staff bios
Aaron Johnson (back to the top)
Aaron is co-owner, Head Instructor and Safety Officer of the Vancouver Circus School. He comes to the school with a wide variety of competitive, performing and coaching experience. As an athlete, his career grew from a circus display troop in university to a four-year competitive trampoline career. Aaron trained with the Nissen Trampoline Company Team in Cedar Rapids performing acrobatic shows in the USA and traveling to Canada to compete whenever possible. He developed a reputation as the highest bouncer in the world and it followed him from Canadian Nationals in 1973 to World's in '74. Aaron continued his competitive career with Canadian Senior Titles in '75 and '76. Aaron was the first Canadian to compete a twisting triple somersault; a Triffis. While preparing for his second World Championship in "76, Aaron injured himself seriously, forcing an early competitive retirement.
Aaron continued a role that started in 1974 as Canadian Trampoline Coaching Chairman and began to develop a safety manual for the country that would eventually be known worldwide. The NCCP Trampoline technical manual was born. Aaron worked with some of the finest trampoline experts in the world including Dr. Fred Yeadon, Dave Ross and Boris Verkhovsky as well as many other Canadian trampoline specialists to develop the safest, progressive system for teaching trampoline possible. Aaron still authors and loves to share his coaching knowledge with others by teaching certification courses.
At the beginning of 1977, Aaron shared his expertise in the coaching field with the senior athletes with the very competitive Shasta Trampoline Team from New Westminster BC. Through the years, highlights sparked medal results in all areas.
In 1982 Shasta athlete Christine Tough won Canada's first gold medal at a World Championships in Women's Double Mini Trampoline.
In 84, at the World Championships in Osaka Japan, Shasta athlete Vicki Bullock won the bronze medal in women's double mini trampoline.
In 1984 Aaron Co-founded CirKids, a Vancouver based children's recreational circus organization. He served as their Head Coach and rigger for 17-years.
In 1986, the entire Women's Trampoline Team at the World Championships in Paris, France were Aarons' personal Shasta athletes; Christine Tough, Vikki Bullock, Donna Tough and Catherine Worley. As Canada's Team they ranked forth in the world.
In 1990 he was elected to the International Trampoline Federation Technical Committee, and also served a brief time on the FIT Medical Commission. As a Technical Committee member, he taught International Judging Courses in Canada, USA, Japan, Argentina, and Brazil. Aaron represented Canada on the International Trampoline and Tumbling Committee for eight years.
At the 1992 World Championships Shasta athlete Jeremy Brock won a Bronze medal and performed Canada's first Triffis on the Double Mini Trampoline.
At the 1993 Canadian National Trampoline Championships, Shasta athlete, Catherine Worley became the first Canadian woman to compete a Triffis.
Over the years, Aaron was personal coach of many of Canada's National Team members including Christine Tough, Jeremy Brock, Vikki Bullock, Darryl Scheelar Catherine Worley, Tim Cleave, Donna Tough, Brett Brown, Isreal Martens, Ken Soehn, Kathy Empey, Dallas Stevens, Norma and Barbara Lehto.
Many of his athletes have moved on to coach clubs of their own and several have gone on to serve as acrobatic performers with the Cirque du Soleil, Ringling Bros., others have entered the stunt world with dramatic success.
In 1999, Aaron retired as a competitive coach when recruited by the Cirque du Soleil. He served as Artistic Coach for the Mystere Show at Treasure Island Casino in Las Vegas.
In 2004, Aaron and his son Travis incorporated the Vancouver Circus School to provide recreational and advanced circus training to students in the Vancouver area. Their journey to create an elite level school for circus arts has just begun.
Aaron is married to Valerie, herself a 3-time National Trampoline Champion and they have two grown children, Travis and Sarah, three very unique cats and a really nice dog.
Travis Johnson (back to the top)
Travis is co-owner, Event Manager and an acrobatic coach with the Vancouver Circus School. He has been involved in acrobatics since birth. At the age of 12 he was the Western Canadian Trampoline Champion in his age group. He performed in many trampoline shows including Expo 86. Travis has been a director of a multimedia entertainment company, and is the Vancouver Circus School core conditioning coach. Travis is a certified Level 3 Trampoline Coach.
Meregon Kiddo (back to the top)
Meregon is our Head Aerial Silks Instructor and she was one of the first students with the Vancouver Circus School way back in 2005. She progressed through our system from student to instructor and has recently become the Head Recreational Silks Instructor with the school. She has been instrumental in the development of our Rainbow Learning System for students. Meregon is a professional Silks performer with the Inner Ring and is currently completing a degree in Criminology at Simon Fraser University.
Nigel Wakita (back to the top)
Nigel Wakita has used an estimated 4300 meters of yo-yo string. At about the 20th meter mark he could walk the dog, around the world and rock the baby. He is currently happily working on his 4300th meter of string with the Vancouver Circus School where he instructs unicycle, juggling and silks. With the Vancouver Circus School, he has found an opportunity to help facilitate learning and allow students to flex their creativity in a desk-less, non-competitive environment. He actively makes an effort every day to use his degree in Theatre and Education from SFU to help shape the circus into an enjoyable and thoughtful experience.
