Current & Guest Teachers
Co-founder of Cirque School LA, Aloysia decided she wanted to join the circus at the age of 8. So...she did. During her tenure as a Cirque du Soleil aerialist she also became her show’s Pilates coach to aid in her colleagues’ injury prevention and recovery. She is excited to be a part of creating an opportunity for “anybody with any body” to share her passion and run away with the circus. She is also founder, director and a performer with of the internationally acclaimed Birdhouse Factory and Troupe Vertigo.
Aloysia GAVRE
If you would like us to provide entertainment for an event or book one of our exceptional teachers for please contact us at info@cirqueschoolla.com.
Rex brings expertise in Theater, Film, Television and Circus Production. He attended The San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts. After an apprenticeship with San Diego’s Starlight Opera he studied Acting and Direction at Cabrillo College. Rex has stage-managed San Francisco’s Pickle Circus and served as Production Coordinator for WB’s “Felicity” and ABC’s “Alias”. In '04 Rex co-directed and was the Musical Director of the Pickle Circus production Birdhouse Factory. His directing work continued with the Pickle Circus productions High Water Radio, Elevation 63 and Vertigo. In ’07 Rex and Aloysia co-founded TROUPE VERTIGO a theatrical circus entertainment company bringing the thrill of the circus and the art of the theater to special events and theatrical productions around the world.
Rex Camphuis
Elizabeth newton
Born in Israel, Sagiv finished first in his class in gymnastics at The Hadera School for Elite Athletes. He perfected his gymnastics skills at the Vingate University and then immersed himself in circus at the San Francisco School of Circus Arts studying trapeze and acrobatics. He most recently finished a tour with Cher at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas and has also worked with a variety of companies including Birdhouse Factory, Teatro Zinzanni, Cirque de la Symphonie and Cirque de la Mer. Sagiv teaches Aerial Fitness, Trapeze and AcroFit. Teaching at Cirque School he loves helping people reach their ultimate potential.
Sagiv Ben Binyamin
Founders
HEad Instructors
Elizabeth began her artistic training with The Children’s Theater Company in Minneapolis before moving on to the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art in London. As she finished her degree, she was kidnapped by clowns and whisked away by the star moto-trick performer of the French Circus Archaos. She then honed her aerial, clowning and acrobatic skills while traveling around Europe with Archaos and later at the San Francisco Circus Center. She has trained with exceptional aerial and movement artists from around the globe. In addition to Archaos she has performed with Troupe Vertigo, The Citizens Band, Acroback, L'Ombre and more. Elizabeth is head instructor of Cirque School teaching Aerial Fitness and Trapeze. In addition to trapeze and silks she is expert in diverse aerial apparatus such as hammock, spanish web, chains and cerceau.
Instructors
Simon Chaban
Born and raised in San Francisco, performing his first back flip at the age of 6, Simon has enjoyed the art of circus and live performance most his life. He has apprenticed with Sergey Zenov, Seiichi Tanaka and Master Lu Yi. He has performed with the Pickle Family Circus, Switzerland’s Circus Monti, The Crucible’s Fire Ballet, appeared on America’s Got Talent, and Paris Variety “Le Plus Grand Cabaret.” In addition to his onstage prowess, Simon is a valued director and producer developing performances for Too Far Inc., Earth Circus Productions, City Circus Troupe and others. When not onstage, Simon enjoys passing his expertise along to his students, hoping to uplift their spirits and show them that nothing is impossible. [video] [video]
Beth joined the circus on the advice of her mother who encouraged her to audition for Circus Smirkus as a teen. She decided then that the circus held the perfect mix of tomfoolery, and disciplined skill development. (Not to mention the elation of performing almost every day under the big top all summer!) She has trained with Coaches from the Moscow Circus, Mongolian Circus School, Circus Smirkus, and more. Beth loves teaching at Cirque School because the environment supports and encourages people with any, or no background to learn, grow, play, and get a good workout! She also enjoys working with a staff that are a diverse mix of incredibly skilled teachers/performers who build community while teaching a fun, transformative type of "fitness.”
