Aerial Antics
Aerial Antics, founded in 2015, was created to facilitate and motivate participation in aerial circus arts. We are the place to learn and practice a variety of circus style aerials in Ottawa!
We are a proud member of En Piste, the national circus arts alliance which brings together circus arts professionals and organizations in Canada.
In addition to classes, Aerial Antics provide refined and inspiring performances, mixing the elegance of aerial dance with the excitement of dynamic twists and falls. We chose to call ourselves “Aerial Antics” to reflect our playful approach to choreography that incorporates elements of other performance arts. We happily tailor performances to your needs and can get you involved in the act if desired.
Services:
We offer professional classes, training and performances on aerial fabric (silks), static trapeze, aerial hoop (lyra), rope (corde lisse) and aerial sling (hammock). All levels of fitness welcome (ages 8+), with over 25 feet of flying space.
Affiliates & Gratitudes
Laws of Motion - Cirquonscient - En Piste
A Beautiful Smack to the Head - Dragon's Ire - Fit to Fly Apparel
Our Team
Melissa
Director / Aerialist / Instructor
English/Spanish/French
Melissa has been teaching and performing on aerial silks since 2012. It is the wraps, drops, twists and dives that drive her to continue but also the personal satisfaction in achieving the unexpected. Her obsession with movement art has pushed her skill development in other circus arts such as poi, hooping and fire manipulation. Melissa graduated from the Ecole Nationale de Cirque, Montreal, Canada in the Professional Trainer program with specializations in corde lisse (aerial rope), fabric and tightwire. She also has professional certification (New England Center for Circus Arts) and training (Paper Doll Militia) from circus schools and aerial performance professionals in Canada and the United States. She is a member of the Cirquonscient performance collective.
Christal
Aerialist / Instructor
English/French
Christal began her aerial arts adventure in 2012 on aerial silks. She has expanded her expertise to include skills on aerial hoop (lyra), static trapeze and corde lisse. Christal is a strong performer and enthusiastic coach who encouragers her students explore and test their boundaries. She has aerial teacher training from the Paper Doll Militia. She compliments her aerial skills with body combat training and teaching at Goodlife Fitness. Christal provides instruction in French and English. She is a member of the Cirquonscient performance collective.
Sophie
Aerialist / Instructor
French/English
Sophie has been practicing aerial arts since 2013 and has been performing for over 3 years in community events, festivals, and corporate events. Sophie is skilled on various apparatus, including silks, static trapeze, lyra and aerial hammock. Sophie is inspired by her students and lives for the moments of achievement that only comes with the development of strength and mental clarity that aerial arts and fitness provides. With a background in dance and as a certified fitness and aerial yoga coach, aerial arts have been a natural continuation of her love for creative movement and restorative fitness. Sophie has aerial teacher training from the Paper Doll Militia. She is a member of the Cirquonscient performance collective.
Regina
Aerialist / Instructor
Regina has been an Aerialist since 2015, and started teaching classes in 2017. She has a background as a gymnast and coach in Rhythmic and Aesthetic Group Gymnastics and has performed at two World Gymnaestradas: Dornbirn, Austria 2007, and Helsinki, Finland 2015. Regina has Aerials teaching certification from New England Center for Circus Arts, and Pole and Aerial Fitness Instruction Commission of Canada, and is a certified Rhythmic Gymnastics coach with the National Coaching Certification Program. She is consistently inspired by the creativity and uniqueness of each Aerialist, and loves helping others learn exciting new skills, conquer personal challenges, and develop their individual styles in a fun and encouraging environment. She is a member of the Cirquonscient performance collective.
Renée Claude
Aerialist / Instructor
French/English
Renée-Claude has been training and performing on aerial silks and aerial hoop since 2016. She completed her aerial teaching training at the Ecole Nationale de Cirque in Montreal in the Formation Instructeur program. She is also a skilled hula hooper, teaching and performing with LED and fire in Ottawa for over 8 years. Renée-Claude is motivated by all the creative challenges aerial arts present, from collaboratively creating new acts, characters and shows, to figuring out how to master the physics at play in dynamic movements. She is an artistic collaborator and member of the Cirquonscient performance collective.
