Cirque Style

Our Circus Arts Program Founder,

Catie Brier, performing at a Corporate Event

Our Circus Arts Program

It all started with a young girl's dream, and a mother's dedication to do all she could do to be a good mother.
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One day my daughter decided that she didn't want to be a dancer anymore; instead she wanted to run away with the circus and be a Chinese contortionist. Mind you, she wasn't Chinese and she wasn't a contortionist, but this was her dream.
Her Fairy God Mother had given her a video of the 4 little pink contortionists with Cirque du Soleil from their early show “Nouvelle Experience”. All she wanted to do was stay in her room and try to put her toes over her head. Then she started to get all the other girls at our dance studio to put their toes over their heads.
Needless to say, this was the beginning of a wonderful story and provided the vision for the establishment of our Circus Arts program.
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As we took this journey through the years, we met many wonderful circus artists and trainers. Eventually my daughter ended up moving to San Francisco to train with the only Chinese Contortion coach outside of mainland China, Master Lu Yi. After two years of intensive training, she became a respected dancer/acrobat/contortionist in the entertainment industry.

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Meanwhile, I was not just the doting mother. I was up in a trapeze, learning something I always wanted to do…Aerial Dance!
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So we established a Circus Arts program at our dance studio. As we began to train our dancers in aerial and contortion, it became very clear to me that these beautiful young students could achieve a respectable level of training and performance skill. Since my own daughter had achieved her dream, I set out to do the same for many other young people with their own visions.
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Our advanced students are presently honing their skills and are on the road to their professional careers. BB’s Dance & Circus Arts is mentoring them best as possible to ensure their future success.
They perform at Casa Tina’s Mexican Restaurant in Downtown Dunedin every Saturday and Sunday nights. They have performed for Make A Wish Foundation, Big Brother/Big Sisters, the Children’s Heart Foundation, Push Ultra Lounge in St. Pete, Corporate Parties, and private functions.
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So this is our story. This is how it all started. If your child has ever alluded to running away to the Circus, if they bounce off the walls, or try to fly through the air off the sofa, this might be the program for them!
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Sincerely, Beth Brier/Artistic Director

Warm up before Fairies, Inc. 2010 Photo by Rich Meredith

Acrobatics & Contortion

These classes are centered around flexibility and strength. Class syllabus is based on traditional Mongolian and Chinese training techniques including stretching techniques, handstands, flexibility & contortion.

These techniques are valuable to all athletes, dancers, gymnasts, figure skaters, cheerleaders and basically anyone else wanting to achieve a more flexible physique .

Jordan learning hand stand contortion

Emily learning a crazy leg thing

Trapeze & Aerial Training

Our aerial classes begin with conditioning and strength training, as aerial work is very demanding on upper body and abdomenal strength.
Trapeze is the first equipment we teach, to get students familiar with aerial technique and safety procedures. After trapeze is familiar, other equipment is introduced such as Spanish web, fabric and Hoop.

All aerial skills are taught low to the ground until students have gained the experience and strength to move higher with the equipment.

Belle, 50 & Fabulous, on Fabric

Handstands against wall

Leg Stretch!

Michelle on Spanish web

Perfecting a handstand

Hadley on Trapeze

3 Munchkins on Children's Triple Trapeze