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CircusTalk Original Series PRO PRO Advice 

PRO Exclusive: Think Like An Acrobat — Let’s Work for Ourselves

Shenea Stiletto,
Title graphic for episode 6 of Think Like An Acrobat

As part of our CircusTalk PRO membership content, available exclusively to PRO membership subscribers, please enjoy this PRO video series called Think Like an Acrobat.

Shenea Stiletto is a two-time World Acrobatic Champion, USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame Member, a World-Class Handbalancer and a seasoned professional in the circus industry. In this series, she will share her expertise as a career circus performer as well as select insights and secrets from her guests about the business. Think Like an Acrobat will cover an array of useful topics from how to navigate a contract, to understanding the role of a good agent, and how to maintain long-distance relationships while living the globetrotter life.

In episode 6, Shenea speaks with circus stage manager and personal finance blogger Melissa Bondar who focuses on how to make strong financial choices amidst the challenges of creating a lifestyle in the arts. She has blogged on brokeGIRLrich for seven years and also speaks on personal finance annually at the Broadway Stage Management Symposium. In addition to her blogging, Melissa has worked on Big Apple Circus, Ringling Brothers and Circus 1903.

Shenea Stiletto
Acrobat, Podcaster, Circus Artist, Handstand Instructor -United States
Shenea Stiletto (Shenea Booth) is a two-time World Champion Gold Medalist in Acrobatic gymnastics, a USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame Member, and World Acrobatic Society Inductee. Her career includes a decade of collaborations with Cirque Du Soleil including the coveted hand balancing role as "The Promise" in Varekai, becoming the first-ever African American female soloist to play a lead character in a Cirque Du Soleil production.
Shenea was also a finalist on America’s Got Talent and has continued to be a featured artist with prominent circus entertainment companies worldwide.

Editor's Note: At StageLync, an international platform for the performing arts, we celebrate the diversity of our writers' backgrounds. We recognize and support their choice to use either American or British English in their articles, respecting their individual preferences and origins. This policy allows us to embrace a wide range of linguistic expressions, enriching our content and reflecting the global nature of our community.

🎧 Join us on the StageLync Podcast for inspiring stories from the world of performing arts! Tune in to hear from the creative minds who bring magic to life, both onstage and behind the scenes. 🎙️ 👉 Listen now!

Shenea Stiletto

Shenea Stiletto (Shenea Booth) is a two-time World Champion Gold Medalist in Acrobatic gymnastics, a USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame Member, and World Acrobatic Society Inductee. Her career includes a decade of collaborations with Cirque Du Soleil including the coveted hand balancing role as "The Promise" in Varekai, becoming the first-ever African American female soloist to play a lead character in a Cirque Du Soleil production. Shenea was also a finalist on America’s Got Talent and has continued to be a featured artist with prominent circus entertainment companies worldwide.