Jess Clark
Jess Clark came to trapeze class by chance in 2010 and has been dancing through the air ever since.
Jess loves the challenge and freedom of aerial dance, and trains on all types of equipment. She joined the Cycropia Collective in 2014
Patrick Crean
Patrick has been with Cycropia since 1992.
In addition to Cycropia shows Flights of Fancy, Dreams of Flying, Caution, and Nocturne, Patrick has danced in the Children’s Theater of Madison’s Peter Pan, with Don Redlich at UW Madison, in the Isthmus Jazz Festival, and the Performing Artists’ Spotlight.
“I wish everyone watching could come into the dance, experience the quick spin of the trapeze, feel the acceleration and weightlessness.“
Kari Dickinson
Kari stumbled on Cycropia’s introductory trapeze class in 2010, while looking to reconnect with a lifelong love of dancing. She has been flying ever since and joined the collective in 2014.
Kari’s background includes ballet and theater training, and she delights in exploring movement-based arts. She has a master’s degree from the UW’s Bolz Center for Arts Administration.
Linda DiRaimondo
Linda first took flight 1998. She has been dancing, choreographing, and costume designing with Cycropia ever since.
Nataraj Hauser
Nataraj found his way to aerial dance via a long history of martial arts. After hanging up his gloves in 2003, he briefly studied belly dance with his wife and simultaneously discovered contact improv dance, which remains a passion. Seeing Cycropia perform at the Orton Park Festival in 2005 knocked his socks off.
A single trapeze class taught by Marcia Miquelon led to more classes and performance, then to Cycropia’s classes just in time to perform in the 2006 Orton Park show, and finally to joining the troupe in the spring of 2010. He thinks the combination of grace and strength needed to perform aerial dance is a perfect blend of hard work and phenomenal play.
Billy Kardasz
While taking his first aerial class in 2000 Billy discovered the bond between music, movement, expression and has never stopped flying. Joining Cycropia’s advanced class (2003) he honed his love for dance through workshops, choreography and performance, and in 2008 became a troupe member. Billy feels that the process of discovery and growth is a special gift, and that it’s important to share this gift through performance and outreach.
As a wee tyke Billy wanted to be an astronaut.
Juliet Landa
Juliet took her first Cycropia class two weeks after her second Ironman in 2015 and the rest is history. Juliet loves and tries all things aerial and feels fortunate to be a part of this community. She also enjoys spinning in her Cyr wheel, helping with shows, and encouraging everyone to fly.
Juliet is small but mighty.
Laura Lob
Laura took her first aerial class in 2004 and joined the troupe in 2010.
‘At my grade school we had an amazing piece of playground equipment called a “waterwave.” A large metal structure in the shape of an umbrella, you grabbed on for dear life and soared and spun high into the air, occasionally touching the ground. It was a wonderful combination of flying and surfing. I hadn’t had that feeling for a long time, until Cycropia. The joyful experience of taking classes from, and performing with Cycropia Aerial Dance is akin to escaping a stuffy classroom for recess on a really cool playground.’
Kenneth Loud
Kenneth has danced on the floor since 1985 and through the air since 1991. When he is not working as a professional carpenter, Ken teaches, choreographs and acts as technical director for the company.
Outside of Cycropia, he has performed in works by Peggy Choy, Tim Glenn, Neal Jahren and Atala-Nicole Loud.
Jade McGill
While seeing Cycropia perform at the Union Theater, Jade thought aerial looked like way too much FUN, and a good match for her strengths from years of swimming and lifting. She hopped into an intro class in 2017, not knowing what a life-changing that decision would be.
Liz Reynolds
Liz fell in madly in love with aerial dance after moving the Madison in 2015 and joined the Cycropia collective in 2018.
Flying with Cycropia has proved to be the perfect combination of strength, thrill, and beauty she has always been searching for.
Luv Joy Seamon
Luv joined the Cycropia collective in 2010, but has been dancing for as long as she can remember. She brings training in such diverse areas as modern dance, diving, circus arts, pilates, and contact improvisation to her aerial performance, teaching, and choreography. In addition to her work with Cycropia, Luv has been a member of LAVA Dance Collective, an improvisational dance company that currently tours the US, since 2001.
Luv has a MA in Dance/Movement therapy. When not flying, she can be found at one of her many jobs, instilling the healing power of movement expression to children and adults.
Brenda Smage
Brenda credits Cycropia for sparking her obsession with the aerial arts. After stumbling across the end of an Orton Park rehearsal while on a walk, she sought out every chance to watch the troupe perform. She started taking aerial classes in 2015, and joined the troupe in late 2018.
While she never thought she would be a performer, flying for a crowd has become her passion – and performing with Cycropia a dream come true. Brenda left the corporate world to teach movement full time as an instructor of yoga, aerial yoga, and now aerial dance – helping others find joy in flight!
