Our Teachers

  • Woman with long dark hair, wearing a black top with a red lace trim, a red flower in her hair, and large gold earrings, standing against a dark background.

    Maya Trujillo

    Founder/Co-Owner/Aerial Arts Director, Aerial Dance Instructor and Choreographer

    Growing up performing with GravityWorks Circus Troupe in Mexico, Maya has since followed her dream to teach aerial acrobatics and create aerial dance performances both in Mexico and the United States for over a decade. Combining her dance background of Flamenco, ballet and modern dance, she has a passion for creating stories with movement in the air.

    Maya has two Teacher Training certificates from the New England Center for Circus Arts (NECCA), six years of bilingual teaching experience for the GravityWorks school in Mexico, and four years of teaching at Aerial Dance Chicago (ADC) in Chicago, IL. Maya was the Aerial Dance Chicago’s Youth Ensemble Artistic Director from 2017 to 2020. She choreographed biannual performances for both the ADC Youth Ensemble and for the ADC Professional Dance Company.

  • Smiling person with short brown hair in a lace top, outdoors.

    Kayla Graham

    Co-Owner/Theater Director, Instructor and Stage Combat Choreographer

    Kayla is an actor, director, improviser, and fight choreographer. She has been performing and teaching over the past 10 years throughout Ohio, from Dayton to Columbus to her hometown of Yellow Springs. Kayla is an award winning actress. She received her Theatre Degree from Columbia College Chicago where she laid the groundwork for a career in the arts and found her passion for creating dynamic and safe storytelling. She is thrilled to be a part of GravityWorks and collaborating with Maya in this unique art form to continue her passion of storytelling and bringing dynamic and compelling art to her community.

Two women in black outfits sitting in an aerial hoop, smiling, against a beige background at the Foundry Theater in Yellow Springs, OH. 
Photo by Matthew Collins

Testimonials

“I absolutely love watching Maya teach kids. She is so patient with her students. The kids are always smiling and laughing because she gets down on their level and jokes with them to make a really supportive, welcoming environment. She teaches aerial thoroughly, safely, and makes it so fun. Her students truly love her. I also love taking class from Maya. She is friendly, and always has a unique perspective. She has so much aerial knowledge, and creates really stunning choreography. Highly highly recommend!” -Libby Westra

Don’t miss our upcoming performance this July, 2024!

Two people performing aerial silks, suspended in the air, in a studio with a cream curtain and black drapes.
A group of performers in colorful costumes executing a trapeze act outdoors, with an audience in the background. Two performers are suspended in mid-air on trapeze apparatus, while others are on the ground in dynamic poses.

Learn more about GravityWorks and our origin story.

Two performers in black and white striped costumes and makeup sitting onstage, with red drapery in the background, one holding a leg up.

Read fun stories about joining the circus and how you can too!