Objectives & Mission Statement
“Provide a safe physically creative environment supporting local residents to enjoy learning the freedom of aerial gymnastics & circus.”
We aim to provide quality physical training for recreational students using the knowledge and expertise of professional circus artist teachers. Our classes aim to provide employment for teachers beyond their professional performing career.
We aim to teach youth and adult students with understanding, encouragement and support.
We aim to have the learning space free from harsh teaching styles, instead Incorporating inclusive teaching methods for a wide range of learners and achievements.
We aim to create a fun, yet challenging aerial training where each student is encouraged, supported to set and achieve realistic goals.
We aim to offer at least one youth space in every class, to a student with fewer opportunities. Our students are from a wide range of backgrounds and identities from the local areas.
Our community students may be refugees, from low income families, students outside mainstream education or students struggling with health or social issues.
Any profits are put back into running of the classes to buy and replace equipment, offer training to our teachers and assistants, and to support more local students in the local area to attend classes.
Our Team
World-class trainers who love to share their skills
Clare Anderson
Director and Co Founder
Specialisations
Rope - Silks - Trapeze - Hoop - Yoga - Rigging - Harness work - Consultation
Clare is a circus trainer at the National Centre for Circus (NCCA) in London, and for The Roundhouse Street Circus Collective as well as a founding director of Aerial Days.
Clare specialised in Aerial Performance for more than 30 years. She consults on aerial work for such companies as the RSC and choreographed the aerial for an 2012 Olympic project ‘Godiva Awakes’. She is a qualified aerial rigger, was a rescue climber on the London Eye, is a qualified yoga teacher who is passionate about using the knowledge to help students use their bodies holistically.
Clare contributed to the FEDEC manual for teaching Aerial and was a speaker at their Verticality Conference. She cowrote a manual for how to teach aerial for NCCA.
Clare performed with outdoor touring companies, in traditional and contemporary circus, opera, theatre, cabaret, clubs, cruise ships, festivals and TV & film. She performed for royalty, with Westlife (Pop Band) and co created the Silks duet, Gazzelle. She was a prize winner at ‘La Piste aux Espoir’ circus competition, as Flytrapt Doubles Trapeze duo.
Kelsey Bell
Specialisations
Flying Trapeze - Static Trapeze - Silks - Rope - Partner Acrobatics - Aerial Rigging
Kelsey has been falling on purpose since 2011; She teaches and performs all her specialisations.
Her training includes a BA in Theatre Arts from PSU (Portland, OR, USA), 2 years on AWOL’s pre-professional circus/dance program, Flyco, in Portland, and a 2 Year Diploma in Contemporary Circus & Physical Theatre from Circomedia (Bristol, UK).
She has performed at multiple corporate functions, including Adidas. And with circus companies including Velocity Circus in San Francisco, Extreme Circus in the Dominican Republic, and Citrus Arts, Bassline Circus, Invisible Circus, Above & Beyond, and Gorilla Circus around the UK.
Kelsey can be next seen performing at Brighton Fringe with Widow’s Rock n Rollium Cabaret, at Glastonbury 2023 Circus and Theatre big top as her alter-ego Betty Confetti, and with Gorilla Circus’ Unity show at Norfolk & Norwich Festival, Certain Blacks, and Freedom Festival in Hull.
Most of all, Kelsey is a mover and a shaker, and she is beyond excited to carry on sharing this art form with others.
Angeliki Nikolakaki
Specialisations
Straps - Silks - Hoop - Spanish Web - Aerial Conditioning & Flexibility
Angeliki Nikolakaki studied at the National Centre for Circus Arts in London (2011-2014) and graduated with a Foundation Degree and a Postgraduate Certificate in Circus Arts specialising in aerial straps.
Her background includes training in ballet, modern jazz theatre and contemporary dance. Specialising in aerial straps, she blends dance principals with straps technique to create her own unique style of performance. She also performs on aerial silk, hoop, rope and Spanish web.
In 2015 she was a finalist at UK’s largest circus competition, Circus Maximus at the Udderbelly Festival. Her work varies from solo/duo acts for cabarets/events to ensemble circus and dance performances. Since then she has been performing and teaching in the UK and abroad and has worked with prestigious companies such as Complicité Theatre, Upswing, Certain Blacks and Flow Productions.
She is also an Artistic co-Director and performer of Out Of Order Contemporary Circus Collective.
Charlie Caplan Wilson
Specialisations
Trapeze - Hoop - Contortion - Acrobatics - Tightwire - Aerial Hammock/Sling
Charlie has been involved with circus consistently since they were a small child.
Alongside their circus training they trained and performed; as a solo and ensemble singer, dancer and actor. They studied circus for a three-year degree program at the National Centre for Circus Arts.
Specialising in Static Trapeze & performing routines combining acting, poetry and singing- to much acclaim! Charlie continues teaching and performing Aerial Hoop, Sling, Dance Trapeze, Acrobatics and Contortion.
Charlie has an endless supply of games and energy to inspire young people and the older students.
Katerina Anastopoulou
Specialisations
Straps - Silks - Flexibility
Katerina was born in Greece in 1990. Since 2012, she has been training, teaching and performing in Greece, Europe and the United Kingdom.
