2024 COMPANY - WOW!
Abigail Munn | Director
Since its inception, Abigail has been directing, creating and producing new work for Circus Bella. Along with the more conventional duties she has also served as the company's truck driver, catering service and laundress. An accomplished dancer, choreographer, and aerialist, Munn holds a BFA in Modern Dance from UC Santa Barbara. As a child, who was born and raised in SF, she appeared with the Pickle Family Circus, and later with Zoppe Italian Family Circus, Lone Star Circus, the Moisture Festival, the New Pickle Circus, Cabaret Verdelet, Circus Cabaret, Tease-O-Rama, Va Voom Room, and The Velvet Hammer Burlesque. Munn was commended in the New York Times for her performance in Alma Esperanza Cunningham’s Princess. Munn co-directed the nouveau-vaudeville troupe Kitty Bang, an internationally recognized three-time “Best of the Bay” winner that is influential in the modern Burlesque resurgence.
Over the past few years Abigail has become increasingly involved in advocacy work for the Circus Arts. When transitioning Circus Bella performers to Employees, she became aware that the current workers compensation rates and policy descriptions in California were way out of step with the current reality of the Circus Industry. Munn embarked on a one woman quest to help change this and after initiating a study from the Workers Comp Insurance Rating Bureau (WCIRB), rates were significantly lowered (by 80%) for ALL Circus Companies in California. In addition, she is a founding member and on the board of the American Circus Alliance. abigailmunn.com
Toni Cannon | Chinese Pole
Toni is consistently working on finding new ways to express himself through acrobatics. He finds the challenge thrilling, and very relatable to life’s challenges. Toni started his circus career later in life however, that didn’t stop him from diving deep into his newfound love and passion. He has been lucky enough to train under some great coaches like Master Lu Yi, and Dominik Wyss learning disciplines like Chinese pole, partner acrobatics, and Hand-to-hand. He has been a part of some amazing companies and productions like Topsy Turvy Circus, Circus Bella, This is Acrosanct, When the rainbow is Enuf, and his one man show Reflection. instagram.com/acrocannon
Jamie Coventry | Clown
Jamie Coventry has a background in theater, music and education. Jamie secured a BA at SFSU before going on to complete two years at the Clown Conservatory of the SF Circus Center. He has developed two of his own 45min shows and hopes to inspire others to create and stay curious. Together with Natasha Kaluza he won Best Comedy / Clown Act in the American Circus Festival two years in a row, and Best Duo in the Picklewater Free Circus Festival. He also formed Tin Sandwich, a neo-vaudevillian harmonica ensemble that plays blues, jazz, pop, Balkan and tango. coventryandkaluza.com
Joel Herzfeld | Hand Balancer
Joel is a hand balancer and cyr artist based in Boston MA. He has performed around the world. With Les 7 Doigts De La Main, he toured nationally and internationally in the Tony Award-winning Broadway production of Pippin. In Germany, he performed with the prestigious Circus Roncalli. At sea, Joel performed on some of the world's top-ranked cruise ships, including on the flagships of the Celebrity Cruises and AIDA Cruises fleets. Joel recently returned from a run of shows in front of full symphony orchestras in the USA. Some of Joel's corporate clients have included Facebook, Hendrick's Gin, Six Flags, and Audi.
Teaching is Joel's other great passion. Before running off to join the circus, Joel studied Education at Brandeis University, earning his Teacher's License in Secondary English. He subsequently earned his license to teach Mathematics as well. When not on tour, Joel delights in teaching math and English with the Boston Public Schools system and coaching circus online and at local circus institutions. upsidedownjoel.com
Jefferson Freire | Juggling and Unicycle
Born in São Paulo/Zona Sul – Slum (Favela), in Brazil, Jefferson Freire started juggling in 2005, under the guidance of Anderson Perreira da Silva, a street artist considered as one of Brazil’s best jugglers. What was just training for fun at the beginning quickly became a devouring passion! He soon had to make a living since his mother was not in a position to support an idle son, and he went to juggle on street corners and pass the hat, dreaming that, one day, he will become a great artist. While learning his trade Jefferson eventually found work in small circuses, slowly establishing his reputation as a charismatic juggler with outstanding technical skills. In 2006, he had the opportunity to join Tapias Voadores circus. Besides a circus, this important circus organization also runs a circus school in Diadema, São Paulo, where Jefferson began teaching in 2008 and it was supported by the juggling company - JR Malabares.
