinging trapeze in Russia and introduced it to the world. Thanks to everyone who made this episode possible!
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theartistathlete/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_artist_athlete/
String quartet playing in the streets of Paris - lmartins on freesound.org licensed under CCBY 3.0
In this two part repeat, Veronica Blair tells the story as one of the premiere aerialists in the USA and how she tells the stories of the contribution African American circus performers who came before her.
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
In this two part repeat, Veronica Blair tells the story as one of the premiere aerialists in the USA and how she tells the stories of the contribution African American circus performers who came before her.
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Benjamin Domask-Ruh spends a great deal of time thinking about circus- what it is and what it might not be and in a rare break from her normal role as interviewer, Shannon can't help but chime in.
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Kristina started training contortion at age 31 and now runs Fit & Bendy, a thriving contortion studio in Hollywood, CA. Hear her unusual story and pick up some pearls of wisdom along the way!
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theartistathlete/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_artist_athlete/
Other episodes for bendy people:
Serchmaa Byamba #23
Catie Brier #35
Micah Walters #63
Philip Tigress #8
This week we continue the journey of following Ron Oppenheimer in his first year as a professional circus artist. Follow his journey from the beginning on Episode 21!
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theartistathlete/
Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Instagram: @ronoppenheimer
It is impossible to feel sad after Marawa Wamp skates through- she is a performer and business woman who holds multiple world records in hula hoop and roller skating and runs a thriving online business, I Want To Go To Paradise. Enjoy her tales of peas stabbing and pandemic success on this episode.
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: theartistathlete
Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Follow Marawa on IG: @marawa
Marawa’s amazing store, I Want To Go To Paradise:
https://www.iwanttogotoparadise.com
Here’s a rabbit slam dunking a basketball:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNJmeXb4Y0A
I couldn’t find the pea stabbing record, but here’s the pea BLOWING record: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxtuyqV2o8U
The delightful Genevieve Bessette made history when at 12 years old, her coach measured the length of her leg and manufactured for her a steel hoop to perform on. Today, this apparatus is known around the world as the aerial hoop, the cerceau, or lyra. This episode is all about innovating, who gets credit for it, and how to continue to be creative, even when you're an adult with bills to pay.
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
This interview occurred on the day all the gyms in Montreal shut down again, and Olaf Triebel did the long distance over the internet version of hold me and tell me it was all going to be ok. And he would know! He is an accomplished performer and works behind the scenes as a director and choreographer, and has a reputation for excellence in coaching hand balancing.
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: theartistathlete
Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
This episode contains mention of:
The 7 Fingers- a circus company in Montreal (listen to episodes 80 and 78)
The CHAMÄLEON Theater - a contemporary circus venue in Berlin (listen to episode 45)
BrJTWLlyMQth7H9a0puF
Sosina Wogayehu started funding her circus dreams at the age of 6, selling cigarettes on the streets of Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia. After a long international career as a contortionist and juggler, Sosina returned to Ethiopia to foster the rich traditions of Ethiopian circus and share them with the world.
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: theartistathlete
Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Circus Ethiopia
Sosina's Josephine Baker Inspired Act
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tXK6SvzELQ&feature=emb_logo
Sosina's Water Box Contortion Act:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ri9sG6uiri4&feature=emb_logo
Michelle Francis Clarke and Yammel Rodriguez are internationally renowned circus artists who rose from challenging backgrounds to unlikely achievements. When COVID-19 hit Germany, they used their creativity and street smarts to develop a roving performance inspired by their cultures (Yammel from Mexico and Michele as an African American) selling freshly baked cookies.
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/theartistathlete
Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Instagram: @krml_cookies
Marina Luna, a working aerialist at age 48, began her circus career at 30 years old. She was invited to perform with her partner Cameron McHenry at a circus festival in Moscow. However, during the festival there was a fall and the duo stopped working together. In this interview, Marina tells a story of resilience and redemption that helped her achieve her place back in the spotlight.
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/theartistathlete
Instagram: www.instagram.com/the_artist_athlete/
Duo de Luna, rehearsal for Idol Festival: https://youtu.be/wmkWGnH8hos
Luna Girls in Weltweinachtscircus, Stuttgart: https://youtu.be/Flbg7bGVuGE
Jonathan Lee Iverson is on the mic! Ringling Brother and Barnum & Bailey's youngest, first New Yorker, and first African American ringmaster joins the podcast today to wax philosophic on raising children, singers as athletes, and the evolution of the circus industry.
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/theartistathlete
Instagram: www.instagram.com/the_artist_athlete/
Jonathan Lee Iverson
Website: https://www.bigtopvoice.com/
Instagram: @lastringmaster
Steve Smith- episode 24
Harlem Boys Choir - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boys_Choir_of_Harlem
John Howard Griffin (journalist, author of Black Like Me)
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/black-like-me-50-years-later-74543463/
Markus Garvey (political activist)
https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/marcus-garvey
Elijah Mohammad (NOI leader)
https://www.noi.org/honorable-elijah-muhammad/
John Henrik Clarke (professor- creator of African studies in US university system)
https://www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/john-henrik-clarke-born/
Dr. Francis Cress Welsing (psychiatrist)
https://aalbc.com/authors/author.php?author_name=Frances+Cress+Welsing
Molefi Kete Asante (philosopher)
http://www.asante.net/biography/
James Welden Johnson (lawyer and poet)
https://www.naacp.org/naacp-history-james-weldon-johnson/
W.E.B. Du Bois (sociologist)
One of the original choreographers of aerial dance in the Bay Area, Joanna Haigood, talks about her influences growing up on the east coast and then moving to San Francisco (20:20). She expounds upon her fascination of architecture as an access point for telling the stories of place (24:00), highlighting the African American experience (31:00) and using her art as activism (37:20)
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/theartistathlete
Instagram: www.instagram.com/the_artist_athlete/
Joanna's Company:
instagram: @zacchosf
References:
Meredith Monk
Martha Graham
Trisha Brown
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/20/arts/dance/trisha-brown-dead-modern-dance-choreographer.html
W.E.B. Du Bois
Lisa Lottie is a one woman show who has traveled the world for over a decade with her hula hoops. In this interview, we dive into how she got her start at a traditional circus in India (9:36). She then goes on to share some important lessons she learned while attending circus schools in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (22:34) and London, England (25:25) that ALL those considering circus school should hear. Later in the interview, we dive into the art of street performing (31:16) and how capitalism and COVID-19 have changed the landscape of performance (50:29). Featuring a guest appearance from Lisa's foster cat.
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/theartistathlete
Instagram: www.instagram.com/the_artist_athlete/
-------------------------------------------------
Website: https://lisalottie.com/
Insta: www.instagram.com/Lisa_Lottie/
YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/lisaxlottie
Learn to hula hoop with Lisa: http://www.Cirqo.co
Listeners of this episode may also enjoy the following episodes of The Artist Athlete Podcast:
Cate Great – Episode 37
Etienne and Leah – Episode 25
Freyja Edney – Episode 50
This week, the red-haired tornado herself joins the podcast to talk about how moving from her small town in Ireland to London, England sparked a revolution in the life of Chantal McCormick (8:42). She quickly became an aerial dancer with big dreams and bigger ideas to get funding (11:41). She visited the United States of America for the Aerial Dance Festival, and decided to found one of her own (22:00). She also speaks about creative projects (29:21) and the little things she does daily to make the big things so successful (40:59)
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/theartistathlete
Instagram: www.instagram.com/the_artist_athlete/
Jon Stranks started his professional career at the age of 6 years old. (7:18). He went on to be in a winning acrobatic troupe on Britain's Got Talent (13:54) before making the transition from competing to performing (17:09) on Cirque du Soleil's stages, most recently in Messi 10 (25:52). During quarantine he has taken his work online and begun coaching handstands (31:24). Oh , yeah! And he has the real dirt on the Ellen Show (23:01)!
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/theartistathlete
Instagram: www.instagram.com/the_artist_athlete/
Instagram: @jonstranks
From a childhood history of designing costumes and "pratting about onstage" (7:05), Rebecca Truman began Skinning the Cat, one of the UK's first contemporary circus companies. In this interview, Becky talks about her creation methodology (16:02), mental health issues (35:37), writing her biography and publishing the book, Aerialist (48:02) , the current state of circus as an artform (54:23), and of course, answering the age old question- "what advice would you give to yourself, at the beginning of your career." (62:50)
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/theartistathlete
Instagram: www.instagram.com/the_artist_athlete/
Born in China under the rule of Chairman Mao Zehdong, Guang Rong Lu began his circus training at the age of 11. After a long career as a performer, Mister Lu arrived in Australia to bring with him systems of teaching circus. He aided in establishing The National Institute of Circus Arts in Melbourne, Australia and worked as head coach in the program. In this interview, Mister Lu outlines how the financial philosophies nations adopt influence how circus artists train and work they create, and how he and circus have changed over his 55-year career.
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/theartistathlete
Instagram: www.instagram.com/the_artist_athlete/
Links:
The Age: A (more) in-depth biography of Mister Lu:
https://www.theage.com.au/national/flying-high-down-under-20040308-gdxfvq.html
A write-up of the cultural and artistic philosophies of China:
http://il.china-embassy.org/eng/whys/whzc/t159979.htm
Article about the Shanghai Circus School:
The National Institute of Circus Arts:
The Flying Fruit Fly Circus:
Listen in as hoop artist and self-proclaimed sparkling garbage, Julie Marshall, grapples with the question: WTF is ART anyway? And how the heck can circus artists make work that channels individual expression while maintaining technique, clarity of vision, and a relationship to the audience? This interview addresses “the taste gap” (as defined in the quote below) as well as topics such as body image, mental health, and the importance of being totally ridiculous.
