Staff | Aerial Revolution

Jessica Flores

Hi! My name is Jessica Flores. I am the founder of Aerial Revolution Entertainment and Studio. I am so fortunate to have a beautiful family (3 kids and a husband), a job I am passionate about and I'm surrounded by the best co-workers I could ever imagine in gorgeous San Diego of all places!

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Being a part of AR has been a dream come true, and it was really a journey I never thought possible. I walk into every class I teach with the intention of creating a playful yet informative and challenging experience for my students. I always focus on strength building through muscle awareness and proper technique. I often find myself so involved in the process of sharing my passion (circus arts) that time just flies by! I have over 10 years of experience in teaching aerial silks and over 20 years of gymnastics or acrobatics coaching. Through that time, I have seen many things and have helped so many people of all different ages, backgrounds, and skill levels. My ultimate goal in building this program was to offer aerial classes that anyone could take, regardless of their skill or strength level. I hope that AR will continue to be “home” to our student performers and that I can provide a platform for anyone to gain the experience and confidence they need to become a professional circus performer. Growing up, I was a competitive gymnast and cheerleader. I began my professional circus career in 2004 with the Triton Trouper's Circus in Chicago, Illinois. I performed as a Trampolinist, Spanish Web and Solo Swinging Trapeze Aerialist. I currently specialize in Aerial Silks, Aerial Hammock, Chinese Pole, and Handbalancing. I hope to see you in class soon, be ready to sweat!

Lydia Hernandez

Hello! My name is Lydia Hernandez and my life has been guided by a thirst for the challenging, the beautiful, and the musical. The aerial arts allow me to combine my passions and I love to share these experiences with others through teaching and performing.

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Prior to becoming an aerialist, I trained for three years as an Iyengar yoga instructor in Portland, Oregon. My training emphasized the benefits of precise body alignment as well as the more subtle and abstract aspects of body movement. While living in the Pacific Northwest, I also taught sea and whitewater kayaking for seven years. It was during this time that I became deeply involved in both teaching and teacher training. In 2010, I relocated to Southern California to pursue my Biology PhD at UCSD. There, I began attending aerial silks classes and eventually found my way to Aerial Revolution where I currently teach aerial silks and open gym. The emphasis on inclusion and community at Aerial Revolution aligns beautifully with my personal aim to empower students to push beyond their own perceived limits and make their aerial practice a form of exploration, self-expression, and joy.

Tammuz Debnov

Hi there! My name is Tammuz, or Taz, whatever is easier for you. I have always been a mover (dancer, acrobat, aerialist, handstander, etc.) and a creative creator (doing some cool interactive projection work with my performances, checkout fb.com/Zuzor.World/ for more info =)

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I have been dancing since middle school, even graduated UC Berkeley with a minor in Dance, but have been doing circus arts just as long. I usually teach handstands here at AR, my methodology mostly focuses on body awareness while upside down (crazy how hard that gets) with strong emphasis on getting a clean line and getting the bones to stack; making the handstand as easy as possible. I mostly perform aerial work and ground/dance work, but I’ve dabbled in most things circus related. Looking forward to seeing you around at AR or even better seeing you upside down in my class!

Courtney Crooks

Hello, my name is Courtney Crooks, but I am better known as Crooksy. 🙂 Ever since I was a little girl, I loved gymnastics and music, teaching myself how to play piano when I was five, and always pestering my neighbor to teach me new tricks and flips. After life lead me down a path of music, I moved to San Diego, CA in 2012 to finish my college degree in Jazz piano performance.

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It was during that time that I discovered aerial silks, and it was then I had found my new passion which involves both gymnastics and music! I have been training for over three years in aerial silks now, and it was through getting some injuries that I started practicing aerial yoga. I enjoyed the many benefits I received from this practice so much, I decided to get certified twice through Aerial Revolution and Galaxy Lifestyle to teach aerial yoga and share the knowledge I received. In the future, I plan to be getting certified to teach aerial silks as well. Because of my aerial background, my classes are geared towards helping one gain strength and flexibility to help build one up to take what they learn to their aerial practices or everyday life. I also like to do fun tricks and poses in my class that one can relate to other aerial apparatuses, and I always end with a nice floating savasana. When coming to my class, I will make you sweat, but you will be leaving feeling refreshed, relaxed, accomplished, and maybe have some more confidence to take that leap and climb up that aerial silk, chinese pole, or lyra. First timer, injured, not flexible? Not a problem! Come to my class, and we can change that together! Let’s fly!

