Super Novas 2019 – 2020 Registration Packet Overview of Circus Center’s Pre-Professional Youth Program Circus Center’s Pre-Professional Youth Program is a yearlong training program. Students ​ are asked to commit to the entire year. The program is open to students ages 7–18 ​ (exceptions for skilled younger students may be made). Students build a solid foundation in the basic skills of circus, including strength, flexibility, balance and coordination. Our Pre- Professional Youth Program has three levels: Rising Stars, Super Novas, and the San Francisco Youth Circus. For those students who want it and work for it, Circus Center’s Pre-Professional Youth Program has a long history of preparing young people for elite training and careers in the circus. Even for students who do not pursue a career in the circus, the exposure to high-level training builds discipline, commitment, and confidence that will serve them well in any path they choose. Super Novas (ages 9-16) – Students deepen their circus training when they advance to ​ Super Novas. They continue to develop their strength, flexibility, and coordination while advancing their circus skills. Super Novas focus on two specialties throughout the year which are chosen by the students with coach approval. All Super Novas continue to train tumbling, group acrobatics, and juggling as well. The Super Novas develop their performance skills through weekly dance and acting classes. ● Students are required to complete 80 hours of training over the summer to prepare for the school year ● From September-May, training days are Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays ​ from 4:00– 6:20 pm ● Students are expected to participate in at least 3 outside events throughout the year ● Super Nova Students participate in the Winter Showcase in December ● Super Nova Students put together a show in May and perform for one weekend ● Students have 14 allowed absences for September-May ​ Super Novas Leadership Team Abigail Munn – Education Director, Interim Youth Program Director: An accomplished ​ ​ dancer, choreographer, and aerialist, Abigail holds a BFA in Modern Dance from UC Santa Barbara. She made her first appearance in the ring as a child with San Francisco’s Pickle Family Circus. She has since performed with Lone Star Circus, Zoppé Italian Family Circus, New Pickle Circus, Cabaret Verdelet, Circus Cabaret, Tease-O-Rama, Va Va Voom Room, and The Velvet Hammer Burlesque, to name a few. Abigail was featured in the New York Times for Alma Esperanza Cunningham’s work “Princess.” She is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of Circus Bella, where she has conceived, produced, and directed most of its productions for the past eleven years. Jeremy Vik – SN Head Coach, Handstands and Juggling: Jeremy Vik came to Circus ​ Center in 2004 and graduated from the Clown Conservatory (directed by Jeff Raz) in 2005. Realizing that clowning is the hardest thing on Earth, he returned to acting and spent 5 years performing around the Bay in mostly Shakespeare and Musical Theatre. Then in 2010, he returned to Circus Center and completed the Professional Acrobatics Program, specializing in Handstands. Jeremy has performed for the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival, Shotgun Players, Goldenthread Productions, Marin Shakespeare Company, 42nd St. Moon, Virago Theatre Company, and many more. In addition to acting, Jeremy performs chair balancing and juggling all over the Bay and Europe. He has performed with Circus Bella, Sweet Can Productions, the Circus Center Cabaret and Le Cirque de Boheme. Jeremy ​ ​ has a BFA in Performance from Southern Oregon University and is a proud member of Actors' Equity Association. Ashe Giovanni – SN Head Coach, Dance, Acrobatics and Sling: Ashe Giovanni has ​ been a circus performer for 9 years. She got her start in Michigan with a local circus company, went on to tour nationally and then co-found Bangarang Circus; a performing troupe and instructional school based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She was also one of the original members of The Murder Mystery Company, an interactive dinner theater show that now has companies all over the US. Ashe has studied and performed a wide variety of aerial and ground skills such as (Tissu, Lyra, Rope, Static Trapeze, Sling, Straps, Aerial Cube, and ground skills such as Partner & Group Acrobatics, Hula Hoop, Juggling, Clowning, and Fire performing.) Fitness plays a giant role in Ashe's life. She lifts weights regularly and is a Certified TRX instructor. Her love and knowledge of circus and fitness fuses together in her teaching, as she incorporates a wide variety of exercises in her circus classes to not only make you stronger, but to target the specific muscle groups one needs to excel in aerial and circus overall. Elena Panova- Trapeze: Born in Murom, Russia, Elena Panova is a graduate of Moscow's ​ Circus and Variety College, where she specialized as an aerialist. Under the guidance of the famous training tandem of Tereza Durova and