by Amber Parker
Last fall, I was hanging off the trapeze trying as mightily as I could to not let go. I was working towards a 50 second hang, a goal I had been pursuing all quarter. As I hung there, listening to my classmate tick off the seconds I’d been hanging, my eyes scanned the main gym for something to focus on. The clock? No. Kids playing on the tumble track? Nope, that’s not going to work either. Just as I was about to let go I saw a young woman in a handstand, one of her legs in a huge cast. I’d noticed her training in her cast all week and hadn’t thought much of it. But, in that moment on the trapeze, I was struck by the sight of her, by how amazing she was. I thought, “If she can come here every day and train in a cast, I can get through another 20 seconds. This is what it means to be a circus artist.” I kept my eyes locked on her and gripped tighter. Then, before I knew it, it had been 50 seconds.
This acrobat was Clara Scudder-Davis, a graduate of SANCA’s Professional Preparatory Program and current coach here at SANCA. You can find Clara at SANCA almost any time of the week in a handstand, juggling, stretching into impossible poses, or hanging off the trapeze, working away for hours to perfect her form and hone her skills. When I heard that Clara had been accepted to L’École de cirque de Québec (a prestigious circus school in Canada) and I had the opportunity to interview her for our blog to report on that news, I was excited to have a chance to learn more about this incredible member of our community.
Clara came to us in the fall of 2014 from Oberlin College in Ohio, where she interested in learning aerial fabric in Oberlin’s circus program. She didn’t have the prerequisite of 30 hours of training to join that program, so Clara turned to SANCA’s Professional Preparatory Program– “I realized that if I wanted to do circus, I was going to need to go some place where I could just learn a lot of information in a short amount of time. So I applied to the P3 program. It was so physically challenging…when I got to P3 it was eye opening.” Clara said that although she had a background in ballet and dance, learning circus skills was a whole other level of artist and physical expression. I sat down with Clara to explore both her experience in the P3 program and the exciting next steps she’s taking as a circus artist.
Amber: “What was the most challenging part of the P3 program?
Clara: “It was hard for me having not been so fit or strong or ever having thought of myself as being strong, to do something where I really needed to be strong. To go through the learning process of how to make that happen in my body was experimental and challenging and very painful. My body went through so much stress that first year, especially because I was training so much where I hadn’t been training before. But, it was totally worth it.”
Amber: “What kept you going during that time?”
Clara: “I was so challenging but also just so magical. Circus is so compelling for me as an art form because it combined every mode of expression that I’m drawn to. I grew up doing dance, I was a singer in middle school and high school, and I did acting and theatre as well. Also, just being super physical is something that really inspires me. Circus incorporates all of that. I’m drawn to other kinds of expression, like writing, but I feel most inspired when I’m being physical.”
Amber: “Oh, definitely. I feel the same. So, tell me about the next step in your career?”
Clara: “I’ll be going to the circus school in Quebec, it’s called L’École de cirque de Québec, or ECQ. I got into the prep year so I’ll re-audition for schools next year, which I’m excited for. It’s like circus school at Hogwarts, it’s awesome. It’s in this huge old church with stained glass windows. When I came to SANCA, it was so magical because I had never seen anyone do handstands or drops on fabric or tumble on a tumble track, I didn’t even know what a tumble track was. When I discovered that people could do one arm handstands my mind was blown. I couldn’t even believe that was possible. Stepping into the Quebec circus was like that first feeling I had when I came to SANCA, but even more so. When I walked in there was someone doing swinging trapeze and another on flying trapeze, and then there were people doing double backs on the trampoline. It’s a very lovely and supportive community, and very creative. I really appreciate that. And I’m very excited to learn french.”
Amber: “So, do you have a major at L’École de cirque de Québec?”
Clara: “Yes! In my program I have two disciplines, then there’s a three year program that I will audition for where I will have three disciplines. My first discipline is hand balancing and my second is contortion. I’m hoping that when I get there I will have the option to add classes and build my own program. I want to do some Chinese Pole or some group acrobatics or trampoline. Basically, I just want to do as much as I possibly can.”
Amber: “Wow, so that’s about 4 years of circus school. What do you see happening for you after you graduate?”
Clara: “Right now it feels like a whirlwind to me because I started so recently. I’ve just been putting one foot in front of the other and not allowing myself to be attached to anything. Any sort of opportunity is exciting at this point. But, at the same time, I would love to be able to travel and perform with circus companies like The 7 Fingers or smaller circus companies. I’d like to go Europe and travel and perform, and I’d love to have the opportunity to train in different places. If I could ever go to Mongolia or Russia or China, I would love to be able to train with other teachers and have the be part of the experience that informs my performance. There’s a lot of knowledge out there, and I’m very interested in technique and artistry. I haven’t combined those two things very much yet, so I’m excited to do that. I can see so many ways that circus will be part of my life no matter what happens. Back in September I broke my fibula and that was a big moment of deciding that no matter what happens, circus is something I want to continue doing. In whatever capacity I’m doing it, circus nourishes me and feeds me and is something I just adore. It’s a huge part of my life.”