Cara Bickers

Hi there! I’m Cara. My whole life I’ve spent my free time moving as much as possible. From the age of three I practiced both gymnastics and ballet, which I continued into high school and college respectively. I also competed in long jump, triple jump, and the sprints in both high school and college Track and Field. It wasn’t until graduate school that I found circus to help escape from my life as a scientist. Although I’ve finished the PhD, my devotion to circus has only increased!

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I love expanding the ways I can move and have recently started training Chinese Pole on top of my continuous practice of both Silks and Lyra. I began teaching Aerial Silks in 2016, and have recently started teaching Lyra as well. I love the contrast of these three apparatus and how each enhances a different type of strength and grace. In my classes I am passionate about not only sharing new tricks, but also breaking down exactly what makes those tricks work and look the best that they can. I hope to see you in class!

Faegann Harlow

Hello fellow flyers! My name is Faegann Harlow. Born-raised in Pacific Beach, I was an active gymnast for 7 years, competing in National level events & teaching competitive levels 5 & 6 along the way. After high school I graduated a Holistic Health Practitioner program & have been a practicing Massage Therapist for over 15 years.

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I was living in Las Vegas when I finally saw my 1^st cirque show & knew immediately I had to give circus a whirl! The only problem – I hadn’t been physically active for 6 years. With passion & persistence in aerial arts, flow arts, dance & stilting, I began to perform in Las Vegas Strip shows, corporate events, nightclubs & eventually toured with Mötley Crüe for 2 years as their Lead Aerialist. My qualifications include 8 years as a Professional Circus Performer, over 500hrs in anatomy training, 100hrs in overhead rigging training, NASM Sports Performance Certified, 200hr Yoga Instructor, a Certified Nutritionist, (& currently completing an Herbalist Certification & Sports Nutrition Certification). I have taught gymnastics, yoga, calisthenics & aerial for a cumulative 6 years and my goal is to be a thorough, attentive teacher, shaping your circus journey to be as safe & efficiently progressive as possible! While my classes are catered to conditioning for joint stabilization, proper biomechanics and skill progressions - know I do it for the look on a student’s face when they achieve a skill they never thought they could, confidently drop their 1^st drop & feel their own strength! That look is priceless!!! So I hope to see you in one of my classes – maybe you can grab a success selfie, so you see what I see! 😉

Notes you may not know about me: I was a Professional Hip-Hop dancer so long ago it makes me feel like a grandma!! Until I go skydiving…and then I feel young again. 😉 Vertical & sling apparatus’ are my beloved focus. I’m all about silks, rope, chain, hammock & net. And handstands. Who can forget handstands!

Nathan Edwards

I’m Nathan Edwards and I’ve been with AR over 6 years. My biggest passions in Cirque are AcroYoga, Acro-Adagio and Partner/Duo Trapeze. I came to AR at age 35 with little or no experience in the circus arts, gymnastics, yoga or dance. I am proof that you can start from zero and make amazing progress if you invest the time. I have been training on trapeze over 6 years and practicing AcroYoga for 5.

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I’ve found that partner-based training and performing appeal to me most because I love the energy of creating art in motion while collaborating with others. I have performed and co-taught partner trapeze with Jacqueline Witt and Elizabeth Sibert acting as my mentors and inspiration for several years. My other focus has been my intense love of AcroYoga. I have invested thousands of hours training and attending classes, workshops, intensives and festivals across the country to advance my knowledge of the acrobatic arts. I have co-taught classes and workshops under the most experienced teachers in San Diego. In addition, I have hosted the largest Acroyoga Jam in San Diego for the last 3 years and helped introduce many new faces to this practice as an official AcroYoga Jambassador. I’m so grateful to my AcroYoga mentors in San Diego and around the world that continue to inspire me to push past my fears, find the magic and create the trust that makes the crazy things we do possible. I offer a lot of patience, understanding and compassion as a teacher because nothing I’ve learned came easily. I hope you’ll join me and the amazing staff here at AR to change your life by creating art in your own body - moving through space and making magic along the way. See you soon!

