Inspired to create emotionally compelling circus performance, Montreal-based creator, choreographer and aerial performer, Alisan Funk, dedicates herself to the artistry of circus bodies in motion. Alisan draws on her extensive dance background in choreography, Graham technique and ballet, and has created numerous circus acts spanning many disciplines. Fully certified in Stott Pilates, she educates her students in safe technique and injury prevention for long-term success.
Alisan studied circus in New York and San Francisco and is a graduate of L’Ecole de Cirque de Quebec (ECQ). She then certified as a teacher with Canada’s National Circus School (ENC) teacher training program and the New England Center for Circus Arts (NECCA) teaching program. She held the position of head aerial choreographer with award-winning Circus Smirkus for nine years, where she annually created fresh aerial acts on diverse and creative equipment. Alisan has been a consulting instructor for the Circus Center, Circus Lab, ENC, NECCA, Philadelphia School of Circus Arts, AirCraft, Esh, and Cuba’s National Circus. In 2014, her directing debut ‘The Rendezvous’ was invited to the Chicago Contemporary Circus Festival and Festival Montreal Completement Cirque.
Inspired to create emotionally compelling circus performance, Montreal-based creator, choreographer and aerial performer, Alisan Funk, dedicates herself to the artistry of circus bodies in motion. Alisan draws on her extensive dance background in choreography, Graham technique and ballet, and has created numerous circus acts spanning many disciplines. Fully certified in Stott Pilates, she educates her students in safe technique and injury prevention for long-term success.
Alisan studied circus in New York and San Francisco and is a graduate of L’Ecole de Cirque de Quebec (ECQ). She then certified as a teacher with Canada’s National Circus School (ENC) teacher training program and the New England Center for Circus Arts (NECCA) teaching program. She held the position of head aerial choreographer with award-winning Circus Smirkus for nine years, where she annually created fresh aerial acts on diverse and creative equipment. Alisan has been a consulting instructor for the Circus Center, Circus Lab, ENC, NECCA, Philadelphia School of Circus Arts, AirCraft, Esh, and Cuba’s National Circus. In 2014, her directing debut ‘The Rendezvous’ was invited to the Chicago Contemporary Circus Festival and Festival Montreal Completement Cirque.
She has an MA from Concordia studying circus education and is PhD candidate in Education at McGill. She works as a research assistant on multiple projects with Concordia and the National Circus School examining technical and creative aspects of circus, and has presented at numerous conferences in Canada and the United States on education in circus arts and the circus arts in standard educational curricula.
