Certifications:
Health & Wellness | Adult & Pediatric First Aid, CPR, AED
Education:
B.A. in Psychology, w/minors in Sociology
and Biology
M.A. in International Studies
w/ a Concentration in Education
​
Experience:
Nastaaja, AKA Coach Coco, has years of experience in Circus & Art, Youth Development, Fitness, and Social Responsibility and holds a deep focus on Wellness and Culture.
Coach Coco has held leadership roles for national organizations such as YMCA, YWCA, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and LA Fitness as well as with the Minneapolis Public Schools District.
​
Coach Coco has about 8 years of circus training and coaching experience and led a local Circus Program for several years before it was shuttered permanently due to the 2020-2021 Global Pandemic.
The Namesake & Logo:
Coach Coco chose the name "Circus Paint" because she believes that Circus Arts is great chance to truly come into your Most Creative Self. Paint is the messiest of creative practice and can be most up to interpretation. One person's accident may be another's master piece in paint and circus.
​
She chose the Butterfly because, well they also fly... AND they represent healing, awakening, good fortune, and positive ancestral oversight. She has also always loved butterflies, albeit mostly as a childish gauker.
​
As well, in the year of 2020, she had several occasions of butterflies landing on her, flying into her and fluttering near to her often when she was experiencing her own self doubt, fear... anxiety.
So what better way to honor their obvious support ^_^.
The Catalyst:
The turmoil of 2020 moved her to found Vivid Black Paint Juneteenth 2020, which is a 501(c)(3) Non Profit providing supportive programming for Black Artists and Artists of Color (B+POC).
With this she finally had the gall to launch The Circus Paint Clubhouse in May 2021.
For Coach Coco, Circus Paint is an accumulation of a years long, goal to offer more circus enrichment activities for all, with a special focus Black peoples and peoples of color. She believes that Circus Arts help strengthen the body and mind and offers many opportunities for continued learning, self discovery and growth.
Coach Coco &
The Circus Paint Clubhouse
Foundation
We want to help you get stronger and build into your capacity to do "the aerial stuff" at a fundamental level so that as you learn new circus phrases and statements you can better understand how to structure them and incite you creative circus journey
Wellness
We aim to deliver our services with the whole body in mind to engage you in "Risky Play" and work with you to set your goals and own them...
... so that you can set newer goals of course ...
... and just, you know, own them as well
Accountability
We do not own your growth, we simply help you facilitate it by providing quality coaching and direction as well as comprehensive memberships & plans, so that You can own your success and your emotional and spiritual safety...
You decide your level of commitment
Community
We want you to feel welcomed and we want you to welcome others in with our offerings that include classes, workshops and events to help you more confidentially grow your circus network
Circus Paint Objectives
Black & Brown
Representation
For circus arts, there is no shortage of strong, charismatic individuals that are finding their inner child and full grown self at the same time.
However, we find that Black & Brown Representation remains... sparse, and Circus Paint aims to empower just a few more of us to take to the circus skies.
Circus Arts has so many profound benefits for developing fine and gross motor skills as well as noticeable mental and physical strength, and will challenge, what you think are, your capacities.
There is so much opportunity to learn and explore.
Actually, if you want to engross yourself in the craft, you will do nothing but learn and there's no cap to it!
So don't be scared to try as we are all just learning together.
​
Find out more about my initiatives around Diversity Equity and Inclusion in Circus Arts and the Arts Community At Large of the Twin Cities!
​
You can also engage with the work being done to archive the Black American Circus Experience via the Uncle Junior Project.
