Maria prefers to be upside down, performing in strange and unique places and ways.
Maria is a circus artist and human powerhouse who defies categorization - part aerialist, part dancer, part director, producer, and entrepreneur. Her performances blend artistry, honesty, and awe with the creative challenge of defying gravity. Maria performs corde lisse, aerial silks, dance and acrobatics, and has experience adapting to strange and unique apparatuses. As your resident weirdo, creating site specific work is one of her favourite hobbies. She has performed for companies such as Too Fly Productions (VAMP, Robin Hood) and The Underground Circus, and her work has been featured in the Transform Cabaret (The Cultch, 2020), the Alberta Circus Festival (2021), and the St. John’s International Circus Festival (2021). Maria is a founding member and director of the Circollective Society for Circus Artists (2023).
Maria came to circus later in life, but brought her dance background of ballet and contemporary dance with her. Maria completed two years of SFU’s School for the Contemporary Arts dance program before transitioning to the Vancouver Circus School’s RingMasters Pre-Professional Training program. More recently, Maria has trained with PJ Perry (corde lisse, handstands) in her journey to learn to harness momentum in a safe way, and Rachel Strickland Creative in developing as a professional artist. Maria brings the value of psychological 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.