Our Team

Owner & Head Coach

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​Dance has been a lifelong passion for Payton who began training when she was seven in styles including jazz, tap, ballet, Irish dance, acrobatics, and later pointe. As an adult she was introduced to circus arts and began training in and performing pole, aerial hoop, hammock, and silks.
 

Throughout her dance and circus journey Payton found herself falling in love with teaching and sharing her passion with others. Payton has been coaching for 10 years and enjoys teaching all levels, from beginner to professional. She prides herself on meeting students where they're at and creating safe spaces for people to learn dance and aerial.

Customer Relations Manager

Dance & Aerial Coach

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Ukrainian-born and Canadian-raised, Angelica Zuenko has always been intrigued by the world of story-telling and expression through movement. A trainee of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School, School of Alberta Ballet, and BIG BANG Danse, her repertoire expands beyond dance into the realms of circus. Angelica's commitment to excellence is reflected in her captivating performances, leaving a lasting impression whether on screen or on stage. She has performed in Montreal, Toronto, Los Angeles, New York and London. Angelica was awarded 2nd place at both the eastern qualifier and National Championship in Aerial Specialty through CPAC in 2024. As an educator, she has taught at several competitive studios and institutions across Canada. Angelica continues to perform and collaborate with artists and educators across North America and Europe, with the goal of pushing artistic boundaries within herself and her community.

Operations Manager 

Aerial & Pole Coach 

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Kash is a dynamic and passionate aerialist with a background in dance and flexibility training. Her first love is pole but lyra and silks have since won her heart as well. She discovered her love of teaching movement as a yoga instructor six years ago and is now committed to helping students gain the strength and technique to make their aerial dreams come true.

Social Media Manager

Pole Coach

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Meet Lychee Storm, her favorite spots are twirling around the pole and rolling on the ground! Lychee's style is a blend of sensuality and flow, and she hopes to bring an ethereal element to their movement. 

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They first discovered their passion for teaching movement and fitness in 2016 as a swim instructor/coach. Now, Lychee has been teaching pole dance for over three years and is so excited to continue to learn and grow more in this community.

Pole Coach

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With a background in music and theater, Roxanne loves to play with different characters and express herself through movement. She brings creativity and versatility to every performance. But what sets Roxanne apart is her profound love for the pole community. She's embraced the supportive and inclusive culture of pole dancing, finding a sense of belonging and camaraderie like no other. Through her practice, she wants to celebrate diversity and empower others to express themselves freely. She believes that pole dancing is not just a workout, but also a way to connect with oneself and others on a deeper level.

Silks Coach

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Lyla is a neuroscience grad student attempting to run away with the circus by coaching beginner aerial silks!

"I was the clumsiest silks student and a pretty slow learner so have no fear, whether its lack of strength, subpar spatial awareness, injuries or inflexibility, I’ve been there and I can get you through it!"

Pole Coach

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Influenced by her background in dance, Dawn explored pole dance for the first time in 2021, seeking a new form of artistic expression. Since her beginnings, she has quickly been captivated by the 'sensual pole' style. With her fluid and captivating style, characterized by a hypnotic 'flow,' Dawn takes her spectators on an emotional journey. She also enjoys challenging her strength and flexibility by constantly pushing her limits to reach new heights in her practice. Whether teaching classes or sharing enchanting performances, she aims to spread the magic of pole dance and encourage everyone to find their own path in this dynamic art.

Aerial Hoop Coach

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Sarah is a former gymnast turned aerialist, starting her aerial hoop journey with Payton three years ago. Sarah has been competing for two years, winning gold at nationals in the doubles hoop category in 2023 and in the hoop category in 2024.

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Sarah loves spinning, flexy tricks and most of all performing. Her greatest joy comes from creating hoop routines, and feeling the energy of the music and the audience.

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Sarah recently began teaching to share her passion for aerial hoop. In Sarah's own words "I love to see the progress of students and friends who practice with me. I teach and help them overcome fear, be proud of themselves and have fun because in the end, this is the most important!"

Merchandise Coordinator 

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(Aren is) a lifelong artist who discovered the beauty of circus arts post-pandemic. When he found a vibrant community of other creatives, he wanted to put his skills in design and relief printing to use by creating pieces of merchandise to represent Cirque Célestial: his second home