Her passion for Circus led her to choose this Art form for a career and in 2018 she joined the National Centre for Circus Arts in London where she specialised on Aerial Straps. She graduated in 2021 holding a BA Hons Degree of Contemporary Circus Arts.
After her graduation in 2021, she traveled and performed as an Aerial Performer, around Europe on MSC Cruises for TED group & RWS Entertainment Group in the shows ‘Sweet and Strings’.
Today, Katerina is performing and teaching classes and workshops in London.
Alongside with her own artistic research and development, based on aerial acrobatics & movement in order to deepen her knowledge and understanding on how physically and artistically a circus body can express our stories and help us to connect and create a language and see what unfolds.
Madeleine Fuller
Specialisations
Rope - Silks - Trapeze - Cloudswing - Hand Balancing
Madeleine began her circus training in Newcastle, and immediately fell in love with all things aerial. She trained in trapeze, hoop, cloudswing and her favourite; silks. She went on to complete a BTEC in Circus and Performing Arts in which she specialised in rope and handbalancing.
Following this, she moved to London in order to study at the National Centre for Circus Arts, where she graduated with a BA in July 2024.
Madeleine has a high level of dynamic skills, especially on rope, and loves inventing quirky shapes and unconventional movements. She further enjoys using storytelling and mythology to inspire movement and create unique acts.
Sam Cater
Specialisations
Hoop - Silks - Flexibility - Aerial Conditioning
Sam specialises and enjoys teaching aerial hoop with Aerial Days. She likes to experiment with dance and gymnastics then apply them to the hoop.
After graduating from the National Centre for Circus Arts she toured with the Batman Live and has been seen performing in music videos, commercials.
She trained in Gymnastics, Ballet, Contemporary, Tap, African Contemporary, Street Dance and Breaking
Sam enjoys life drawing and photography alongside her circus career.
Rebecca Rennison
Specialisations
Hoop - Silks - Rope - Movement - Acrobatics
Rebecca is a highly skilled aerial artist, coming from a professional dance background and with experience performing all over the world, in commercials, TV and arena shows. She combines acrobatic skill in the air with her natural movement fluidity.
She has worked for Elekron; Studio City Macau - China, SOHO; Stufish Productions at The Peacock Theatre London, Dracula: Upswing & The New Vic Theatre, The London Cabaret Club, Casino Lisboa, Home by Hikapee (commissioned by The Lyric) Circus Krone (Germany); P&O Azura (World Cruise); Chivaree Circus and Glastonbury Festival. Commercial work: The Royal Variety Show, Made In Chelsea & 'Circus Girls' -Channel4, Fanta The 13th Floor, Sky Women in Leadership Campaign and Guinness World Records 2015.
Leanne Thompson
Specialisations
Hoop
Gymnastics
Dance
Aerial Conditioning
Flexibility
Leanne has always had a passion for dance, gymnastics, and theatre, which led her to pursue a degree in Circus Arts, from The National Centre for Circus Arts. She specialized in Aerial Sphere as a duo, which has enhanced their communication skills and made them a reliable team member. Along with her passion for solo work, she has experience coaching young gymnasts, teaching circus skills to children. As a performer, she has had numerous opportunities to showcase her skills, including a music video with Zonderling; performing at the Brit Awards with Hugh Jackman; and onboard MSC Bellissima as an aerialist.
Their dedication and hardworking nature have driven them to pursue their passion for circus arts and continue expanding and sharing their knowledge and skills.
Previous Teachers
Tilly Lee Kronick
Specialisations
Trapeze
Dance
Music
Tilly is a graduate from Circomedia, specialising in static trapeze and physical theatre.
Coming from a background of dance and music, Tilly strives to integrate her previous training into her aerial work. She has created her own solo circus theatre show Ripe, as well as being appointed Resident Circus Artist at the Roundhouse in 2018.
She is currently an associate artist at Deda. As well as performing her own work Tilly has performed for company’s such as Cirque Bijou, ExtraOrdinary Bodies, Full Tilt Aerial Dance and Everybody Dance.
Katie Hill
Specializations
Straps
Flexibility
Kids Classes
Katie is a graduate in Circus Arts from the National Centre for Circus Arts and in Performance Design from Central Saint Martins. She mixes theatre and dance with her specialization aerial straps in her work. She was recently appointed a position on the coordinating collective of the Pan-European arts and culture platform Diem Voice. Working with other European artists she helps organise projects and events across Europe where she performs aerial straps.
Katie is constantly developing her own performance style and likes to blur the boundaries between performance and other art forms.
Stah Power -
Specialisations
Hoop
Trapeze
Flexibility
Performance
Unfortunately No longer teaching with us as she runs Zero Central Circus in Australia!
Stah Power isn an international aerial circus performer with a career spanning 20 years.
Stah received a Jerwood Circus Award for her solo show ‘Swinging from the Chandelier’, has been funded by the Arts Council of England and supported by the National Centre for Circus Arts.
Stah has performed in the Opera House, The Roundhouse & Soho Theatre, with clients including Elton John, Damien Hirst and Harvey Nichols.