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/theartistathlete
Instagram: www.instagram.com/the_artist_athlete/
“Nobody tells people who are beginners — and I really wish somebody had told this to me — is that all of us who do creative work … we get into it because we have good taste. But it’s like there’s a gap, that for the first couple years that you’re making stuff, what you’re making isn’t so good, OK? It’s not that great. It’s really not that great. It’s trying to be good, it has ambition to be good, but it’s not quite that good. But your taste — the thing that got you into the game — your taste is still killer, and your taste is good enough that you can tell that what you’re making is kind of a disappointment to you, you know what I mean?
A lot of people never get past that phase. A lot of people at that point, they quit. And the thing I would just like say to you with all my heart is that most everybody I know who does interesting creative work, they went through a phase of years where they had really good taste and they could tell what they were making wasn’t as good as they wanted it to be — they knew it fell short, it didn’t have the special thing that we wanted it to have.
And the thing I would say to you is everybody goes through that. And for you to go through it, if you’re going through it right now, if you’re just getting out of that phase — you gotta know it’s totally normal.
And the most important possible thing you can do is do a lot of work — do a huge volume of work. Put yourself on a deadline so that every week, or every month, you know you’re going to finish one story. Because it’s only by actually going through a volume of work that you are actually going to catch up and close that gap. And the work you’re making will be as good as your ambitions. It takes a while, it’s gonna take you a while — it’s normal to take a while. And you just have to fight your way through that, okay?” -Ira Glass
https://www.instagram.com/juliemarshalldoesthings/
http://www.juliemarshalldoesthings.com
ALSO:
A general mental health resource list:
https://blog.fracturedatlas.org/mental-health-resources-artists-covid-19
This week’s episode of The Artist Athlete Podcast gets real meta real fast by interviewing Shenea “Stiletto” Booth about her own podcast, Live Like an Acrobat. But hold on y’all, that is just the shallow end of the deep dive that is this interview! Booth is a decorated world champion gymnast who went on to have a full and flourishing career as a circus artist- including playing the iconic role of “The Promise” in Cirque du Soleil’s Varekai. But life as an acrobat is not all smooth canes and straight lines, and Booth shares some difficult truths in this interview.
To find Shenea online:
Instagram: @sheneastiletto https://www.instagram.com/sheneastiletto/
Listen to Live Like an Acrobat: https://www.spreaker.com/show/shenea-stiletto-live-like-an-acrobat
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7bFzLnvwRY
National Sexual Assault Hotline: https://www.rainn.org/
BIPOC Mental Health Resources: https://twloha.com/blog/bipoc-mental-health-resources/
Anti-racism Resources: https://jack.org/antiracismresources
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/theartistathlete
Instagram: www.instagram.com/the_artist_athlete/
This is the episode where Shannon fangirls for an hour over aerial ICON Isabelle Chasse. Isabelle immortalized the aerial act in the recorded version of the Cirque du Soleil show, Quidam. She also co-founded and co-runs the contemporary circus company, Les Sept Doigts de la Main (known as “The 7 Fingers”). In this interview, she talks about her journey as a performer and creator in the industry and her frustrations and revelations during the global pandemic.
The 7 Fingers website: https://7doigts.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the7fingers/
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/theartistathlete
Instagram: www.instagram.com/the_artist_athlete/
Henri Hänninen, along with his cohorts at Sirkus 2.0 are committed to bringing circus training into the 21st century. He currently makes programs for circus artists and encourages them to see the "bigger picture" of their rehearsals and workouts. Also, he says, the best way to get better is to make a ton of errors. Listen in to find out why... AND learn more at: http://www.Sirkus2.fi
Instagram: www.instagram.com/circus2.0/
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/theartistathlete
Instagram: www.instagram.com/the_artist_athlete/
Welcome BACK to part 2 of my interview with Gypsy Snider, contemporary circus director for The 7 Fingers. On this week's episode, we talk about the pandemic, the importance of time travel, and the artist as activist. Online: https://7doigts.com/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/the7fingers/
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/theartistathlete
Instagram: www.instagram.com/the_artist_athlete/
Gypsy Snider is a widely recognized co-founder and artistic director of the widely recognized contemporary circus company Les 7 doigts de la main, aka the 7 fingers. In the first part of our interview, she breaks down her process of creating and choreographing, and explains the importance of letting something evolve.
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/theartistathlete
Instagram: www.instagram.com/the_artist_athlete/
Ess is a non-binary contortionist who uses their art to explore the line between what is beautiful and what is grotesque. This interview features an in-depth conversation about disability studies, representation, privilege, and puns! Website: www.strangewonderfulcreature.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/strangewonderfulcreature/ Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/theartistathlete/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/the_artist_athlete/
At 36 years old, Cirque du Soleil's Luzia hired Rachel Hunt, former gymnast turned circus artist turned physio turned teacher, to be the backup for the pole solo in Cirque du Soleil's Luzia. Hear her story!
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/theartistathlete/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/the_artist_athlete/
Jack Marsh, the artistic director of Saint Louis's Circus Flora and executive producer for The Big Apple Circus talks about how he ran away FROM the circus only to return as an adult. He gives insight into what it's like to run a one ring circus and what Circus Flora is doing during this time. Check out circus flora: www.circusflora.org
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/theartistathlete/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/the_artist_athlete/
Thom Wall has been recognized as one of the greatest and most innovative jugglers of our time. On this hot mess of an interview, he discusses his research based approach to finding new skills and tricks, his practical approaches to marketing and creation, and even rectifies some misconceptions about some jugglers in ancient Egypt.
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and working on and backstage for both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia. She holds a BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how’s that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials for aerial artists and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the circus industry about their careers. If you’re reading this, you’re probably listening to it. Thank you!
She currently lives in Atlanta, GA USA, but gravitates towards whichever circus community is the warmest.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/theartistathlete/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/the_artist_athlete/
Crista Marie Jackson has a resume to die for- from being the aerial double in Zendaya to rehearsal work with Beyonce to associate artistic director for Cirque du Soleil. In her interview, she talks about the importance of getting ready to get lucky, how to work inservice of a greater project, and her creative U-turns.
Follow her on her website:
https://cristamariejackson.wixsite.com/actor
Instagram: @crista_marie
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and working on and backstage for both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia. She holds a BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how’s that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials for aerial artists and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the circus industry about their careers. If you’re reading this, you’re probably listening to it. Thank you!
She currently lives in Atlanta, GA USA, but gravitates towards whichever circus community is the warmest.
Find her online: https://www.theartistathlete.com
Lisa Fa'alafi is a mastermind artist who knew that her art and artists that looked like her were not given a chance, so she created Hot Brown Honey, a cabaret show that explores the experience of First Nation women and femmes. The show became a smash hit internationally. On this episode, Lisa breaks down the importance of representing all cultures and histories on stage, and what it means to make work as an artist of color.
CHECK OUT Hot Brown Honey
Insta: @hotbrownhoney
website: https://www.hotbrownhoney.com/
Lisa Fa'alafi's Instagram: @lisafaalafi
See Lisa's reverse burlesque act: https://vimeo.com/102216109
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and working on and backstage for both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia. She holds a BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how’s that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials for aerial artists and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the circus industry about their careers. If you’re reading this, you’re probably listening to it. Thank you!
She currently lives in Atlanta, GA USA, but gravitates towards whichever circus community is the warmest.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: The Artist Athlete
Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Laura Stokes and her artistic partner, Cohdi Harrell, got their big break when their full-length show, Smoke and Mirrors, won top awards at the 2015 Edinburgh Fringe Festival. But what did it take to get them there? Shannon and Laura swear up a storm in this interview (don't worry, it's been censored- except on my website, http://www.theartistathlete.com/podcasts) and talk about what it's like to perform a personal creation for years and how Laura practices the internal aspects of performance during rehearsals.
Show Notes:
Laura Stokes: http://www.laurastokes.com
The Ricochet Project: http://www.thericochetproject.com
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and worked on both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia including the Shrine Circus and SOAP. She holds a BFA from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how's that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials about circus arts including a line of e-books to help aerial artists train safely and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the industry about their careers. If you're reading this, you're probably listening to it. Thank you!
She currently lives in whichever circus community is the warmest.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: The Artist Athlete
Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Aerial dancer, site artist, and activist Jo Kreiter explains how she runs a dance company that gives voice to marginalized communities- through site specific aerial dance. In this interview she talks about how she runs her company, Flyaway Productions, and strategies she has developed through her ingenuity and creativity to create a meaningful body of work.
LINKS:
Jo's Production Company, Flyaway Productions:
https://flyawayproductions.com/
Original NYTimes Article that got me interested in Jo's work:
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/19/arts/dance/wait-room-flyaway-prison.html
Essie Justice Group (support for those with incarcerated loved ones)
https://essiejusticegroup.org/
Breakthrough Moments: Jo Kreiter - highlights of Jo's work
WATCH Jo's newest piece The Wait Room:
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and working on and backstage for both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia. She holds a BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how’s that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials for aerial artists and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the circus industry about their careers. If you’re reading this, you’re probably listening to it. Thank you!
She currently lives in Atlanta, GA USA, but gravitates towards whichever circus community is the warmest.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: The Artist Athlete
Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Eric Bates is considered one of the best cigar box jugglers in the world... what's a cigar box juggler you ask? Don't worry Eric will explain. In addition, he talks about how he creates new tricks, ideas, and creates work with his company Barcode Circus Company
Find Eric Bates Online:
Watch him juggle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yynLur7aRo0&list=PLWzY6UKVFOfd_cPxlYjKCAk-p1R4U
Check out his company, Barcode Circus Company: https://www.barcodecircuscompany.com/
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and working on and backstage for both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia. She holds a BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how’s that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials for aerial artists and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the circus industry about their careers. If you’re reading this, you’re probably listening to it. Thank you!
