CIRCOMASCA

Deborah Brockus is widely recognized as a pivotal figure in Los Angeles’ dance scene, earning accolades such as “the single most important person in Southland dance” and “the mother superior of LA dance” from the Los Angeles Times. She is the founder and artistic director of Brockus Project Dance Company (now BrockusRED), established in 1991, and is known for her innovative choreography that blends modern and jazz techniques. In addition to her work with the company, Brockus is the producer of several prominent dance showcases, including the Los Angeles Dance Festival, Spectrum, and New Perspectives, all of which have earned critical acclaim. Her efforts have been honored with numerous awards, including a Lester Horton Award for “Outstanding Production of a Festival or Series.”

Brockus’ influence extends beyond performance and choreography. She founded BPStudios, a rehearsal space for professional dancers, and the Brockus Conservatory of Dance and Musical Theater, a program designed to cultivate the next generation of artists. She has also served as the chair of dance departments at Idyllwild Arts Academy and the California Conservatory of the Arts. As a teacher, her students have gone on to win prestigious awards and perform with top companies worldwide. Brockus’ vision is to establish Los Angeles as an international dance hub, and she continues to push the boundaries of what is possible in dance education, production, and performance.

Brockus Project Dance Company, now known as BrockusRED, has been a driving force in Los Angeles’ contemporary dance scene since its founding in 1991. Under the artistic direction of Deborah Brockus, the company has earned widespread recognition for its dynamic performances that blend modern and jazz techniques. Praised for its innovative choreography and impactful productions, BrockusRED has become a cornerstone of LA’s vibrant dance community.

In addition to leading the company, Brockus is a pivotal figure in the local dance scene, described by the Los Angeles Times as “the single most important person in Southland dance” and “the mother superior of LA dance.” She has produced acclaimed showcases such as the Los Angeles Dance Festival, Spectrum, and New Perspectives — platforms that spotlight diverse talent and foster artistic growth.

BrockusRED’s influence extends beyond the stage. Through BPStudios, a dedicated rehearsal space for professional dancers, and the Brockus Conservatory of Dance and Musical Theater, the company actively nurtures emerging artists. With Brockus at the helm, BrockusRED continues to inspire, educate, and elevate Los Angeles as a thriving center for dance.

Janell’s passion for the arts began at a very young age with her commitment to the study of dance guiding her to professional training with focused studies in the Ballet Pacifica School, DeFore Foundation of the Arts, and Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance, Giordano Dance Chicago, and Limon School. She is the recipient of the Tremaine Scholarship, Giordano Merit Scholarship, and the American Legion Award for her advocacy and commitment to arts education in the Southern California schools districts. She has been a professional choreographer and performing artist for over 20 years, teaching, choreographing, and performing worldwide. Janell has worked with top artists and companies including the KC & The Sunshine Band, The Jackson Family, Paul Oakenfold, Gene Simmons, Holly Madison, Universal Studios, Ceasar’s Entertainment, Disneyland, Fercos Brothers Circus, Brockus Project Dance, LA Contemporary Dance Company, and Louise Reichlin & Dancers, and has served as resident choreographer for the Sands Hotel in Macau, China. Her film & television credits include: The Travel Channel, The View, PBS, AXS TV, and 4 years on West Africa’s longest-running dance reality television show, “Maltina Dance All” which focused on bringing families together thru through dance. She is also an accomplished theatrical actress, puppeteer, and aerial artist, of for which she won was awarded the Paragon International Doubles Championship in 2014 for her performance & choreography.

As an educator, Janell’s teaching career, spanning over the last 3 decades, has included holding faculty positions at the Debbie Reynolds Dance Center, ABT Gillespie School, StarQuest Dance International, Jimmie DeFore Foundation for the Arts, LA Choreographers & Dancers, Newport Mesa Unified School District, and the Los Angeles Unified School District. She has also served as an Educator for ArtsTeach thru through the Segerstrom Performing Arts Center, and as a guest speaker at Orange Coast College and UCLA. As a certified Zena Rommett Floor Barre Instructor, Certified Yoga Instructor, Certified Food’nSport Fitness Instructor, and Holistic Healthcare Practitioner, Janell brings a strong focus to body alignment, physical health, and mental wellness to the classes she teaches and the dancers she educates. Her choreography has been featured on by the Disney Channel, Atlantic City Hotels, Southern California Dance Invitational, LA Dance Invitational, Orange County Dance Festival, Inland Empire Dance Festival, Newport Beach Film Festival and most recently the Southern California Dance & Choreography Invitational where she won an award for Best Choreography for her work “Treat”. Through the pandemic, Ms. Burgess choreographed and produced the short dance film “Chameleon”,  which premiered live at Global Pushfest San Francisco in 2020 and continued to tour the film festival circuit winning multiple awards for Best Choreography and Best Original Score. She also produced 3 online and in-person full dance concerts which featured Jazz Spectrum Dance Company and Nannette Brodie Dance Theatre.  Ms. Burgess Janell currently serves on the board of Jazz Spectrum Dance Company, holds the position of Artistic Director, and is the Owner of Spectrum Dance Center in Lake Forest, California which houses a professional studies program for college students, youth conservatory, and adult dance program. Janell continues to tour with the legendary KC & The Sunshine Band where she serves as dance captain and maintenance choreographer. Her mission is to help develop artists and projects that will inspire healing, bridge cultures, create unity, and ignite a passion for life!

With a rich background in circus arts and fine arts, Dana brings over two decades of experience to every workshop and retreat she leads. Dana graduated from the Centre National des Arts du Cirque in France in 2008, following a degree from the Academy of Fine Arts in Slovenia in 2005. Since 2003, she immersed herself in the world of circus arts, performances, pedagogy, and creative collaborations across Europe.