Elisabeth Carpenter
With an extensive background in Pilates, Ballet and Modern dance, Jennifer holds an MFA from UCI in dance science and a BFA in performance and choreography from the University of Cincinnati’s College Conservatory of Music. In addition to completing an advanced curriculum in anatomy, physiology and kinesiology courses, she has been formally certified in the original Pilates Method and studied with Ron Fletcher, protégé of Joseph Pilates. She trained and performed with the New York City Ballet, Atlanta Ballet, Chattanooga Ballet, Lexington Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, Jacob’s Pillow, Gus Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago, and New World Dance Experience. Currently, Jennifer is expanding her performance vertically by Stilt dancing with Stilt Circus as well as the Jumbo Shrimp Circus.
JenNifer Berry
5640 1/2 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028. Click HERE for directions to our studio.
Rachel began her performing career as a Ballet Dancer with the Australian Ballet and Opera Australia. She studied Aerial Arts at the National Institute of Circus Arts in Melbourne before being offered a contract as an Aerialist at Tokyo DisneySea in Japan. From Japan she relocated to Los Angeles and began performing as a freelance Aerialist and Dancer. Credits include Cirque du Soleil (Believe opening), Michael Jackson (private party), Elizabeth Taylor (private party), Aspen Santa Fe Ballet Company, L'effleur des sens and numerous commercials and videos. Rachel is also in demand as a choreographer, credits include the film Powder Blue with Jessica Biel (assistant to Cati Jean), music videos for Snoop Dogg and Bobby Joiner, Tango Nuevo Cabaret as well as theater productions I stand before you naked, Falling Upwards and Heavenly Creatures. Rachel has recently formed her own Aerial Dance Company ObjectDefy Entertainment and is currently in rehearsals for a summer tour.
Rachel Bowman
Rob’s versatility as a circus performer began at the age of 5 when he taught himself to juggle. Since then, the circus has taken him all over the world and included performances with Paul McCartney's Euro/Russian tour, music videos with Aerosmith & Jennifer Lopez, movies including Austin Powers & Raising Helen & TV shows including "Philly" & "The Man Show". He has most recently performed on NBC’s Celebrity Circus and on Fox's GLEE. His diverse skills include: juggling (clubs, balls, rings, knives, fire, bean-bag chairs ...), stilt-acrobatics & partnering, unicycles, aerial acrobatics and fire. In addition to performing, Rob is the Co-coordinator for Cirque du Soleil's "Cirque du Monde" program in Los Angeles where he has been teaching circus skills to "at risk" youth for over 8 years. He enjoys teaching at CS because the teachers embody the highest dedication and skill level and strive to foster a positive, safe and friendly environment.
Rob Crites
Rick Andreoli is the first student to graduate from Cirque School's Teacher Training Program; he specializes in trapeze and fabric for beginning-level students. Rick originally visited Cirque School as a journalist 2 1/2 years ago but quickly fell in love with both the physicality and performance nature of aerial fitness. He brings to Cirque School a diverse background that includes improvisational comedy, weight training, body sculpting and boxing, while as a writer he has produced numerous columns on health and wellness, fitness, nutrition and food.
Rick Andreoli
Terril was just beginning her costuming career when she fell in love with the aerial arts. She initially studied at the San Francisco School of Circus Arts. Drawing on a gymnastics background Terril took to the air with grace learning diverse apparatus including her favourites Tissu and Hammock as well as Bungee Trapeze, Cerceaux, Chinese Pole... She has performed internationally in circus shows, theatrical productions and for corporate clients including Red Bull, Disney, Mercedes- Benz, Cirque de la Mer, & The Velvet Hammer Burlesque. Terril is excited to share her knowledge with the students at Cirque School LA! It gives her great pleasure to share her hard earned knowledge of aerial skills. She feels confident that her students will come away with a solid foundation and good technique.
Terril Teran
An early member of the Pickle Family Circus, Aloysia has been a movement/dance and circus enthusiast most of her life. She has studied with Pilobolus, Tandy Beal and Debbie Brown. She perfected her circus abilities with Master Lu-Yi of the San Francisco Circus Center and L.Ecole Nationale Du Cirque in Montreal. Aloysia was a featured act in Cirque du Soleil's Quidam where she performed the aerial hoop act that earned the troupe a special prize at the Monte Carlo International Circus Festival in 2002. After completing 5 years of touring with Quidam, she then appeared in Cirque's water show O in Las Vegas. Aloysia's other performing credits include Teatro Zinzanni, Velvet Hammer Burlesque and numerous corporate events around the globe.
