Aerial Physique Instructors
Meet our team.
Meet Jill.
Jill Franklin began Aerial Physique back in 2012 with the goal of making aerial arts approachable to curious fitness enthusiasts. Her humble beginnings included teaching classes in the corner of a Pilates studio with only a handful of students. Since then, Aerial Physique has expanded into a globally known brand. Jill is known for her graceful style in the air and has had the pleasure of traveling worldwide, leading teacher training programs and workshops. An entrepreneur at heart, she's the face and content creator behind the popular @aerialphysique Instagram account and the author of numerous aerial-related books and online courses.
Curious how Jill went from a handful of students in a tiny studio to a globally known aerial brand? Click here to hear about the full story.
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Favorite aerial skills? Windmills & Creature
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Biggest aerial pet peeve? 'Plopping' out of skills!
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One thing you can't live without? Chapstick
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Favorite place you've traveled to? A toss-up between Amsterdam & Brac, Croatia
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How would your BFF describe you? Bubbly, ambitious & organized
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Dog or cat person? Cats win, but I still love puppies
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What is your favorite food? Croissants & broccoli
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What is your favorite song to rock out to in the car? 'No Diggity, No Doubt' … but lately, I’ve been really into business podcasts!
Aerial Physique Creator
Meet Gabe.
Master Trainer
Gabe was born and raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and discovered circus when he was 14 at Circus Juventas, a large performing circus arts school. From there he quickly became an advanced performer; performing in advanced Aerial Silks, Spanish Web, and Aerial Pas de Deux. When he wasn't training and coaching circus, he completed his Bachelor of Arts at the University of Minnesota in Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies. Gabe coached multiple aerial acts including: Multiple Trapeze, Aerial Conditioning, Aerial Silks, Spanish Web, Aerial Pas de Deux, and Flying Silks. Gabe is a graduate of the Aerial Physique Teacher Training program and is an Aerial Physique Master Trainer.
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Favorite aerial skill? Windmills!
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Biggest aerial pet peeve? Lazy, unpointed toes and bent legs!
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One thing you can't live without? My dog, Astro!
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Favorite place you've traveled to? London, England!
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How would your BFF describe you? As a water sign.
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Dog or cat person?Dog person! Adamantly opposed to cats.
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Favorite food? Pizza!
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Favorite song to rock out to in the car? Anything by Fka Twigs!
Meet Sagiv.
Sagiv is an internationally-known circus artist living in Los Angeles. Born in Israel, Sagiv’s gymnastics training started at an early age. His passion for performing combined with his growing gymnastics skills, inspiring him to move to the United States where he could study and work in the circus arts. Once in Los Angeles, Sagiv trained with a small group of circus artists in a variety of aerial apparatuses and acrobatics. This soon led to more advanced training at the world-renowned San Francisco Circus Center.
Sagiv’s natural talent and dedication to the physical demands of circus quickly paid off. With advanced skills in trapeze and acrobatics, he landed the title role of Spiderman in Universal Studio’s popular stunt show “Spiderman Rocks” for 3
years. While there he performed motion-capture work for the feature film “Polar Express”. These successes quickly grew into numerous professional shows
across the globe. For more than 15 years, Sagiv has performed as a circus artist in acrobatics, hand balancing and partner balancing, aerial rope, hoop, dance
trapeze, static trapeze and more. Productions include: Teatro ZinZanni, Cirque Mechanics, Cirque De La Symphonie, Cirque Production, Cirque du Soleil Special
Events, and Troup Vertigo.
Sagiv’s diverse skill set, along with his ability to learn dance and choreography, has also landed him in many musical acts. He performed with Cher’s three-year residency at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. He was then asked to join Cher’s Dress 2 Kill tour in 2014, where he performed on aerial apparatuses that he designed, and which were unique to the show’s theme and aesthetic. He has also performed at The Grammy Awards, and alongside such artists as Taylor Swift and the Black Eyed Peas, just to name a few.
