We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Ana Cruz. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Ana below.

Ana, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Are you able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen?

I have been very fortunate to be able to earn a living from my art for a few years now. I have been training circus for 7 years, starting with hula hoops and fire. I then moved on to learn stilt walking, aerial, walking globe, rola bola, juggling, and other prop manipulation at the Boulder Circus Center, where I have been a youth circus instructor for 5 years. My journey began with transitioning my work related income from childcare to teaching circus. It began with one class a week and grew. My weekends were filled with auditions, networking and performing for entertainment companies. Fast forward to now, I teach 14 youth circus/movement based classes between Boulder and Denver. After, a few years of working for entertainment companies and my love of circus, I took the leap and teamed up with my partner and Elevated Circus was born. Knowing what I know now, I would have spent less time working for other companies and started my own sooner.

Ana, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Circus was added to my life one prop/discipline at a time. It began with hula hoops. One day, I am strolling the Pearl Street Mall in Boulder, Co…..There is a lady with a silent disco (headphones with different music channels) with hula hoops. I tried one, and I was hooked!!! I couldn’t get enough! I started with purchasing a. Hula hoop and I began to practice. I learned tons of tricks and moves and to make life more interesting I used a fire hula hoop and fell in love, I purchased a fire hula hoop and began to practice. One of my specialties is in fire performing and have 10 different fire props. It has grown from that first fire hoop! As a performer, I provide several circus art services. My favorite would be fire performing, I have traveled across the country, performing fire at music festivals, birthday parties, concerts, haunted houses, half time shows, corporate events and more. I take pride in practicing, teaching and sharing any circus arts. Circus has changed my life for the better and I love sharing that passion with anyone. Starting a company means I am able to share circus with many different types of social and economic groups of people.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

A few years into my circus training, I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, a chronic, typically progressive disease involving damage to the sheaths of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, whose symptoms may include numbness, impairment of speech and of muscular coordination, blurred vision, and severe fatigue. I thought that my career had ended right then and there. However, I was persistent and kept up my training, worked on my spirituality and sense of self, and stayed very committed to my mental and physical heath and I am still able to live the life I had always dreamed of today. Although I do struggle with MS flares once in a while, I am lucky to be able to continue doing what I love most, which is circus performing.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My multiple sclerosis diagnosis made me re-analyze my own purpose and journey in life. I want to share circus arts with everyone and especially those in marginalized groups. I believe that everyone deserves a chance to try circus, no matter the physical ability, background, economic status, etc. Growing up, I believed things like circus or performance arts were unattainable for someone like me, coming from a poor immigrant family. I was told I needed to get a reliable job that would sustain me throughout life, insinuating that performers are “starving artists.” I am grateful that I persevered and pursued my passions anyways because I don’t know where I would be today had I not started training circus arts.

Contact Info:

• Website: Www.elevatedcircus.com
• Instagram: Www.instagram.com/elevatedcircus
• Facebook: Www.facebook.com/elevatedcircus

Image Credits
Head Above Heart Lucas Zhao Robert Olsen