COACHES 2024

Sherri fell in love with Flying Trapeze in 2002 when she took classes locally. She traveled the nation to study the sport with a number of world famous trapeze artists, and finds the study a lifetime passion. Sherri founded Embrace Adrenaline Flying Trapeze Club in 2005 https://embraceadrenaline.com and started her first summer camp in 2006. She is proud to call Tony Steele (who has trained her from 2008 to 2015) her coach. Sherri Loves to share her passion for trapeze arts with the young and the young at heart. She especially loves the self empowerment and inspiration that circus arts can bring to young people when taught through positive, thoughtful, safe and methodical methods and practices. Sherri believes that Circus Arts are accessible to all and it is a our "attitude, not aptitude" (Zig Ziglar), that will guide us to soar. Sherri is also trained in Gyrokenisis®, Cirque-It® Functional nutrition and Quantum Healing techniques.

Kiki began her circus training in 2002 with Circus Juventas and Xelias Aerial Arts in 2004. She flew for the first time at the age of 5 with Tito Gaona in Florida. Since her first flight, Kiki has trained and performed in 16 circus art modalities over the past 19 years. She has worked for our Summer Camps as a coach for the past 9 years. Kiki attended the University of Utah, graduating in 2021 with dual honors degrees in Biology and Environmental and Sustainability Studies and a minor in Chemistry. Along with her passion for science, Kiki has continued to train aerial arts and flying -this past winter was spent @ Santa Barbara Trapeze, working and training, is a certified aerial silk instructor with Aerial Physique L1,  trained in pilates for Flyers with Freedom to Fly, our team leader, and Flying Trapeze, tumbling and aerial expert.  She enjoys sharing her skills and passion for circus with people of all ages. 

Veronica Painter was born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago.  Working for several other trainers since the age of 10, she knew she wanted to live the rest of her life with horses.  Veronica moved to Florida in 2013 to join a riding troupe specializing in theatrical circus arts after having served an internship at an equestrian dinner theatre and performed on a regional trick riding team.  In 2016 Veronica returned to Illinois to start her own business: Horsemanship Unlocked. Currently Veronica resides around the twin cities and travels nationwide for performances and clinics.

Starting at an early age, Veronica immersed herself in horses.  She has worked on many professional productions including: Circus Flora, Circus Sarasota, Silver Dollar City’s Wild West Show, Zoppe Family Circus, and more. Specializing in trick training, liberty, and circus style trick riding and vaulting, Veronica bridges the gap that can exist between horse disciplines and breeds. Veronica isn’t just a trick rider or dressage rider, Veronica is a horsewoman. She is passionate about her training and her performances. Veronica is our performance expert and show lead and also our famous horse trick riding instructor.

Shawn is a veteran Minneapolis Fire Captain with Rescue, EMT, High Rope/ Low Angle Rescue certification and is a member of USAR. She has taught climbing and rope safety for many years   She has managed the rigging and safety of Embrace Adrenaline Flying Trapeze for the past 12 years, with a perfect safety record. We are proud to have her as our head rigger and safety office, and head wake surfing coach. Shawn began her love of flying in 2005, she caught for many years and has introduced and trained many fine young catchers to the sport. In her teens, Shawn trained water skiing with a professional group which included slalom, jumping,  trick skiing and pyramids. She has been enjoying wake surfing for 12  years and is our head wake-surfing coach.

Kit started gymnastics and dance in 2002 and shortly after they started training at Circus Juventas in 2008 performing for the next ten years, in multiple acrobatic and aerial disciplines. In high school, in addition to training circus arts Kit competed in varsity level diving and qualified for the state meet in gymnastic two years in a row. They have many years of experience in coaching gymnastics and circus. Kit is our tumbling, flying trapeze and trampoline expert.

JJ has been involved with circus arts since 2009 and has fallen in love ever since. Her favorite acts to perform are handstands, three-girl hand balance, hoops, hammock, and silks!  Memorable circus moments for JJ involve traveling to Washington D.C. to perform in the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in 2017, competing in the Australian Circus Festival in 2019, being a part of both Spring and Summer Circus Juventas productions, and assisting Battulga, a Mongolian Strongman, in presenting his act on Canada’s Got Talent as well as at the International Circus Festival of Monte-Carlo in January, 2025. Having just graduated in May of 2024 with a BS in Exercise and Sport Science and a minor in Biology of Longevity and Aging from St. Catherine University, JJ is excited to continue exploring her interests in Sport Psychology, Women’s Health, and Mental Health in Performing Arts, all while pursuing life as a professional circus artist! JJ is thrilled to be involved and working at flying colors this summer, coaching kids in acts she also finds so much joy in doing!