At the same time, he worked increasingly for corporate events and participated in Juggling conventions in Brazil and abroad. In 2012, joined one of the largest and most popular circuses in Brazil, Circo Universo Casuo Traveling through 24 Brazilian states and 4 international tours Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina and Colombia. In 2013 he changed course and entered the Braapa Theater School in São Paulo, where he graduated as an actor. He prepared himself by studying violin at the music school in Diadema and then continued his artistic training at the Conservatory of Music Fundação das Artes | São Caetano do Sul, studying violin. Jefferson came to the USA in 2017 to participate in the World Juggling Federation’s giant convention in Las Vegas, and moved the following year to SF where he is a student at the SF Community Music Center, and at City College, where he studies English. He is currently teaching Juggling at the Circus Center, San Francisco. instagram.com/jugglerjefferson
Dwoira Galilea | Aerial Hoop
Dwoira Galilea is a circus performer specializing in aerial arts and contortion. She was a rhythmic gymnast from age 9-13, and began circus training at age 11. She has been performing professionally for 15 years and is known for her glamorous makeup, wardrobe, and ability to captivate an audience. She has toured across the globe performing with traditional and contemporary circus and cruise ships. While not on tour she performs locally at dinner cabarets, corporate events and galas, nightclubs and special events. Companies include Strut & Fret, the Vau de Vire Society, Golden Gate Dolls, Cirque Estival, Cirque Mondo, Summer Circus Spectacular, Earth Circus Productions, Circosphere, the Edwardian Ball, Velocity Circus, Celebrity Cruises Entertainment, P&O Cruises, Circus Hamid, Fantazia Circus, Shrine Circus, the Chicago Contemporary Circus Festival, Star Star Roadhouse * Black Rock City, Sister Magic Productions and the 50th Smithsonian Folklife Festival. Currently Dwoira is pursuing a Pilates Certification and performing as much as humanly possible. instagram.com/dwoiragalilea
Elise Hing | Contortion
Elise was born and raised in Santa Cruz, CA where she fell in love with circus at a young age. After discovering her natural bendiness at 12, she developed a passion for contortion. She trains regularly in San Francisco, with her coach Leslie Tipton, and has performed contortion all over the Bay Area. Elise loves to connect and share her talents with the audience, but when not upside down, she enjoys wandering through the redwoods, spending time with her pets, and working on her next sewing project. In addition to performing with Circus Bella Elise has had the pleasure of performing with Flynn Creek Circus and at Viva Fest Las Vegas, 2022 and 2023, where she competed as an emerging pro. instagram.com/elise_hing
Natasha Kaluza | Clown and Hula Hoops
Natasha Kaluza, aka The Super Duper Hula Hooper, graduated with honors from UC Santa Cruz with a degree in Theater Arts, and a minor in Education, and followed that with a graduate certificate in Dance. She attended two years of the Clown Conservatory at the SF Circus Center under Jeff Raz. There she met her partner and formed Coventry & Kaluza, an award-winning clown duo. A quadruple threat (acting, dancing, singing, and circus), Natasha is best known for her funk and b-girl inspired hula hoop acts. coventryandkaluza.com
Calvin Kai Ku | Clown
Calvin Kai Ku grew up watching Bay Area touring circus shows and magicians on TV. At the time, performing was a distant separation of reality. Through what felt like incredible courage, he took the leap and found his passion in theater at his University. He learned to cross pollinate his various disciplines to create a unique set of skills. His vigorous training led him to perform with the WuQiao (pronounced Woo-Chow) Int’l. Circus Festival, Teatro Zinzanni, Zaccho Dance Company, theme parks, and private engagements. Calvin Kai Ku also regularly performs with, and is the Artistic Director of, the Medical Clown Project, a group of professional healthcare clowns who ease stress and anxiety through joy and laughter in hospitals and assisted living facilities throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. kaikuentertainment.com
Ori Quesada | Rola Bola
