Dana Augustin: International Aerial Icon — One Night Workshop

DANA AUGUSTIN LIVE SPECIAL WORKSHOP
Fresh off judging the 14th West Coast Aerial Arts Festival, Slovenia’s Dana Augustin is extending her stay for one exclusive Southern California appearance.

📅 Date: Wednesday, November 18
🕡 Time: 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM (2 hours)
📍 Location: Aerial Dance Theater — 3001 Red Hill Ave, Bldg. 1-107, Costa Mesa, CA
🎯 Level: Intermediate / Advanced
💵 Fee: $70

Sign-Up Now to Reserve Your Spot

Train with Dana Augustin: One Night Only

Fresh from judging the Aerial Competition at the 14th WCAAF, internationally recognized coach and judge Dana Augustin is teaching one final session for local aerialists before she heads home. Her method combines anatomical precision, structured progressions, and efficient conditioning, so you progress faster, safer, and for the long haul.

Choose Your Focus
Dana will check in with attendees at the start to see what the group needs most. Lessons may include:

  • Micro-Movement Warm-Up: activate deep stabilizing muscles and prepare your body for technical work
  • Aerial Silks Technique: focused drills with clear progressions and detailed alignment cues
  • Roll-Ups & Hip Movement: refine the control in the transitions that make or break a sequence
  • Dynamic Movement Pathways: build fluidity and flow between positions
  • Back Flag Technique: precise cueing for one of silks’ most demanding shapes

Content may be adjusted to suit the group’s level on the day.

Who It’s For
Aerialists ready to move beyond the basics: refine your technique, build real strength, and gain the control and confidence that come from training with a world-class coach.

Spots are limited. This is a single-date opportunity before Dana departs.

📩 Info & Registration: www.AerialArtsAmerica.org | www.RubyKarenProject.com
📞 Office: (714) 846-6143

HOLIDAY SHOWCASE SUNDAY DEC. 6 @2PM

HOLIDAY SHOWCASE

Sunday, December 6, 2026 • 2:00 PM

Performances

An afternoon showcasing performances by our apprentices and students — a festive celebration of creativity, movement, and community.

Awards and Games
Certificates will be distributed and games will be conducted

Food & Beverage — A Community Potluck

Join us for a shared meal! Please bring your favorite dish or beverage to contribute. We will also provide additional food so there’s plenty for everyone.

Venue

Aerial Dance Theater
3001 Red Hill Ave., Bldg. 1-107
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
(Corner of Red Hill & Kalmus)

Donation

$12 per person
Kids under 6: FREE

*Donations help us cover the production services needed to carry out the showcase program.

AWARDS CEREMONY
 
PROGRAM ORDER
No. Cast Apparatus Song/Artist
1 Sasha Plikus Tissu Christmas Without You – Ava Max
2 Janina Stephenz Hoop I hear a Symphony – Cody Fry
3 Evyn Gornbein Hoop Gratitude – Brandon Lake
4 Ivy/Lola Duo / Group Others I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas
5 Evelyn Silberstein Tissu Kidnap The Sandy Claws
6 Callie Janina Sasha Hanna Alexis Anna Alice Duo / Group Cube Tissu Hoop Toccata by Bach
7 Lola Espinosa Trapeze Firm Foundation – Cody Carnes
8 Savannah Cox Tissu Winter Wonderland (Buble)
9 Alexis Blackburn Hoop You Make It Feel Like Christmas – Gwen Stefani
10 Reagan Alegre Hammock Ribbons and Bows – Kacey Musgraves
11 Hannah / Foxin Duo / Group Tissu Wrap Me Up – Jimmy Fallon, Meghan Trainor
12 Ivy MacDonald Trapeze God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen – Lindsey Stirling
13 Saira / Sasha Duo / Group Others Joy to the World – for King & Country
INTERMISSION
14 Calliope Georgantas Hoop Hot Chocolate from Polar Express
15 Alice Roy Others Mini Hoop Snowman – Sia
16 Foxin Tarzy Hammock Kid on Christmas (Pentatonix, Meghan Trainor)
17 Saanvi Gupta Tissu Put A Bow On It – Lil Cheesecake
18 Lorelai Thuerbach Hammock Ho Ho Ho – Sia
19 Saira Rosas Hoop Steal the Show – Lauv
20 Hannah Piacentini Hammock Christmas Eve – Kelly Clarkson
21 Alexis / Sasha Duo / Group Hoop Santa Can’t You Hear Me – Ariana Grande
22 Charlotte Piacentini Tissu Do You Want to Build a Snowman
23 Adaline Tomlinson Hammock The Polar Express – Tom Hanks
24 Anna Volodina Tissu Zima – Eduard Khil
25 Silberstein / Cox Duo / Group Tissu Into The Unknown – Idina Menzel
HOLIDAY GAMES

