From an early age, sisters Julie, Samantha, and Elisa DeAngelis had a flair for dance—and an interest in circus arts, thanks to a birthday party they attended as youngsters. “We were all competitive dancers as kids,” says Elisa. “When our neighbour had a circus party, we asked our parents if we could start taking circus lessons.”
So they did. The three studied at the Etobicoke School of the Arts during their high school years. Upon graduation, Elisa moved to Montreal to enrol in École Nationale de Cirque (and worked with Cirque du Soleil). Both Julie and Samantha trained with various Canadian and American circus companies and became certified dance instructors under Dance Masters of America, an international organization of dance educators.
In October 2008, the sisters launched an aerial-dance cirque company called A2D2, which stands for Aerial Artists and Dance Divas but is more commonly referred to as “A-squared D-squared.” In addition to performing, the sisters also design and produce routines for events. “The company [grew] from the passion we have as performers,” Elisa says.
Having grown up in the entertainment industry—their parents run DeAngelis Entertainment Inc.—the sisters can see an event from a producer’s prospective. “If it weren’t for our parents’ company, I don’t think we would have the aptitude we have,” says Julie. “Our clients are dealing with the same person throughout the entire planning process and on the day of the event. If we are using another performer, one of us is always on site.”
The program and choreography chosen for an event often depend on the venue. “What we do has to be conducive to the space. If there is no rigging or the ceilings are too low, we don’t do aerial. We have to go through the logistics first, and then the fun stuff comes into play,” says Elisa.
For safety reasons, A2D2 only uses its own equipment or specially commissioned pieces. “A unique feature of our company is our ability to provide cirque entertainment in spaces which do not have the capability to accommodate proper aerial rigging. Our one-of-a-kind apparatus, Cirque-u-l’air, and our newest apparatus, Circus-sphere, are just two examples of our innovation,” Julie says.
The women have also made it a personal mission to give back to the community by hosting annual fund-raisers designed to raise awareness about spinal health. In 2009, A2D2 produced an event called “Cirque-tacular and the Seven Deadly Sins” in support of the Canadian Spinal Research Organization. This past summer they produced another event called Cirque Tea Party, with all proceeds going to the Canadian Paraplegic Association.
In September, Maverick Public Relations hired A2D2 to execute an impromptu performance including ground acrobatics and a flash mob at a client’s annual general meeting. They provided the entertainment as guests entered and exited meetings. “They were very detailed with the proposal we asked them to put together, and they gave us several options,” said consultant Candi Jeronimo. “They were very professional and on top of things, and they understood what we needed.”
Says Elisa, “People are really excited by cirque. It’s really enchanting, especially with the makeup and the costumes.”