Viktor Fomin, she created a groundbreaking swinging trapeze act that redefined swinging trapeze as it is performed today all over the world. Elena won a gold medal and the Ministry of Culture award at the Festival Mondial du Cirque de Demain in Paris in 1987, and the gold medal at the 1988 All-Union Circus Artists Competition of the USSR. For over twenty years, she has performed in major circuses and variety and theater shows on four continents, including the Moscow Circus, Circus Knie, the Cirque d'Hiver-Bouglione in Paris, Circus Carré in Amsterdam, the Victorian Arts Center in Melbourne, and the Big Apple Circus. She has also been a judge several times at the Festival Mondial du Cirque de Demain in Paris. Elena moved to the United States in 1991. She started teaching at Circus Center in 2004. Felicity Hesed- Trapeze: Felicity is a director, performer, and educator. Her performance ​ credits include The Tangerine Family Circus (Chicago), The Pickle Family Circus, Cabaret Lunatique with Teatro ZinZanni, and Bay Area Children’s Theate’s Circus Adventure. Felicity received her BA in Theatre Arts from Kalamazoo College, her MA in Education from DePaul University, and completed the Clown Conservatory program at Circus Center. Heidi Button- Balance: Heidi began studying aerial at the Pickle Family Circus School in ​ San Francisco in the late 1980s. A few years later she ran away to France, where she studied at the Fratellini National Circus school in Paris and the National Circus School of Rosny-sous-Bois, France. She toured 4 years with the French Street Theater company Jo Bithume, playing shows all over Western and Eastern Europe, and even down into South America. She has performed static trapeze, aerial silk, rope, hoop, aerial diamond, and hung from a harness at 30ft. The last few years have seen her create an original aerial apparatus, and help her students create their own artistic routines. Chloe Axelrod- Aerial Hoop and Flexibility: Chloe Marvel Light Axelrod is a powerhouse ​ performance artist whose talents have carried her around the world. She has performed for a variety of acclaimed companies in world-class productions in places such as San Francisco, Tokyo, Osaka, Atlantic City, Leipzig, and the Dominican Republic. Chloe is known for her dynamic performance style, full of high-level acrobatic and aerial skills combined with effortless grace and incredible form. Chloe began training under Master Lu Yi at the San Francisco School of Circus Arts (now Circus Center) when she was 14 years old. A stand out in the prestigious Youth Circus Training Program, she was trained in floor acrobatics, hand balancing, partner acrobatics, teeterboard, aerial straps, and acrobatic bungee. As an adult, Chloe began to train and perform as an aerial hoop artist, specializing in both solo and duo. Today, she excels in multiple aerial disciplines, including hoop, straps, cube and flying trapeze. She is revered for both her solo and partner acts in the air, as well as on the floor. Trained by the acclaimed coach, Serchmaa Byamba, in contortion, she is also recognized as an accomplished ground performer. Two years ago, Chloe developed an Acro Chair act that can be performed solo or with her partner, Kerri Kresinski. In addition to her many years of training and performance, Chloe is also a teacher and mentor to many in the Bay Area Circus Community. Responsible for the development of several internationally recognized partner aerial acts, she offers private lessons to individuals at all levels - from the recreational beginner to the elite performer. Teaching the marvel of circus, and sharing with her students and her audience her passion of art and acrobatics, is what makes watching and working with Chloe such a delight! Serchmaa Byamba- Contortion: Serchmaa’s career in Contortion started in 1989 when ​ she went to Russia to perform in front of thousands for the very first time. Since then she performed with “Mandukhai” Mongolian Ethnic Ensemble and traveling circus “Urguu” and Mongolian Ethnic dance and music ensemble “Jamukha” in many countries including Russia, Poland, Korea, Japan, China, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Holland, Pakistan, France, Mexico and United States of America. In October 16th of 1992, while performing in Germany with “Urguu” circus troupe, Serchmaa was invited to participate in European Youth Circus Festival in Weistbaden, Germany. More than 35 countries sent their top circus performers including four other contortion acts from Nederland, Hamburg, Belgium and Hungary. Serchmaa was the only and still is, Asian ever to be invited to participate in European Youth Circus Festival and she won the “Golden Elephant” award and named the golden girl of Contortion. In 1998, Serchmaa moved to USA following her husband and later in the year, was invited to be the part of traveling circus “Cirque Ingeniuex”. Serchmaa performed with the circus for a year and decided not to continue on with the circus tours, but to stay close to her family in San Francisco, CA.