Meet Daniele Petersen | Yoga Instructor & Circus acrobat

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

Hi Daniele, any advice for those thinking about whether to keep going or to give up?
If your eyes sparkle and your heart flutters, keep going. Listen to your heart, it will guide you to your deepest desires of your soul.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I work with circus, dance, photography, yoga and movement, I like to bring everything together and mixed, even knowing its peculiarities in each sector. I feel good when I’m on the move, I feel alive, strong, present. I’m proud of everything I’ve done and where I’ve been. My initial passion has always been photography, this art of freezing moments in a sip of breath, playing with the facets of light, framing… At that time I still lived in Brasilia, the capital of Brazil, where I was born. I looked for a college where I could explore this world and I found in communication very experienced masters with whom I had the pleasure of working closely, and in which I got my first book, entitled “Corpos Tortos, Traços Aéreos”. And I was also assistant camera in movies, weddings and political campaigns. Within photography I fell in love with circus art, exuberant and intriguing at the same time, I was 24 years old and had many dreams ahead of me. I went out of my way to pay for my training and lessons, I lived far away, used public transport, nobody really believed that the art of the circus could bear fruit, I insisted. The circus brought me the creation of Companhia Fios de Éter, together with a partner, who was my companion for a few years, where together we created a new device – Badalo – we performed the show Tecendo Fios de Éter and we had a company that took care of projects and created circus apparatus, Traços Aéreos. I did a little bit of everything, artistic and executive production, fundraising, communication advice, costumes, choreography, stagehand, cleaning and interpretation. When we parted, I went through a challenging process of taking the show alone to places and finding artists who wanted to continue the process. In addition, I started working at another company, Trupe Mirabolantes, which I still identify with and which brought me incredible experiences, but it wasn’t always a bed of roses. Because I wanted to dedicate myself more to stunts, but I had to work as a producer. Then I found an opportunity to go to Rio de Janeiro, where I always wanted to live because of being closer to the only circus school in Brazil, Escola Nacional de Circo – ENC. Unfortunately, I was not approved for the scholarship (which was important to financially support me in RJ), which they offer in the face of a series of physical evidence and the act, so I continued working with production and photography. I produced a show with people from all over the world at Circo Crescer e Viver (RJ), worked as a photography assistant on some short films, at documentary “Treliça”, and a cooking program for TV, which was called: Na Boca do Povo, by Sergio Bloch, and in the feature “Desejos Modernos”, by Gustavo Moretszohn, and worked as a Photo Manager at the 2016 Olympic games, where I met and started dating an American photographer, and I also volunteered in circus and yoga projects. And at the same time, I started teaching aerial acrobatics in some circus spaces, such as the Intrépida Trupe, and did my long-awaited teacher training in yoga, the one that has always been present in my life. And finally, I realized one of my big dreams, to work in canvas circus, at UniCirco Marcos Frota, with the show Terra Oca, where I felt fulfilled, with a cast that was my second family. After that, life shook me and I ended up in São Paulo, where I worked with the Patati Patatá Circo Show. But in the midst of it all, I found myself in a long-distance relationship, and we decided to stay together. From there I came to America and here I facilitate yoga practices in order to transform lives through breathing and self-knowledge and I have been looking for my space in the circus arts.

I learned in the midst of it all, to stand firm, to be resilient, not to get lost in the fluctuations of the mind and the disenchantments that the world offers. Through my psychophysical and meditative practices, mantras and the confidence that everything has a purpose. I learned to take advantage of situations, no matter how far from planned, they have something to teach, so I don’t question: why something I wouldn’t like is happening, but I question: what I should learn there. We have an incredible transformative power, just put it into action.

I want you to remember me with enthusiasm, to be enchanted and inspired in some way, so that you can get to know yourself, go deeper into yourself. And that believe in yourselves and in your dreams, everything in life is learned, we are eternal learners and everything passes, the bad and the good things too. We are not alone in this world, we need each other, so it is important to cultivate friendship, charisma and do good, without judgment. And, for me, the most relevant of all learning is to respect and love nature and animals, they are our masters, we are all ONE.

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 would take my friend closer to nature, the most beautiful thing we have here, like the Grand Canyon, one of the most incredible and challenging experiences to live. Sedona e Utah, which is a place I don’t know yet, but I want to. We would practice yoga and meditation. We would eat Brazilian açai and Brazilian and/or vegan food. And I would take him to the circus and some circus show.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My mother for letting me choose what I always wanted, all the masters and teachers that have passed through my life and some friends who really made a difference. I can also say that the people I have been disappointed with, or hurt me in some way, teach me to look beyond, for which I am grateful.

Instagram: @danioliveira.inspira

Linkedin: Dani Oliveira

Facebook: Dani Oliveira

Youtube: Dani Oliveira

Other: Vimeo: Companhia Fios de Éter

Image Credits
Christian Petersen