Meet the Owners
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Josh began his circus journey as a young gymnast, where he showed off by walking around (inverted) with no sense of strength, balance or grace. Over time – and it has taken a long time—he has been learning from those in the gymnastics and circus worlds how to develop those attributes through hand balancing.
Now Josh is a certified Movement Flow instructor and a graduate from Montreal’s Ecole Nacional de Cirque's Instructor Program, involving 70+ hours of interning under more experienced hand balancers from around the world. On the side he juggles, slacklines and practices partner acrobatics.
Josh’s teaching style is both supportive and challenging. He creates a safe and inclusive environment for his students, where they can feel comfortable pushing their limits and trying new things. He also emphasizes proper technique and alignment, ensuring that his students not only achieve their handstand goals but also do so safely and with good form.
When not monkeying or managing a circus, Josh works as a legislative advisor, using his law degree to help the province rewrite environmental laws. He loves the island: rock climbing, highlining, back-country skiing and surfing.
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M-ra thinks he has been in an existential crisis since he was 4. He was always active (maybe too active his mom says) but weirdly, he bloomed a bit late and started his acrobatic career at the age of 37. To fill the gap, he chased master handbalancers around the world and apprenticed under them since 2018.
He has an academic career in applied math (mathematical and software engineering) and he liked teaching all his life. In order to get into teaching acrobatics he completed the Circus Instructor Program at the National Circus School in Montreal (ENC) He continued to the Circus Trainer program after and he is a student-trainer with ENC. He also holds NCCP - Trained Gymnastic Federation - Artistic Coach certification. He is an Emergency First Response Instructor and an OWSI with PADI. He is a fully certified teacher (LVL III) with the movement flow system.
Meet Our Team
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Rose is a graduate of the Canadian College of Performing Arts. Originally from Vancouver, Rose trained and performed with CircusWest from 2006-2016 before moving to Victoria to study Musical Theatre.
Having grown up in the circus, Rose is passionate about the impact that programs like ours can have on young people's confidence and creativity. Rose's practice as a coach is focused on fortifying students’ bodily awareness and protecting their impulses and intuition as they develop as athletes, performers, and people.
Rose teaches students of all ages and is always inspired by the way Circus can bring joy and empowerment at any stage of life. Rose is grateful to be sharing a love of circus with such a beautiful community of hardworking students.
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Alicia is like the swiss army knife of administration. She has a long (somewhat boring) background in data management and graphic design. Since 2014 she’s been running a successful online gift shop, living that work from home life way before it was cool.
When Alicia isn’t elbow-deep in spreadsheets, she’s probably balancing upside down on someone else’s feet - Acro style! Alicia is an certified Acro Yoga instructor, and long-time Victoria Acro Community organizer, she’s fully immersed in all things partner acrobatics. You can catch her coaching Acro Foundations.
On top of all that she dabbles in weight lifting, calisthenics, guitar, video games, and indoor gardening.
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Zu (short for Azure) is a collector of many lives. They arrived into their present iteration in 2023 when they settled on Vancouver Island, after having spent a few years travelling, trying their hand at a Masters of Anthropology Degree and living in a small mountain town.
They are inspired by their teachers (human and non-human alike), the change of seasons, the fluidity of water and the ethereal quality of ecstatic movement. When not answering your emails, you can find them teaching yoga, curled up with a book or a journal, or planning their next adventure with their partner.
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Kaelyn grew up right here on the West Coast. After being introduced to acrobatics through competitive gymnastics, she went on to train trapeze at the l’Ecole Nationale de Cirque in Montreal. She quickly fell in love with the circus arts which led her to 10 years of touring and performing internationally.
She has worked with many different circus companies during her career, including Les 7 doigts de la main, Cirque Eloize, Palazzo Variete in Germany, and Cirque du Soleil. Now back on the West Coast, Kaelyn is enjoying teaching and studying massage therapy.
