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

Alright, Annika thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

I started out as a hula hooper, mainly at music festivals and local events. I’m mostly self taught but have taken a few work shops ever the years. After a while I started understanding the difference between making it a performance, instead of a hobby. After learning other circus skills I think the most important ones, are flexibility, dance, and strength. I never new how much these things went hand in hand. I think what stood in the way of learning more, is always time, money, but mostly keeping the motivation and determination that it takes to be a circus performer.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My names Annika, I’m a 26 year old circus artist and entertainment manager. I was introduced to precessional entertainment after taking a few small unpaid local gigs. Eventually I found clients, and entertainment company’s interested in my work. After training and taking classes for several years I was able to offer a multitude of skills. My mains skills are hula hooping, fire performing, aerials and gogo dancing. But sometimes I get called for all different types of things, such as champagne serving, show girls, living statues, body painted models and ect. I think I’m most proud of the travels/ events I’ve worked it such a short amount of time as a performer. I’ve been lucky to travel across the world, and my home country for every type of event you can imagine. I want my clients to know, that I believe circus is magic, and everything you can imagine is real. I believe that as circus artists, we can do anything and that is the energy I want the world to see.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

I think society can support artist more by including them. To artists, any amount of support means something. There’s an opportunity for art and entertainment to be included in everything, and most people don’t realize that. We all have the same opportunity to support and be kind to other people. It could be as small as a comment or share on a social media post. A website visit, a good review on their platform. A donation. Buying a product, taking a class. Any thing makes a difference.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most reward aspect of being an artist is the joy you get from other people. For some people, you’re giving them a special memory, for some people you’re inspiring them. Or for some you’re changing their life. If I can make someone feel the way I felt the first time I saw the circus, then that is what success is.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.gigsalad.com/annika_burns_circus_art_austin
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shesingsatdawnn?igshid=MmVlMjlkMTBhMg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/annikaburnsperformer?mibextid=LQQJ4d
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@annikaburnscircus?_t=8iB3ewS9GTW&_r=1

Image Credits
Clearhumaneyes Scottblairphoto Vvilmstock