Meet Robin Gopal | Circus Artist & Instructor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Robin Gopal and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Robin, how does your business help the community?
At Cirque Party, LLC, our goal is to provide kids (and adults!) with the tools they need to navigate their world through joy and play. We strive to tie helping the community into every aspect of our business that we can. Cirque Party is in the unique position to create lasting core memories for people simply because the circus is a magical, fabulous, and memorable thing to behold or participate in. My colleagues and I believe this gives us a responsibility to infuse those memories with something positive people can take with them. We use our art to teach whenever we can. Sometimes that looks like sharing confidence with an audience by demonstrating that the impossible is possible. Sometimes, we work with small groups to use circus skills as a vessel to teach anxiety management and other critical skills. And sometimes, we just remind adults that play d0esn’t have an age limit and offer some attention and healing to everyone’s inner child. We believe the world can be a better place through play and we love living our values.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am a circus performer and I love to tell physical stories. Making the impossible possible is what it is all about. As a woman, I like to showcase my strength first and foremost and inspire others like me that don’t possess a typical dancer’s frame to love their bodies for what they can do more than what they look like. People think a career in circus is one big party, but it takes endless discipline and the road is paved with different challenges for everyone. I started my career as a Bioengineer, and shortly after gaining the courage and plan to leave that career for a more Bohemian artist’s lifestyle, I was diagnosed with cancer. My body is my instrument, and this news seemed like the end of my newly hatched career. I was lucky and found myself surrounded by an incredible community that supported me and helped me rebuild myself and my career. I’ve had to learn that progress is never linear and being able to do what I love in any capacity is a gift. I try to infuse my performances with the stories I’ve lived and the lessons I’ve learned – which is healing for me and hopefully my audiences too!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I am still learning my way around LA, but when people visit, I love taking them the Santa Monica Chaumont for the incredible croissants – once they have had them once, they have to stop for more a few times before the week is done. Sitting on the beach with some Holey Grail Donuts and Blue Bottle coffee is also on my list. Duke’s Malibu gives an incredible view with your cocktails. Cole’s French Dip is a tasty place for a sandwich – but an even better place for a cocktail in a hidden speakeasy. A walk along Venice Beach to check out the people and the sights is always a win – especially if you follow it up with ice cream from Salt and Straw. The Venice canals are an incredible walk with charming sights. And nothing tops the farmer’s markets in Los Angeles!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Leah Abel was my first coach and mentor. She has shown me the ups and downs of the world of community circus and is an incredible educator and powerhouse I strive to live up to. She will also hate the formality of this shoutout – so I’ll add a joke. What do you call a boomerang that doesn’t come back? A stick! love you, Leah!

Website: https://www.cirqueparty.com/

Instagram: @robingflies

Image Credits
Knockingbird Creative, David Tuman