Specializing in aerials, she loves blending fluidity and creativity into dynamic acrobatic movements.
Meet Our Coaches
Our talented coaches represent a dynamic blend of dedicated circus enthusiasts, professional performers, experienced gymnasts, and students-come-coaches, including three graduates from the École Nationale de Cirque, Montreal's prestigious National Circus School. What unites them all is a genuine passion for sharing their love of circus arts.
As Victoria’s circus community continues to grow, we are proud to be one of its central hubs. We invite you to learn more about our team below, or better yet, come visit us in person!
We look forward to seeing you in class!
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An Engineer and Project Manager by day, aerialist by night, Sean found circus arts while at university and it was love at first fly.
Since his Vancouver start in 2012, Sean has trained, taught and performed in Calgary under TADA and broadened his circus exposure from aerial silks and trapeze to hand to hand partnering before a year away in Cambridge. After another transplant to the San Francisco Bay Area, he taught and trained at Aerial Artique and San Francisco's Circus Center. Known for dynamic drops, energetic pathways, and an overall exuberance, Sean brings an analytical mind to breaking down and building up tricks and a playful spirit to creating aerial artistry. Let’s fly!
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Coral Crawford was born and raised in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. It was there that she was first exposed to gymnastics and the upside-down life, and since then she has never looked back.
Training and competing as a competitive gymnast and dancer allowed her excel in the physical arts, but it wasn’t until she moved to Vancouver, BC that she discovered circus, an art form that allowed her to combine all of her passions into one. While in Vancouver Coral trained and performed with The Underground Circus where she trained in aerials, hand balancing and partner acrobatics.
Aside from receiving her bachelor’s in Anatomy and Cell Biology at the University of Saskatchewan, Coral is also a NCCP certified gymnastics and trampoline coach, and certified AcroYoga teacher. When not training circus you can usually find Coral exploring the BC coast, dabbling with guitar, working as an Orthoptist, or eating sushi and handstanding with friends
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Lisa was born in Victoria, Canada. Growing up you would say she was a bit of an attention seeker; she performed ABBA concerts in her living room and elaborately choreographed dance and gymnastic routines with her friends.
A culmination of these talents were reached when she graduated The National Circus School of Montreal in 2010 as a partner acrobatic flyer on trampoline. After she then went on to gain 2 ½ years of touring experience with Cirque Eloize where she discovered Cyr Wheel. Following Eloize she has worked with Les 7 Doigts de la Main, Les Productions Haut-Vol, and most recently Australian based company, Circa Contemporary Circus. Lisa has performed in over 15 countries, two international circus festivals, and a 6-month run of Wunderkammer in Berlin’s Chämeleon Theatre.
Lisa loves to geek out with music research, going for a good libation with friends and simply pressing next episode on Netflix.
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Alia is a dancer, acrobat, and aerialist specializing in dance trapeze. She graduated from the School of Contemporary Dancers in Winnipeg and then discovered circus in Vancouver in 2008.
She worked as a freelance circus artist in Vancouver and Montreal for a few years before moving to Las Vegas to work on KA by Cirque du Soleil. After 8 years with Cirque du Soleil, Alia has moved back home to Victoria and is excited to share her knowledge and experience with this growing circus community.
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Jenna’s introduction to circus started with pole fitness classes in 2013. After spending a few months taking pole classes she slowly started to try other circus disciplines including; aerial hoop, handstands, flexibility, partner acrobatics, and dance trapeze.
Jenna has a background in competitive gymnastics that has complemented her circus training. You can join her for Hoop and Trapeze and sometimes Handstands!
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Sylvia Louis is an internationally acclaimed, award-winning circus aerialist, pole artist, and instructor, as well as a proud mommy to a beautiful little girl.
As a child, Sylvia trained in gymnastics and rhythmic gymnastics and later fell in love with aerial arts the very first time she climbed on a trapeze. She graduated from the prestigious National Circus School in Montreal (a 3-year, full-time program), with specializations in aerial silks and trapeze.
