The Ruby Karen Project, in collaboration with Orange County Aerial Arts, proudly presents its 18th Annual Spring Showcase:
REALM OF WORLDS
Beyond The Neon Passage
Concept and Script by Ruby Karen, this captivating production blends aerial dance, ground acrobatics, and theatrical storytelling into an unforgettable performance filled with action and adventure.
Technical Director: Luca Cecchini
Assistant Rigger: Mike Cox Wardrobe: Emma Piancentini Cast Coordinator: Janina Stephenz
PLAYBILL: REALM OF WORLDS – Beyond The Neon Passage
The Story
When two dimensions collide, a passage opens. From the familiar rhythm of life on Earth, a mysterious neon corridor awakens — pulling us into Carnival Core, a parallel realm where gravity bends, silks breathe, and unseen forces manipulate reality itself. Through Circusverse, Silkscape, and the shadowed territories beyond, performers journey across worlds in a high-energy 80s-inspired aerial and dance production. What begins as curiosity becomes transformation as light battles shadow and the boundaries between worlds dissolve.
REALM OF WORLDS is a visually immersive recital experience blending aerial arts, dance, theatrical storytelling, and retro-futuristic imagination.
Sofia Govela, 7, left, and Molly Jensen, 6, work to hold spinning plates during circus camp at The Ruby Karen Project in Costa Mesa, CA, on Thursday, June 27, 2019. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Week 2: WThF: July 8 -9-10
Week 3: MWTh: July 20 – 22 -23
Week 4: MWTh: Aug 3-5-6
Teen/ Adult Aerial Intensives (13 & Up)
Intensive Aerials for Kids (8 – 12)
Description: The workshops are designed for individuals with a strong interest in enhancing their aerial skills and simultaneously developing strength, endurance, and flexibility. Participants will engage in immersive sessions covering aerial Silks, Hoop, Trapeze, Rope, and Sling/Hammock. Additionally, ground skills such as Contortion and Hand Balancing will be incorporated. Skill adjustments will be made based on the teacher’s assessment of each student’s proficiency level.
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Tuition: Week Fee: $400*; Day Fee: $150.
**The weekly rate is valid only for specific dates. If you are unable to attend any of the scheduled dates, which span three days within the week, you forfeit that session, except in the case of a genuine life-and-death emergency. Please refrain from purchasing this package if you are uncertain about your availability.
Trapeze (Dance & Static)
Lyra/ Hoop
Silks/ Tissu
Hammock
Contortion
Rope (Corde Lisse & Mallakhamb)
Inventive &
Other Apparatus
Hand Balancing
Contortion
Geared towards all levels, these workshops will enhance your skills with additional coaching and tips from masters of the trade. And you would have speed up your training by 3-6 months. Coaches and Instructors are certified teachers as well as established teachers in their respective fields. Also,
The workshops are geared for those seriously interested in escalating their aerial vocabulary while at the same time building strength, endurance and flexibility.
The workshop will immerse you on aerial Silks, Hoop, Trapeze, Rope and Sling/ Hammock. Ground skills will include Contortion and Hand Balancing. Skills will be adjusted based on teacher’s assessment of the student’s level.
******** For full day camps, students need to bring their own snacks, lunch, water and/or other beverage. Please wear leggings (no zippers) that cover up the ankle, a tight fitting top, and bring a small towel and sneakers for stilts. Please take out all jewelries.******
Week Rate: *$500. (15% Discount Until June 15)
Single Day Rate: $120.
*The weekly rate is valid only for specific dates. If you are unable to attend any of the scheduled dates, which span five consecutive days from Monday to Friday, you forfeit that session, except in the case of a genuine life-and-death emergency. Please refrain from purchasing this package if you are uncertain about your availability.
How to sign up for summer camp – Please follow below instructions:
At Check Out, put the Promo Code (see above) and follow the prompts
What does the summer camp include?
