Shannon McKenna is a professional aerialist and she’s been that way for 15 years. She was never a dancer or gymnast (but, one hell of a tree climber), so when she discovered aerial arts as an adult, she some catching up to do!
Training to reach a professional level as an adult required Shannon to develop unique drills, detailed precision in her technique, and empathy for herself- three things she passes on to all her students! She is recognized as an innovative coach with an unconventional approach to breaking down skills to the point where anyone can benefit from her training.
Even you.
As Shannon’s performing and coaching work grew in parallel, she noted a disconnect between professional circus performers and recreational aerial arts communities. Each had incredible knowledge to share and she wanted bridge the gap between the two worlds. Her solution was to go online.
In 2018, she founded The Artist Athlete- an online company dedicated to spreading education and inspiration in circus arts. It included practical foundational resources for aerialists and The Artist Athlete Podcast- a weekly interview series with highly regarded circus professionals.
Shannon remains on the forefront of online aerial arts training, creating a library of interactive information. The Artist Athlete Podcast has charted in France, the UK, and Canada as one of the top 50 podcasts in Arts and Entertainment category.
Shannon is currently working towards a master's degree in Creative Arts Therapy at Concordia University in Montreal with the ultimate goal of researching the psychotherapeutic benefits of creative movement. She is available for 1:1 aerial training and hosts the occasional workshop. She still likes to adventure to places where she doesn’t speak the language, can’t identify what she’s eating, and may or may not have to hitch hike back to civilization on a dirt road.
