Jennifer Y.
Owner, Chief Operating Officer
Jenn found the circus arts in 2011 and began her journey as an instructor and performer in 2013. Since beginning her circus journey Jenn has had the opportunity to train and learn from professionals and organizations like NECCA (where she also has recently completed their intro to aerial teacher training), Jen Bruyer, Lady Base, AcroYoga International, and Brett Copes of Fight or Flight Entertainment. Jenn has experience in a wide variety of circus disciplines including aerial, partner acro, rolla bolla and more! When she is not in the studio or traveling the country performing, Jenn can usually be found doting on her two rather magnificent cats or playing D&D.
Katherine R.
Owner, Chief Marketing Officer
Katherine began her circus journey in early 2017 and has since explored many realms of circus including aerial, flow, and fire eating. In 2020 she took an aerial teacher training hosted by Nimble Arts/NECCA which ignited a love for teaching and began her journey an instructor in the circus arts. Katherine enjoys spending her free time exploring Grand Haven and hanging out with her uniquely lazy Australian Shephard.
Sabrina M.
Youth Program Director
Not only does Sabrina teach a variety of classes at Great Lakes Circus Center, but she is also a highly accomplished performer and dance instructor with almost 3 decades of movement based teaching experience. Sabrina holds a bachelors of arts in dance and has taught as a guest instructor at Tulane University, Southwest Michigan College, Western Michigan University, and is currently adjunct faculty at Grand Valley State University. She won her first choreography competition at age 13 and has performed as a dance soloist both nationally and internationally. Additionally, she currently works as an entertainer with Hire the Circus performing a variety of acts including aerial silks, hoop, lollipop, tennis racket contortion, belly dance, martini glasses, and more!
Sierra H.
Sierra began training aerial silks in 2015 under Jessica Jay at SORA Aerial Arts, later becoming a company apprentice in SORA Contemporary Circus. While there, she coached, performed, and managed a successful grant to expand access to circus arts in central and southeastern Kentucky. She completed the Aerial Silks Level 1 Teacher Training from Paper Doll Militia in 2020 and now helps others explore their own unique style and stage presence.
Sierra’s aerial style is characterized by powerful emotion, seamless musicality, and dynamic choreography – all things she hopes to instill into her students! She has almost seven years of experience in contemporary circus theater, performing and teaching with multiple studios in Kentucky, Michigan, and Illinois, including but not limited to SORA Contemporary Circus and the Black Circus Alliance Midwest.
She is a Racial Equity Analyst during the day which extends into a personal passion to increase equity in circus arts. She now operates a mission-driven circus project in Grand Rapids – CIRQUE BOUCLÉ - that seeks to increase diversity and representation in circus with free classes, performances, and career exploration in aerial arts for BIPOC youth.
Mikayla V.
Mikayla is our resident multi-talented, flow artist! She has been spinning poi for almost 14 years and has taught workshops for several different venues including the Midwest Media Expo and Kalamazoo Psychiatric Hospital.
In addition to her teaching experience, Mikayla has been a fire performer for almost 13 years, co-directed a fire performance troupe for 10 years, and performed with a belly dance troupe for 3 years. She has preformed all across Michigan as well in several other states, and held the title as the youngest fire performer at Holly Renaissance Festival.
Kayla A.
Kayla has been dedicated to actively training several circus arts including sling, aerial silks, lyra, partner acro and more for several years, but has always held a special interest in sling since first trying it. She recently attended Intro to Aerial Teacher Training offered by Nimble Arts/NECCA and also completed her Beginner Sling Certification offered by Spin City. She attends workshops and private lessons whenever she can and is very excited to start up a sling program with us and share her love of this apparatus with all of you!
Haley W.
Haley signed up for her first circus class on a whim and has never left since. For the past 5 years she has been training on a myriad of apparatus such as trapeze, lyra, sling, silks, etc. and she also has been training flexibility, partner acro, and poi flow. Haley also just returned from completing Intro to Teaching Aerial Arts at NECCA and she travels to attend workshops and private lessons in order to further hone her craft. If you need a pep talk or just someone to cheer you on she's your gal!
Ashley S.
After a decade of dance experience, Ashley took her skills to new heights by taking circus classes starting in 2015 primarily focusing on silks and lyra. Recently, she completed the Intro to Teaching Aerial Arts course at NECCA and is now excited to share her years of experience with her students! As an advocate for safe aerial practices, Ashley continually expands her knowledge by attending workshops and seminars on aerial safety and conditioning. Her students train in a supportive and secure environment where they will develop new techniques and skills as a performer.
Kaylin M.
Kaylin started juggling in 2019 as a form of rehabilitation after breaking her arm in a track race. She then began to learn more & document her progress online on Tik Tok under Thatjugglinggirl. Since then she has performed at the International Jugglers’ Association Festival, and has received an International award for support, skill, and promotion of juggling by a female juggler. Combined her running roots with juggling to become a 5 time World joggling champion. As well as reaching half a million followers on tik tok. Her goal is to spread the magic of juggling to as many as she can!
Jamie V.