SPOTLIGHT CIRCUS

SPOTLIGHT CIRCUS


A joint showcase by Aerial Arts America & The Ruby Karen Project

Spotlight Circus is a new stage for circus artists who’ve never had a room to call their own.

Aerialists, contortionists, jugglers, and every discipline in between — if you’ve built a routine you’re proud of and you’re ready for real eyes on it, this is your platform. Spotlight Circus was created for performers who’ve already tested their craft in front of an audience but don’t have a theater, a producer, or a platform to take it further. This is that room.

Who Can Perform

  • Teens & adults — must have at least one prior live performance experience
  • A mastered routine — you should already have an act you’ve performed before and feel confident sharing again
  • Any circus discipline welcome — aerial, contortion, juggling, and beyond
  • A launchpad for new work — bring a performance-ready act to the Spotlight Circus to premiere your new work
  • Youth performers (under 13) must be individually vetted before their spot is confirmed

Details
📅 Sunday, January 31 · 2:00 PM
📍 3001 Red Hill Ave, I-107, Costa Mesa, CA 92626
🎥 Also streaming live via Instagram @AerialArtsAmerica

Getting Involved
Performer spots are limited. Entry is a $50 participation fee per act, with a commitment to bring 2 audience members. Scan the QR code or contact us below to reserve your spot.

*** Please note that this showcase is subject to the participation threshold

To Participate, SIGN-UP Here.  By signing and reserving your spot, you attest that you have met the criteria above and do not need to be vetted.

After signingup, please email us your performance information, e.g. music, apparatus, any rigging requirement, your bio and a practice video of your act.

This is the pilot event for what we hope becomes an ongoing series — a permanent home where circus artists of every discipline can bring their work out of the practice space and onto a real stage.

Click Here to Purchase Tickets

📧 AerialArtsAmerica@gmail.com :::: Info@rubykaren.com · 📞 714-846-6143

#circus #aerials #showcase #performance

Orange County Aerial Arts at the Festival of Children 2026

Orange County Aerial Arts is set to take the stage at the Festival of Children. If you’re a fan of the circus, this is undoubtedly the spot to witness young circus performers take to the skies and the ground, showcasing their graceful aerial maneuvers and exhilarating tumbles. Don’t miss their captivating contortion act, unicycling, and more, as they showcase their skills with remarkable flair.

When:  Sunday September 13, 2026

Where: Jewel’s Court in South Coast Plaza, Costa Mesa, California
3333 Bristol St, Costa Mesa, CA 92626

Showtimes: 12:30 and 2:30pm

Ticket:  FREE

Watch our previous performances:  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_MDOonV4Rg7BVa9tDhh8__h54to2mWyO

 

PAGEANT OF THE MASTER’S FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS

PLEASE VIEW OUR RECENT PERFORMANCES :

 

ORANGE COUNTY AERIAL ARTS 

AT THE

FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS – Sunday, July 12
Laguna Beach, CA
SHOWTIMES: 12pm and 2pm

Check out past FOA performances:  https://youtu.be/6BSzAF5wQZE

For More Information – VISIT PAGEANT OF THE MASTERS 

Straight from its international performances at Italy’s CircoMasCA, the Orange Couty Aerial Arts and its premier students are once again gracing the stage at the prestigious Laguna Beach’s Festival of Arts/ Pageant of Masters.

Enjoy this family event with talented artists both from a visual to performing arts discipline by our young and upcoming artists. Experience the beauty of the exhibits at its 2026 Junior Art Exhibit, and the delighful performances by our international performers. Showtimes are 12:45pm and 2:15pm. Make sure you give ample time for parking and entrance. General admission is $15 and seniors $11, Kids up to 12 $5.

