The Vision
Providing Meaningful, High-Level Circus Art
Formed by director and aerialist Kelsey Aicher, Circus Scorpius redefines circus arts in Kansas City by creating narrative, purposeful shows with some of the top performers in the region.
With a background in screenwriting, storytelling has always been an important aspect of Kelsey’s own aerial performances. She believes that having a story, a character provides the connection necessary to captivate the audience. Whether it is a dramatic piece about overcoming depression or a fun number about superheroes falling in love, every act deserves to have intention.
When Kelsey began writing circus stage shows in 2017, she had no desire to direct, believing she lacked the confidence and the vision. After seeing three of her shows brought to life and how much she loved providing artistic input when asked, Kelsey grew curious. She took a chance on herself, asking to direct a student show with Kansas City Aerial Arts’ Training Company. In April 2019, she made her directoral debut with Masked!: A Superhero Love Story. Since then, she has directed five other student shows and has received two “Best Show” honors at KC Fringe Festival.
In November 2021, she directed her first professional-level circus show with Aerheart KC Circus Company. The show, n0rmal, was an incredibly important creation for Kelsey as it tackled the topic of the prevelance of mental health disorders and suicide in America (read a review). It was highly personal not only for her, but for many of the performers and even the audience members. It was also while working on n0rmal that Kelsey realized the importance of having complete agency over her voice and art. The experience encouraged her to form her own performance company, Circus Scorpius.
While Kelsey holds a soft spot in her heart for shows and pieces that bring light to darker subjects, she finds equal pleasure in creating shows that are whimsical and silly. Even when working on a corporate event, it is important to her that she fully understands the heart and intentions of the client in order to provide the perfect experience. Every performance deserves thought and dedication, no matter how seemingly small.
(Listen to a podcast with Kelsey Aicher by Lindsey Dineen here.)