BIOS
Kate McClain is a passionate dancer who evokes emotion and inspires her audience through lyrical dance by spiraling into the intricate ebb and flow that is life.
Home grown in New Orleans, jazz and blues are etched into her soul.
Her formal training of tap, jazz, and ballet started at the early age of three, and her devotion to cultivating her artistry has grown ever since.
In her dedication to dance and movement she has expanded her repertoire into hoop dance and acrobatics. She has integrated these two modalities into an extraordinary fusion of acro-hooping, which is akin to acro-yoga. She manipulates the hoop in such a way which, at times, may seem to defy gravity.
Other performance experience includes private vocal and choral training, stage acting, traditional Indian belly dance, and piano.
She also enjoys spreading hoop love by creating custom hand-made hula hoops, and hosting Honolulu's thriving weekly "Hoopjam". There she offers bits of knowledge to the aspiring novice "hooper". Originating at Magic Island, Hoopjam has migrated to Queen's Beach, then joining forces with the Waikiki Acrobatic Troupe.
She was recently extended the opportunity to teach at Punahou's summer school Circus Theater class.
It also lent her the chance to perform with the Oahu Renegade Circus Collaborative.
She instructs individual and group classes to those interested in learning the fundamentals of the hoop. Kate humorous nature and soulful fluidity are both equally embodied through her animated stagecraft. Whether in the classroom or on the stage, Kate's charm is sure to entertain.
Sirkka was born in Alaska, raised in Hawaii and was a massage therapist for 17 years. Through her experience as a body worker she developed a deep appreciation of the mind/body/soul connection. This shines through in her distinctive style of performing and teaching hoopdance.
She has extensive training in traditional West African percussion, with her specialty being djembe. She also has formal training in television/stage acting, and singing, with a background in musical theater, but finds dance her true calling. A spirited performer who has engaged audiences in Hawaii, Alaska and throughout the west coast.
Sirkka performs with standard, LED, and fire hoops. Through her newfound love of fire dancing she was recently accepted into Burning Man Conclave, showcasing her fire hoop and palm candle performance. She appeared in the hoopdance video remake of Michael Jackson's Thriller which won video of the year at the 2011 Hoopies.
Most recently, she has been in California co-orginizing Hoop Camp 2012, the largest yearly gathering of hoopdancers, and circus art performers from all over the world to further expand their skill set and craft at an award winning retreat.
She also loves to work with children and young adults, teaching them through hoopdance that they are capable individuals while exploring their own unique dance styles.
Sirkka has spun herself across the stage and into the hearts and audiences everywhere, whether a solo at halftime or a large choreographed performance with dance troupes such as the Dancetronauts (a dance company that performs nationwide and is based in Santa Cruz).
No matter what the venue or size of audience, she enjoys them all.
