The Circus Arts Conservatory Transforms The Circus Arts Conservatory Arena into an Ice Rink for AIR & ICE

Quick Answer: The Circus Arts Conservatory is transforming the Circus Arts Conservatory Arena in Sarasota, FL into an ice rink for AIR & ICE, a new production combining world-class figure skating and circus arts, running November 21–28, 2026 for 10 performances.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: THE CIRCUS ARTS CONSERVATORY TRANSFORMS THE CIRCUS ARTS CONSERVATORY ARENA INTO AN ICE RINK FOR AIR & ICE

Combining World-Class Figure Skating and Circus Arts November 21–28, 2026

SARASOTA, FL (October 20, 2026) — Nearly a century after the circus made Sarasota its home, The Circus Arts Conservatory (CAC) is celebrating that legacy while reimagining what circus can be. For eight days, November 21–28, 2026, the Circus Arts Conservatory Arena will be transformed into an ice rink for 10 performances, welcoming an all-star cast of Olympic and World Champion skaters alongside internationally acclaimed circus artists. This new production promises a thrilling blend of athleticism, artistry, high-flying aerial acts and world-class ice skating, offering Sarasota audiences an experience unlike anything CAC has presented before.

“AIR & ICE represents the spirit of innovation that has always been at the heart of the Circus Arts Conservatory,” says Jennifer Mitchell, CEO and President of The Circus Arts Conservatory. “We are bringing together extraordinary artists from two worlds that share a passion for excellence, precision, risk-taking and breathtaking performance. Transforming the Sailor Circus Arena into an ice rink and creating a production of this caliber is an exciting milestone for our organization, and something entirely distinct for our community. I’m grateful to our Associate Producers, Robin Johnstone and Andy Buchanan, to our CAC Production Associate and Artist Liaison, Olga Coronas, and to the entire CAC team for building a show unlike any other.”

An All-Star Cast Takes Center Stage
“AIR & ICE brings together celebrated skating champions and exceptional circus performers from around the world.” Leading the skating ensemble is Kurt Browning, a three-time Olympian, four-time Canadian and World Champion and a pioneering figure in the sport. Browning made history by landing the first quadruple jump in competition, an achievement recognized by Guinness World Records. Renowned for his technical brilliance, showmanship and natural connection with audiences, Browning brings decades of world-class performance experience to the production.

Joining him is Alissa Czisny, a two-time U.S. National Champion and Grand Prix Final champion known for her elegant style and some of the finest spins in the sport. Czisny continues to perform internationally and will skate in every performance of AIR & ICE.

The international skating cast also features Larkyn Austman, a member of Canada’s 2018 Olympic and World Championship teams; Jeremy Ten, a two-time member of Canada’s World Championship team and 2015 Canadian silver medalist; and Andy Buchanan, a Canadian professional whose credits include Holiday on Ice, Cirque du Soleil’s Crystal and Axel, and ITV’s Dancing on Ice. They are joined by Łukasz Kędzierski, a multiple-time Polish Champion whose professional career has taken him to audiences across the globe; Nelson Sanchez Leemet, a seasoned international performer whose experience includes a decade as a principal skater with Disney on Ice; and Philip Warren, an internationally accomplished skater and Ultimate Figure Skater World Champion. Victoria Tugolukova and Anastasiia Dubyk round out the cast of skaters, performing in a variety of acts including pairs skating and a musical number, and taking to the air as skaters in the show’s aerial acts.

Audiences should also keep an eye on the youngest member of the cast, a 9-year-old phenom whose jumps and polished skating are sure to steal the show.

Above the ice, the circus artists add aerial acts, acrobatics and juggling to the show. Among them is Emma Grace, a Sarasota native and Sailor Circus Academy graduate who has flown with the Flying Caballeros, the celebrated flying trapeze troupe, at the Royal Theatre Carré in Amsterdam. Grace has performed across the United States and was one of the youngest circus artists featured at the 2017 Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington, D.C. With AIR & ICE, she returns home to the arena where her career began.

Audiences will also see Garrett Allen, whose specialty acts include acrobatic chair stacking, aerial rope and disco ball performance; Tersit Asefa Dersu, the Ethiopian-born bounce juggler known as “The Fastest Female Bounce Juggler in the World”; and Raphael Nepomuceno, a Brazilian acrobat and dancer whose credits include Cirque du Soleil’s Varekai. Nepomuceno also joins Victoria and Andy in a trio act that combines aerial straps, acrobatics and ice skating.

Adding a distinctly local connection, performers from the Sailor Circus Academy will showcase their talents, including trampoline artists trained under Olympic and Cirque du Soleil veteran Ryan Weston, and aerial silks performer Ava Weller.

AIR & ICE runs November 21 to 28 at the Circus Arts Conservatory Arena, with tickets starting at $30 at CircusArts.org

Performance Information
AIR & ICE: A New Ice Skating and Circus Production
Presented by The Circus Arts Conservatory
Dates: November 21–28, 2026
Location: Circus Arts Conservatory Arena, Sarasota, Florida
Performances: 10 shows
Tickets and additional performance information are available at circusarts.org.

About The Circus Arts Conservatory
The Circus Arts Conservatory (CAC) defies gravity, sparks imagination, and shapes the future through world-class performances, outstanding youth training, and transformative education. Founded in 1997 as a not-for-profit organization, CAC is home to Sailor Circus Academy, the nation’s longest-running youth circus since 1949. CAC produces professional shows independently and in collaboration with other arts organizations, offers circus camps and recreational classes for nearly all ages, and provides community outreach. CAC was the first in the nation to offer an accredited circus arts program for public school students in the arena, and its artist educators use circus arts to teach math, science, language arts, and performing arts in schools. For more information, visit CircusArts.org or call 941-355-9335.

For more information visit CircusArts.org.