behind the movement
Caitlin (she/they) is a dance trapeze artist with a strong background in athletics and a deep passion for human movement.
Growing up, Caitlin immersed herself in various sports, with a primary focus on softball. She pitched at the NCAA DII level and graduated from Cal State Monterey Bay in 2013. This built a solid foundation of discipline, teamwork, and physical fitness.
After graduation, Caitlin discovered circus arts on a whim by signing up for an aerial class. Instantly captivated, she dedicated herself to learning everything she could about this movement art. That passion led her to the New England Center for Circus Arts (NECCA), where she completed the ProTrack Training Program from 2016-2019, refining her skills and delving deep into aerial artistry.
With the onset of the pandemic, Caitlin shifted their focus back to academics and set their sights on physical therapy school. They took various prerequisite courses, worked as a physical therapy aide in an outpatient clinic, and began coaching aerial and flexibility classes. After a rigorous application process, they started the Doctor of Physical Therapy program at Eastern Washington University in the fall of 2023.
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Caitlin understands the unique physical demands of circus artists and aims to bridge the gap in healthcare professionals' knowledge of these needs. As such, her long-term goal is to merge physical therapy and circus arts, offering injury prevention, rehabilitation, and performance optimization services for performance artists. With their expertise in both fields, Caitlin seeks to provide the specialized care that circus artists need.
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Caitlin’s background as an athlete, her professional training at NECCA, and her studies in physical therapy give her an expert understanding of body mechanics and aerial arts. This expertise allows her to teach strong foundational techniques, helping students move safely and efficiently.
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As a flexibility coach, Caitlin leverages their academic knowledge of human movement to create innovative drills that target common flexibility limitations safely and effectively. Her classes emphasize proper body mechanics, joint stabilization, and strengthening to increase mobility and stability. An anatomy enthusiast, they often delve deeper into body and joint mechanics than typical flexibility classes, ensuring students understand the purpose behind each exercise.
As a trapeze coach, Caitlin focuses heavily on theory through point of contact awareness, weight transfer techniques, and technical efficiency. She empowers her students to explore their own transitions around the apparatus rather than just regurgitating skills. Her approach uses all "levels" of the trapeze, from ground connections to threading and spiraling around the bar, to climbing and wrapping within the ropes. She teaches sequences that emphasize momentum, shape, weight shift, and balance.
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Caitlin has weekly virtual flexibility classes and is available for virtual private lessons. Based in Brattleboro, VT, she also offers in-person classes, private lessons, and workshops at both NECCA and SHOW Circus Studio. Follow her journey as she continues her education—she’s committed to passionately sharing her knowledge to support your movement goals!
