Welcome Show

Emily Brancel got scooped up by the IJA in 2013. Since then, she has attended 12 of the last 13 festivals. Her love for the juggling community is displayed through service, whether that be coordinating workshops, stage handing the Cascade of Stars, or keeping tired jugglers hydrated with her midnight Hydration Station. You can usually find her causing mischief on the Renegade stage.

Wyatt creates juggling inspired by discontinued snack foods from the early 2000’s and the inside decor of a retro Taco Bell. A blend of style that’s bold, playful, and slightyly unpredictable – quick hands, sharp timing, and a grin that says he’s about to try something unnecessary. It’s confident chaos on purpose.

Middle school history teacher Gideon Elson has been juggling for over 20 years. He specializes in the “temoto” style: intricate 3 and 4 ball patterns that stay close to the hands and body. He enjoys creating new patterns and playing with the rhythm and musicality of ball juggling. He won a bronze medal at the 2024 IJA stage juggling championships, and was voted the #22 juggler of 2025 by the worldwide juggling community!

Mo Helton is a circus performer and coach based in Seattle, WA. She grew up performing aerial, clowning, group acrobatics, and juggling with SANCA’s youth performance companies. She always considered herself an aerialist until one of her coaches introduced her to hat juggling when she was 13. Mo works to combine her love of movement with juggling and to share that joy with her audience. When not on stage, Mo is getting her feet wet studying marine biology and oceanography at the University of Washington.

A Juggling adept since they’s 15, Em developed their improvisational style as an autodidact. At 23 feeling the need to learn how to integrate the spontaneity of the unknown to accomplished artistic propositions, they became the first Canadian to follow the professional program of l’Académie Fratellini. After their studies a diagnosis of schizophrenia kept them away from circus for a few years, but not forever, they’s back to being healthy and on stage. Their work approaches humanity and mental health in an absurd way that’s sure to create in the audience moments of questioning, awkwardness and endearment leaving them either in laughter, tears or disbelief and possibly all of those at the same time.

Photo by Sebastien Chion

Ame: A passionate circus street busking artist: With over 10 years of experience in circus arts, Americo has mastered techniques such as juggling, balance, clowning, illusionism, fire performing, and fluid arts. His show has traveled across America and Europe, presenting in theaters, squares, circuses, cultural centers, and events of all kinds.
By merging circus with other performing arts like theater, comedy and music, he creates unforgettable experiences for the whole family, filled with joy, laughter and awareness.
During my formative years, I dedicated myself to researching and practicing with passion. My training at the National Circus School in Venezuela lasted 2 years, where I delved into circus performances and various techniques such as clowning, juggling, and act creation.

Additionally, I have participated in intensive seminars and workshops in different countries, enriching my experience and cultural understanding of the art. I take pleasure in sharing and acquiring knowledge in environments that promote mutual respect.

Scott Raison is an award-winning circus artist known for his versatility, bold stage presence, and comedic character work. In 2026, he became the first-ever graduate of l’École Nationale de Cirque to specialize in foot juggling. His recent performance highlights include Festival Mondial du Cirque de Demain, Montréal Complètement Cirque, Turbo Juggling Festival, and Circus Smirkus. An accomplished solo and ensemble artist, Scott is inspired by the grit and spectacle of traditional circus alongside the vulnerability of its evolving contemporary form.

Lucy Tan is an Australian-born juggler, porter, and acrobat. Circus has been a constant throughline in Lucy’s life, a passion they inherited from their mother, starting with flying trapeze classes as a toddler and more recently manifesting itself as a career in high tempo ball juggling and the throwing, catching and stacking of other acrobats. Safe to say Lucy never had to run away to join the circus. For them, it has always been more about running to keep up.

Rolling in from the Motor City, our next performer is here to prove that object manipulation is way groovier on eight wheels. Her blend of rhythm skating and trick roping turns into a beautiful display of ‘how is she not tangling herself? For a crowd that appreciates ridiculous faces, smooth grooves, and dynamic prop control, put your hands together for the midwest spectacle… Tumbleweed!