Ryan Mellors (back to the top)
Ryan has been fascinated by the endless magical possibilities in juggling for over a decade. His exploration of juggling technique has led him around the world in search of new patterns, ideas and variations; he has performed his work throughout Canada, Eastern Europe and the Middle East. Ryan recently returned back to his hometown of Vancouver, where he can be seen practicing all manner of insanely complex tricks at our gym as well as working behind the scenes in a variety of administrative positions at the school.
Scott Campbell (back to the top)
Scott has been working with the Vancouver Circus School since 2007 and instructs Swinging Trapeze, Aerial Arts and Trampoline. He received his primary training in Hungary with a specialty in Double Trapeze but has extensive performing and coaching experience in Flying Trapeze, Single Static Trapeze, Static Bike, Teeterboard and Rolla Bolla. Scott has balanced people over his head while balancing on a Rolla Bolla; launched people into the air from a teeterboard and taught many people what it feels like to fly.
Louise Hradsky (back to the top)
Louise is a dancer turned aerialist. She grew up training in classical ballet at the National Ballet School, Royal Winnipeg Ballet School, and Alberta Ballet School. Louise has since broadened her movement vocabulary to include contemporary, jazz, hip hop, salsa, and more. Circus is like "extreme dancing" she says, "same movement, extra rush!" Most recently, Louise can be in seen in Season 1 of "So You Think You Can Dance Canada", Lady Sovereign's "I Got You Dancing" music video, the CWTV series "Aliens In America".
Elvyna Kerrey (back to the top)
Elvyna started trampoline and eventually competed while in high school in England in the late 1960s. In 1972, she graduated as a teacher of Math and P.E and became certified as a trampoline coach within the British System. Elvyna coached trampoline in high schools, youth clubs and recreational centres in England before immigrating to Canada in 1990. She returned to trampoline in 2004, when her daughter Daryl began trampoline and circus training with Aaron. Elvyna is a Level 2 Trampoline NCCP Certified Coach in Canada.
Amanda Shatzko (back to the top)
Amanda Shatzko currently instructs at the Vancouver Circus School and performs for the professional division, the Inner Ring as an acro/contortionist and aerial acrobat. She has many years of experience in dance and rhythmic gymnastics, competing internationally for Canada and dancing professionally with some of the world's top choreographers. She has had the privilege to study with Royal Winnipeg and National Ballet professionals, top circus coaches from Mexico and Cuba, and choreographers and artistic director's from Cirque du Soliel. Amanda is a Level 2 Rhythmic Gymnastics NCCP coach.
Jordan Hooge (back to the top)
As a young boy with a backyard trampoline Jordan spent countless hours on his trampoline flipping and spinning, unknowingly developing a high level of trampoline and acrobatic skill. Jordan has trained in traditional Hung- gar Kung-fu and Yoga. Jordan joined the instructional team at Vancouver Circus School in 2008 and has completed his Level 2 NCCP Trampoline certification.
Fiona Walsh (back to the top)
Fiona has always had a passion for the performance arts. She has acted, danced, stage managed, designed lights and directed throughout her university career at Malaspina University College and Simon Fraser University, where she received her BFA in Theatre. Fiona now works with the Vancouver Circus School teaching in the aerial silks programs and managing events and performances for the Inner Ring Circus.
Scarlett Bruns (back to the top)
Scarlett has been working with children for over five years, initially as a swimming coach and equestrian instructor, moving quickly to obtain her teaching certificates for dance and theatre. Scarlett developed a passion for the performing arts at an early age when she landed the lead role in the musical "Speedy Gonzales" at age 5. She has pursued performing arts ever since, and has worked in the film, theatre, dance and music industry in Vancouver since 1993. Scarlett is a Trampoline instructor for children ages 4 thru 10, she began trampolining at age 10 in her back yard, and started training at the Vancouver Circus School in July 2008. Scarlett holds a degree in acting for stage and screen, from the prestigious John Robert Powers acting academy in Vancouver, B.C.
Brandon Dahl (back to the top)
Brandon is a former National level figure skater. For ten years, he trained Ice Dance and Freeskate. In ice dance, he completed at a number of events including three national championships. He also volunteered as a coach for beginner-level skaters. Brandon has been with the Vancouver Circus School since March 2008. He first took classes for swinging trapeze and aerial arts. He later took classes for aerial silk. Moving effortlessly through the program, Brandon is now an instructor in the Aerial Silks and Aerial Arts programs.
Charlotte Romses (back to the top)
Charlotte is a new member of our staff. She has been an exceptional aerial silks student for 3-years and recently has begun teaching new students at the Vancouver Circus School.
Chris Anderson (back to the top)
Chris has been with the school since 2007 as a trampoline specialist. He has Level 3 Trampoline NCCP certification and is a Black Belt in many martial arts.
Bladimir S Laffita (back to the top)
Bladimir comes to us from the Cuban National Circus where he performed as a Handstand Specialist. Bladimir teaches hand-balancing, acro-balancing and Circus Intro classes.