Aloysia Gavre
Mariel was born into the circus, grew up in the circus, and then went back for "graduate studies" at San Francisco's Circus Center, training aerial with Helene Turcotte, and Elena Panova, and contortion with Serchmaa Byamba. Beyond her roots in circus, Mariel is a classically trained musician who holds a degree in Theater and French. She was in over 2000 shows as a child with Carson & Barnes, Franzen Bros and of course, The Famous Reynolds Circus. Since then she has done shows everywhere from Teatro Zinzanni, Circus Flora, Cabaret Verdalet, The Burlesque Hall of Fame to the Miss Exotic World Pageant in Las Vegas. She loves teaching stretching because it's something she’s very passionate about. She has seen what progress can happen if one is willing to put in the effort, and enjoys giving people the tools to get there! [video]
Mariel A La Mode
Kristina Nekyia
Kristina is a dancer, fire performer, and contortionist whose expertise spans belly dance, jazz, samba, Latin, burlesque, fire eating, fire breathing, fire fans, fire bowls. She performs across the country sharing the stage with performers including Margaret Cho’s Sensuous Woman, Rachid Taha’s World Tour, Lady Ga Ga at Webster Hall. In addition, she has appeared with Teatro Zinzani’s Cabaret Lunatique, The Crucible, Velocity Circus, Earth Circus, Vau de Vire Society, Naked Rhythm, Hot Pink Feathers Burlesque, Latin Cabaret Productions, and Ultra Gypsy Dance Theater. She recently portrayed a vaudeville contortionist in a short film directed by David Arquette. In 2005 she was the Hips of Fury Belly Dance Ultimate Soloist, and she has been featured in five internationally distributed belly dance videos. Her belly dance contortion fire duet with world-famous contortionist Serchmaa Byamba has been featured in diverse circuses throughout the world.
Scot Nery
Scot is very competitive. His competitive nature as a child made him give up on organized sports. Scot got into juggling because it was fun to do, he was only competing with himself, and it wasn't destructive to his body (like skateboarding and snowboarding were). He now travels around the world performing his odd comedy juggling and teaches people for fun. Through private lessons, classes and his internationally published DVD, he shares with others a skill that has brought him a zillion hours of fun.
He has written a guide for you: 8 Reasons Normal People Should Juggle [ http://jugglegood.com/blog/2009/11/27/8-reasons-normal-people-should-juggle/ ]
GaNA Ganchimeg
Kerren Mckeeman
Kerren began training at 12 years of age with Circus Smirkus, an International troupe based in Vermont. As a member of Circus Smirkus, Kerren spent 5 tours performing handbalancing, acrobatics, fabric, bungee trapeze, wire walking, juggling and solo and duo swinging trapeze. She went on to co-found the Flying Gravity Circus, a performance troupe that brought their show and circus skills workshops to schools around New England. Since then she has honed her skills as a solo trapeze artist, performing with the Big Aerial Show, Midnight Circus, SeaWorld San Antonio, and Cirque du Soleil's O in Las Vegas. You can also see Kerren in the latest Vitamin Water commercial unicycling, wire walking and yes swinging on the trapeze with Cirque School's aerial teacher Sagiv. When teaching, Kerren likes to focus on technique as a solid base for physical and personal empowerment and expression.
Gana began the art of contortion when she was three. Five years later, she was already performing on stage. Between 1996 and 1998, as the middle porter of the world’s first contortion trio, the Yagaantsetseg Trio, she won six awards out of seven at various world-class circus festivals including the Mondial du Cirque de l’Avenir and Gran Premio Internazionale del Circo. For the last ten years she has performed in more than 3,000 shows as a Contortion artist (as a trio, duo and solo performer) for various companies on four continents: America, Europe, Asia and Africa including Circus Vargas, Birdhouse Factory, Moscow State Circus Stars, and the Mongolian State Circus.