She currently lives in Atlanta, GA USA, but gravitates towards whichever circus community is the warmest.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: The Artist Athlete
Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Lauren Joy Herley is one of the great enigma's of this generation of contemporary circus artists. Strong yet supple, fierce and feminine, she has toured the world with some of the top companies. In this interview, she talks about her journey, as well as how she maintains her ambitious drive.
Visit her online: http://www.laurenjoyherley.com
Instagram @herleylaurenjoy
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and working on and backstage for both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia. She holds a BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how’s that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials for aerial artists and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the circus industry about their careers. If you’re reading this, you’re probably listening to it. Thank you!
She currently lives in Atlanta, GA USA, but gravitates towards whichever circus community is the warmest.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: The Artist Athlete
Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Ever seen an acrobat in a wheel onstage, and think, "huh, that looks like a giant hamster wheel"? Well, apparently, even when you're a professional, you think the same thing. But there is so much more to this discipline and one of the top in the sport explains it all!
SHOW NOTE LINKS
Links to World Championship and WheelFEST. , July 13-19 New York/Jersey City
See Wolfgang in action:
https://m.youtube.com/user/ExperienceTheCirques
Kira Homeyer , World Champion
Konstantin Mourariev
Julian Silliau
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and working on and backstage for both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia. She holds a BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how’s that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials for aerial artists and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the circus industry about their careers. If you’re reading this, you’re probably listening to it. Thank you!
She currently lives in Atlanta, GA USA, but gravitates towards whichever circus community is the warmest.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: The Artist Athlete
Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Christine Van Loo is here to challenge your limiting beliefs. She is a 7 Time National Champion, an accomplished aerialist, a teacher, and most recently a keynote speaker. In this episode, she tells stories from her past that helped her examine her own beliefs and launched her to success.
Instagram: christinevanloo
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and working on and backstage for both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia. She holds a BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how’s that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials for aerial artists and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the circus industry about their careers. If you’re reading this, you’re probably listening to it. Thank you!
She currently lives in Atlanta, GA USA, but gravitates towards whichever circus community is the warmest.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: The Artist Athlete
Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Jonathan Morin did more than join Cirque du Soleil, he took 6 years and created an entire apparatus that only he can perform and worked as a soloist for them. he did more than give an amazing interview, he took Artist Athlete listeners to circus CHURCH. For all of those who want to live your dreams, whether circus or otherwise, Jonathan’s story is for you.
Online: http://www.2-zen-o.com/ Instagram: jonathanmorinartist
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and working on and backstage for both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia. She holds a BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how’s that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials for aerial artists and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the circus industry about their careers. If you’re reading this, you’re probably listening to it. Thank you!
She currently lives in Atlanta, GA USA, but gravitates towards whichever circus community is the warmest.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: The Artist Athlete
Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Gena began in the circus as a fifth generation performer. She learned the art of juggling and by the age of thirteen was occupying the center ring at Ringling Brothers, Barnum and Bailey. But Gena's avenue for creative expression expanded from just wearing a costume to designing and fabricating them. In this interview Gena shares tips and tricks of the trade for a glamorous circus costume.
See her work: http://www.genasdesign.com
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and working on and backstage for both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia. She holds a BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how’s that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials for aerial artists and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the circus industry about their careers. If you’re reading this, you’re probably listening to it. Thank you!
She currently lives in Atlanta, GA USA, but gravitates towards whichever circus community is the warmest.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: The Artist Athlete
Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Womack and Bowman is the assemblage of two of today’s most prolific aerial artists coming together to perform, experiment, collaborate and sometimes even do podcasts! In this interview they reveal how they got their start, how they know when something doesn't work, and all the ways they share their passion for aerial arts with the world!
Website: www.womackandbowman.com Insta: @womackandbowman
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and working on and backstage for both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia. She holds a BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how’s that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials for aerial artists and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the circus industry about their careers. If you’re reading this, you’re probably listening to it. Thank you!
She currently lives in Atlanta, GA USA, but gravitates towards whichever circus community is the warmest.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: The Artist Athlete
Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Get ready for a deep dive into flexibility training friends, fans, and enemies! Movement coach and performer, Micah Walters, shares his secrets and his approach to helping students improve flexibility. We also discuss mental blocks and the importance of being your own coach.
Follow Micah on Instagram: @micah.walters.movement Online: http://www.micahwaltersmovement.com
Here are some links mentioned in the episode:
Cirque du Soleil Back And Core Training https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1K0BdjnNks
Camelia Voinea - 1987 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxgFTzftlIs Oksana Omelianchik - 1985 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHpaX5af8xc
Tatyana Groshkova - 1989 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfEZ3RpsL1I
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and working on and backstage for both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia. She holds a BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how’s that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials for aerial artists and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the circus industry about their careers. If you’re reading this, you’re probably listening to it. Thank you!
She currently lives in Atlanta, GA USA, but gravitates towards whichever circus community is the warmest.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: The Artist Athlete
Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Shannon heads to Cirque du Soleil headquarters in Montreal to interview Stacy about her job as a casting director for one of the largest entertainment companies in the world.
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and working on and backstage for both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia. She holds a BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how’s that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials for aerial artists and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the circus industry about their careers. If you’re reading this, you’re probably listening to it. Thank you!
She currently lives in Atlanta, GA USA, but gravitates towards whichever circus community is the warmest.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: The Artist Athlete
Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Lewie West is a self described "generalist specialist" who uses breakdancing, traditional gymnastics, and circus arts to find a new way to approach moving.
Find him on instagram: @north_by_lew_west
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and working on and backstage for both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia. She holds a BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how’s that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials for aerial artists and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the circus industry about their careers. If you’re reading this, you’re probably listening to it. Thank you!
She currently lives in Atlanta, GA USA, but gravitates towards whichever circus community is the warmest.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: The Artist Athlete
Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
In part 2 of the interview with Eric McGill, we discuss how Eric is using his work as a swinging trapeze artist to collaborate with others in order to create new ways to experience circus. Plus, Eric talks about his counterweight systems and the podcast that he developed.Find Eric online: http://www.ericmcgill.net Instagram: eric__mcgill
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and working on and backstage for both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia. She holds a BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how’s that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials for aerial artists and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the circus industry about their careers. If you’re reading this, you’re probably listening to it. Thank you!
She currently lives in Atlanta, GA USA, but gravitates towards whichever circus community is the warmest.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: The Artist Athlete
Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
From rigging to the job market, from artistry to technique, Eric McGill uses his 10 years of swinging trapeze experience to explain the discipline.
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and working on and backstage for both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia. She holds a BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how’s that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials for aerial artists and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the circus industry about their careers. If you’re reading this, you’re probably listening to it. Thank you!
She currently lives in Atlanta, GA USA, but gravitates towards whichever circus community is the warmest.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: The Artist Athlete
Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Rosemary was performer with Circus Flora as a young girl, but unlike many of her friends on the show, she did not come from a traditional circus family. In this episode, she talks about what it was like to be an outsider, how animals are treated, contemporary vs traditional circus, how to make “circus stitches” and mend your nude fishnets.
Follow Rosemary: @rosemaryandcrime Visit Circus Flora: http://www.circusflora.org
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and working on and backstage for both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia. She holds a BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how’s that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials for aerial artists and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the circus industry about their careers. If you’re reading this, you’re probably listening to it. Thank you!
She currently lives in Atlanta, GA USA, but gravitates towards whichever circus community is the warmest.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: The Artist Athlete
Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Sarah Poole began her career dancing professionally in New York City. She discovered aerial arts as an adult in Montreal. Her intelligence and curiosity endeared her to master teachers and through her work with them and on her own, she eventually secured a job as a coach at The National Circus School in Montreal. This interview is a thrilling discussion about the change between coach and student that is happening in contemporary circus.
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and working on and backstage for both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia. She holds a BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how’s that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials for aerial artists and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the circus industry about their careers. If you’re reading this, you’re probably listening to it. Thank you!
She currently lives in Atlanta, GA USA, but gravitates towards whichever circus community is the warmest.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: The Artist Athlete
Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
In the second part of my interview with aerialist, producer, and director Joseph Pinzon, we talk about the cost of circus. Not just financial, but physical and emotional as well. Joe shares stories from his own career and gives advice on how to keep going.SHOUT OUT TO THESE INSPIRING COMPANIES:Still Hungry (Circus Company, Germany)- https://www.still-hungry.net/Back Pocket Theater (Belgium) - https://back-pocket.org/Cirque Le Roux- https://www.cirqueleroux.com/fr/Natalie and Jochim (rope duo) “Nat & Jo”- https://www.facebook.com/pg/ropeduoDuo Scarlett - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjwtaVwWS70
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and working on and backstage for both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia. She holds a BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how’s that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials for aerial artists and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the circus industry about their careers. If you’re reading this, you’re probably listening to it. Thank you!
She currently lives in Atlanta, GA USA, but gravitates towards whichever circus community is the warmest.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: The Artist Athlete
Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Joseph Pinzon has been a performing aerialist for almost 20 years. He recently founded the circus company Short Round Productions, which produces shows inspired by American movies. In part one of this interview, we talk about the state of funding and the arts, having a social life, and mental health. To hear part 2 next week, subscribe!Find Joseph Pinzon online: http://www.josephpinzon.com Instagram: @joe_pinzon
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and working on and backstage for both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia. She holds a BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how’s that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials for aerial artists and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the circus industry about their careers. If you’re reading this, you’re probably listening to it. Thank you!
She currently lives in Atlanta, GA USA, but gravitates towards whichever circus community is the warmest.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: The Artist Athlete
Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Instead of running away with the circus, Doug Stewart created one! With support from family, friends, coaches, mentors, and the greater circus community, he founded New England based, Cirque Us in 2016. The team now draws performers, directors, educators, technicians, and choreographers from all over the United States. Shannon caught up with Doug and a few cast members right before they went on tour.
