Staff Biographies

CircEsteem has grown to such an amazing program because of the countless hours and limitless energy given by circus professionals, curious volunteers, and excited educators, passing on what they know. Our staff has gone on to tour with circuses as acrobats and clowns, gone to public and private schools bringing circus to their classrooms and started outreach programs of their own.

Lizzy Gifford-Aerial Arts, Hoops

Elisabeth Gifford has been swinging, flipping and spinning her way through the circus industry since the age of twelve when the late, great Reg Bolton taught her to walk on stilts and have faith in her own abilities. She has a bachelor degree in circus arts from Australia’s National Institute of Circus Arts, where she trained with Arturo Gomez, Vasily Ivanov, and Helene Embling. Elisabeth has performed extensively in Australia, Asia and the United States with companies including Bizircus, Aloft, the Midnight Circus, the Bindlestiff Family Cirkus, Circo Rose, and Cirque Experience. She specializes in hula hoops, static trapeze, silks, Spanish web and various sideshow skills that she is not allowed to teach you because they involve nails and broken glass.