Each camp package consist of five (5) consecutive days from Monday – Friday, 9:15am – 1pm. Students learn circus arts consisting of the selected disciplines from the following:
Circus Arts (Selected Items): Acrobatics, Hand Balancing Contortion, Stilts, Juggling, Hula Hoop, Tight Rope Plate Spinning, Dragon Flow, Butterfly Wings & Isis and other similar activities
Faculty: RKP Instructors and Orange County Aerial Arts junior coaches
The PERFORMANCE SHOWCASE is scheduled on the last day of the camp (Friday) at 1pm. Family and friends are invited to watch. Costumes are required and can be provided for a rental fee, however students can also wear their own costume.
******** For full day camps, students need to bring their own snacks, lunch, water and/or other beverage. Please wear leggings (no zippers) that cover up the ankles, a tight fitting top or leotards, and bring a small towel and sneakers for stilts. Please take out all jewelries.******
Summer Camp Sample Schedule
9:15 AM Warm Up and Acrobatics/ Contortion/ Hand Balancing
10:15 AM Break
10:30 AM Circus – Object Manipulation/ Aerials (group Switching)
In celebration of its 18th year, the Ruby Karen Project/ Orange County Aerial Arts will once again be gracing the stage at the Orange County Fairground. This daytime family oriented event, OC Fair’s IMAGINOLOGY is our student’s performance training platform comprising of kids and adults alike on multiple aerial acts.
The schedule shall be as follows:
Saturday and Sunday, APRIL 11 & 12, 2026 @ Costa Mesa Pavilion – OC Fairgrounds
88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa, CA 92626
Schedule of Activities
• 10:15 am: Information and Registration for open trial classes
• 11:15pm – 12pm: Aerial Circus Show by Orange County Aerial Arts
• 12:15pm – 12:55pm: Trial Aerial and Acro Class
• 1:20pm – 2:05pm: Aerial Circus Show by Orange County Aerial Arts
• 2:15:pm – 2:55pm: Trial Aerial and Acro Class
• 3:15pm – 3:55pm: Aerial Circus Show by Orange County Aerial Arts
Productions for both teams have been organized, conceptualized and choreographed by
Artistic and Program Director/ Choreographer: Ruby Karen
Technical Director & Choreographer: Luca Cecchini
For tickets: http://www.ocfair.com/steam/2024/information.php
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Straight from its international performances at Italy’s CircoMasCA, the Orange Couty Aerial Arts and its premier students are once again gracing the stage at the prestigious Laguna Beach’s Festival of Arts/ Pageant of Masters.
Enjoy this family event with talented artists both from a visual to performing arts discipline by our young and upcoming artists. Experience the beauty of the exhibits at its 2026 Junior Art Exhibit, and the delighful performances by our international performers. Showtimes are 12:45pm and 2:15pm. Make sure you give ample time for parking and entrance. General admission is $15 and seniors $11, Kids up to 12 $5.
Festival of Arts, 650 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach For more Information: https://www.foapom.com/
Orange County Aerial Arts is set to take the stage at the Festival of Children. If you’re a fan of the circus, this is undoubtedly the spot to witness young circus performers take to the skies and the ground, showcasing their graceful aerial maneuvers and exhilarating tumbles. Don’t miss their captivating contortion act, unicycling, and more, as they showcase their skills with remarkable flair.
When: Sunday September 13, 2026
Where: Jewel’s Court in South Coast Plaza, Costa Mesa, California 3333 Bristol St, Costa Mesa, CA 92626
13th WEST COAST AERIAL ARTS FESTIVAL Nov. 8-11, 2025
We took Eighteen (18) Award Winnings
We congratulate our RKP team for having procured 18 trophies and medals. We praise all their hard work put into this competition. Let’s give a big applause to our team:
Callie Georgantes – 1st Place Hoop Professional
Callie Georgantes -1st Place Open Professional
Ivy MacDonald – 1st Place Elite Trapeze
Callie Georgantes/ Janina Stephenz – 1st Place Open Duo
Lola Espinosa/ Ivy MacDonald – 2nd Place Open Duo
Lola Espinosa – 2nd Place – Elite Trapeze
Saanvi Gupta – 2nd Place – Silks Amateur Jr. Teen
Sasha Plikus – 2nd Place – Amateur Hoop – Kids
Sasha Plikus – 2nd Place – Amateur Silks – Kids
Evelyn Silberstein – 3rd Place Elite Silks 9-11
Evelyn Silberstein -2nd Place – Duo Silks
Savannah Cox – 2nd Place – Duo Silks
Janina Stephenz – 2nd Place Hoop Elite Adults
Alice Roy – 2nd Place Novice Open
Alexis Blackburn – 2nd Place Novice Hoop 7-12
Anna Volodina – 3rd Place Novice Silks 12 – 15
To our RKP Apprentice – WCAAF Competitors
Your journey to this level has been marked by exceptional dedication, courage, determination, and unwavering perseverance. You embody the spirit of tenacity, pushing boundaries and striving for excellence every step of the way.