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and working on and backstage for both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia. She holds a BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how’s that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials for aerial artists and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the circus industry about their careers. If you’re reading this, you’re probably listening to it. Thank you!
She currently lives in Atlanta, GA USA, but gravitates towards whichever circus community is the warmest.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: The Artist Athlete
Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Revisiting an older episode this week. Enjoy!
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and working on and backstage for both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia. She holds a BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how’s that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials for aerial artists and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the circus industry about their careers. If you’re reading this, you’re probably listening to it. Thank you!
She currently lives in Atlanta, GA USA, but gravitates towards whichever circus community is the warmest.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: The Artist Athlete
Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Revisiting an older episode this week. Enjoy!
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and working on and backstage for both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia. She holds a BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how’s that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials for aerial artists and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the circus industry about their careers. If you’re reading this, you’re probably listening to it. Thank you!
She currently lives in Atlanta, GA USA, but gravitates towards whichever circus community is the warmest.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: The Artist Athlete
Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Tara Gallimore is a board certified and accredited Nutritionist to practicing in Montreal. She currently teaches nutrition to students at The National Circus School, so I figured she would be the PERFECT person to ask questions like: what supplements should circus artists take? Can athletes be vegetarians? What do I eat if I have to be 30 feet in the air and have a rope wrapped around my waist? Tune in to find out the answers and so much more! AND contact Tara via Instagram: @plantaenutrition
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and working on and backstage for both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia. She holds a BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how’s that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials for aerial artists and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the circus industry about their careers. If you’re reading this, you’re probably listening to it. Thank you!
She currently lives in Atlanta, GA USA, but gravitates towards whichever circus community is the warmest.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: The Artist Athlete
Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
My guest today is Lacy Alana. Lacy is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and trauma therapist who blends expressive arts with therapeutic tenets to help those who have endured trauma or are neuro divergent. Those are a lot of big words, I know, and saddle up because this interview contains many more. But Lacy does an excellent job in this interview of explaining the big words and showing the connection between the brain and the rest of the body, and how teaching circus can be healing. She gives tips that any circus instructor can use, even those who teach the general population. For more in depth information about the topics we cover in this interview, I highly suggest you go check out her blog at yesandbrain.com
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and working on and backstage for both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia. She holds a BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how’s that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials for aerial artists and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the circus industry about their careers. If you’re reading this, you’re probably listening to it. Thank you!
She currently lives in Atlanta, GA USA, but gravitates towards whichever circus community is the warmest.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: The Artist Athlete
Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
My guest this week is Matthew Richardson. Matthew saw a Cirque du Soleil show at 18 and became obsessed. After he graduated college, he found a place to begin aerial classes. His training took him first to the San Francisco circus center, and then to Montreal, to train Cyr wheel. He was accepted to the international festival Cirque de Demain and from there his career took off in the most inspiring way, but you have to listen in to find out how! He is now dedicated to creating LGBTQ+ based performance art to address social issues and hopefully inspire a kinder world.
Follow Matthew on Instagram: @circusspinner
YOUTUBE LINKS:
Arrow: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtnJUS30olE
Hallelujah: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDgA2sxQIn8
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and working on and back stage for both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia. She holds a BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how’s that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials for aerial artists and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the circus industry about their careers. If you’re reading this, you’re probably listening to it. Thank you!
She currently lives in Atlanta, GA USA, but gravitates towards whichever circus community is the warmest.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: The Artist Athlete
Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Alisan Funk is a Montreal circus coach and creator currently pursuing a PhD in education at McGill University. She received her initial practical training at the Ecole de Cirque de Quebec and taught and performed for many years before going into higher education. She holds an MA in circus education from Concordia University and works as a research assistant on multiple projects which examine the technical and creative aspects of circus, theatre and physical literacy.Basically Alisan is super smart, and she uses all her smarts to think and write about circus in super smart ways. We went all over the place in this interview from how circus is different from other artforms such as theater or dance, the dangers and benefits of institutionalizing circus education, and why circus isn’t studied more in academia.
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and working on and back stage for both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia. She holds a BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how’s that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials for aerial artists and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the circus industry about their careers. If you’re reading this, you’re probably listening to it. Thank you!
She currently lives in Atlanta, GA USA, but gravitates towards whichever circus community is the warmest.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: The Artist Athlete
Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Tanya went from being a too tall gymnast to performing one of the most iconic silks numbers in one of the most iconic Cirque du Soliel shows, Quidam. She is now working as part of the creative team for the circus company Short Round Production. This episode is filled with amazing insights, from how to break down difficult skills, to working with people who may not have the quote unquote standard body type for circus, to the impact social media has on the standards of professionalism and ownership over choreography, to how to get work in the circus industry, Tanya shared so much wisdom and insight in this interview.
Follow: @thetanyaburka
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and working on and back stage for both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia. She holds a BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how’s that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials for aerial artists and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the circus industry about their careers. If you’re reading this, you’re probably listening to it. Thank you!
She currently lives in Atlanta, GA USA, but gravitates towards whichever circus community is the warmest.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: The Artist Athlete
Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Freyja began her career in Australia as part of the Fruit Fly Circus and soon after school became a member of the Australian company Circa where she honed her skills not only as a strong and confident performer, but as a physically and emotionally supportive ensemble member, as of the release of this episode she is performing in the Seven Finger’s show Passengers. The first half of this interview is for the hula hooping nerds the second part is a very honest analysis of how women are portrayed in circus, and also what it means to be a supportive artist in a company.
Follow Freyja on instagram: @freymes
OTHER SHOW NOTES:
Hula Hoop References:https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-knerr17jan17-story.htmlhttps://www.wired.com/2010/11/uncovering-the-history-of-the-hula-hoop/https://www.thoughtco.com/hula-hoop-history-1991893
The Culture Code: book referenced by Freyja about creating positive and supportive group dynamicshttp://danielcoyle.com/the-culture-code/
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and working on and back stage for both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia. She holds a BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how’s that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials for aerial artists and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the circus industry about their careers. If you’re reading this, you’re probably listening to it. Thank you!
She currently lives in Atlanta, GA USA, but gravitates towards whichever circus community is the warmest.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: The Artist Athlete
Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Jim started his career as Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey clown. For the past 20 years, he has toured the world with various circus shows and productions and headlined with various cruise ships. Because Jim has done so much, he shares a great perspective on what it’s like to work in the circus industry. What it’s like to tour, what happens when gigs fall through, how to make your own work, and the tortures of pollen season, it’s all here in this interview!Follow Jim on Instagram: @jimmaltman
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and working on and back stage for both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia. She holds a BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how’s that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials for aerial artists and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the circus industry about their careers. If you’re reading this, you’re probably listening to it. Thank you!
She currently lives in Atlanta, GA USA, but gravitates towards whichever circus community is the warmest.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: The Artist Athlete
Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Shannon invades the kitchen of Amy Christian, the artistic director of Wise Fool New Mexico. Amy is on the forefront of a section of circus known as social circus. In this interview, she begins to define social circus as, “using circus to work with under-served or marginalized communities.” In the next breath, she says, “all those words are yucky and I hate them.
Show Notes:
Wise Fool New Mexico: https://wisefoolnewmexico.org/ Zapatist Revolution: http://www.internationalaffairs.org.au/news-item/the-zapatista-movement-the-fight-for-indigenous-rights-in-mexico/ Massacre at Octaal: https://www.revcom.us/a/v19/940-49/941/chiap.htm adrienne maree brown: http://adriennemareebrown.net/ A message from Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9uTH0iprVQ
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and working on and back stage for both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia. She holds a BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how’s that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials for aerial artists and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the circus industry about their careers. If you’re reading this, you’re probably listening to it. Thank you!
She currently lives in Atlanta, GA USA, but gravitates towards whichever circus community is the warmest.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: The Artist Athlete
Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Creating an act? Every artist goes about it a little differently. Shannon sits down with world renowned magician Tina Lenert to talk about her process. Along the way she learns about classical guitar and create slugs.
See Tina’s Cleaning Lady Act:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFIyYomlkco
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and working on and back stage for both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia. She holds a BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how’s that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials for aerial artists and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the circus industry about their careers. If you’re reading this, you’re probably listening to it. Thank you!
She currently lives in Atlanta, GA USA, but gravitates towards whichever circus community is the warmest.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: The Artist Athlete
Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
In part 2 of our interview, Dima so perfectly spells out some of the overlying anxieties many artists and athletes undergo, if they achieve
high level at a young age, he talks about opening his own business, and gives a really honest recount of his negotiations with Cirque du Soleil. This episode is a great insight into what it takes to stick to what your worth and how to expand an artistic career outside the realm of circus.
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and working on and back stage for both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia. She holds a BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how’s that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials for aerial artists and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the circus industry about their careers. If you’re reading this, you’re probably listening to it. Thank you!
She currently lives in Atlanta, GA USA, but gravitates towards whichever circus community is the warmest.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: The Artist Athlete
Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Dima Shine is one of the most accomplished circus performers working right now, winning world championships in sport acrobatics and then working for all the top circus companies, winning the top awards in the top festivals, and the rest (or, as Dima would say, "blah blah blah"). But in this candid interview, Dima goes on to talk about what happens AFTER the gold medal is awarded and the audience goes home...
Video of Dima's Handstand/Pole Act:
Special Presenter, Cirque de Demain (2019)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfQOOjHdFyU
Video of Viktor Kee's Act from Cirque du Soliel's Dralion
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sD-ki0q8d80
Shine Alternative Fitness
https://www.shinealternativefitness.com/
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and working on and back stage for both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia. She holds a BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how’s that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials for aerial artists and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the circus industry about their careers. If you’re reading this, you’re probably listening to it. Thank you!
