How Rick Andreoli Became a Circus Performer

Back in 2008, I was writing health and fitness articles for various magazines. The now-defunct IN Los Angeles was prepping for their annual fitness issue and asked if I had any ideas.

Around that same time a Pilates trainer mentioned that a former Cirque du Soleil performer was opening up a circus gym in West Hollywood called Cirque School LA. While aerial yoga at yoga studios, circuit training on circus equipment at gyms like Crunch, and aerial hoop (lyra) classes at pole dancing studios are popular now, back then no one had heard of such a thing. My editor told me that if I could get the story, I'd have the cover.

That's how I met Aloysia Gavre, the owner of Cirque School, and her husband Rex. After that initial class I fell in love with the circus arts and the community that started growing up around Cirque School. I helped them with their social media and PR, started performing, and eventually became an instructor.

I still perform at cabarets and clubs now and then, and it brings me great joy. So, with that in mind, here is the article that started it all. You can download the PDF here or just read the screen shots below.