I was so grateful to have the opportunity to sit down with Clara as she stands on the precipice of this next step in her life, both as a woman and as an circus artist. It was such a privilege to be with her in this moment of transition and I can’t wait to see how far she goes and what lessons she learns during that journey. Along with Clara, one of our current P3 students, Cameron Clarke, will be moving on to L’École de cirque de Québec. SANCA does many amazing things, but one of the biggest things we do here is nurture new artists as they move forward with their goals, whatever those goals may be. What a gift that is to have a whole community behind you, supporting every step you take. SANCA would like to wish both Clara and Cameron the best of luck in Quebec!
Please look for an upcoming piece about our very talented P3 cohort as they prepare for their show, The Other Side of the Unknown, which will be running June 3rd-5th.
Eve Diamond is an aerialist joining the SANCA staff with over ten years of teaching, training and performing experience in circus arts. Her love and respect for circus started when she was 12 and attended summer camp at Circus Smirkus (Greensboro, VT). After being inspired by what circus training and performing has to offer, she was accepted to and attended three years of professional circus training in San Francisco, CA. After graduating in 2011, Eve’s been performing and teaching around the USA with companies such as Cirque Productions, Cirque Mechanics, Circus Bella and more. This summer she was invited to perform her cloud swing act at the Montreal Completement Cirque festival in Montreal, Canada.
Katie Herndon grew up on a farm in central Washington and quickly discovered her love for heights and hanging upside down. After years of gymnastics she competed on the Acrobatics & Tumbling team for Azusa Pacific University. From there, her love of acrobatics led her to circus and aerial arts. After graduating with her degree in business, Katie moved back to the Pacific Northwest and began teaching and performing while furthering her circus skills through flying trapeze and trampoline. In 2015 she was given the opportunity to train with The Flying Aces as part of the Netherland’s National Circus. After a five-month immersion in the world of caravans, tents, and traditional circus, she once again returned to the beautiful city of Seattle, and has found an incredible environment in the SANCA community. She is now teaching tumbling and training acrobatics, trampoline, aerial silks, rope and flying trapeze. Katie is a new circus arts coach
Shawn Kellogg has been studying movement since 2008 and has delved into yoga, martial arts, circus, dance and other disciplines. He collaboratively created and performed in several contemporary clown and theatre shows over the last three years. He has spent many hours training handstands, tumbling, and other circus arts at the San Francisco Circus Center, Twisters Gymnastics in Port Townsend, and right here at SANCA. For the last three years he has made a living as a structural integration practitioner and movement educator. He does private sessions with adults and children. In his sessions he teaches functional kinesiology and works with clients to relieve pain and create more ease everyday. Shawn is a new circus arts coach
Alyssa Luna saw her first glimpse into the circus world in 2007, when she joined circus club in college. After college Alyssa moved back to Seattle and discovered her new found love was just around the corner. She began to indulge herself with silks, Lyra and finally found flying trapeze. She specializes in flying trapeze, Lyra and duo trapeze. Her love and dedication for all things circus led her to teaching kids through day camp programs as well as summer camps throughout the south, east coast and a bit of Midwest. Her love for circus and what it can teach today’s youth still continues since she found her way to SANCA. Alyssa is an Outreach Coach
Missy Nagin first found circus when she moved to Seattle in 2013. She took her first flying trapeze class and was hooked. She started flying regularly and wanted to stronger. She began taking aerial classes inside to build more strength control. As a nurse in real life she spends her time caring for patients with cancer and circus provides a great outlet. As a nurse, already connected with Camp Korey, she had the opportunity to volunteer as an outreach coach. After this experience Missy wanted to get more involved. As an Outreach Coach Missy gets to combine her love for circus in combination for helping children grow both emotionally and physically.
Amber Parker came to SANCA as a student in 2014, mostly on a whim and looking to try something new. After her first class, however, she was hooked and her life was forever changed by the circus. She began with aerial fundamentals, and has since branched out to contortion and Cyr Wheel, and most currently, to studying circus arts academically and professionally.
She was raised in Boise, Idaho. Having graduated two one-year conservatory programs in San Francisco: The Clown Conservatory (during the Jeff Raz years) and Flying Actor’s Physical Theater program, she then proceeded to co-found Main Street Theater. This alternative event space in San Francisco’s Excelsior district, dedicated to Physical Theatre and the Variety Arts is where she created, performed, and produced for five years. She has been a juggler for Myth Busters and the San Francisco Opera. She is one half of the musical duo Carl and Beatrice. She co-created and toured Genie and Audrey’s Dream Show!!! (an award-winning two woman circus/clown show). She has performed for the San Francisco Accordion Club. Twice. She has coached youth circus programs at San Francisco’s Circus Center, Prescott Circus Theater in Oakland, NuevaSummer, and Circus Moves. She has performed as a hospital clown for both ClownZero and The Medical Clown Project. She is: Audrey Spinazola.
