“Some people like soccer, volleyball, or swimming but I found a unique passion, I know it is odd but I love it,” freshman Karina Hoge said. Her passion is gymnastics. In addition to being a gymnast, Hoge participates and trains every day for Cirque du Soleil. Coached by two professional acrobats from the Ming Circus in China, she takes everything in her training seriously, in order to perform in shows all over California.

“Not only do I mentally enjoy this but it keeps me very physically fit,” Hoge said. “The conditioning involved with my training is very important to excel.”

Before Hoge discovered her love for the circus, she was a gymnast for six years. “I started getting into it after I attended a summer camp at Circus Center and truly loved it,” she said. Ever since, Hoge has been part of the circus produced by the Circus Center, additionally teaching classes at the camp that started her love for the circus.

There are only two circus facilities that train for Cirque du Soleil in North America. Hoge trains in San Francisco, as the other center is located in Montreal. She practices two types of training: aerial and acrobatics. Acrobatics includes tumbling, pole jumping, climbing, hoop diving, and stunting.  Aerial includes training with apparatuses including trapeze, rope, and the Spanish Web.

Hoge’s specialty is another aerial skill, the silks. “The best way I could explain what they are are two long ribbons that hang from the ceiling that stretch up to 30 feet tall,” Hoge said. “You climb in these and do contortion poses and learn certain wraps where you can let go and it will catch you after a fall.”

Hoge is happy that she found her passion so early in life.  “I do circus because its unique. Not many people know about the circus world,” Hoge said. “It gives me a natural high, a sense of happiness and accomplishment. I love the circus.”