Upcoming Workshops
June Workshops with Coach Coco!
Vivid Black Paint
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The Awaken Spaces Workshop
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Vivid Black Paint 〰️ The Awaken Spaces Workshop ~
Vertical Grip Intensive - June 12 6pm-7:30pm
A grip focused workshop that is great for any skill level and can also serve those on bar apparatus. The techniques you will learn have actually helped people unlock a one armed hang at all levels of aerial skill. This workshop is especially supportive to female bodies and those who are more bottom half strong vs top half strong.
Vertical Foundations - June 13 11am-12:30pm
This is a nerdy class where we break down and go through various progressions of foundational skills such as climbing, inverting, hip keying, and simple locks/tension locks/friction locks. Great for any level and gives folks a lot to add to their training. It also serves both students and coaches.
Vertical Foundations - June 13 11am-12:30pm
Coach Coco will lead a few short sequences that the group will learn to execute. As students learn the sequences, they will spend time with segments of the sequence and consider what that means for their individual skill level and preferred performance aesthetic. Students will also focus on their form and intention as they work through presenting the completed sequences to the group.
The Awaken Space Workshops
The Awaken Space is a 3-part workshop designed for circus movers and educators, body work specialists, and fitness trainers of all levels, who help others grow their bodily awareness and connection as somatic professionals. Awaken Space initiates learning, planning, doing as a community building cycle through race equity and self-care, and considers that some racial groups are least likely to frequent circus and fitness spaces and why.
Part One | May 29 | 1:45pm-3:15pm | Echo Theatre | Alissa
Learn about and practice exercises that can help you approach the topic openly and with care for self.
Part Two | June 11 | 5:00pm-7:00pm | Echo West | Nastaaja
Explore the topics of Race, Equity, and Belonging and that people of some racial groups least attend classes and why. Practice
using wellness and the arts to support your race equity action. Draft an individual Race Equity Action Plan (iREAP).
Part Three | June 14 | 2:00pm-4:00pm | Echo West | Options for 1:1/2 | Alissa + Nastaaja
Start an individual, or group, Creative Process, ideally through your circus arts concentration, that will support you as you begin to apply your iREAP. It is essentially an intentional Jam Session, so plan to play and to move your body.
About Coach Coco
Nastaaja “Coach Coco” Johnson-Buck, also known as Coach Coco, is an expert in program design and strategic, caring capacity building. She is also a 13 year circus and fitness professional as well as the founder and facilitator of Vivid Black Paint, an art-centered 501(c)(3) that uses art, joy, play and nature as mediums to process and practice hard things. Vivid Black Paint is a dedication to Staaj's values of Community, Discovery, Wellness, Equity, and Autonomy, and, was designed as an opportunity to fortify one's capacity to take challenging, beautiful risks that enhances their whole living experience.
She is an 11th year circus coach, personal trainer, and a certified health and wellness coach. I also hold a few degrees and have been working with vulnerable populations her whole career. All of which feeds into her coaching and leadership and bolster her capacity to support others as they explore these more sensitive topics of race and equity.
Nastaaja has years of experience in Youth Development, "The Arts," Fitness and Social Responsibility. She has a deep focus on Wellness and Culture and has lived all over this country, and outside of it. She has held leadership roles for national organizations such as YMCA, YWCA, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and LA Fitness as well as with the Minneapolis Public Schools District, which have all greatly developed her skills in Quality Coaching, Strategic Programmatic Design, and general Program Development. Nastaaja was also the Lead Coach for a local Circus Program for several years, and is the founder of The UNCAAGED members programming and The UNCAAGED Professional Learning Community for local arts professionals. The UNCAAGED offers community and wellness programming through an equity lens in ways that enhance the inherent benefits of circus arts and applies them to a practice of supporting self-care and personal growth. She has started various efforts over the years and tends to leave a bit of legacy wherever she goes.