She currently lives in Atlanta, GA USA, but gravitates towards whichever circus community is the warmest.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: The Artist Athlete
Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Anke Politz is the artistic director of the Chameleon Theatre and the managing director of Chamaleon Productions. Chamaleon productions organizes and produces extraordinary stage shows and events and is a creative agency and networking partner for New Circus Companies around the world. Anke runs the whole show. She has launched the careers and reputations of individual artists and companies from around the world. In this interview, Anke talks about how she selects work, what New Circus means to her, and the importance of entertainment.
Online: http://www.Chamaeleon-productions.com
Instagram: @chamtheater
Phare, The Cambodian Circus was created initially as a school for art therapy by refugees. It now has a permanent tent in Siem Reap where graduates somewhere to hone their skills and earn money that will take them out of poverty and give them self-respect and freedom.
Visit Phare, The Cambodian Circus Online:
https://pharecircus.org/
Instagram: @pharecambodiancircus
For more on the Khmer Rouge and the historical context for this interview:
Cambodia Tribunal Monitor:
http://www.cambodiatribunal.org/history/cambodian-history/
Public Broad Casting’s Independent Lens:
http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/refugee/war_cambodia.html
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and working on and back stage for both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia. She holds a BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how’s that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials for aerial artists and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the circus industry about their careers. If you’re reading this, you’re probably listening to it. Thank you!
She currently lives in Atlanta, GA USA, but gravitates towards whichever circus community is the warmest.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: The Artist Athlete
Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
The Artist Athlete is coming to you from Bangkok this week where Shannon is training and having lunch with circus coach and choreographer Chloé Farah. Chloé initially started her circus training as a flying trapeze artist before an accident led her to enroll in the Ecole Nationale de Cirque’s work-based learning program (ACS Instructor Training). She graduated under the instruction of famed circus coach, Victor Fomine, with a degree specializing in aerial straps. She now works as a circus coach and choreographer for individual artists and with Cirque du Soliel. In this interview, Chloé gives her unique perspective on how she trains artists as well as what she believes makes an excellent act.
Find Chloé
On Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/chloefarahcircustraining/
Instagram:
@chloe_farah_circus_trani
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and working on and back stage for both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia. She holds a BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how’s that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials for aerial artists and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the circus industry about their careers. If you’re reading this, you’re probably listening to it. Thank you!
She currently lives in Atlanta, GA USA, but gravitates towards whichever circus community is the warmest.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: The Artist Athlete
Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
In the US, it can be argued that we have an economic system that benefits from individuals staying ignorant and stressed out about money. But what if that could change? What if, instead of the old troupe of artists being bad with money, artists were extraordinarily good with our money- as creative and smart about it as we are about utilizing other resources in our community. Enter Hadassah Damien, this week’s guest. Hadassah is actually not a circus artist (though her partner used to be) but, she toured the US producing queer femme performance art before she launched the website ridefreefearlessmoney.com to help people take control of their finances.
If you’re about to turn this episode off and wait until next week when I interview a super awesome Cirque du Soliel star or a famous Instagram aerial instructor, I want you to take a moment and listen to this interview.
Even if you’re not an artist, but someone who just enjoys watching circus, your role is as important in this discussion (Hadassah would say you have one of the most important roles in this discussion) so give it a moment and listen up!
Find Hadassah online: https://www.ridefreefearlessmoney.com
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and working on and back stage for both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia. She holds a BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how’s that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials for aerial artists and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the circus industry about their careers. If you’re reading this, you’re probably listening to it. Thank you!
She currently lives in Atlanta, GA USA, but gravitates towards whichever circus community is the warmest.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: The Artist Athlete
Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Guess what friends, fans, and enemies? WE DID IT! The podcast is officially self-sufficient thanks to my amazing Patreons! As a reward, Jen Crane of CirquePhysio interviewed me about my circus likes and dislikes, how I grew my social media presence, and what's coming next for The Artist Athlete. To hear the full interview, become a patreon at http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and working on and back stage for both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia. She holds a BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how’s that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials for aerial artists and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the circus industry about their careers. If you’re reading this, you’re probably listening to it. Thank you!
She currently lives in Atlanta, GA USA, but gravitates towards whichever circus community is the warmest.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: The Artist Athlete
Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
The Artist Athlete Podcast goes out of its way to introduce y’all to individual artists and small circus companies making work that is outside of the norm, and today is no exception! Rain Anya, half of the company Paper Doll Militia, has been making theater in some form or another for over 20 years. We talked about her newest creation, Warped, as well as the difference between being an artist in the US versus in Scotland, where her aerial life partner, Sarah Bebe Holms lives.
If you’re in the Atlanta area, go see Warped this weekend at 7 Stages! Get your tickets here:
https://www.7stages.org/shows/warped/
Visit Paper Doll Militia online: http://www.paperdollmilitia.com
On Instagram: @paperdollmilitia
AND
check out the website of one of Rain’s aerial inspirations James Thierree:
http://www.compagnieduhanneton.com/
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and working on and back stage for both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia. She holds a BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how’s that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials for aerial artists and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the circus industry about their careers. If you’re reading this, you’re probably listening to it. Thank you!
She currently lives in Atlanta, GA USA, but gravitates towards whichever circus community is the warmest.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: The Artist Athlete
Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Flo Zumkehr started training circus as a young boy in Switzerland, before pursuing his dreams further at the State Artist School in Berlin. He went on to perform with at the Chameleon and several German cabarets before moving to Montreal, where he soon was hired by Cirque Eloize, then The 7 Fingers. After years of touring, something called Flo back to Berlin, he began to explore WHY he started circus in the first place, and his findings led him to his latest project the company Analog.
See Analog’s show Finale at the 2019 Adelaide Fringe!
Get tickets HERE: https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/finale-af2019
Instagram:
@flozumkehr
@analogthecompany
Website: http://www.florian-zumkehr.com/
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and working on and back stage for both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia. She holds a BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how’s that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials for aerial artists and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the circus industry about their careers. If you’re reading this, you’re probably listening to it. Thank you!
She currently lives in Atlanta, GA USA, but gravitates towards whichever circus community is the warmest.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: The Artist Athlete
Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
An inspiring interview for anyone who needs a motivation boost! Mandi Orozco, an aerialist and contortionist who has traveled the world, both with Cirque du Soliel and as a freelance performer. She reflects on taking risks, creating new work, the business side of circus, and so much more!
Instagram: @miss_ironmandi
Website: http://www.mandi-o.com
Treadmill: https://vimeo.com/295255764?fbclid=IwAR0b_F00MrI8_l-EDelKxaEA-_ZJjsKJxcUgnDfM8gG3jPqyyBi2xU2le9A
Eprueve Synthese (tissu): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UDD-ZXvahU
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and working on and back stage for both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia. She holds a BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how’s that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials for aerial artists and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the circus industry about their careers. If you’re reading this, you’re probably listening to it. Thank you!
She currently lives in Atlanta, GA USA, but gravitates towards whichever circus community is the warmest.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: The Artist Athlete
Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Jimmy Slonina is an actor, clown, comedian, and lip-sync extraordinaire. He has occupied some big stages with Cirque du Soleil and P!NK. In this episode, he tells Shannon about the components of a good lip-sync, what goes through his mind when he's picking someone for audience participation, and what he considers when taking on a role.
Website: http://jimmyslonina.com/
Instagram: @jimmyslo
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/jimmyslo
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and working on and back stage for both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia. She holds a BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how’s that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials for aerial artists and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the circus industry about their careers. If you’re reading this, you’re probably listening to it. Thank you!
She currently lives in Atlanta, GA USA, but gravitates towards whichever circus community is the warmest.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: The Artist Athlete
Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Cate happened upon the world of street performing almost by accident, but once she did, she knew she had found her calling. She trained at The Quebec School, and then set out to create a character, a show, and a lifestyle that is uniquely her own. Seventeen years later, she’s still at it.
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and working on and back stage for both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia. She holds a BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how’s that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials for aerial artists and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the circus industry about their careers. If you’re reading this, you’re probably listening to it. Thank you!
She currently lives in Atlanta, GA USA, but gravitates towards whichever circus community is the warmest.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: The Artist Athlete
Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
While Shannon was visiting Portland, Oregon, she got to meet up with the amazing Jack StockLynn. Jack is a transgender aerialist who creates and produces spectacles with his own circus, Sir Cupcake’s Queer Circus. In this episode, Shannon and Jack discuss the roles of gender in circus, Jack’s process for creating work, and strategies to cope with some of the universal issues that plague humanity.
Find Jack StockLynn online: http://www.sircupcake.com
On Instagram: @thesircupcake
Find Sir Cupcake’s Queer Circus online: https://www.sircupcakesqueercircus.com
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and working on and back stage for both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia. She holds a BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how’s that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials for aerial artists and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the circus industry about their careers. If you’re reading this, you’re probably listening to it. Thank you!
She currently lives in Atlanta, GA USA, but gravitates towards whichever circus community is the warmest.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: The Artist Athlete
Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Contortion and flexibility instructor Catie Brier started off as just another flexible girl with dreams of performing in circuses far and wide. However, she sustained several injuries and decided to stop working. She became dedicated to the pursuit of helping people who wanted to push their limits of flexibility safely. Through her contortion intensives, regular classes at the San Francisco Circus Center, and large online presence, Catie has amassed an army of bendy followers from all over the world.
For more episodes about contortion, check out episode 4, 8, and 23.
