OUR MANAGEMENT
Anaïs Guimond, Owner & CEO
When this former bungee-trapeze performer plunged into entrepreneurship, she entered unfamiliar territory. A Quebecer who had been seduced by the Cirque du Soleil at an early age, Anaïs started training in circus arts in 1994. She performed hundreds of shows as a circus artist in Canada and the United States before moving to Nova Scotia in 2001. She then opened Atlantic Cirque in 2002 in a province and a language that were both new to her. Although her specialty was relatively unknown to Atlantic Canadians, it didn’t take long for the local population to be captivated by this unique art form. Today, Atlantic Cirque offers programs to 250+ weekly participants, aged six months and up, as well as camps, workshops, birthday parties and corporate team building programs. In addition, the company’s artist agency has been providing entertainment services since 2003 for corporate events, galas, private functions, fundraisers, commercials and more. In July 2020, during the pandemic and with three children at home, Anaïs started a Design business (www.nisinteriors.ca). Now graduated from the Interior Design Institute, she continues to oversee the daily operations of Atlantic Cirque and enjoys balancing motherhood and entrepreneurship.
Awards Nominations
BDC Entrepreneur of the Year 2011 Halifax Business Person of the year 2015
CYBF Best Female Entrepreneur of the Year 2010 RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur 2011, 2012, 2016 & 2019
Awards Nominations
BDC Entrepreneur of the Year 2011 Halifax Business Person of the year 2015
CYBF Best Female Entrepreneur of the Year 2010 RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur 2011, 2012, 2016 & 2019
Michele, Administrative Manager
Michele at Atlantic Cirque you won't find her hanging from the Silks or the Cerceau you will find her at the front desk part time greeting students and their parents while madly typing on as many computers as she can at one time to keep up with all the administration for the school. Michele is a decisive, action-oriented and results focused professional with over 30 years of project management and administrative experience. Michele's interest and understanding about Atlantic Cirque has come from communicating with the school for over 10 years while watching her daughter grow in the performing arts to be one of the instructors at the school today. She joined the team as our Administrative Manager in January of 2016. She can be reached directly at [email protected]
OUR INSTRUCTORS (coaches vary every term)
Rileigh, Senior Cirque Instructor & Head Coach
Born in Halifax Nova Scotia, Rileigh has always been very active. She began gymnastics at 1½ and continued that until the age of 9. During this time period she also studied various forms of Dance from the age of 3 to 13. Rileigh was also a competitive swimmer and a sprint Canoer for many years and has always loved training. Rileigh fell in love with circus after having 2 birthday parties there and decided to join her first class a few years later. Rileigh was selected for Ecole Nationale de Cirque intensive summer camp in 2016 and that was a big turning point for her and that experience lead her to become a part of Atlantic Cirque’s junior troupe and advanced class. Rileigh enjoy’s Acrobatics, Stilts, hand balancing and Straps. Rileigh hopes to continue coaching and performing with Atlantic Cirque for many years to come.
Allie, Instructor
Allie (she/her) is a former gymnast of 10 years who made the switch to circus arts in the fall of 2021. Though she began training later than most at the age of 15, she quickly gained valuable knowledge about many apparatuses and techniques under the wing of Atlantic Cirque, with contortion, lollipop lyra and acrobatics being her strengths. Coming from the competition world, Allie has a passion for performance and precision. As a supportive and encouraging coach, she enjoys working with students of all ages and abilities, and strives to push them to their fullest potential in the aspects of technique, performance and skill. Allie has always been a creative type, and when she's not in the gym she enjoys creating visual art as well as music. Allie loves to teach as well as learn, and is excited to be able to share her passion with Atlantic Cirque students!
Madison, Cirque Instructor
Madison was 5 when she first visited Atlantic Cirque and joined her first class. Since trying her first trick on the trapeze, she has never missed a class. Prior to circus, Madison did ballet for 2 years and piano for 4 years and performed at the Magnolia during the Holidays. Circus Arts allowed her to express her creativity through music, dance, makeup and costumes. She has crafted graceful routines showcasing her strength and flexibility on different apparatus. She specializes in silks and when she is not in the gym, she can be found regularly in her backyard practicing silks on her own aerial rig. After celebrating a decade with Atlantic Cirque, she continues to train and is now part of the coaching team!
Madison was 5 when she first visited Atlantic Cirque and joined her first class. Since trying her first trick on the trapeze, she has never missed a class. Prior to circus, Madison did ballet for 2 years and piano for 4 years and performed at the Magnolia during the Holidays. Circus Arts allowed her to express her creativity through music, dance, makeup and costumes. She has crafted graceful routines showcasing her strength and flexibility on different apparatus. She specializes in silks and when she is not in the gym, she can be found regularly in her backyard practicing silks on her own aerial rig. After celebrating a decade with Atlantic Cirque, she continues to train and is now part of the coaching team!
OUR JUNIOR INSTRUCTORS (coaches may vary every term)
Charlotte, Junior-Instructor
As a former gymnast and dancer of 6 years, Charlotte left the dance scene in 2019 to attend a summer camp at Atlantic Cirque and fell in love with circus arts! Over the last few years, Charlotte has gained valuable knowledge and skills and has worked her way up to the Junior Troupe. With a background of 10+ years in acting, she loves adding a little flair to her circus performances, and is eager to share that ability with students. Charlotte specializes in Lyra and trapeze and she loves to learn new circus skills. Charlotte is an enthusiastic and positive coach, excited to teach new students and spark within them a passion for circus arts.
Chloe, Junior-Instructor
Chloe was 6 years old when she was first introduced to circus arts. It quickly became a passion and she hasn't stopped attending Atlantic Cirque classes since. Prior to this, Chloe was involved in gymnastics for a few years before making the switch to circus arts. Since then, she has progressed through Circus level I to III, including silks classes and summer camps. Chloe likes learning new skills and drops on the silks and hammock are her favourites. She now focuses mainly on aerial silks and has performed numerous routines on them. Chloe joined the team as a junior coach in the summer 2022 and really enjoys helping students perfecting their skills.
Emma, Junior-Instructor
Emma was born with the gift of imagination. An avid reader always eager to perform, Emma loves telling stories. Her first visit to Atlantic Cirque was at the age of 7 at a friend's birthday party. It wasn’t surprising that her interest for circus arts led her to join classes right away. From weekly classes to summer camps, Emma loves the aerial hammock, ninja circuit and everything in between. Now in high school, Emma is involved in theatre classes and spends her summer with us at Atlantic Cirque for camps and birthday parties. Emma joined the Atlantic Cirque team in the fall of 2022 as a Junior- Coach.
Lara, Junior-Instructor
Meet Lara, a passionate circus artist and dedicated Junior Coach. Lara was only 12 when she first stepped foot in Atlantic Cirque, however, over three inspiring years Lara's relentless pursuit of excellence has propelled her from a beginner student all the way to a valued member of Atlantic Cirque's Junior Troop. With infectious enthusiasm, she inspires and motivates her students, pushing them to new heights in their performances. Lara's love for pushing her own limits is evident in her dedication to training on the Lyra in the gym, honing her skills, and exploring new artistic expressions. With a keen eye for detail and a deep understanding of the technical aspects of circus arts, Lara empowers aspiring circus artists to discover their unique artistic voices.