Ori Quesada is a proud Bay Area born and raised acrobat who began training and performing at age 7 under Master Lu Yi and Teacher Xia Ke Min in traditional Chinese Acrobatics in San Francisco. He grew up training and performing a multitude of different acrobatic acts and at 16 he began specializing in a Rola Bola Kick Bowls solo act, which he still performs today. Spanning over 25 years, Ori has had the privilege to perform with Troupe Vertigo, Sweet Can, Circus Bella, Circus Nonsense, the Santa Rosa Symphony, in the first Chicago Contemporary Circus Festival, and with the LA Opera. Most recently he performed as a cast member of The Rainbow is Enuf. Ori is thrilled to be back with Circus Bella this time under the big top! facebook.com/oriana.quesada.7
THE CIRCUS BELLA ALL STAR BAND:
Rob Reich | Bandleader - Accordion, Keyboard, Glockenspiel»
Rob Reich has performed in concert halls, circus tents, dance clubs, and chapels. This breadth of experience has made him a foremost performer and composer in the Bay Area. Reich grew up in Long Island, NY, studying piano from age three. He graduated with a degree in Music Composition from Oberlin Conservatory of Music, where he studied with John Luther Adams and Pauline Oliveros. In 2000 he moved to the Bay Area, where he discovered the accordion, now his primary instrument. Reich's music defies genre, combining strong melodic ideas, rhythmic drive, and a spirit of irreverence and experimentation. His many musical projects include serving as long-time musical director for Circus Bella. He's also known for his work with Tin Hat & Gaucho. Reich recently released an EP of original music, Cloisters, available on bandcamp. "Whatever context he's in, Reich transforms it into a creative hothouse where thousands of musical flowers bloom.” - Andy Gilbert, East Bay Express. www.robreich.com
Ian Carey | Trumpet »
Ian Carey is an East Bay-based trumpeter, slide-whistler, composer, and educator. When he's not circus-izing, he can be found performing with his groups the Ian Carey Quintet+1 and Wood/Metal/Plastic, with bands like the Electric Squeezebox Orchestra, the Morchestra, and Anthony Brown's Asian-American Orchestra, or teaching at places like CA Jazz Conservatory and Sonoma State. He is also a graphic designer. www.iancareyjazz.com
Kasey Knudsen | Saxophone »
Kasey Knudsen is a SF based saxophonist, composer & educator. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Jazz Composition from Berklee College of Music in 2002. She has been dubbed "one of the region's most esteemed saxophonists" (Andrew Gilbert, SF Classical Voice, 2018) and was included in a list of "10 Female Instrumentalists Who Redefine Jazz" by Alexa Peters of Paste Magazine (2016). As a composer, Knudsen has been commissioned by the San Jose Jazz 'New Works Festival'; InterMusic SF's Small Chamber Music Grant; Intersection For the Arts; the De Young Museum; and the CA Jazz Conservatory's Emerging Artist Series. In addition to leading a number of her own projects, as a co-leader, she is involved in several groups including the Schimscheimer Family Trio, the Holly Martins, and the Klaxon Mutant Allstars.
Knudsen collaborates frequently with many of the most unique musical voices in the Bay Area including multiple performances across the USA and Europe with TuneYards; a myriad of shows and festivals across the world with Fred Frith and the Gravity Band; a tour of the Pacific Northwest with the Charlie Hunter Quartet and a wide variety of performances with Erik Jekabson, Circus Bella, the Ian Carey Quintet + 1, Ben Goldberg, the Electric Squeezebox Orchestra, Beth Schenck, and many more. www.kaseyknudsenmusic.com
Michael Pinkham | Percussion »
Michael Pinkham has been a working bay area drummer since the early 90's (1st gig at Berkeley Square). He has played, recorded and toured nationally and internationally with many artists including: Peter Rowan's Big Twang Theory, Linda Tillery, Joan Baez, the Oakland Symphony, Oakland Interfaith gospel Choir, Matt Montgomery & the Petty Troubles Orchestra, The SF Mime Troupe, Samba do Coracao, Diego's Umbrella, Albino!, New Monsoon and many others. Michael currently holds the drum Chair with the Circus Bella All-Star Band (since 2008), the Bay Area's old-world soul group, Kugelplex, Physical Suicide Deterrent System Project (PSDSP), Milk For The Angry, Jesse Ray Smith Band and is a founding and current member of the Lost at Home Drumline.