Claire
Aerialist / Instructor
English
Claire started out with hoop dance in 2013 and quickly found a love for aerial hoop (lyra) and contortion in 2017. Since then she's expanded her aerial skills to include hammock. She started performing in 2019, and in 2020 began sharing her talents through coaching. Claire has completed aerial teacher training with Paper Doll Militia. Her goal as a coach is to make sure everyone has fun with all forms of circus arts.
Jean Simon (A.K.A. JS)
Aerialist / Instructor
French/English
JS discovered aerial silks back in 2018 when he tried it simply because it looked fun. It was indeed fun! Then he tried trapeze, and also instantly fell in love. Growing up in the middle of nowhere where there are no gymnastics or circus, JS discovered those as an adult and has been hooked ever since. JS loves exercise, but only if it is within the end goal of doing a cool trick. JS has competed aerial teacher training with Paper Doll Militia. He is also an aspiring vocalist and a (steadily) improving juggler, but mainly a trapezist.
Samantha
Aerialist / Instructor
Sam started her aerials journey in 2018 working with aerial hoop (lyra). Leveraging her lengthy background in competitive gymnastics, she expanded into aerial silks and trapeze. She was delighted to start teaching in 2019. Sam has a decade of teaching experience outside of aerials in kettlebell, personal training and Muay Thai. Her teaching approach across all her classes is to build a strong foundation and encourage students to find their own style.
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Alona
Aerialist / Instructor
Alona is a certified aerial instructor with a background in gymnastics and dance. Her aerial journey began in 2019 when she fell in love with the aerial hoop, followed by pole fitness and aerial silks. She's a seasoned performer at various events and has taught students with diverse backgrounds. She likes mesmerizing spins on the hoop, flexy tricks on the pole, and fun drops on silks. Alona has been practicing yoga for many years, finding balance and strength in its teachings. She's ready to share her skills and passion with you, taking your aerial experience to new heights.
Anastasiia
Aerialist / Instructor
Anastasiia is a professional aerialist with over 10 years experience. A graduate from the Kyiv Circus Academy with a master’s degree, she has competed and performed in many international festivals such as: Festival international du Cirque de Monte-Carlo 201, Artistika of the sea (People’s Choice Award) 2019, European Youth Festival, Wiesbaden Germany (Bronze) 2018, International circus festival «Golden trick of Kobzov» 2017 (Bronze), Israeli international circus festival in Ashdod 2016 (Gold), International circus festival «Golden trick of Kobzov» 2016 (Silver), International Circus Festival of Italy 2016, Festival International des artistes de cirque de Saint Paul Lès Dax 2016. In 2020, she co-founded the «Young Vision Team» school of aerial gymnastics and acrobatics in Kyiv, Ukraine. Anastasiia specializes in: aerial silks, hoop and hammock.
Nora
Aerialist / Instructor
Nora is an aerialist with over 5 years of professional experience who brings a blend of strength, flexibility and grace to every performance. She excels in aerial hoop and silks, but is also always eager to explore new apparatuses and disciplines. Her dedication to aerial arts is reflected in her passion for creative movement and desire to inspire others as a coach.
Andrii
Aerialist / Acrobat / Instructor
Andrii Balykhin has dedicated his life to acrobatics, achieving the rank of Master of Sports. He graduated from the Kyiv Circus Academy with a Master’s degree in aerial gymnastics and has since toured internationally, earning numerous accolades, including gold at the 2018 Festival "Les feux de la Rampe" in France. Andrii has performed worldwide, including in China, Europe, and Germany, and has coached at his own school, "Young Vision Team," in Kyiv. Currently based in Canada, he continues to develop his acrobatic skills and share his expertise with others passionate about body control.