Summer Pulice

My name is Summer Pulice, the newest addition to the AR team! Since childhood I remember thinking that joining the circus was something only other people did, until I found Aerial Revolution. After I took my first silks class in the summer of 2012 I knew that I had finally found my true passion in life! Since then I have been dedicated to learning everything I can about the art of aerials...

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while attempting to inspire as many people as possible along the way. In 2014 I co-founded the aerial performance company Silk and Twisted Aerial Arts and began traveling to different music events all over California performing and teaching introductory workshops on a variety of different apparatuses including Silks, Lyra, Aerial Cube, and the Dream Catcher. In December I completed the Aerial Teacher training program offered at Aerial Revolution earning my certification to teach levels 1 to 4 on the fabrics and lyra. Since then I have been leading open gym on Saturdays from 1:30 to 3pm as well as filling in as needed for various classes in the studio. When im not at Aerial Revolution you can catch me at a number of different events offering introductory workshops geared toward empowering young people to test their physical limits through self expression while building the strength and confidence they need to reach for their dreams! As a performer, the Silk and Twisted team and I work with circus companies and venues in San Diego such as Circus Mafia, Cirque Quirk, and Spin Nightclub providing everything from choreographed routines, to ambient aerial entertainment at a number of different events including weddings, fundraisers, corporate events, holiday parties, flow retreats, and music events all over California. For any students that want a little extra attention, I am also available through Aerial Revolution to coach private lessons for beginner to intermediates looking to build the strength and endurance needed to excel to the next level of their aerial practice through proper conditioning excerscises and a more of a form focused session. Stop in for open gym with me and practice skill you have learned in previous classes to help log them in your muscle memory bank! Hope to see you all in the sky!

Jessica Avila

Hello my name is Jessica Avila I am a professional circus artist based in San Diego. I joined the circus when I was twelve years old and have been performing professionally for over ten years. My passions have always led me to the stage whether it was through dance, circus or through teaching the next generation of cirque performers.

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I have been trained in Mongolian contortion, acrobatics, stilt walking, fire eating, aerial arts and my specialty; hand-balancing. My teaching style has always been primarily focused on technique and conditioning to build a strong foundation for later creative exploration. I love to help people who have never done any physical activity find their strength and confidence through circus arts. As a performer you can catch me at nightclubs, private events and of course corporate events balancing on my hands, being flexible upside down or in the air!

Ehrick Costello

Hi, my name is Ehrick Costello. My whole life I’ve been moving. Whether I was playing sports or rock climbing or scaling buildings downtown, movement has always been a big part of who I am. I discovered circus as an adult, and after a couple years of training, I discovered the Chinese Poles.

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Like any good super hero, I then fell of the face of the earth for two years in order to focus all my time and energy on training this wonderful apparatus. I came back to society with a wealth of knowledge, ready to share my newfound abilities with the world. I love seeing students grow and make the transition from learning new skills to developing a movement vocabulary of their own. Chinese Pole is a demanding discipline that requires intense physical conditioning, and I feel privileged to be able to guide people on their path to the superhuman strength and ninja-like reflexes that make a good Chinese Pole artist. As a performer, my expertise is in Chinese Pole, but I also perform duo adagio and group acrobatics with the San Diego Circus Collective and have been known to do some hilarious character work with the Southern California Ballet. Come check out a pole class, and be prepared to fall in love! I teach both beginner and intermediate classes, so whatever level you’re at, you can come have a good time.

Jennifer Curry Wingrove

I am Jennifer Curry Wingrove and I am the Director of Astraeus Aerial Dance Theatre and Executive Producer of Wingrove Studios Presents. Renowned Ballerina of the California Ballet Company, I have performed a diverse repertoire of lead roles in my accomplished international ballet career.

