Yiaki (Kiriaki Baili) spent her early childhood in Germany before moving to Athens, Greece,

where she still lives today. She has been practicing aerial acrobatics for over twelve years,

specializing in aerial straps and rope. Her work combines dynamic and static techniques,

exploring how movement appears weightless in the air.

Since 2017, she has been teaching in various aerial schools in Athens, and in 2022 she

founded her own studio, Momentum Aerial Acrobatics. Over the years, she has led

workshops across Greece and abroad — in Mexico, Argentina, Uruguay, Thailand, Spain,

Austria, the United Kingdom, Turkey, Ireland and Germany — and has organized Straps and

Rope Intensive Retreats in Costa Rica and Turkey. Through her teaching, she has worked

with students of all levels, from beginners to professional performers, and connected with

the international aerial community.

As a performer, she has appeared in numerous events and festivals in Greece and directed

the annual performances of Momentum Aerial Acrobatics. Her video Aerial Straps – Bageion

was presented at the SESC São Paulo International Circus Festival (Brazil, 2021), the Athens

Video Dance Festival (2022), and other international events.

Polina Shapkina is an Irish multidisciplinary artist, aerialist, and contemporary circus director based in Dublin. She works both nationally and internationally, collaborating with some of Ireland’s leading circus companies (Fidget Feet Aerial Dance, Circus 250, Broken Theatre) while also creating original work as a solo artist and with her company, VolkiDána and previous company Erebidae Circus.

As a director and multidisciplinary creator, Polina focuses on building immersive worlds for both audiences and performers to step into. Her work spans two forms: experimental, surrealist theatre for the black box and outdoor spectacle with VolkiDána. A common thread throughout her creations is the exploration of existentialism, archetypes, symbolism, and mythology.

As a performer, Polina’s first love is aerial, with the hoop as her main apparatus. Her choreography is rooted in spin theory, characterised by weaving, circling, and spiralling pathways that flow through fluid transitions into poetic, sculptural forms.

Polina has been an aerial instructor for over a decade and is passionate about sharing her craft. Her teaching style is both affirming and empowering, fostering a supportive environment where students can build strong technique, explore new movement qualities, and ultimately discover their own pathways and voice in the air.

April Ananda Bliss is the ring mistress of Bliss Circus, creatrix, and instructor. With 14 years of experience of performance in the circus arts around the world and 10 years of experience organizing circus events and gatherings, her goal is to share the joy and bliss of circus and build the circus community stronger wherever she goes. She is also a bodyworker, her knowledge of the body combined with the many years of training, studying, and working with movement in circus arts has provided her with an encyclopedia of information she is happy to share with her students. 

Aditi discovered circus arts while taking pole lessons with PoleSoc Sussex in 2015. Under the guidance of High Top Circus instructors Kitty Peels and Abigail Horn, Aditi developed a passion for height and vertical movements. Today, Aditi is among the first batch of internationally certified aerial silk instructors, accredited by Oak Kannatthaphon of Asia Aerial Arts (AFAA and ACE approved).

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Aditi has been teaching aerial silk in Bangalore for couple of years and their teaching approach emphasizes a strong commitment to safety, asynchronous method and fostering creative progress rather than mastering a skill.

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Outside the circus, Aditi is a recognized music entrepreneur and DJ and have played host to artists from around the world like Mike Posner, Anderson Paak, Watsky, Tinariwen, Patrick Watson, and many others. Aditi has also performed at popular music events such as Boiler Room, Road to Lollapalooza, Arcade 140 to name a few. Aditi, as FUSHI, also played a show in protest against oppression and oppressive systems at HÖR's debut shows in India.