Jonathan Seiberlich | Tuba »
Over the past 10 years, Jonathan Seiberlich has become a prominent member of the SF Bay Area’s vibrant music scene. On any given night you may hear him perform with the SF Symphony, the Nomad Session Wind Octet, Jazz Mafia Collective, Grateful Brass, Honor Brass Band, Circus Bella, Kyle Athayde Dance Party, or playing solo at MacArthur BART Station. Jonathan has also performed alongside internationally renowned acts such as Sigur Ros, Veronica Swift, Peter Apfelbaum, Josh Jones, and The California Honeydrops. In addition to his work as a tuba player, Jonathan is an accomplished producer, composer, arranger, and songwriter. Since 2015 he has been producing albums of music under the name Jensen Engineering. These albums include a variety of original songs and collaborations with other renowned Bay Area instrumentalists, singers, and rappers. More recently, Jonathan has formed the Jonathan Seiberlich Quintet, which performs original instrumental music featuring a blend of New Orleans “brass band” instrumentation, classical composition and improvisation. Jonathan was born and raised in Concord, CA. He began his musical studies at Los Medanos College, then went on to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Tuba Performance from the Oberlin Conservatory and a Masters degree in Tuba Performance from USC. Over the course of his career he has studied with Peter Wahrhaftig, Ron Bishop, Jim Self, Norm Pearson, Doug Tornquist, Roger Bobo, and Zachariah Spellman. He is currently the Tuba Faculty at Sonoma State University and has been teaching students of all ages for over 15 years.
PRODUCTION TEAM:
Autumn Adamme | Costume Design »
Dark Garden founder Autumn Adamme became known as the Godmother of Modern Corsetry after launching the business in 1989, reviving corsets for a modern body and audience. Autumn made her first corset at 12, having already developed an abiding interest in historical costuming and alternative aesthetics. Shortly after reaching the age of majority, she turned the crafting of custom corsets and ensembles into the groundbreaking business which established many of the techniques and standards observed by corset makers across the world today.
Carlo Gentile | Production Director »
A native of St. Louis, Missouri, Carlo has been teaching, directing, and performing circus for the past 15 years. He is a graduate of SF Circus Center’s Clown Conservatory and has trained in China, where he went to perfect his foot juggling act. Carlo has performed with the Royal Lichtenstein Circus as a clown, juggler, unicyclist, and diabolo artist, with St. Louis’ celebrated Circus Flora, has toured extensively with the Zoppé Italian Family Circus, and has appeared with his family for many years with Circus Bella’s “Circus in The Parks” and “Kaleidoscope,” He was Artistic Directors of CircEsteem and the Chicago Youth Circus.
Andrew Heller | Sound Engineer »
Andrew Heller, owner, engineer, producer, entrepreneur, and musician started his career after graduating from California State University in Chico in 2006. He spent 10 summers at the Aspen Music Festival working as an engineer and honing skills recording and providing sound reinforcement for classical ensembles and jazz bands, as well as for conferences and corporate presentations.
After several years working in recording studios in Los Angeles and the Bay Area, he found opportunity providing live sound services for small concerts and events. In 1989 he launched “Location Digital Recording and Sound", a company that provided location recording services as well as live sound reinforcement. LDR grew and thrived which opened the door to expansion, buying new equipment and growing the client base. In 2010, LDR partnered with another company to move into the next phase of growth, changing the name of the company to Audio Production Group. In 2018, saw the buyout of the partner, moved to a new space and looking to new horizons and opportunities. https://www.audioprogroup.com/
Avery Ucker | Roustabout »
Avery Ucker is pretty sure that, way way way back, her earliest primal relatives were badass queer femme lady apes who were absolute branch-swinging dynamos. Her circus journey began with a flying trapeze class on a random Saturday in 2016, and what began as a once-a-week hobby eventually became something that she quit her job and moved to the other side of the country to pursue. She has trained, coached, and performed in San Francisco and Chicago, and is currently training full time in Vermont at NECCA’s acclaimed ProTrack program. When not on a trapeze or cuddling her dog, she can be found eating popcorn untidily.
Jack Weinstock | Roustabout and Company Artisan »
A master juggler, skilled unicyclist and seasoned acrobat are all words that could be used to describe someone else. Jack however is a scenic designer, prop maker and graduate of the Circus Center’s Clown Conservatory. They graduated from SFSU with a degree in Technical Theater and Design and spent two years serving as San Marin High School’s Technical Director and instructor. They now spend their days building, crafting, and painting whimsical whatnots for ring, stage, and screen.
Daniela Blancas | Marketing Intern »
Daniela was born and raised in San Francisco an is a student at San Francisco State majoring in Marketing. She loves listening to music especially kpop hopes to have a career in the media/live entertainment industry in the future.
GUEST ARTISTS:
Prescott Circus Theatre »
Through circus and theatre arts education, the Prescott Circus Theatre’s mission is to empower and engage youth as they develop confidence, teamwork, perseverance, artistic talent, and a dedication to working for success. By providing professional training, unique curriculum, and a safe environment for under-served youth, our Oakland-based non-profit youth development organization promotes skill mastery, physical activity, positive relationships with peers and adults, and opportunities to shine for the community. www.prescottcircus.org