We thought that we’d get a closer look at Nathan Drackett. He moved to Seattle and joined SANCA as a coach last summer, and recently became the Experiential Programs Director. We thought we’d ask a bit about his mysterious Chicago background.

SANCA: How’d you end up at SANCA?

Nate coaching at The Actors Gymnasium

Nate: I started training circus in college at The Actors Gymnasium, a smaller non-profit circus school with a mission very similar to SANCA’s. I taught and trained there as a coach for over 10 years and learned the inner workings of a circus school.
My wife Lauran and I wanted to move somewhere cleaner and prettier than Chicago to raise a family, so after a tour of the SANCA facilities led by Nickolai we were hooked.

SANCA: Why SANCA though?

Nate: Well, frankly SANCA’s size was the first thing that struck me on that tour with Nickolai. The sheer number of students and performers that walk through SANCA’s door every day is quite heartening. Then I learned that it was SANCA’s mission to make the joy of circus available to all ages and backgrounds, and I knew that this was kind of place where you could really make a difference in the world.

SANCA: How do you think you’ll make a difference?

Nate: As of this year I came aboard as SANCA’s Experiential Programs Director. I get to direct some of SANCA’s most exciting programs: Flying Trapeze, Camps, School Groups, Corporate Events, Parties, and Workshops. A lot of the students that come to SANCA for one of those programs have never been to SANCA before, or even experienced circus first-hand at all. First experiences can really be transformative, especially when you get to learn to do the seemingly impossible. I bet if you ask anyone at SANCA to tell you a story of their first circus experience, many would include phrases like “I never thought I could…”, “I was really good at _____ for some reason”, or “I LOVED IT”. These are words of empowerment, of self-discovery, and strength. If I can help bring these three to just one person a day, I’d call that making a difference.

SANCA: What do you like to do when you’re not “under the tent”?

Nate: I actually can’t get enough of games. Board games, video games, you name it. I also love anything outdoors: hiking, biking, running.  An ideal day for me is a hike in the mountains with my wife and my dog Balto. He’s the 7-month year old husky-mix currently in contention as the cutest dog at SANCA.

SANCA: Well we’ll have to hold back on judgment on that one for the time being…

Nate: That’s very generous of you.

And if you haven’t seen Nate yet, you can catch him in the King 5 Evening show’s Friday Field Trip. Nate not only helped the Evening Team work on their trampoline skills, he taught them the fanciest flourish for a finale.

Look at my pants!