Amanda Thornton found the circus arts while studying theater and writing. She gravitated immediately to aerial fabric and committed her free time to strength and flexibility using this amazing apparatus. Amanda has tried to broaden her horizons as a circus performer and practice everything from juggling to stilt walking and fire spinning, but aerial is where her true passion lies. After finding a home on fabric she began to experiment with the other apparatus such as trapeze, hoop, and rope and learned that it isn’t just about specializing in one thing for her. She also is a dedicated acro-yogi and loves sharing her knowledge on partner work, which she also took to the skies with her partner on the aerial fabric. To her the circus is a community for learning about all sorts of crazy things, whether that’s flying in the sky, standing on your hands, or object manipulation. Amanda moved to Seattle and began working for Teatro ZinZanni, which is what lead her to SANCA. She is thrilled to play in this beautiful space and work with a community of well-rounded and thriving circus artists.
Faye Visintainer found her way to the world of circus through performing with Oberlin College’s O!Circus. Though she began as a dancer, she eventually picked up poi “just to try it” and never looked back. She took a brief break from twirling things around her head to teach English as a second language in Japan, where her circus skills came in more handy than she initially thought. After her return to America she found herself at SANCA’s doorstep and promptly fell in love. Now she is thrilled to be a part of the Outreach program, and in her off time, delights in learning as much about juggling and flying trapeze as she possibly can.
SANCA’s annual fundraising gala, Up with a Twist (re-named Leap with a Twist since it falls on Leap Day in 2016), is a mere three weeks away. This is SANCA’s 7th year producing this show, and it’s become a highly anticipated and integral part of the SANCA community. Not only is Twist the largest show of the year, the fundraising at the gala supports SANCA’s Circus Arts Program for Youth, which makes the benefits of circus arts available to all families, independent of their ability to pay. Considering this mission to make circus arts more accessible, the theme of the show this year feels particularly apt- Creating a World Inspired by Circus. The show explores the question, “What would the world look without circus?” and what’s more, “What would our community look like without SANCA?” In many ways, the artistic direction of the show is an answer to these questions.
Owner of West Coast Flying Trapeze in BC Canada and former SANCA coach, Chris Johnston will be back in Seattle this weekend! While at SANCA, he taught flying trapeze, tumbling, trampoline to students and staff alike.
at SANCA in February. On Saturday, February 13th from 5:00-8:00pm, he will get into 
I met Leslie Rosen, my aerial fundamentals trainer, in the summer of 2013. From the moment I met Leslie, I found her to be kind, accepting, and patient with me and all of her other students. No matter what kind of experience, body, or skill level her students bring to class, Leslie is uniquely adept at individualizing physical training so that it can be accessible to anyone. Leslie has truly been my ambassador at SANCA, and I’ve come to depend on her guidance and wisdom.
performing, hula hooping, belly dancing, and of course, passing that knowledge on to others as a teacher. Leslie leads two performance troupes, the belly dancing Sirens of Serpentine and Pyrosutra, her fire troupe. Additionally, she has the distinction of being the only Belly Dancer in the Cirque du Soleil database. Leslie truly exemplifies a modern artist embodying centuries of tradition in her work, and by teaching what she’s learned, she hands those traditions down to her students so the lineage can continue.
When Leslie came to SANCA nearly a decade ago, she brought with her a background in dance, but no experience with aerial acrobatics. This makes her current aerial expertise 100% learned in-house at SANCA. Leslie progressed from aerial basics, such as learning to climb the rope, to mastering aerial fundamentals and beyond. She was able to achieve this in part by having a diversity of trainers over the years, including Chuck, Alyssa, Chelsea, Jeff, Terry, Crystal and Rachel and Ben. Over time, through countless classes, workshops and trainings (and no doubt a great deal of commitment), Leslie found the techniques and skills that worked for her and continued to deepen her understanding of aerial arts. But circus is much more of a journey than a destination, and even though Leslie is a successful trainer and instructor, she continues to challenge herself by remaining a life long student of her various disciplines. I’ve seen Leslie stealing moments to study new aerial technique from videos, I’ve watched her dangle from the Lyra above me as she learned how to move her body on a new apparatus, and I’ve sweat and worked hard next to her when she’s dropped into my Strength and Flexibility class. Leslie is more than just my teacher, she’s my peer in the circus lifestyle, which is what being in a community is all about. It’s not about hierarchy, it’s about connection.
Just as Leslie has committed herself to the ongoing education of circus arts, she will be apart from us for the winter session so she can deepen her understanding of classical Indian dance. On New Year’s Day Leslie traveled to a temple school in Rajasthan to study Odissi, Vinyasa yoga and Belly Dance and fire performance with the Romani (also known as Gypsies) for three months. She will no doubt come back full of new experiences, techniques, and the multigenerational knowledge contained in this traditional art form.
