Kelsey Keitges

Kelsey is an aerial hoop artist and coach whose practice is community focused and rooted in creative innovation.

Hailing from Seattle, WA, Kelsey grew up training, performing and teaching ballet. As she got older, her interests grew outside of the conservative confines of classical training and she began to explore other forms of self expression through movement. She found that hula hooping, prop manipulation and fire dancing came naturally to her and it was her first introduction into the world of circus arts.

In 2006, she took her first static trapeze class at Zuzi in Tucson, AZ. She knew she had tapped into something that resonated with her soul. She continued to train static trapeze at the School of New Circus Arts (SANCA) in Seattle, WA through 2011. After seeing an inspiring performance by Marie-Michelle Faber on aerial hoop, Kelsey felt compelled to try it and found her true home in the air.

Now residing in Santa Cruz, CA, Kelsey coaches aerial hoop, dance trapeze and creative direction at the Radical Movement Factory and also offers virtual lessons. She holds an administrative position at the San Francisco Circus Center, where she also trains technique in aerial hoop, dance trapeze and swinging trapeze under the esteemed Elena Panova (Moscow Circus, Cirque de Demain gold medalist, Big Apple Circus, Cirque d’Hiver). She works virtually with Marie-Michelle Faber (Cirque du Soleil coach and artist Corteo, Quidam, Amaluna) on artistry and expression. Kelsey is currently working to conceive and direct productions through Circus of the Moon, a Santa Cruz based circus focusing on community connection.