Follow Catie on instagram: @catie.brier.contortion
Website: http://www.catiebriercontortion.com/
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and working on and back stage for both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia. She holds a BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how’s that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials for aerial artists and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the circus industry about their careers. If you’re reading this, you’re probably listening to it. Thank you!
She currently lives in Atlanta, GA USA, but gravitates towards whichever circus community is the warmest.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: The Artist Athlete
Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Nathan Price has performed with some of the top circus companies in the world as an acrobatic base. He has an online blog and tutorials to spread safe practices for AcroYoga and recreational acrobatics called Standing Acrobatics, and even invented a new kind of liquid chalk especially for circus artists. He is also British, so he sounds really smart. Despite all of his success (his being British being the ultimate achievement), he took some time to huddle in a parking garage (or, as he calls it, a “car park”) with a jacket over his head, so that Shannon could ask intrusive questions about his relationship with his flyer.
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and working on and back stage for both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia. She holds a BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how’s that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials for aerial artists and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the circus industry about their careers. If you’re reading this, you’re probably listening to it. Thank you!
She currently lives in Atlanta, GA USA, but gravitates towards whichever circus community is the warmest.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: The Artist Athlete
Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Calling all aerial nerds! Time to kick back and get a dose of knowledge from one of the leading creators in the US aerial scene, Dara Minkin. Shannon talks to Dara about her pursuit to organize and clarify the concepts that are universal to all aerial apparatus in her new book: Proximal. Dara talks about how different forms of dance, her dreams, and mathematics inform her approach to teaching and performing in the air.
Buy the book: https://aerial-design.myshopify.com/
Instagram: @aerial.design
Outside Resources:
Laban/Bartenieff Fundamentals - https://labaninstitute.org/about/bartenieff-fundamentals/
Mallakhamb Information - http://www.newpunegymkhana.org/
Examples of Rope Mallakhamb:
Shirol Competition (2011): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcVDsD5dlLsTamizhan Mallakhamb Academy (2017): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=munxUJIDngk
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and working on and back stage for both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia. She holds a BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how’s that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials for aerial artists and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the circus industry about their careers. If you’re reading this, you’re probably listening to it. Thank you!
She currently lives in Atlanta, GA USA, but gravitates towards whichever circus community is the warmest.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: The Artist Athlete
Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Wes Peden is regularly voted the world’s most popular juggler because of his creative approach to juggling and movement. In this interview, he talks about how he creates juggling videos and shows. And how he decides when to share new tricks and when to save room for magic.
Check out his work:
Instagram: wespeden
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and working on and back stage for both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia. She holds a BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how’s that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials for aerial artists and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the circus industry about their careers. If you’re reading this, you’re probably listening to it. Thank you!
She currently lives in Atlanta, GA USA, but gravitates towards whichever circus community is the warmest.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: The Artist Athlete
Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Shannon talks to blogger, podcaster, and financial expert Paula Pant about a topic that is generally not associated with artists: MONEY. They discuss the beliefs that keep artists from making the money they could, and Paula shares her simple formula to becoming financially independent.
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and working on and back stage for both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia. She holds a BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how’s that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials for aerial artists and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the circus industry about their careers. If you’re reading this, you’re probably listening to it. Thank you!
She currently lives in Atlanta, GA USA, but gravitates towards whichever circus community is the warmest.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: The Artist Athlete
Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
In part 2 of Shannon’s interview with Joel, he reveals the magical story of how he met his wife, and the story of how he got a job offer from Cirque du Soleil. This interview finishes with three things that every circus artist needs to do to find success, and Joel’s advice to himself at the beginning of his career.
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
Joel Baker is in the midst of an incredible career as an acrobatic clown performing lead roles in shows of major companies such as Cirque du Soleil, Cirque Eloize, and The 7 Fingers. But it didn’t start out as smooth and there were several surprises along the way. This is the first part of Shannon’s interview with Joel. They discuss how misfortune led him to be in the right place at the right time and how he uncovered circus family secrets from his past.
Website: http://www.joelbakerclown.com
Instagram: @joelbakercircusartist
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
Where do the circus performers from America’s Got Talent and Little Big Shots come from? If they are under the age of 18, they probably started at Le PeTiTe CiRqUe, a production company founded by Nathalie Yves Gaultier. Nathalie spent years in the industry as a talent agent and manager before transitioning to creating high budget productions with child prodigies as well as being an agent for Cirque artists. This interview is filled with practical advice and great insight from one of the leading Cirque talent producers in Los Angeles.
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
How do the specialty pieces of aerial equipment get made? What does an aerialist who needs a piece of metal equipment need to know before they order one and once they get it? Kaz is a flying trapeze teacher and performer who is also a professional welder. He answers all of Shannon’s questions about how equipment is fabricated and what aerialists need to know about the metal work they hang from.
Follow Kaz on instagram @flyer_kaz
Youtube Links:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FujVzVjtmqo&t=29s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tzJc6KPjBE&t=41s
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
The podcast welcomes its first slackline artist! Chris Petterson performs on stages all across Europe. On this episode, he talks to Shannon about rigging considerations and his unique approach to creating his most recent act.
To see his work, visit his website: http://www.marachris.com
Follow him on Instagram: @chrispettersonofficial
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
What do you do when your idea for creating a new act or show just isn’t working? Shayna Swanson, the founder of Aloft Circus in Chicago, speaks about the long process of making her newest show, Brave Space. She also talks about the full time training at Aloft and why she thinks circus is a punk rock art form. Please note, there is mention of sexual assault in the episode and listener discretion is advised.
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and working on and back stage for both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia. She holds a BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how’s that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials for aerial artists and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the circus industry about their careers. If you’re reading this, you’re probably listening to it. Thank you!
She currently lives in Atlanta, GA USA, but gravitates towards whichever circus community is the warmest.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: The Artist Athlete
Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
This acro duo talk about how they work continuously as performers by creating and marketing their own acro comedy shows. Check out their skills at acrobatrix.com
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and worked on both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia including the Shrine Circus and SOAP. She holds a BFA from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how's that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials about circus arts including a line of e-books to help aerial artists train safely and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the industry about their careers. If you're reading this, you're probably listening to it. Thank you! She currently lives in whichever circus community is the warmest. Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com Facebook: The Artist Athlete Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
In part 2 of Shannon’s interview with accomplished clown and circus director, Steve Smith, Steve continues to talk about his career, and how his skills as a clown brought him to Hollywood and beyond.
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and worked on both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia including the Shrine Circus and SOAP. She holds a BFA from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how's that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials about circus arts including a line of e-books to help aerial artists train safely and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the industry about their careers. If you're reading this, you're probably listening to it. Thank you! She currently lives in whichever circus community is the warmest. Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com Facebook: The Artist Athlete Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
Steve Smith, clown name TJ Tatters, is in the Clown Hall of Fame, won 5 Emmy Awards, served as Dean of The Ringling Clown College, and directed for Ringling Bros. Barnum and Bailey, The Big Apple Circus, and many other notable productions. In part 1 of this interview, he talks about his beginnings as a clown, and provides insight into what is necessary to direct circus on a large scale.
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and worked on both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia including the Shrine Circus and SOAP. She holds a BFA from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how's that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials about circus arts including a line of e-books to help aerial artists train safely and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the industry about their careers. If you're reading this, you're probably listening to it. Thank you! She currently lives in whichever circus community is the warmest. Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com Facebook: The Artist Athlete Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
My guest today is contortionist and contortion instructor Serchmaa Byamba.
As a young girl, Serchmaa was inspired by a Contortion act she watched on Mongolian National TV. She began her performance career as a state sponsored artist in 1989 when Mongolia was still a communist country. After the Monogolian Revolution of 1990, she was free to work with whatever company she wanted and chose to work with a traditionally ethnic Mongolian folk art troupe following her belief that contortion is not just a circus act, but an ancient cultural artform. She was and still is, Asian ever to be invited to participate in European Youth Circus Festival where she won the “Golden Elephant” award and was named the golden girl of Contortion.
In 1998, Serchmaa moved to USA. She toured with a circus for a year toured, and then decided to stay close to her family in San Francisco, CA. After settling in, Serchmaa started performing as an independent contractor and has even appeared in the movies, “Minority Report”
Serchmaa teaches private and group contortion classes in San Francisco. Her students range from 5 years old to 35 years. They perform in many local and international shows and circus’ and they train hard every day.
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and worked on both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia including the Shrine Circus and SOAP. She holds a BFA from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how's that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials about circus arts including a line of e-books to help aerial artists train safely and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the industry about their careers. If you're reading this, you're probably listening to it. Thank you! She currently lives in whichever circus community is the warmest. Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com Facebook: The Artist Athlete Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
Terry Crane is an acrobat, dancer, and default circus director. After years of having a solo career as a vertical rope artist, Terry wanted to start making his own work. This eventually led him to Seattle, where he currently serves as artistic director of his company Acrobatic Conundrum. He was kind enough to allow Shannon to come on the podcast and interview him about his approach to creation.
Website: http://www.acrobaticconundrum.com
Instagram: @acrobaticconundrum
Hear the uncut version by becoming a patreon: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and worked on both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia including the Shrine Circus and SOAP. She holds a BFA from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how's that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials about circus arts including a line of e-books to help aerial artists train safely and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the industry about their careers. If you're reading this, you're probably listening to it. Thank you! She currently lives in whichever circus community is the warmest. Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com Facebook: The Artist Athlete Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
There’s a chill in the air, friends, fans and enemies and that means it is time to go back to school- circus school that is! Shannon interviews to Ron Oppenheimer, who is currently going in to his third year at The National Circus in Montreal (ENC) about what it’s like to study at one of the premiere educational institutions for rising circus stars.
