Board of Directors

Luke Emery

President

Luke has performed and taught circus arts all around the world, including juggling, ball spinning, German wheel, and Cyr wheel. He is a certified wheel coach through the USA Wheel Gymnastics Federation and an original co-founder of the Madison Circus Space. Luke dabbles in all types of trapeze, aerial straps, rope, and whatever else is hanging from the ceiling that looks like fun.

Danielle Lee

Treasurer

Danielle Lee has been hooping since 2004 and teaching since 2008, and has served on the board of Madison Circus Space since its start in 2013. At MCS, Danielle keeps track of all things financial and is also the board representative for hooping and the flow arts. She lives to lead flow jams, teach classes, perform, and do everything possible to share the transformational joy of hooping.

Sarah-Louise Raillard

Secretary

Sarah-Louise Raillard is a professional translator by day and a circus enthusiast by night. She moved to Madison in 2018 and promptly fell in love with MCS. She wears many hats for the space, from doing the laundry and selling merchandise to producing popular shows. She started aerial hoop and trapeze in 2016 and loves combining comedy with aerial in new and unexpected ways.

Steven Clipson

Director

Steven started juggling and unicycling when he was a kid. He is active in the Madison Area Juggling club and often travels for juggling festivals. Since he has been a member at MCS he has learned wheel gymnastics, acro yoga and hoop.

Kelly Ballard

Director

Kelly has been a part of MCS since 2020 and has loved every moment of it! She’s had the pleasure of emceeing and acting in multiple MCS shows, participating in several aerial dance festivals, and has been featured in magazines and social media to promote the Space. Kelly has experience in a variety of circus disciplines, from German wheel to flying trapeze, but her real passion is working with specialized aerial apparatuses (like aerial frame and anchor) and developing audience interactions at shows. Madison Circus Space is truly her home, and many of the people here are her chosen family.

Anna Krueger

Director

Anna joined MCS in 2023. She has been hula hooping since 2014 and found juggling years after. She has taught and performed hula hoops nationally and internationally. On the board she helps with all things insurance.

Alex Starr

Director

Alex began circus in 2019 with duo trapeze and has dabbled in many disciplines since then. He loves organizing and helping with shows, learning new things whenever he can, and occasionally performing. When he’s not at MCS, he develops software and enjoys getting outdoors.

Nicole Lane Starr

Director

Nicole walked in the MCS doors in 2018 and never left. Since then, she has tried just about every apparatus/prop at MCS, but her main love is duo aerial! She is also very active in the shows at MCS– both on and off the stage. She is thrilled to be a part of the board and hopes to help such an incredible community continue to grow!

Christopher Holland

Director

Lizzy Kirkland

Director

Past Board Members

Karen Nellessen

Past Director

Jon Lica

Past Director

Stephanie Richards

Past Director

Josh Casey

Past Director

Carly Schuna

Past Director, Secretary

Jess Courtier

Past Director

Nick Aikens

Past Director

Liz Sexe

Past Director

Deanna Schneider

Past Director

Rob Summerbell

Past Director

Jeremy Perkins

Past Director, Treasurer

Trilly Gregg

Past Director

Tom Running

Past Director