Kari Jay Hunter has been part of the SANCA coaching team since the school opened its doors in 2004, but her life in the movement arts began much earlier.
Kari studied dance and gymnastics from age three through college, and shortly after moving to Seattle in 2001 began performing with Circus Contraption. Through Contraption she was introduced to SANCA co-founders Jo Montgomery and Chuck Johnson, whose combined wealth of circus arts knowledge, generosity of spirit, and enthusiasm for the local circus community led Kari to seek a coaching position at the fledgling school.
Kari is currently the Assistant Director of the Youth Performance Company and the aerial lead for SANCA’s Professional Preparatory Program. Her supportive approach to coaching puts safety first and allows for a broad movement vocabulary and room for creativity. Along with general skill development coaching, Kari specializes in act creation and refinement and has assisted with successful audition pieces for ENC, the De L’Arte school in Blue Lake, California, and Teatro ZinZanni. In addition to coaching at SANCA, Kari has taught workshops and private lessons at Versatile Arts and Emerald City Trapeze in Seattle, around the Puget Sound in Bellingham, Tacoma, and Olympia, at Le Cirque Centre in Ashland, Oregon, and the Circus Center in San Francisco.
Deemed an “aerialist par excellence” by the Seattle Times, Kari has performed in over 30 major U.S. cities and internationally with:
- Circus Contraption
- Acrobatic Conundrum
- Animate Objects Physical Theater
- ticktock dance
- Seattle Opera
- Moisture Festival 2003-2013
- EnJoy Productions
- The Aerialistas
- Can-Can Presents
- UMO
- Edge Theater Ensemble
- Teatro ZinZanni,
Seattle and San Francisco - Palazzo Variety and Dinner cabaret circuit, Germany
- Friedrichsbau Variety, Germany
- Dog and Pony Show Productions
- Night Flight Aerial, Portland, OR
- Festival Burlesco, Portugal
Kari has previously coached and performed as Kari Podgorski and Sally Pepper.