Festival of Arts, 650 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach
For more Information: https://www.foapom.com/

Aerial Acrobatic Intensive Workshop

SIGN-UP NOW

AERIAL ACROBATIC INTENSIVE WORKSHOPS
3 Days/ Week 10am – 2pm

Week 1: MWF: June 15-17-19
Week 2: WThF: July 8 -9-10
Week 3: MWTh: July 20 – 22 -23
Week 4: MWTh: Aug 3-5-6

Teen/ Adult Aerial Intensives (13 & Up) 
Intensive Aerials for Kids (8 – 12)

Description: The workshops are designed for individuals with a strong interest in enhancing their aerial skills and simultaneously developing strength, endurance, and flexibility. Participants will engage in immersive sessions covering aerial Silks, Hoop, Trapeze, Rope, and Sling/Hammock. Additionally, ground skills such as Contortion and Hand Balancing will be incorporated. Skill adjustments will be made based on the teacher’s assessment of each student’s proficiency level.

.Tuition: Week Fee: $400*; Day Fee: $150.

**The weekly rate is valid only for specific dates. If you are unable to attend any of the scheduled dates, which span three days within the week, you forfeit that session, except in the case of a genuine life-and-death emergency. Please refrain from purchasing this package if you are uncertain about your availability.

 

 

18th Spring Showcase: Realm Of Worlds

The Ruby Karen Project, in collaboration with Orange County Aerial Arts, proudly presents its 18th Annual Spring Showcase:

REALM OF WORLDS

Beyond The Neon Passage

Concept and Script by Ruby Karen, this captivating production blends aerial dance, ground acrobatics, and theatrical storytelling into an unforgettable performance filled with action and adventure.

Technical Director:  Luca Cecchini

Assistant Rigger: Mike Cox    Wardrobe:  Emma Piancentini 
Cast Coordinator:  Janina Stephenz

PLAYBILL: REALM OF WORLDS – Beyond The Neon Passage

The Story

When two dimensions collide, a passage opens.  From the familiar rhythm of life on Earth, a mysterious neon corridor awakens — pulling us into Carnival Core, a parallel realm where gravity bends, silks breathe, and unseen forces manipulate reality itself.  Through Circusverse, Silkscape, and the shadowed territories beyond, performers journey across worlds in a high-energy 80s-inspired aerial and dance production. What begins as curiosity becomes transformation as light battles shadow and the boundaries between worlds dissolve.
REALM OF WORLDS is a visually immersive recital experience blending aerial arts, dance, theatrical storytelling, and retro-futuristic imagination.

📅 When: Saturday, March 21, 2026 @ 3pm

                  Sunday, March 22, 2026, at 1:30pm

Location: Aerial Dance Theater, 3001 Red Hill Ave. 1-107, Costa Mesa CA 92626

Realm of Worlds’ Playbill

OC Fair’s IMAGINOLOGY 2026

In celebration of its 18th year, the Ruby Karen Project/ Orange County Aerial Arts will once again be gracing the stage at the Orange County Fairground.  This daytime family oriented event, OC Fair’s IMAGINOLOGY is our student’s performance training platform comprising of kids and adults alike on multiple aerial acts.

  • The schedule shall be as follows:
  • Saturday and Sunday, APRIL 11 & 12, 2026
    @ Costa Mesa Pavilion – OC Fairgrounds
    88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa, CA 92626
  • Schedule of Activities
  • • 10:15 am: Information and Registration for open trial classes
    • 11:15pm – 12pm: Aerial Circus Show by Orange County Aerial Arts
    • 12:15pm – 12:55pm: Trial Aerial and Acro Class
    • 1:20pm – 2:05pm: Aerial Circus Show by Orange County Aerial Arts
    • 2:15:pm – 2:55pm: Trial Aerial and Acro Class
    • 3:15pm – 3:55pm: Aerial Circus Show by Orange County Aerial Arts

Productions for both teams have been organized, conceptualized and choreographed by

Artistic and Program Director/ Choreographer: Ruby Karen
Technical Director & Choreographer: Luca Cecchini

For tickets:  http://www.ocfair.com/steam/2024/information.php

SEE WHAT’S CURRENTLY HAPPENING AT OUR SCHOOL. FOLLOW US.