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In my training, I was invited to study the ballet arts in Russia where I completed a Certification of the highest degree. Since 2011, I have brought my ballet expertise into the air, and have become a professional aerialist and an instructor of aerial arts. I have been a dance teacher for over two decades, and am passionate about bringing the concept of fluidity of transitions as well as performance quality and style into my aerial classes at Aerial Revolution. As a performer, I excel in fusing ballet with aerial arts, creating and executing aerial ballet choreography. I have performed the lead aerial ballerina in “The Firebird Rising” with the Luminario Ballet of Los Angeles and have had the privilege to work with the great Debra Brown of Cirque du Soleil. Furthermore, I am an award-winning producer, choreographer, and Director. My aerial dance theatre production “Save My Soul” recently took “Best Of Fringe” at the 2015 San Diego International Fringe Festival. I can also be seen dancing in Coldplay’s music video “True Love”, as well as in the movie “Petals On the Wind”. As well as being an instructor and performer at Aerial Revolution Entertainment, I am also the founder/photographer of Wingrove Studios Photography, and am the founder/instructor of Pilates On Park in San Diego.

Laura Dasi

Hello! My name is Laura Dasi. From a very young age I have always been fascinated with exploring and discovering my physical abilities through dance and movement. My early training included gymnastic, jazz and ballet. I have over 20 years of experience as a performer, 7 of which were spent as a classical ballerina in New York City.

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I have also been a certified yoga instructor since 2003, teaching group classes and private lessons throughout San Diego. My aerial journey began at Aerial Revolution in January 2011. I felt an immediate, natural inclination with this new art form and excelled very quickly with my extensive background in both dance and yoga. I became an aerial silks instructor at Aerial Revolution in the Fall of 2011. My teaching style focuses on active muscular engagement while learning moves, allowing the student to build the necessary strength to progress safely into more advanced skills. I also emphasize body awareness, precise attention to details and correct mechanics for cleanliness of execution. As a professional aerialist I am passionate about putting my heart and soul into every performance, creating original choreography that combines daring athleticism with grace, emotion, storytelling and musicality. I am blessed with many opportunities to perform at corporate events, weddings, parties, music festivals and theatrical stage productions with Aerial Revolution Entertainment, Nomad Artz and Astraeus Aerial Dance Theater. One of the highlights of my career was appearing on season 9 of America’s Got Talent in June 2014. Not only did I have the honor of showing my skill and artistry to millions of people across the world, I also inspired many by sharing my story of living with the autoimmune condition Alopecia and the lessons of self-love, acceptance, true beauty, and courage that this has taught me. It brings me great joy to live a life of creative artistry and to inspire others by sharing my knowledge!

Jesse De La Cruz

Hello, my name is Jesse De La Cruz. Since childhood I have always been fascinated in circus arts. I started gymnastics when I was three, and made the switch to circus when I was a teenager. My teaching style is very positive. I like to be there every step in the way of someone's learning process.

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It's very fun and inspiring to watch my students grow as they developed in to such great performers. I currently perform stunts on an 80 foot moving pirate ship at the Disneyland Resort and am also preparing to compete in my second international aerial circus festival.

Dena Schlieve

Hello, my name is Dena Schlieve. In 2010 at the age of 39, I fell in love with the circus arts when I attended my first flying trapeze class. For the last 6 years, I have studied different aerial apparatuses, including flying trapeze, static trapeze and aerial silks.

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I am a certified aerial instructor who enjoys assisting students in advancing their aerial skills and reaching their strength and flexibility goals regardless of their age or starting fitness level. I have performed on both aerial silks and static trapeze at various Aerial Revolution shows for the last 2 years. I’m living proof that it is never too late to start your aerial career. Come fly with me at Aerial Revolution!

Jacqueline Witt

Hello my name is Jacqueline Witt. At the spritely age of 8 I was introduced to Triton Trooper Circus by my sister. My passion for Circus arts was sparked by my background in gymnastics, dance and team sports. I started training in balancing acts and moved to the air. There is a sense of wonderment and Awe that comes from looking at the world upside down.