Throughout her career, she worked with diverse collectives, choreographers, and artists, bringing a unique blend of artistic depth and technical skill to each project. She is passionate about sharing her knowledge, and she regularly lead workshops in Slovenia and internationally, as well as offer online courses that reach students around the world. As a certified instructor in Yoga, Aerial Yoga, and Face Yoga, she teaches a variety of classes, including aerial yoga, face yoga, micromovement yoga, aerial silks, and aerial workout. Her programs also cover essential elements like flexibility, mobility, balance, and strength training.

Beyond teaching, she is an active performer and choreographer, involved in numerous projects and constantly pushing the boundaries of contemporary and experimental circus. I create original shows and performances, collaborating with artists from various disciplines to bring fresh, innovative perspectives to the art form.

Alejandro José de Jesús Peña Durán is a Chilean circus artist, teacher, and researcher with a passion for sharing his knowledge and skills with the world. He is an expert in aerial techniques, including lyra, trapeze, rope, and silk, and has also mastered hand-to-hand acrobatics and troupe acrobatics. Renowned for his innovative pedagogy, Alejandro has developed a unique teaching methodology that has been used in circus schools around the globe.

Artistic career spans over two decades, and he has performed in numerous shows and productions across Chile, Argentina,BRasil, uruguay, paraguay, Italy, Spain, France, Slovenia, and Portugal. His work has been praised for its creativity, artistry, and social impact. In 2010, he founded the Colectivo Xibalba, a collective of circus artists dedicated to social circus projects. With Colectivo Xibalba, Alejandro has created several award-winning shows that have toured extensively in Latin America.  He currently works as director of an Italian circus company with an international character called Cia Rayuela. A creative proposal based on contemporary circus and multidisciplinary movement arts.

Alejandro is also a dedicated educator and researcher. He has taught circus techniques and pedagogy at various schools and institutions around the world. His research focuses on developing new methodologies for circus training, particularly in the areas of aerial techniques and social circus pedagogy.  He has developed his own training methodology for circus artists and high-performance athletes, where the main focus is the vitality of a body that can be virtuous and capable of transmitting sensitivity and strength. Various artists and teachers have been trained with this methodology. He has also given advanced courses to various schools and associations related to the art of circus.

“We have created and worked in various realities with this methodology. And it has always been able to give positive answers to the countless questions of the participants.”

Alejandro is a true ambassador for the circus arts and is committed to promoting the circus as a powerful tool for education, social inclusion, and cultural exchange.

His work has inspired countless individuals and helped to expand the reach of circus around the world.

With a career spanning five decades, aerialist, dancer and choreographer, Ruby Karen has thrived in the performing arts – theater, cinema, music and circus arts.  Her success gave her the opportunity to globetrot, teaching and performing in metropolises locally in most urban cities within the Unites States and internationally in over twenty (20) countries, including cities such as, Zurich, London, Hamburg, Tokyo, New York, Tel Aviv, Bangkok, Rio De Janiero, Vancouver, Gotenburg, Guatemala, Mumbai, among others, and has been the consultant to several organizations, including Philippine’s Ballet Manila and Airdance, Bangkok’s Sky Fly, Mumbai’s Fly High and Shree Samartha Vyayam Mandir, has received ostensible press coverage from respected publications across continents.   She holds three (3) World Titles in Ballet, Latin and Acrobatic Partnering, was a choreographer and guest performer for So You Think You Can Dance, has authored, designed and produced educational programs, e.g. Instructional Lifts and Tricks DVD, International Aerial Teacher Training Program (IATTP), and entertainment for Circo Etereo.  She is the founding director of Aerial Arts America, (the hosting organization to the West Coast Aerial Arts Festival (WCAAF) and CircoMasCA, Italy and together with husband, Luca Cecchini, they manage their school and other group outlets, the Ruby Karen Project Aerial Dance Performing Arts and Orange County Aerial Arts.

Born and raised in Italy,  after a long standing career (25 years) as a chef, restaurant owner and event producer, Luca started his training in aerial arts in 2007, under the tutelage of his wife, Ruby Karen, and furthered his training established instructors and institutions in California and Europe.  He is the technical director for the Ruby Karen Project and its associated organizations, Orange County Aerial Arts, Circo Etereo and Aerial Dance Theater as well as the is the official rigger for the West Coast Aerial Arts Festival. He installs, maintains and prepares all rigging needs and fabrication and designing of aerial apparatuses and circus props for the above organizations.
He garnered his United States rigging certificate in 2010 in compliance with safety protocol of their school and has been the official aerial rigger for international companies – Ballet Manila, Airdance and Skyfly, to name a few.  Luca also extends his services to rigging indoor and outdoor venues such as convention centers, theaters, hotels and park to clients including aerial companies, studios, academic schools and universities, fitness gyms, as well as small and large event production companies such as EDC (Electric Daisy Carnival).   And..as a young man in Italy, Luca grew up competing in martial arts in the likes of UFC type events, and carries his hobby till this day, in the form of sword fighting and combative stage training.

I am an international variety entertainer and comic actor with over twenty years full time experience. Drama and Circus School trained I have performed on four continents in three different languages, in a variety of performance genres, from corporate to carnival, theater to film.  Clients include The Lord Mayor of Sydney, BBC studios, London, the S.F. 49ers….I specialize in presenting unique acts and characters for both stage and roving for festivals, parades and more. All my acts and characters are designed to enhance the public perception of an event or occasion. I have performed at many of the major outdoor festival events of the world including Glastonbury and Covent Garden, England, The Edinburgh Fringe, The Sydney Festival, The Love Parade Berlin, Pier 39, S.F., and locally, the Sunset Junction Music festival, The Long Beach Grand Prix, The Socal Renaissance Faire, The Scotsfest Highland Games, and many more.