When he’s not on the road, Sagiv has enjoyed coaching students. From aerial to acrobatics, hand balancing to act creation, Sagiv has been an integral part of the school’s success, helping CSLA to become one of the top circus schools in Southern California. Sagiv’s hard work, passion and discipline are demonstrated in his large body of work. He performs to inspire and entertain audiences of all ages and backgrounds.
Meet Christine.
Master Trainer
Canadian-born Christine fell in love with dance as a teenager, studying dance at Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet School and the Alvin Ailey School in NYC. Christine performed with Royal Caribbean Productions, traveling and entertaining audiences around the world. This was also where she began training and performing aerial silks, lyra, bungee harness and various creative apparatuses.
Currently, Christine lives in Berlin, Germany where she continues to perform on the world’s biggest theatre stage at Friedrichstadt-Palast Berlin. There she is featured as an aerialist and dancer in the theatre’s newest creation: VIVID Grand Show.
Christine is a certified Circus Instructor from Montreal’s École Nationale de Cirque (National Circus School of Canada), and an Aerial Physique Master Trainer after attending Jill Franklin’s Aerial Physique Teacher Training Programs in Italy, Vienna and Los Angeles. She looks forward to leading Teacher Training’s alongside Jill in Europe in the summer of 2019. It is her passion to combine both art forms, creating a fusion of “dance in the air” and bringing her unique style to performance, choreography and teaching.
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Favorite aerial skills? Split variations and Triple Star. I am most proud of knee climbs because it took me a LONG time to conquer them
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Biggest aerial pet peeve? Crazy Drop Acts: Acts or choreography that feature only crazy dangerous tricks and drops and nothing else. It is not interesting to me. Life is an amazing journey. Your time in the air should be as well.
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One thing you can't live without? My family: Near or far, they are a huge emotional support system and the best cheerleaders
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Favorite place you've traveled to? Hawaii. It holds a very special place in my heart.
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How would your BFF describe you? “Amazing, awesome and smart and so talented.”
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Dog or cat person? Dogs!!! Team Dog all the way!
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What is your favorite food? Summer Berries: Strawberries, Blueberries, Blackberries.
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What is your favorite song to rock out to in the car? U2, Muse & Spice Girls (Wannabe is my Jam! Lol)
Meet Hayley
Hayley Cabral began her career as a contortionist at 14 years old after training in competitive gymnastics. She spent her teenage years performing in Cirque style theatrical productions touring around the USA and Canada.
She began serious professional training at 19 years old in Las Vegas at the “Flexible Body Art” contortion school under the direction of Master Mongolian contortionist and Cirque Du Soleil performer, Otgo Waller.
She stared as a solo contortionist and hand balancer in California's Largest Big Top Circus, Circus Vargas, performing 11 shows per week!
After completing two years touring with the Circus, Hayley went on to travel the world with her act, most recently in the Philippines for the largest mall in the world “Mall of Asia” and most successfully aboard prestigious cruise ships where she and her husband perform their original show "Rhythm of Argentina" telling the story of their fascinating lives as performers. Her experience of touring as a professional contortionist and performing in several different environments has taught her that the most important part of being a successful artist or athlete is adaptability. She teaches a philosophy of positive perseverance and patience that has allowed her to achieve her professional goals and achieve a high level of acrobatic ability.
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Favorite hand-balancing skill(s) - One arm handstand spinning!
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Biggest hand-balancing pet peeve? floppy feet!
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One thing you can't live without? Water
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Favorite place you've traveled to? Aruba
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How would your BFF describe you? Crazy and creative
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Dog or cat person? CAT
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Favorite food? french fries
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Favorite song to rock out to in the car? I will survive
Meet Nafeesa.
In addition to loving aerial, Nafeesa gives personalized Human Design (and Astrology) readings to help people live more in alignment with their natural energy and natural gifts for a life with less resistance and hustle @aligned.readings. She was born and raised in New York City, and was on her middle and high school gymnastics teams. She started doing aerial silks with Jill at Aerial Physique 7+ years ago and hasn’t looked back. She is a graduate of the Aerial Physique Teacher Training program and looks forward to helping others fall in love with aerial and join the community!
