Photo credit: Veronica Bonderud
Maria Madrugada
Aerialist, Clown, & Acrobatic Variety Performer
A Carnival of Femme Fatal
Maria is a circus artist and human powerhouse who defies categorization - part aerialist, part dancer, part director & producer. Her performances blend artistry, honesty, and awe with the creative challenge of defying gravity. Maria performs aerial rope, aerial silks, acrobatic chair and burlesque, and loves the process of adapting to strange and unique apparatuses, and brings an exquisite level of detail to movement, timing and character in her performances. She has performed for companies such as The Underground Circus, Circollective Society, Ariel Helvetica Productions, April O’Peel Productions, Too Fly Productions (VAMP, Robin Hood) and, and for events such as the St John’s International Circus Festival, Fluevog Flummunity Fest, and the St. Louis Art Fair.
Maria created Wild Rumpus Cabaret variety performance series in 2023, and is a founding member of Circollective Society for Circus Artists (IG: @circollectivesociety). Circollective’s digital circus show, Pause. Shift. Rebound was featured in the Transform Cabaret presented by the Cultch (2020), in the Alberta Circus Arts Festival (2021), and the St. John’s International Circus Festival (2021), and the Circurious Cabaret Series that Maria produces with Circollective Society has received wonderful acclaim in the local circus community.
Maria’s performance style is richly influenced by her diverse background and training. Maria’s initial training was in Contemporary Dance (SFU’s School for the Contemporary Arts) and acrobatics, tumbling, trampoline, aerials & handstands (Vancouver Circus School’s RingMasters Pre-Professional Training program). More recently, Maria has trained with PJ Perry (corde lisse, handstands) Rachel Strickland Creative (The Audacity Project), and Deanna Fleysher (clowning & character). Maria brings a strong value of safety in performing and longevity in training to her work as an athlete, producer and coach. Maria is learning to balance the demands of motherhood with performing and working, and when she isn’t scheming up circus things, you can find her laughing with her child, partner and dog.