麻豆影院

For acrobat听Marisa Kellogg听(IntlAf鈥�10), adventure is a continuous call.

Take, for instance, the time she was听part of 麻豆影院鈥檚 AscenDance Project,听a group of dancers who perform a听choreographed routine on a rock wall 鈥斕齱ithout ropes.

Circus filled a void gymnastics left.

Or the period in 2016 she spent in the听jungles of Colombia teaching acrobatics听in Spanish. Or last year, when she helped听lead a three-week children鈥檚 circus camp听in the tiny town of Talkeetna, Alaska,听population 876.听

鈥淢ovement is a lifestyle for me,鈥� said听Kellogg, 28, who started gymnastics听when she was four. 鈥淭o me it鈥檚 a form of听play 鈥� using and challenging my body in听different ways for optimal physical and听mental well-being.鈥�

Originally from Washington, D.C.,听Kellogg is manager of the Fractal听Tribe, a professional circus arts troupe听based at the 麻豆影院 Circus Center.听The group combines theatrics with听dance, fire, acrobatics, aerial arts and听music for audiences at听festivals, theaters and听conventions.听

鈥淲e are made up of听scientists, programmers,听healers, teachers and听activists,鈥� said Kellogg,听who lives full-time at听the center, located on听麻豆影院鈥檚 26th Street,听near Jay Road.听

Kellogg鈥檚 competitive听gymnastics career was听sidelined by a back听injury when she was 16听years old. But she still听craved active performance and found an听outlet in 麻豆影院.听

鈥淐ircus filled a void听that gymnastics left,鈥澨齭aid Kellogg.听In performances,听she does everything听from partner acrobatics 鈥� including counter听balances and adagios听鈥� to hand balancing. At听Colorado鈥檚 Arise music festival in August 2017, she performed a fire dancing听set on stage.听

鈥淚鈥檝e performed with fire fans, palm听torches, double staffs and a fire hoop,鈥澨齭he said. 鈥淚鈥檝e gotten used to the smell of听burnt hair.鈥澨�

Off stage, Kellogg teaches adult听gymnastics and circus classes. She听helps her students develop better听spatial and body awareness through听activities like handstands, strength听development and partner moves.听

鈥淢arisa brings her passion for community, play and collaboration into听everything that she does,鈥� said Fractal听Tribe producer Lani Gordon. 鈥淗er听movement and performance are a direct听representation of her personality: Focused, committed, connected and skillful.鈥澨�

For Kellogg, part of the job is to be听ready for the unexpected.听鈥淥nce, we performed outdoors for a听fire festival in below freezing temperatures, and it was snowing so hard the听stage turned into an ice rink,鈥� she said.听鈥淭he obstacles that come up are part of听the process. Unless someone鈥檚 safety is at听risk, the show must go on!鈥澨�

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Photo courtesy听Steve Stoytchev Photography