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It provides a new fresh perspective and keeps you aware of your surroundings. I am a certified Aerialates, aerial yoga, Zumba and circus arts instructor. As a teacher I focus on building strength, technique and confidence while keeping class fun and creative. As a performer I enjoy both ground and aerial acts. Specializing in Duo and Single Trapeze, Spanish Web/Rope, Partner Adagio/Acro, Pole Walking and character work. Try out one of the various classes taught by me or check out this feisty performer to see her movin', shakin', styling and smiling her way into your heart.

Marena Bronson

Hello, my name is Marena Bronson. I’ve been finding ways to create and express myself through movement as long as I can remember – in dance, theater, music, competitive sports, and now dancing in the air. As a member of some of BYU’s award winning dance groups I was fortunate enough to tour and perform before audiences around the country throughout my college years.

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After stepping away from performing to pursue a broadcast journalism career for several years, my passion for performing was re-ignited after discovering a dance studio while on assignment. I was introduced to the world of Circus Arts a few years ago and was immediately hooked. It’s a world where I can continue to challenge myself – and a world where the artist and the athlete can co-exist. I’m a member of Dance Educators of America, a STOTT Certified Pilates Instructor and a certified Aerial Instructor. I love playing on Aerial Hoop, Hammock, Aerial Spansets, and Aerial Silks - which I currently teach at Aerial Revolution. You can catch me performing throughout Southern California as a member of The Circus Collective of San Diego and Shapeshifter Circus. I also co-choreographed the San Diego International Fringe Festival’s Award-Winning show, “Nocturnicon”. Come fly with me!!!!

Zoe Irvine

My name is Zoë Irvine and starting at a very young age I fell in love with performing. I began my performance career in music, theatre, and dance. Upon discovering circus arts, I found an artistic discipline that melds my passion for creative artistry, physical challenge, and the thrill of the stage.

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I have been teaching circus arts since 2012 and have taught a wide range of ages and levels both locally and internationally. All of my classes, whether beginning, intermediate, or advanced, focus on having a strong technical foundation from which to build skills and sequences. In addition to building strength and endurance, I always encourage my students to find artistic expression within the skills. Circus requires a great deal of physical coordination and athleticism, but ultimately it is a performing art, and the movements come alive through the unique artistic interpretation of each performer. Outside of teaching, I am a professional circus performer. I specialize in static and dance trapeze, but also have a passion for aerial hoop and flexibility training. In 2015, I performed dance trapeze for Montréal Complètement Cirque, an annual international circus festival, and in 2014 I was the static trapeze finalist for the Denver Aerial Acrobatic Arts Festival. In San Diego, I have performed with the Circus Collective of San Diego, Aerial Revolution Entertainment, and Lindley-Lopez Productions, and I am the newest company member of Astraeus Aerial Dance Theatre. I believe that circus training and performance can be a wonderfully fulfilling journey for people of all ages and abilities. For some, it can be a fun, community-driven way to connect with their bodies and reach their highest physical potential, for others it is a powerful opportunity for self-expression. Either way, you are not the same person on the other side, and, inevitability, you will be the better for it. See you in class!

Chava Angell

Hello! My name is Chava Angell and I am an aerial silks and aerial hammock instructor at Aerial Revolution. I started dance as a young girl and danced all the way through my freshman year of college. After getting injured in college, I took a very long hiatus from any kind of movement. I missed creative expression desperately as an engineering student and actively started looking when I moved out to San Diego for my PhD.

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I started at AR in Fall of 2015, after finding the Groupon,, which was the start of my second year of graduate school, and quickly become addicted to the aerial arts and to the type of people who come to our studio. It’s an incredibly welcoming place and a great way to stay in shape! I took the four month/100 hour teacher training in the Fall of 2016 and started subbing classes regularly in 2018. As an engineer, my style of teaching is very broken down into understandable and achievable steps for basic moves, which allow my student to excel in higher level classes. This, coupled with my love of exploring and explaining wrap and drop theory, ensures that my students are able to be safely creative in the air and will eventually be able to explore and create their own moves. This also means that my higher level classes will often contain new or less commonly seen sequences at the studio! I also love focusing on conditioning for my students to ensure that they can extend their time in their air and make sure that they are properly strong enough to avoid injury. Come fly with me at Aerial Revolution!

