Nuestro equipo
Dr. Corey Cheval, Director Ejecutivo
El fundador y director, el Dr. Corey Cheval, ha estudiado danza y música clásicas desde una edad temprana, y luego se interesó de manera especializada en la danza y la música de Brasil. Fue durante su investigación sobre las danzas de la diáspora africana en BahÃa, Brasil, que el espectáculo comenzó por primera vez su estudio de artes aéreas (2005). Cheval tiene un Ph.D. en AntropologÃa Cultural de la Universidad de Florida (2015) y una MaestrÃa en Estudios de Performance de la Universidad Federal de BahÃa (2008).
Con un enfoque de investigación en el desempeño y la identidad, Cheval impartió cursos a nivel universitario en aspectos técnicos y teóricos de las artes escénicas. Cheval ha publicado su investigación sobre estudios de rendimiento en revistas académicas revisadas por pares y ha sido oradora invitada en TEDxUF, Frank Conference, Harn Museum of Art y Appleton Museum of Art.
Cheval ha viajado y actuado por los Estados Unidos y Brasil como acróbata, cantante y bailarina desde principios de la década de 2000. Cheval produce Ragtime Circus de Dusty, un espectáculo de circo de música en vivo galardonado. Como directora del Gainesville Circus Center, comparte su pasión por las artes escénicas con la próxima generación de artistas jóvenes. Cheval también ha escrito varias subvenciones exitosas para la producción de espectáculos y apoyo general al programa en el Gainesville Circus Center. Cheval también ha brindado servicios de documentos Visa, planificación de giras, relaciones públicas y logÃstica de viajes para artistas internacionales que trabajan en los Estados Unidos. Ha trabajado con artistas como Ulisses Rocha (Brasil), Hermógenes Araujo (Brasil) y Dong Xin (China).
Isabel Brazzel, Youth Program Coordinator & Office Manager
Izzy is an avid mover and as been dancing for over 16 years! She is trained in classical ballet, jazz, contemporary, lyrical, and movement improv. She has experience teaching dance to youth in both English and Spanish, and has spent the last 4 years performing with a dance company in Richmond. However, she is proud to say that she "ran away to join the circus" and has found a new love in the circus and aerial arts. Coach Izzy is also our youth program coordinator.
Liz Bouton, Instructora
Liz estudió ballet clásico entre los 3 y los 20 años, pero descubrió que su pasión bailaba en el aire. Su aparato favorito son las sedas y la lyra, y le encanta ser flexible con las clases de flexibilidad. Como joven bailarina, Liz recibió muchas becas por mérito para asistir a intensivos de verano que van desde la Escuela de Ballet Joffrey en Nueva York hasta la Escuela de Ballet de Orlando. El ballet le ha ayudado con su flexibilidad y técnica en el aire, y aunque siempre lo admirará, le encanta la fuerza aérea que la ha hecho por dentro y por fuera.
Rainy Barton, Instructor
Rainy Barton es maestra de música de primaria y enseña a los grados Pre-K-5 sobre las alegrÃas de la creación musical. La música y la danza siempre han sido parte de su vida a través de su participación en bandas, producciones de teatro musical, equipos de danza, etc. Se topó con las artes aéreas a través de una amiga y no ha dejado de asistir desde entonces. Su aparato favorito son las sedas. Ella está muy agradecida por la comunidad del circo y disfruta actuar y enseñar allÃ.
Kate Schwitz, Instructor
Kate has trained in flying trapeze and aerial silks with Tito Gaona, and has taken her passion for the circus arts with her to UF, where she is majoring in Computer Science. Her love for performing arts extends to various forms of dance, as well as classical piano.
Ryah Wa, Instructor
Ryah has loved flying trapeze since xyr youth. While Spanish web is the most important apparatus to xem, xyr favorite part of aerial is getting stronger every day.
Samatha Belmore, Assistant Instructor
Coach Sam has been performing and involved in Gainesville Circus Center ever since 2016. She started in the kid circus camp and started training from there. Her favorite apparatus is silks. She is currently working on graduating high school in Santa Fe’s dual enrollment program.
Stacie Atria, Instructor
Stacie discovered circus in 2017 and immediately fell in love with this challenging art form. Her favorite part is understanding how technique can be married to strength to produce amazing skills. When she’s not training in circus arts she can be found with her husband and 2 children, being a holistic veterinarian, riding horses, or performing various types of bodywork on people.
Kelli Sanders, Instructor
Kelli is the Co-owner of Evolve Pilates, a Pilates based fitness and wellness center here in Gainesville. She has been teaching and helping the Gainesville Community feel strong and well for the last 20 years. Kelli found Corey and the school in 2015 and has been an active team member ever since. Kelli loves circus arts and the joy it brings to her life. She truly believes in the joy of movement and how finding your movement can change your life. She is currently only teaching flying trapeze but also trains on static trapeze and lyra. Kelli is also a mom and wife. She loves to cook, create recipes and FLY!
Lauren Orlik, Instructor
Lauren is a NASM certified personal trainer with over 8 years of training in aerial arts. In addition to circus, she is an active runner, having participated in multiple half and full marathons, as well as a Ragnar 200-mile relay. She is a Dallas native, has been happily married for just over two years, and has a Goldendoodle therapy puppy-in-training named Boo.
Jessica Antiga, Instructor
Jessica Antiga is an entusiastic swim mom, an avid Zumba enthusiast, Samba mama queen, and rockin circus clown. She has worked with the GCC Flying Trapeze Team since 2017 and serves on the board of directors.
Katie Olson, Instructor
Katie began gymnastics at age 6, and has since fallen in love with latin dance, silks, and acroyoga. She feels at home in the air and enjoys combining elegance with athleticism through acrobatics. By day she is a counselor, and at night she can be found donning her tights to climb the silks or master a new acroyoga flow.
Maddie Williams, Assistant Instructor
Maddie began training circus arts at the age of 8. She is a powerful performer and excels at aerial silks. At the age of 12, she became a soloist with Dusty's Ragtime Circus and performed in regional events. Maddie transitioned from student to team member as an assistant instructor in June 2023.
AV Tech & Maintenance
Classically trained and self proclaimed progressive metal enthusiast, Venezuelan artist Xavi Leon has worked both on stage and behind the scenes as a pop artist, producer and sound technician in South America and Europe. Leon has worked with the Gainesville Circus Center since it's inception as sound technician, roadie, rigging inspector, general maintenance, and most recently, band director and lead guitarist for CircusPalooza.