CHECK OUR STUDENTS’ PROGRESS
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CHECK OUT PREVIOUS YEAR’S APPEARANCES ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGES

ORANGE COUNTY AERIAL ARTS

CIRCO ETEREO

Posted by CIRCO Etereo USA on Friday, May 8, 2015

 

ORANGE COUNTY AERIAL ARTS

 

Posted by Orange County Aerial Arts on Sunday, March 6, 2016

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR WCAAF-RKP Team – 18 Trophies and Medals

RKP/ OCAA Team at the
13th WEST COAST AERIAL ARTS FESTIVAL
Nov. 8-11, 2025
We took Eighteen (18) Award Winnings
We congratulate our RKP team for having procured 18 trophies and medals.  We praise all their hard work put into this competition.  Let’s give a big applause to our team:
 

Callie Georgantes – 1st Place Hoop Professional

Callie Georgantes -1st Place Open Professional

Ivy MacDonald – 1st Place  Elite Trapeze

Callie Georgantes/ Janina Stephenz – 1st Place Open Duo

Lola Espinosa/ Ivy MacDonald – 2nd Place Open Duo

Lola Espinosa – 2nd Place – Elite Trapeze

Saanvi Gupta – 2nd Place – Silks Amateur Jr. Teen

Sasha Plikus – 2nd Place – Amateur Hoop – Kids

Sasha Plikus – 2nd Place – Amateur Silks – Kids

Evelyn Silberstein – 3rd Place Elite Silks 9-11

Evelyn Silberstein -2nd Place – Duo Silks

Savannah Cox – 2nd Place – Duo Silks

Janina Stephenz – 2nd Place Hoop Elite Adults

Alice Roy – 2nd Place Novice Open 

Alexis Blackburn – 2nd Place Novice Hoop 7-12

Anna Volodina – 3rd Place Novice Silks 12 – 15

To our RKP Apprentice – WCAAF Competitors

Your journey to this level has been marked by exceptional dedication, courage, determination, and unwavering perseverance. You embody the spirit of tenacity, pushing boundaries and striving for excellence every step of the way.

Callie Georgantes :: Ivy MacDonald :: Lola Espinosa :: Evelyn Silberstein :: Foxin Tarzy :: Charlotte Piacentini :: Hannah Piacentini :: Janina Stephenz ::  :: Luna Villagran :: Saanvi Gupta :: Sasha Plikus :: Savannah Cox :: Alexis Blackburn :: Alice Roy :: Anna Volodina 

We also want to thank all parent-volunteers for all their hard work to get the festival running smoothly.

 
 

Placement Examination

WHAT IS THE PLACEMENT EXAM?

The Ruby Karen Project is the first aerial school in Orange County and since 2009, our school studied the behavior of student development in aerial arts based on many factors.  As the demand for aerial instruction grew, the school adopted its structured teachings through the IATTP course (International Aerial Teachers Training Program) and started to formulate its own syllabus.  In 2014, we created the Placement program and slowly implemented the syllabus.  It was also in that year that we started to introduce student examinations (now called the Placement Examination) and was only popularized in 2015. 

The Placement Examination is offered yearly to our academic students. These are students that have and are enrolled in our apprentice program. We also offer this to our recreational students who want to take it at will.  The examination is an assessment of our student’s response to our instructions.  It helps our teachers keep the students’ training on track to ensure strong fundamentals and safely approach progressive elements and skills necessary to get to the next rank.   

It also allows our students to take charge of the skills they have learned and are supposed to know and keeps them on the leash to ensure that they do not divulge in unsafe skills without learning the pre-requisites. By conducting the Placement Exam, the student values the necessity of moving forward towards progressive training and avoids skipping essential skills that will be needed in higher skill tricks.  

Placement Exam for the apprentices is mandatory and after which, their performance is discussed when the placement results are released

Due to many factors, our school is continuously making efforts to find a balance for our students in working with their vocabulary retention.  Our curriculum has a very wide vocabulary base and as such, the placement levels have grown to eight (8) Levels as f 2025 due to the evolving world of aerial arts. 

We focus on two aerial apparatus – Tissu and Hoop.  Recently, due to the popularity of our other disciplines, we have added Trapeze, Rope and Hammock.  We will provide students with a choice of two (2) apparatus to be examined on, so long as their secondary choice has been learned for a year or more.

Examination are schedule yearly in January.  Please reach out to us if you intend to take the exam.

See Placement Chart

LEVEL 1 – Beginners 1

LEVEL 2 – Beginners 2

LEVEL 3 – Beginners 3

LEVEL 4 – Intermediate 1

LEVEL 5 – Intermediate 2

LEVEL 6 – Advance 1 – Pre-Professional 1

LEVEL 7 – Advance 2 – Pre-professional 2

       LEVEL 8 – Professional