Sylvia has performed around the world with renowned companies including Cirque du Soleil, Les Gens d’R, Palazzo Variete, Cirkus Prinsessan, Art Teatro, and more. She has performed and choreographed various solo, duo, and group acts on aerial silks, aerial hoop, pole, flying pole, trapeze, bungees, adagio, aerial sphere, aerial rope, aerial hammock, floor acrobatics and aerial dance in a harness.
She is an elite level international aerial silks champion, national pole sport champion, BC pole champion and was an aerial performer for the opening & closing ceremonies of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, BC, Canada. She also represented Canada at the Elite level in 2 Pole World Championships, 2 World Cups and 2 Pan American Championships. She finished in 5th place at the Pan American Championships and 6th place at the last World Cup in Brazil.
Along with performing in various live shows, film and TV, Sylvia is a certified and experienced instructor.
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Sarah Jane Achtem grew up dancing on the island. She has trained extensively for almost two decades in numerous different dance styles in Canada and the US. Sarah Jane furthered her movement training in Vancouver while studying at iNdustry Dance Training Program. It was here that she had her first taste of aerial arts during circus training and instantly found a new love.
Since returning to Victoria, Sarah Jane has increased her aerial expertise by training in aerial yoga, hoop, and silks, along with teaching ballet, contemporary, and street jazz. She completed her Level 1 Lyra and Aerial Yoga Fitness training through PFIC and her 20 hour Elevate Aerial Yoga Teacher Training in 2019 and is also the only certified Pop Pilates instructor on the island.
Sarah Jane is thrilled to join the Island Circus Space family where she can share her passion for aerial arts and fitness.
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Angela has a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering but in her spare time, she can be found hanging from the ceiling at Island Circus Space dancing in the aerial silks. You'll find her coaching Silks, Aerial Hoop & Trapeze, Kids classes, and special events! Angela has been taking circus classes at Island Circus Space since February 2018 and she still regularly takes as many circus classes as possible in her spare time!
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Beth grew up on Vancouver Island as a competitive swimmer, gymnast, rock climber, and kickboxer. After 10 years focusing on university, she found her way back to acrobatics in 2017.
In her classes Beth strives to create a validating and fun environment, with progressions that allow students to safely challenge themselves and build mastery in the air.
Beth enjoys performing aerial hoop, and was invited to compete at the Canadian Pole and Aerial National Championship in 2023 and 2024, winning the Judges' Choice Award in 2024 for Aerial Sport.
She also plays piano and lives with a cat named Steven.
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Kevin is a former nationally competitive diver and gymnast, and now, a circus acrobat. When they’re not at RJH working as a Recreation Therapist, facilitating late night open training, or teaching a rope class, you can find them travelling the globe; their favourite places are: St. Johns Newfoundland, Sapporo Japan, and ANA's 777-300 ER Business Class seat.
Kevin loves teaching momentum skills and pathways, and all kinds of open drops.
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Rachel is a new addition to the West Coast moving from Edmonton, AB, in 2021. She first discovered circus arts in 2012, instantly connecting to its artistic nature and physicality, and finding that it resonated with her gymnastic roots. Wanting to experience circus arts to the fullest, Rachel spent several years exploring all of the different apparatuses and disciplines she could until she found her passion for aerial straps in 2016.
Circus training has been an important addition to Rachel’s life, providing a sense of community and motivation to develop strength and flexibility. Not only has the supportive nature of the circus community been a positive influence in her life, but circus training also aided significantly in recovering from various injuries and surgeries.
Rachel aims to make circus aerials accessible to all levels of fitness, health and experience, encouraging everyone to explore what circus arts can offer.
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Ruth has spinning since before she could walk. She took ballet for 13 years and dabbled in lyrical, contemporary, jazz, and ballroom dance before discovering circus and its centrifugal possibilities in 2018. From her first class Ruth knew she had found home. At this point she has spun on nearly every aerial apparatus the studio has to offer, but her truest loves are aerial straps and contortion loops.