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What is your favorite aerial skill(s)? Love no-handed drops!
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What is your biggest aerial pet peeve? Not pointing toes and bent legs during straddle backs
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What is one thing you can't live without? The ability to move around
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What is your favorite place you've traveled to? can’t pick a place
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How would your BFF describe you? as “a crazy person in the best kinda way”
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Are you a cat person, a dog person or both? both
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What is your favorite food? Vietnamese pho or Japanese ramen depending on my mood
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What is your favorite song to rock out to in the car? that’s a secret
Meet Alyssa.
Alyssa is a connective native and has committed her life to inspire others through movement. She graduated with a BA in Dance with a concentration in Body, Science and Motion as well as a minor in Biology from Marymount Manhattan College (NYC). Since moving to LA in 2014, she has become a lifestyle coach/ personal trainer and master instructor for Equinox Sports Clubs, gained multiple fitness certifications and became a graduate of the Aerial Physique Teacher Training Program. Alyssa is excited to bring the love to aerial arts, dance and fitness to the students at Aerial physique!
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Favorite aerial skills? Music box! Or anything that requires a bendy back. ;)
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Biggest aerial pet peeve? Jerky drops!
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One thing you can't live without? Pink nail polish
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Favorite place you've traveled to? Les Saintes, Vancouver, Barcelona
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How would your BFF describe you? Energetic, adventurous, affectionate, encouraging, motivating
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Dog or cat person? Dog! I grew up with two adorable Greyhounds. :)
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Favorite food? I'm a foodie so this is a very difficult question! I'll go with gourmet ice cream. :D
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Favorite song to rock out to in the car? Anything Selena Gomez, Kesha, or Ariana Grande. Girl pop for life! Also, Hamilton. Always, Hamilton. ;)
Meet Lindsay.
Lindsay is a dance educator, aerialist, performer, facilitator, and fitness influencer in Los Angeles. A graduate of the Aerial Physique Teacher Training Program, the UCLA World Arts and Cultures department and NYU’s Master of Arts in Dance Education, Lindsay has helped develop and implement many innovative K-12 education projects and professional development programs as the Arts Education Program Coordinator at UCLA, and is committed to integrating movement and mindfulness into daily life.
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Favorite aerial skills? Splits, and any fallen angel variation.
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Biggest aerial pet peeve? Swinging the legs back before an inversion... it's my pet peeve because its a challenge for me in my own practice! Inversions are hard!
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One thing you can't live without? Movement and creativity!
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Favorite place you've traveled to? Bora Bora, Tahiti
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How would your BFF describe you? Happy, energetic, and always willing to go home early!
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Dog or cat person? Cats! Dogs are too needy and high maintenance.
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Favorite food? CHOCOLATE.
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Favorite song to rock out to in the car? I've been listening to podcasts a lot lately...I love learning about the world through storytelling!
Meet Arisa.
Arisa was introduced to aerial arts almost 15 years ago, learning from various instructors and professionals all over LA. She is certified to teach both aerial silks (through Aerial Physique) and aerial lyra/hoop (through Paper Doll Militia). As a teenager, she was a competitive gymnast and ranked in the top 10 on balance beam in her home state of Texas. She then focused her training on dance throughout high school and college. Now approaching her 50s, Arisa has a vested interest in emphasizing proper alignment and injury prevention in her aerial training. She has always appreciated the intersection of athleticism and artistry offered by aerial arts, and she believes that anyone can find joy in the experience of wrapping themselves in silks or twirling around on a lyra!
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Favorite aerial skills? Back dives and sideways star
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Biggest aerial pet peeve? Sloppy feet, “jumping” off the Silks
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One thing you can't live without? iPad
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Favorite place you've traveled to? Palau
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How would your BFF describe you? Sensible
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Dog or Cat Person? Dog
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Favorite food? Almost anything made with love
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Favorite song to rock out to in the car? I don’t rock out anymore. I listen to NPR. Can a person rock out to “This American Life”?