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and worked on both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia including the Shrine Circus and SOAP. She holds a BFA from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how's that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials about circus arts including a line of e-books to help aerial artists train safely and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the industry about their careers. If you're reading this, you're probably listening to it. Thank you! She currently lives in whichever circus community is the warmest. Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com Facebook: The Artist Athlete Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
How do physical therapists diagnose inefficient movement patterns in circus artists? Dr. Emily Scherb sits down to discuss how being an aerialist informed her treatment and care of artists. She also talks about her new book, Applied Anatomy of Aerial Arts. If you’re a patreon of the podcast, look for the 35% discount code on the site!
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and worked on both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia including the Shrine Circus and SOAP. She holds a BFA from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how's that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials about circus arts including a line of e-books to help aerial artists train safely and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the industry about their careers. If you're reading this, you're probably listening to it. Thank you! She currently lives in whichever circus community is the warmest. Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com Facebook: The Artist Athlete Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
While Veronica was performing as an aerialist with UniverSOUL, she met legendary but un-credited performer named Emanuel "Uncle Junior" Ruffin. This meeting inspired her to launch a project in which she traveled all over the US, seeking the stories of the artists who put stakes in the ground, so that she could shine in the center ring.
Follow Veronica Blair
Instagram: @veronica_blair_aerialist
The Uncle Junior Project: https://www.theunclejuniorproject.com
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and worked on both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia including the Shrine Circus and SOAP. She holds a BFA from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how's that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials about circus arts including a line of e-books to help aerial artists train safely and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the industry about their careers. If you're reading this, you're probably listening to it. Thank you! She currently lives in whichever circus community is the warmest. Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com Facebook: The Artist Athlete Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
How does an aerialist get made? According to aerialist Veronica Blair, it’s all about hard work and sparkly costumes!
Veronica started her acrobatic career at the age of 14 with Make*A*Circus, and studied Chinese Acrobatics under Master Lu Yi at the San Francisco Youth Circus. She began her career at the age of 17, which at the time, made her one of the youngest professional African-American trapeze artists in the U.S. She was personally hired by Cedric Walker as a resident aerialist for UniverSoul Circus. During her five years with Universoul, she had the privilage working with celebrated and prominent artists including trapeze great LaNorma Fox and the Gérard Fasoli.
I split this interview into two episodes: In this episode, Veronica shares the stories on her career path to becoming a professional aerialist.
In next week’s episode, Veronica talks how her experiences launched her into an investigation of the history of people of color in American circus, ultimately leading her to create an ongoing work called the Uncle Junior Project.
If you’re a Patreon, you have access to both episodes right now!
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and worked on both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia including the Shrine Circus and SOAP. She holds a BFA from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how's that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials about circus arts including a line of e-books to help aerial artists train safely and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the industry about their careers. If you're reading this, you're probably listening to it. Thank you! She currently lives in whichever circus community is the warmest. Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com Facebook: The Artist Athlete Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
Marvin Ong is a flow artist who's obsession with one specific juggling trick led him to develop a whole style that is all his own. This episode explores a very different circus community from the one Shannon is used to, but contains a TON of universal lessons for all circus artists to consider.
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and worked on both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia including the Shrine Circus and SOAP. She holds a BFA from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how's that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials about circus arts including a line of e-books to help aerial artists train safely and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the industry about their careers. If you're reading this, you're probably listening to it. Thank you! She currently lives in whichever circus community is the warmest. Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com Facebook: The Artist Athlete Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
Jenn Bruyer teaches aerialists across the world. Shannon sat down with her in Munich to eat chocolate and talk about what makes a good aerial coach, matrices, and finding balance when you're always on the road.
Find Jenn on the interwebs
instagram: @heelhang
website: http://www.heelhang.com
Join Shannon McKenna of The Artist Athlete and Jenn Bruyer at
The Southern Fried Circus Festival in Dallas Texas, September 29th-October 7th.
Tickets are at: http://www.southernfriedcircusfest.com
Or for a week long aerial intensives at Sky Candy in Austin Texas October 8th-12th
Sign up at http://www.skycandyaustin.com
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and worked on both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia including the Shrine Circus and SOAP. She holds a BFA from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how's that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials about circus arts including a line of e-books to help aerial artists train safely and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the industry about their careers. If you're reading this, you're probably listening to it. Thank you! She currently lives in whichever circus community is the warmest. Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com Facebook: The Artist Athlete Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
When Mariana Silva and her partner Juan Cruz Bracamonte created the circus/theater show Mandragora Circus in 2003, they never expected that it would take them on a 14 year (and counting) tour of the world. They have delighted audiences from their home in Patagonia, Argentina, as well as in 40 countries across the Americas, Europe, Asia and Africa. Shannon was lucky enough to speak with Mariana about her life as a traveling clown. This is an inspiring interview you won't want to miss!
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and worked on both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia including the Shrine Circus and SOAP. She holds a BFA from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how's that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials about circus arts including a line of e-books to help aerial artists train safely and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the industry about their careers. If you're reading this, you're probably listening to it. Thank you! She currently lives in whichever circus community is the warmest. Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com Facebook: The Artist Athlete Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
Claire and Shannon sit down for the most epic of interviews! Horses! Aerialists! Falcons! Weird pronunciations of southern towns! Claire shares how she used her love and deep knowledge of riding and caring for horses to make a name for herself in the circus industry.
Find her on instagram: @claire_beer
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and worked on both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia including the Shrine Circus and SOAP. She holds a BFA from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how's that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials about circus arts including a line of e-books to help aerial artists train safely and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the industry about their careers. If you're reading this, you're probably listening to it. Thank you! She currently lives in whichever circus community is the warmest. Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com Facebook: The Artist Athlete Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
Dr. Kip Matthews has been a sports and performance psychologist for 20 years treating dancers, musicians, and high level athletes. He talks to Shannon about how circus artists at all levels can improve their performance, get rid of audition nerves, and deal with injury.
For more about Dr. Kip find him online at http://www.drkipmatthews.com
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and worked on both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia including the Shrine Circus and SOAP. She holds a BFA from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how's that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials about circus arts including a line of e-books to help aerial artists train safely and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the industry about their careers. If you're reading this, you're probably listening to it. Thank you! She currently lives in whichever circus community is the warmest. Find her online: http://www.theartistathlete.com Facebook: The Artist Athlete Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
How does becoming a mother alter a career in the circus industry? Today's guest, Anke Van Engelshoven, has a company that addresses this topic in their new show, Raven. In the interview, Anke shares her life before and after having children, how her country views working mothers, and the unexpected responses to a recent showing of Raven in Berlin.
Find Anke's company online!
website: http://www.still-hungry.net
instagram: @stillhungry_raven
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and worked on both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia including the Shrine Circus and SOAP. She holds a BFA from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how's that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials about circus arts including a line of e-books to help aerial artists train safely and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the industry about their careers. If you're reading this, you're probably listening to it. Thank you! She currently lives in whichever circus community is the warmest. Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com Facebook: The Artist Athlete Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
Today’s show is about the intersection of circus and social media, and my guest is the world famous, Brandon Scott, Acrobat!
Brandon has the traditional resume of a young professional aerialist- trained high level gymnastics at a young age, discovered aerial arts in college, and then moved to Las Vegas to pursue making a full-time career as a circus artist. What makes Brandon different, is that during his journey, he has built up a following of 60 thousand at the release of this episode.
In this interview, I talk to Brandon about how he got started, his views on the world of social media, and what tips he has for the rest of us about growing our accounts.
Instagram: @brandonscottacrobat
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and worked on both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia including the Shrine Circus and SOAP. She holds a BFA from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how's that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials about circus arts including a line of e-books to help aerial artists train safely and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the industry about their careers. If you're reading this, you're probably listening to it. Thank you! She currently lives in whichever circus community is the warmest. Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com Facebook: The Artist Athlete Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
Laura Stokes and her artistic partner, Cohdi Harrell, got their big break when their full-length show, Smoke and Mirrors, won top awards at the 2015 Edinburgh Fringe Festival. But what did it take to get them there? Shannon and Laura swear up a storm in this interview (don't worry, it's been censored- except on my website, http://www.theartistathlete.com/podcasts) and talk about what it's like to perform a personal creation for years and how Laura practices the internal aspects of performance during rehearsals.
Show Notes:
Laura Stokes: http://www.laurastokes.com
The Ricochet Project: http://www.thericochetproject.com
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and worked on both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia including the Shrine Circus and SOAP. She holds a BFA from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how's that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials about circus arts including a line of e-books to help aerial artists train safely and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the industry about their careers. If you're reading this, you're probably listening to it. Thank you! She currently lives in whichever circus community is the warmest. Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com Facebook: The Artist Athlete Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
What does it take in this day and age to produce circus in the United States? Doug Stewart, a recent graduate of Columbia College in Chicago, talks about how he used his degree and earned a degree in Business of Live and Performing Arts and his experience touring with an American youth circus troupe to found his company Cirque US. Cirque US creates an original show each year and tours New England for the summer. At the end of the episode, Shannon takes a few key pieces of wisdom and translates them to practical business advice for individual artists.