By day Ruth is a climate scientist, and when she's doing neither circus nor research, she can usually be found knitting wooly garments or pointing excitedly at moss.
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Nikki moved back to the island after living in Calgary for 4 years where she taught acro yoga and Zumba. After years of yoga, hiking, kayaking, and competitive running she was introduced to partner acrobatics. She quickly fell in love with flying and handstands which lead to multiple festivals, workshops, and classes. She loves focusing on body alignment and finding ways to make skills accessible to people.
When she is not upside down, on her yoga mat, or outside exploring you can find her cooking, reading, or drawing.
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Since Adi was a child she has always enjoyed the freedom that flexibility gives to her body. Although Adi was born with a naturally flexible body she had to work to become a contortionist! She began training when she was 21, and through her experience, she knows you can always improve your flexibility, you just need to actually do the work! This is why she teaches. She wants others to know that they can improve too, that it is possible, and that she can guide them through it, it is just a matter of discipline.
Adi is a graduate of The National Circus School's (ENC) Coaching Program in Montreal. She has a technical degree in performing arts from the University of Guadalajara. She has had extensive contortion training with Oyuna-Erdene Senge, a Cirque du Soleil contortionist since 2004, and flexibility and strength training with Juan Luis Gonzales, a former coach with Cirque du Soleil. She has also practiced the modalities of gymnastics, acrobatics, and yoga, furthering her understanding of the body arts.
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Danie (they/them) is a queer movement and meditation instructor. The circus is their happy place where they get to play, train, and express themselves through movement. With a joyful and encouraging teaching style, Danie strives to create an inclusive and welcoming environment for all students, challenging them both physically and mentally while encouraging them to listen to their bodies and modify the practice as needed.
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Henrik grew up in Germany and is a juggler by heart. He started his juggle journey in 2019 with spinning Poi. Soon he realized that throwing things around is more fun than just spinning them. His main focus remains Poi which is supplemented by balls. Because of his time spent as a solo performer, he has a variety of knowledge including almost all flow and juggling props.
Henrik is a trained and certified early childhood educator. To combine his love for juggling and for kids, he started coaching in 2022.
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Audrey has had too much energy for most of their life. She started martial arts at the age of 7, has competed in a range of disciplines in both Canada and the US, and is a nationally certified taekwondo coach. After trying out some circus classes in about 2018, they absolutely fell in love with the freedom of movement and expression it has to offer, and hasn’t looked back since.
If you don’t see them at the studio trying to bend into a strange position, they might be at their day job at the university, teaching philosophy.
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Alynne originally trained as a dancer, working in the style of vaganova ballet for 15 years, before discovering her love for circus arts. Originally training at Halifax circus, Alynne has a focus on aerial silks, but dabbles in other aerial apparatus’ and very much enjoys juggling as well! Alynne completed aerial teacher training with Paper Doll Militia in 2023.
Alynne’s teaching style focuses heavily on proper technique and safety, as well as pushing students to find their own performance style. Her degree in theatre performance and a MA in applied theatre inspires her to help students find their inner performer!
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Starting with dance lessons not long after they could walk, Cass danced all through their early years. They joined musical theatre in high school, and in 2017 fell in love with pole dancing. In 2023 Cass shifted their focus to circus arts where they perform aerial chains–as one of few Canadian artists who train this specialty apparatus– while also learning aerial straps, cyr wheel, floor acrobatics, and more! Being a part of dance shows and stage productions helped them to develop the confidence, discipline, and presence they bring into performing and coaching today.
Cass approaches coaching as a collaboration, and their favourite moments are when kids try something new and feel pride in themselves. They look forward to sharing what they have learned and uplifting kids as they each discover their own passions.
Outside of the circus Cass is passionate about community building, especially in spaces with fellow queer folks, and the Burning Man community.