With a career spanning five decades, aerialist, dancer, choreographer and producer, Ruby Karen has thrived in the performing arts—theater, cinema, and music—while mastering various fitness disciplines. With roots in Manila, Ruby Karen’s training and success’ gave her the opportunity to globetrot through metropolises such as, Zurich, Tokyo, New York, Tel Aviv, Mumbai, London, Paris, Munich and Vienna to name a few. Her accomplishments include holding three (3) World Titles in dance at organizations like the World Championship of Performing Arts, several national awards from Japan, Philippines and the United States, a guest performance on Fox’s hit prime time television show So You Think You Can Dance, an instructional Lifts and Tricks Partnering DVD; authorship of the fitness program Aerial Dance Fitness and the certification program, International Aerial Teacher Training Program (IATTP); Teacher’s Alliance, festival competition – West Coast Aerial Arts Festival; and performances and appearances in over twenty (20) countries and multiple cities around the world. Ruby Karen has also received ostensible press coverage from respected publications across the US, Asia, and Europe.
In 2007, after extensive travel performances and teachings, Ruby Karen commenced several individual projects that led to the birth of The Ruby Karen Project and its division, the Orange County Aerial Arts in 2009. Since then, both Ruby Karen and husband, Luca Cecchini (Technical Director and co-owner) evolved and expanded their profession in other related organizational activities including :
- The first aerial school in Orange County, CA namely, the Ruby Karen Project, Aerial and Performing Arts and its’ performing company, Orange County Aerial Arts and is recognized as one of Southern California’s premier aerial instruction and performance schools.
- She, together with husband, Luca, produce and manage their commercial entertainment company, CIRCO ETEREO, specialized Aerial and Dance acts as well as Fabrication of Aerial and Ground apparatuses.
- She founded Aerial Arts America, a non-profit organization and the only one in Southern California that embodies standardization programs such as the Aerial Arts Teacher Certification, the West Coast Aerial Arts Festival, and AAA’s Scholarship Program.
- Ruby also spearheaded the birth of aerial arts competition in the Unites States’ west coast – the WEST COAST AERIAL ARTS FESTIVAL (WCAAF) and provided inclusion of aerialists of all ages, and further categorized according to aerial discipline and level. This is held yearly on the 2nd week of November.
- They were featured in many high-end publications, online video shows, commercials and was featured extensively at KTLA – Allie MacKay’s program. OC Magazine, Cost Magazine, LA Times, among others.
- International consulting services that constituted training, production and adjudication of educational programs and student assessment for Ballet Manila and their newly formed group, Circus D’ Ballet; has been and is the consultant, coach and trainer for Sky Fly, the 1st aerial school in Bangkok; and has rendered several workshops and teacher certification courses to Mumbai’s Shree Samartha Vyayam Mandir and Fly High. She also continuous collaboration projects with Shree Samartha, Vyayam Mandir, India and renders workshops to students of Steps in the Air in Mexico, and has been an educator contributor to American Youth Circus Organization and its affiliating organization, American Circus Educators Conference since 2015.
Videos of Ruby Karen can be found at this link.
There are more materials from companies that Ms. Karen performed with, including Brockus Red formerly known as Brockus Project Dance Company, Quezon City Ballet, Inspiration and South Bay Ballet.