To Find Out More About Cirque US visit: http://www.thecirqueUS.com
My Website: http://www.theartistathlete.com
SHOW NOTES:
Visit: http://www.thecirqueus.com
Instagram: @thecirqueus
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cirqueus/
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and worked on both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia including the Shrine Circus and SOAP. She holds a BFA from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how's that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials about circus arts including a line of e-books to help aerial artists train safely and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the industry about their careers. If you're reading this, you're probably listening to it. Thank you! She currently lives in whichever circus community is the warmest. Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com Facebook: The Artist Athlete Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
Shannon can’t speak French but you know who can? Aerialist, choreographer, and master teacher Fred Deb. Fred is one of the founders of aerial silks as an apparatus and has been called a “precursor to French contemporary circus.” In this episode, Shannon asks her about her career, the evolution of her teaching, and her creative process. Stay tuned after the interview to hear Shannon wrestle with the question of aerial dance vs circus... http://www.theartistathlete.com
Show Notes:
Fred Deb:
Find her on instagram: _fred.deb_
About her company, Drapes Aerians:
http://www.drapes-aeriens.com
Information about the French Aerial Dance Festival: http://www.lesrencontresdedanseaerienne.com/en/2018-aerial-dance-festival/
Promotional Footage for a 2003 Documentary about Compagnie Les Arts Sauts:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VCfnqsoXAg
In the summary, I mentioned an interview with Lewie West on a different podcast. Unfortunately, it seems like all of the links to the episode are dead, BUT here’s a blog post with some additional information about it:
https://antranik.org/horizontal-vs-vertical-skill-development/
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and worked on both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia including the Shrine Circus and SOAP. She holds a BFA from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how's that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials about circus arts including a line of e-books to help aerial artists train safely and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the industry about their careers. If you're reading this, you're probably listening to it. Thank you! She currently lives in whichever circus community is the warmest. Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com Facebook: The Artist Athlete Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
Philipp, one of the top contortionists in Europe, discusses how his training mentality has changed over his almost 30 year career and why being a contortionist is one of the easiest disciplines to perform. Shannon just kind of sits in awe. http://www.theartistathlete.com
Philipp Tigris
Website: http://www.tigris-hulahoop.de
Instagram: @philipp.tigris
A link to Tsatsral Erdenebileg breaking the world record for holding a Marinelli Bend:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1C5RWWgzG4This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
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Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and worked on both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia including the Shrine Circus and SOAP. She holds a BFA from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how's that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials about circus arts including a line of e-books to help aerial artists train safely and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the industry about their careers. If you're reading this, you're probably listening to it. Thank you! She currently lives in whichever circus community is the warmest. Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com Facebook: The Artist Athlete Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
Welcome back to the interview with Dr. Jen Crane of Cirque Physio. In this show Jen explains how to overcome plateaus in flexibility, aging in circus, and talks more about all of the resources she has created to help educate circus artists.
www.theartistathlete.com
Show Notes:
Find Dr. Jen Crane online:
http://www.cirquephysio.com
Instagram: cirque_physio
How to eat a duck tongue: https://onthegas.org/food/duck-tongue-recipes
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and worked on both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia including the Shrine Circus and SOAP. She holds a BFA from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how's that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials about circus arts including a line of e-books to help aerial artists train safely and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the industry about their careers. If you're reading this, you're probably listening to it. Thank you! She currently lives in whichever circus community is the warmest. Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com Facebook: The Artist Athlete Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
How do you know if your circus pain is a mild irritation or a major problem? And if it is a problem where can a circus artist go to find help? Shannon asks Dr. Jen Crane of Cirque Physio all about treating the circus population and the competitive ping pong population.
http://www.theartistathlete.com
-Show Notes:
The letters behind Jen's name are:
PT: Physical Therapist
DPT: Doctor of Physical Therapy
OCS: Othopedic Clinical Specialist
ATC: Athletic Training Certification
If you are looking for a physical therapist who is also a body worker, you want to look for a:
FAAOMPT: Fellow of the American Academy of Othopedic Manual Physical Therapists
You can find Jen Crane on Instagram @cirque_physio and at http://www.cirquephysio.com
Tune in next week for Part 2!
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and worked on both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia including the Shrine Circus and SOAP. She holds a BFA from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how's that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials about circus arts including a line of e-books to help aerial artists train safely and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the industry about their careers. If you're reading this, you're probably listening to it. Thank you! She currently lives in whichever circus community is the warmest. Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com Facebook: The Artist Athlete Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
Anton Belyakov is a professional hand balancer who performing all over the world for longer than he can remember. Shannon sits down with him talk to him about his life in the circus, doing grown up things, and his favorite music to warm up to backstage.
Follow Anton on Instagram: @tonywhite278
Bath tub hand balancing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XwKlayjWcc
Artistic promotional video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zfthoam9HIk
Phlegmatic: http://www.dictionary.com/browse/phlegmatic
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and worked on both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia including the Shrine Circus and SOAP. She holds a BFA from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how's that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials about circus arts including a line of e-books to help aerial artists train safely and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the industry about their careers. If you're reading this, you're probably listening to it. Thank you! She currently lives in whichever circus community is the warmest. Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com Facebook: The Artist Athlete Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
Can circus be a vehicle for personal growth?
Carrie Heller has spent 30 years in the social circus world, helping clients and creating resources. Carrie and Dr. Lauren Taglialatela show empirical evidence in a data driven study, that circus is good for not just your body, but your brain as well! Shannon sits down with Carrie in her beautiful space in Atlanta to find out how.
Carrie’s Certifications:
MSW: Masters Degree in Social Work from Tulane University
LCSW: Licensed Clinical Social Worker
RPT: Registered Play Therapist
Website:
www.circusartsinstitute.com
Page about the research paper:
www.circusartsinstitute.com/blog/catpublished
READ THE ARTICLE:
International Journal of Play Therapy (published by the American Psychological Association): http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/pla0000068
Social Media Links:
https://www.facebook.com/circusartsinstitute/
https://twitter.com/circusartsatl
Regarding positive reinforcement:
“The Difficult Child” by Howard Glasser
Research articles on Crossing the Midline
http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.2466/pms.1998.86.1.201
Supplemental information:
http://blog.sascentre.com/en/midline
http://spectrumpediatrics.com/blog/2013/12/crossingmidline/
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and worked on both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia including the Shrine Circus and SOAP. She holds a BFA from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how's that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials about circus arts including a line of e-books to help aerial artists train safely and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the industry about their careers. If you're reading this, you're probably listening to it. Thank you! She currently lives in whichever circus community is the warmest. Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com Facebook: The Artist Athlete Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
Inka Siefker is an internationally renowned contortionist who holds the Guinness World Record for farthest arrow shot into a target using the feet. Not too shabby for a southern girl who started circus in her twenties!
Shannon sits down with Inka and a bottle of champagne to talk about training with a Mongolian coach, laser pointers, and high ponytails.
You can find Inka on instagram: @inkabot
And on the whorld whide wheb: http://www.inkasiefker.com
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and worked on both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia including the Shrine Circus and SOAP. She holds a BFA from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how's that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials about circus arts including a line of e-books to help aerial artists train safely and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the industry about their careers. If you're reading this, you're probably listening to it. Thank you! She currently lives in whichever circus community is the warmest. Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com Facebook: The Artist Athlete Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
Ever wonder how a Cirque du Soliel show is made? Shannon talks with Brandon Livanos, an artist on the CdS show, Volta, about creating and going on tour. He shares his daily routine and how he landed a job, first on Franco Dragone’s House of Dancing Water, and then with the largest theatrical producer in the world.
Find Brandon on instagram: @brandonlivanos
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and worked on both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia including the Shrine Circus and SOAP. She holds a BFA from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how's that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials about circus arts including a line of e-books to help aerial artists train safely and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the industry about their careers. If you're reading this, you're probably listening to it. Thank you! She currently lives in whichever circus community is the warmest. Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com Facebook: The Artist Athlete Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
In a world where every trick and transition under the sun is already out on Instagram and YouTube, how do you go about making art that is truly your own? Shannon is joined today by aerialist, choreographer, and studio owner Liza Rose who in her long career has found ways to create her own art and her own opportunities.
You can find Liza Rose on instagram: @thereallizarose
Her studio, Fly Circus Space, is in New Orleans and on instagram: @flycircusspace
And on the whorld whide wheb: http://www.flycircus.space
Liza Rose mentioned two books today:
The Art of Listening by Darla Johnson
Open Source Forms by Stephanie Skura
You can buy them at your local book seller... or a from a large corporation that will bring it to your doorstep overnight.
This podcast is dedicated to CIRCUS. Aerialist, Shannon McKenna interviews guests from acrobats in Cirque du Soleil to circus therapists and everyone in between. Learn the backstage lives of those who flip, twist, sparkle, and shine under the big top.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and worked on both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia including the Shrine Circus and SOAP. She holds a BFA from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how's that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials about circus arts including a line of e-books to help aerial artists train safely and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the industry about their careers. If you're reading this, you're probably listening to it. Thank you! She currently lives in whichever circus community is the warmest. Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com Facebook: The Artist Athlete Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
Shannon sits down for the debut episode of The Artist Athlete to talk to acrobatic rigger Brett Copes about safety vs risk and what EVERY aerialist should know about rigging.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and worked on both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia including the Shrine Circus and SOAP. She holds a BFA from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how's that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials about circus arts including a line of e-books to help aerial artists train safely and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the industry about their careers. If you're reading this, you're probably listening to it. Thank you!
She currently lives in whichever circus community is the warmest.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: The Artist Athlete
Instagram: @the_artist_athlete
Please won’t you be a Patreon?: http://www.patreon.com/theartistathlete
Welcome and thanks for listening to The Artist Athlete! Listen to this episode to learn about the host, Shannon, as well as hear about the upcoming guests.
Shannon McKenna is an internationally recognized circus performer and coach. For the past decade, she has been a freelance artist: giving workshops and classes across 7 countries and worked on both traditional and contemporary circus shows in the US, Portugal, Germany, and Australia including the Shrine Circus and SOAP. She holds a BFA from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts with a concentration on post-modern physical theater (how's that for a mouthful?). She founded The Artist Athlete in 2018 as a means to produce educational materials about circus arts including a line of e-books to help aerial artists train safely and a podcast in which she interviews experts in the industry about their careers. If you're reading this, you're probably listening to it. Thank you!
She currently lives in whichever circus community is the warmest.
Find her online: www.theartistathlete.com
Facebook: The Artist Athlete
Instagram: @the_artist_athlete