My journey with circus arts started at Circus Juventas in 2011 when I was 9 years old. I was drawn towards acrobatics and balance disciplines like trampoline, Russian swing, teeterboard, German wheel and unicycle. I performed with Juventas from 2013-2022 and since then I have joined the Juventas coaching staff as a German wheel, acrobatics and trampoline coach. Outside of circus arts I enjoy rock climbing and volunteering with local conservation efforts around the Twin Cities metro. 

Xander started with us last year as an intern and in a very short time became an amazing catcher. He is returning this year to our coaching and caching staff and we are super happy to have him back!

Shane has been honing his circus and gymnastics skill for many years! He started as a high school gymnast and went on to coach gymnastics at Gleasons Gymnastics Center. He started his circus journey when he coached at Circus Juventas circa 2000- this is where he fell in love with Flying Trapeze. He was a founding member of our Embrace Adrenaline Flying Trapeze Club est. 2005.https://embraceadrenaline.com

 Shane went on to coach and catch with Twin Cities Trapeze Center for many years, and has been Flying Colors Flying Trapeze Experience coach and catcher since 2020. Shane is passionate about sharing his circus skills with folks of all ages and abilities.

Grant started his circus journey in water ski shows, performing partner adagio, human pyramids and other on water acts. In more recent years, Grant has immersed himself in static duo trapeze and flying trapeze with a love for catching. Grant and his wife Erika are founders of the Balsam Lake Water Ski Show Team, teaching and performing show skiing throughout the summer months. In addition to catching for Flying Colors Trapeze, Grant has trained and performed at Stomping Ground Studio in Minneapolis and Twin Cities Trapeze Center in Saint Paul.

Jenny had her first circus experience here at Flying Colors at one of our Girl Scout camps, and went on to do a few Flying Colors camps before joining the Circus Juventas program where she has studied for 3 years. She will be attending Illinois State University in the fall. Outside of circus she enjoys going to the beach, shopping and hanging out with friends. She is excited to be a part of the Flying Colors team this summer.

Briland fell into the Circus at Florida State University quite by accident. A friend was too nervous to audition alone, and Briland volunteered to go with him. Eight years later, Briland is still pursuing his passion of flying high. While focused mostly on flying trapeze, Briland has also performed on the high wire, teeterboard, low casting, and as a clown. After leaving the Flying High circus, Briland moved to St. Louis to work with the world famous Circus Harmony and their Peace Through Pyramids Project as a coach and head rigger. During this time, he also worked for Trapeze STL as a coach and performed his own one-man show. He is excited to work with Flying Colors to share his experiences, and to continue inspiring other performers to reach for the sky and embrace their inner clown. Briland will be a guest coach for our Master Flying & Aerial Camp.

Sherry began her training as an aerial artist as a form or therapeutic movement. Using aeiral silks and flying trapeze, Dr. Walling experienced a powerful way to integrate movement into healing. After losing her father to esophageal cancer and her brother to suicide within six months, she embarked on a journey to explore pathways to wholeness in the aftermath of loss. This exploration led the grieving psychologist to an unlikely place: the circus. As a psychologist, Sherry makes a case for expressive movement as a core part of the mental health.

Myss Angie is a visionary that believes in helping empower women, strengthening the community, and bringing pole dance and the performance arts to new platforms. Her background includes 7 years of work as a mental health counselor, a degree in Nutrition and Dietetics from the University of Minnesota, and extensive work creating and implementing nutrition programs at a nutrition clinic 2014-2016. Myss Angie has been teaching, training, and performing pole dance and fitness since 2010, a pole sport judge since 2014,  and has recently became 1st Place Champion at the Central Pole Championships for her pole double routine. Angie now continues to teach fitness, pole, and nutrition at Expertease Fitness, Knockout Bodies Pole Dance and Fitness Studio,  The Rabbit Hole Studio / Minnesota Performing Art Cooperative, and works full time behind Pole and Performing Art projects and events.