Carolyn Ailsa
Known as the Twisted Nymph performer. She is a seasoned performer and instructor specialising in contortion, aerial hoop and silks, with over 10 years of experience delighting audiences in the cabaret and circus Industry.
Carolyn specialises in working with adults who wish to increase their strength and flexibility for pole and aerial arts. With no dance or gymnastic background she started pole dancing in 2008, got hooked on aerial in 2010, then started contortion training in 2015.
Carolyn states ‘I approach my teaching with an understanding of students’ varied lifestyles (balancing work with throwing yourselves upside down every chance you get!)’
She completed her practice-based PhD exploring female experience of aerial circus in 2020 and applies this knowledge to her teaching. She taught pole and burlesque before apprenticing with High Top Circus to develop my aerial and flexibility instruction skills and has attended numerous courses/workshops/conferences on flexibility teaching, anatomy, injury awareness, and healthier bodies in the aerial arts and she is forever continuing to learn!
She has mainly studied under Allison Schieler, Hannah Finn and Claudia Hughes, and loves trying classes with other instructors to learn different techniques.