Rochelle Berwick

Hi! My name is Rochelle and I have been a performer for most of my life. I took my first ballet class when I was five years old, and I instantly fell in love with it. Soon after, I began training in rhythmic gymnastics: I loved the combination of ballet, flexibility, and stamina in this sport. At the age of 14, I decided to fully commit to training ballet. I trained and performed with different ballet companies in southern California until I was 18. After high school, I trained and performed professionally with LA Ballet (Los Angeles), Joffrey Ballet (New York City), and Bolshoi Ballet (Moscow).

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After returning to California, I received my B.A. in Psychology and Child Development from San Diego State University. While at SDSU, I also competed on my school’s nationally ranked dance team for two years.

I took my first aerial class at AR in 2014 and I loved it! I loved the challenge of strength, flexibility, and coordination all wrapped into one class. I’ve been in love with it ever since then. In addition to teaching at Aerial Revolution, I started my own flexibility program, Functional Flexibility. I love sharing my knowledge of flexibility with people of all different levels and backgrounds.

Here at Aerial Revolution, I teach flexibility/contortion. My classes are active flexibility, meaning that there is a lot of conditioning and strength exercises within the stretches I give. My flexibility classes are a mixture of different rhythmic and ballet stretches. While we do hold stretches and poses, my class is all about movement. Our bodies are active when we perform, so why not have them be active when we stretch? I look forward to seeing you in class!

Lisa Grunewald

HI! My name is Lisa Grunewald and I am a Holistic Veterinarian who loves the athletic and artistic world of aerial. I started out as an all around competitive gymnast for the first part of my life, and then transitioned into coaching and dance as I got older. My dance training included primarily jazz but I also trained in ballet. When I was in college, I began working with and choreographing for a dance tumbling team in Wisconsin, where I grew up, and we have performed all over the United States and Europe.

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We consistently rank among the top teams at nationals and represent the United States at the World Gymnastrada in Europe every four years. Our focus consistently has been synchronized routines with an emphasis on performance. When I started aerial I wanted to bring those qualities to the students and studio. Currently, I train mostly in silks and trapeze but enjoy learning all aerial has to offer. I also work closely with Aerial Revolutions performance team to help them create and be the best performers they can be. Conditioning with proper form and technique as well as style are all important qualities I like to teach. Trapeze conditioning was created to give students more time to work on those basic strength skills on the bar and become stronger for all apparatus. Hope to see you soon!!

Christy Fogerty

My name is Christy Fogerty. I was born and raised in San Diego, CA. Growing up, my parents raised my sister and I playing the game of golf. I eventually earned a full ride golf scholarship to Oregon State University followed by UC Riverside. After I obtained my bachelor’s degree in business, I returned to San Diego in search of a professional career. Upon my return I felt like I was missing a very integral part of my life—and that was, a good work out.

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I stumbled upon Aerial Revolution as I was driving home one evening and decided to fulfill my curiosity by attending a silks class. It’s needless to say that I fell in love with this incredibly challenging feat of art and athleticism. After about three and a half years, I felt like I could take on an even more challenging apparatus, so I levelled up to aerial straps. And after two and a half years of training on aerial straps, my confidence on all other apparatuses has soared, because quite honestly, if you can do straps, you can do anything!

Jon Swann

Hi there! I've been training acrobatics and circus arts since 2014 and I am passionate about sharing this knowledge and creating a safe space for people to realize the potential of their bodies. I train and perform with the San Diego-based Circus Collective, and love to stop, drop, and acro with perfect strangers on the street. Outside of acro, I teach music privately and in San Diego schools, play sax with the Grossmont College Afro Cuban Ensemble, and love to travel.

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Class Description: This class will use L-basing as a basis for taking skills to standing. We will be exploring, drilling and refining a variety of standing poses, including two high, camel, standing side star, foot to hand, hand to hand, and transitions in and out of them. Safety is key in these classes, and we will be exploring best practices with an emphasis on spotting.