Meet Alisha Rickman | Co-owner of the Arizona Circus Center

We had the good fortune of connecting with Alisha Rickman and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Alisha, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I believe that artistic and creative careers often choose you. Although I was always a creative child, I entered college planning to pursue a degree in animal biology or chemistry, aspiring to become a Veterinarian. Fortunately, after struggling with the necessary courses for two years, an advisor helped me recognize that this path didn’t align with my natural inclinations and guided me toward a more creative field like Event Planning. This marked a significant shift in my college experience; I transitioned from feeling overwhelmed and reluctant to attend classes to being genuinely excited about them. I went from struggling to pass my classes to a 4.0 student by the time I graduated.

When I shifted to the Entertainment industry to perform and train Circus, it was primarily to unleash my own creativity without constraints. I often found myself as an Event Planner bringing to life other peoples visions, but I yearned to express my own. Now my vision is expressed through our choreographed routines and shows that we produce for our business.

I can clearly remember being seven years old on a field trip to a three-ring circus. As I stepped off the bus, I spotted a stilt walker who borrowed my disposable camera and captured a photo of me gazing up at him in sheer amazement. That was the moment I should have realized that this was my true dream all along. I longed to be down there, amidst the flying trapeze artists and acrobats. Sadly, we are often steered toward more conventional and practical career choices. Becoming a circus artist didn’t appear on any of my career assessment tests in high school. I’m genuinely grateful that my chemistry classes were too challenging for me to pass; my life would likely be very different and far less fulfilling had I chosen a more traditional path.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I co-own and manage the Arizona Circus Center with my partner. Our center serves as a welcoming space for individuals from all backgrounds and fitness levels to come together and explore the captivating world of circus arts. We provide a diverse array of recreational and professional classes in aerial, acrobatic, and ground-based disciplines, all within an environment that nurtures both athleticism and creativity. Our classes cater to participants as young as 2 years old, extending to adults of any age.

In addition to our classes, we also book performers for various events throughout the valley year-round. We proudly produce two in-house circus shows that showcase some of the finest circus talent in Arizona.
Currently, we are the only circus center in the Phoenix area, serving as a comprehensive destination to experience a wide variety of classes, including handstands, flexibility, conditioning, aerial arts, tumbling, and much more!
As we enter our fourth year of business, we are thrilled to continue expanding our space and offerings, allowing people to experience the artistic freedom that circus arts provide, or simply enjoy a fantastic workout.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I lived in Arizona for almost a decade and I feel like I still could use a tour of the many hidden wonders of this city. There is so much to choose from.

Day 1: Photos at the Desert Botanical Gardens. We provide performers to this space often and it’s our all time favorite event to be a part of.

Day 2: Old Town Scottsdale brunch at Olive and Ivy and then explore the charming boutiques for a shopping day.

Day 3: Lom Wong curated menu experience in downtown Phoenix. Amazing Thai food and drinks.

Day 4: Papago Park to explore the unique rock formations and visit the Hole-in-the-Rock for a panoramic view.

Day 5: Day trip to Sedona to enjoy the stunning red rock formations and hike either Cathedral Rock or Devil’s Bridge.

Day 6: Spend a day on the water at Lake Pleasant.

Day 7: Fancy Dinner at the Salt Seller to celebrate a great week.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to my mom, who has consistently supported my unconventional career choices without hesitation. Growing up, I admired her dedication to running her own business and dreamed of following in her footsteps one day. A special thanks to my fiancé, who has shown me that living an adventurous life as an acrobat is much more fulfilling than merely climbing the corporate ladder. Finally, I am thankful for all the amazing people who have been part of our journey to establish our business. To our students who have been with us from the start, our mentor Jean-Luc, who inspired us to pursue this path, and everyone who has booked us for performances and allowed us to share our art.

Website: https://www.ArizonaCircusCenter.com

Instagram: @ArizonaCircusCenter

Facebook: https://www.Facebook.com/ArizonaCircusCenter.com

Image Credits
Image of girl on lyra in one of shows was photographed by Courtex Studios. All other photos were done by myself.