Maia Castro-Santos

Maia Castro-Santos is a New England based circus artist specializing in aerial hoop, hula hoops, and dance trapeze. She began her training at NECCA when she was eight years old, and she fell deeper in love with circus throughout her adolescence, joining the Circus Smirkus Big Top Tour during her teen years.

After being named Valedictorian for Northfield Mount Hermon’s (NMH) class of 2020 and completing two years at Columbia University as a Cognitive Science major specializing in Human Computer Interaction, she realized that she would rather be professionally upside down. She has performed with Diiiotima Arts, Opera Vermont, the Gainesville Symphony Orchestra, New York Circus Project, Cirque Us, Catamount Arts, Muse ABCirque, and more!

Maia has taught workshops across the Northeast and Midwest and she loves getting to share her specialties (spinning, duo, flex/flow, multihooping!) with new communities of students. She worked as an aerial coach for Circus Smirkus Camp and coached out of Murmurations and Lines VT in Burlington, VT before her recent move to Brattleboro.

When she is not touring or performing, Maia coaches at NECCA, and she strives to focus on fun within challenge and personal growth in her classes.