Callie Georgantes :: Ivy MacDonald :: Lola Espinosa :: Evelyn Silberstein :: Foxin Tarzy :: Charlotte Piacentini :: Hannah Piacentini :: Janina Stephenz :: :: Luna Villagran :: Saanvi Gupta :: Sasha Plikus :: Savannah Cox :: Alexis Blackburn :: Alice Roy :: Anna Volodina
We also want to thank all parent-volunteers for all their hard work to get the festival running smoothly.
The Ruby Karen Project is the first aerial school in Orange County and since 2009, our school studied the behavior of student development in aerial arts based on many factors. As the demand for aerial instruction grew, the school adopted its structured teachings through the IATTP course (International Aerial Teachers Training Program) and started to formulate its own syllabus. In 2014, we created the Placement program and slowly implemented the syllabus. It was also in that year that we started to introduce student examinations (now called the Placement Examination) and was only popularized in 2015.
The Placement Examination is offered yearly to our academic students. These are students that have and are enrolled in our apprentice program. We also offer this to our recreational students who want to take it at will. The examination is an assessment of our student’s response to our instructions. It helps our teachers keep the students’ training on track to ensure strong fundamentals and safely approach progressive elements and skills necessary to get to the next rank.
It also allows our students to take charge of the skills they have learned and are supposed to know and keeps them on the leash to ensure that they do not divulge in unsafe skills without learning the pre-requisites. By conducting the Placement Exam, the student values the necessity of moving forward towards progressive training and avoids skipping essential skills that will be needed in higher skill tricks.
Placement Exam for the apprentices is mandatory and after which, their performance is discussed when the placement results are released
Due to many factors, our school is continuously making efforts to find a balance for our students in working with their vocabulary retention. Our curriculum has a very wide vocabulary base and as such, the placement levels have grown to eight (8) Levels as f 2025 due to the evolving world of aerial arts.
We focus on two aerial apparatus – Tissu and Hoop. Recently, due to the popularity of our other disciplines, we have added Trapeze, Rope and Hammock. We will provide students with a choice of two (2) apparatus to be examined on, so long as their secondary choice has been learned for a year or more.
Examination are schedule yearly in January. Please reach out to us if you intend to take the exam.
An afternoon showcasing performances by our apprentices and students — a festive celebration of creativity, movement, and community.
Awards and Games Certificates will be distributed and games will be conducted
Food & Beverage — A Community Potluck
Join us for a shared meal! Please bring your favorite dish or beverage to contribute. We will also provide additional food so there’s plenty for everyone.
Venue
Aerial Dance Theater
3001 Red Hill Ave., Bldg. 1-107
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
(Corner of Red Hill & Kalmus)
Donation
$12 per person Kids under 6: FREE
*Donations help us cover the production services needed to carry out the showcase program.
🎶 Highly recommended for aerialists! Discover how to bring your act to life by syncing every move with the music or sound that drives it. Learn to ride the rhythm, embody the melody, and let your artistry shine with power and precision.
💫 Tap into the beat, flow, and soul of your soundtrack — and make your performance speak volumes!
Experience the magic of circus, aerial arts, dance, and music at CIRCOMASCA, set against the stunning Tuscan Mediterranean coastline. From June 12–14, 2025, join us at Parco Della Comasca in Marina di Massa, Tuscany, Italy, for three unforgettable days of workshops, performances by local and international artists, delicious food, specialty vendors, live music, and vibrant visual arts. Don’t miss this celebration of creativity and community!
CircoMasca is a joint production of Aerial Arts America and Squilibrate Aerial Danza
HOLIDAY SHOWCASE
