RUBY KAREN PROJECT is an educational performing arts school and the engine to the ORANGE COUNTY AERIAL ARTS, a performing arts company for the which the RKP students are derived from. Their mission is to educate, promote & market Aerial Arts in the performing arts industry through instructions, demonstrations, showcases and performances and aims to reach out as the official performing Aerial Arts group in Southern California. It’s discipline is primarily AERIAL ARTS, with Circus Arts and Movement (in the form of DANCE including acrobatics, adagio partnering, acro-gymnastics, ballet, contemporary and latin dances).
The OCAA and its most popular program, the APPRENTICESHIP caters to serious fitness and sports patrons of all ages, who not only wishes to bump up their training with non-repetitious innovative and unique exercises but also engages their creative skills, coordination, strength and endurance. The APPRENTICESHIP is also more commonly known as a pre-professional training program that provides a platform for the students to express their learned skills and apply the same in an audience setting.
Founder of OCAA, Program Designer and Artistic Director, Ruby Karen, together with Technical Director and husband, Luca Cecchini are the fore-frontiers of the Ruby Karen Project and the Orange County Aerial Arts.
Previous Productions:
Previous Productions:
ADVENTURES OF THE MORTARS Saturday & Sunday, February 9 & 10 @ 6:30pm & 3:30pm
A world with no rules or structure, three Mortars escape from their precious NADIR, and travel to different dimensions and time, exploring different worlds and understanding how to deal with their chaotic land. They realize that as they see NADIR’S current state, in time they will be extinct. The experiences they learn from Jurassic and Earth gives them the the strength to return and change their world. Written by: Ruby Karen
TALES OF THE GODS
TALES OF THE GODS, Saturday, January 28, 2012
Stemming from Greek mythology, this production featureD the many Greek Gods and their stories presented in a variety of theater arts disciplines including circus and aerial acts as well as dance forms. The apprentice team of the Orange County Aerial Arts starred in this one of a kind aerial performing arts production.
A professional dancer for a continued 30 plus years, Ruby Karen began her training in aerial arts since 2003 in Los Angeles, Rio De Janeiro, Madrid and San Francisco. She currently specializes in Lyra/ Hoop, Hammock, Tissu/Silk and Vertical Aerial and has been performing and continuous to perform aerial arts professionally all over the United States, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. To this day, she continues her training, always searching for new discipline and style while gracing the stage with her professional performances. Although she directs and choreographs for OCAA, she is always on the lookout for outside collaboration & projects, including aerial roles for independent productions such as the touring production of Camerata Tango & her expanding of RKP's aerial syllabus in Asia, including Bangkok's SkyFly and Manila's top performance companies and aerial schools, Airdance & Polecats.
As the program director, co-founder and artistic director of the Orange County Aerial Arts and its managing division, the Ruby Karen Project, together with husband, Luca Cecchini, produce one of the kind aerial dance shows geared to introduce aerial arts, dance & fitness as a form of performance arts to the locals.
Click the links or details regarding Ruby Karen’s Dance Bio, and information on ADF classes.
Born and raised in Italy, Luca has a long standing career (25 years) as a restaurant owner and Chef in the Liguria/ Riviera area with back to back role as a Producer, Event Organizer and Stage Constructions of concerts and festivals, including a one month open space festival for the World Cup Series in 2006. He now shares with OCAA his technical skills, including installation and maintenance of the company's rigging needs, creation of props and sets, and invention of aerial apparatus as sees fit. He is OCAA's technical director and resident certified master rigger.
Caitlin Terry - Performer and Instructor
Caitlin Terry laid the foundation for her dancing at the age of four when she took her first ballet class. She was extensively involved in her ballet training until age 16. In May, 2010, she had the desire to dance again, and walked into a dance studio. She was hoping to resume her ballet and jazz training, but instead saw Ruby Karen teaching an aerial class and became intrigued. At her first class, she couldn’t even climb the tissue, and found herself extremely sore the next day. But she was hooked! About a month after taking her first class, Ruby recommended she do the apprentice program. Through the aerial classes and Ruby Karen’s apprentice program, Caitlin has developed into the aerial dancer and artist she didn’t even know she had the capability to be. She continues to learn from Ruby and her husband, Luca, not only in dance and performance, but also the life lessons of hard work, consistency, and being passionate about the things you love.
Going into the future, Caitlin has grown with The Ruby Karen Project and Orange County Aerial Arts, not only in aerial training but also in acro, acro-partnering, and different forms of ground dancing. Caitlin feels gratitude and excitement for the opportunities and life experience that Orange County Aerial Arts has provided. With hard work and the instruction and inspiration of Ruby Karen,
Aside from being an OCAA professional aerialist, Caitlin now teaches the aerial classes at the School of the Ruby Karen Project.
Enrique Escajeda - Aerialist
Enrique has spent the past 3-4 years intensively studying aerial arts specifically Rope and Silks and has been with the Orange County Aerial Arts since its inception, having performed in most of its public and private engagements. If not doing silk you can catch Enrique performing in local stunt shows around Orange County.
Check out our Schedule of Classes for Enrique's upcoming workshops and commencement of Rope aka Corde Lisse classes
McKenzie Prewitt - Aerialist & Acrobat
As an elite competitive Acrogymnast for 10 years, Kenzie, traveled all over the world competing in several international competitions in countries including Poland and Belgium. In her last competitive years, her trio team became the National Champions in 2004, and was part of the USA Gymnastics National team. I attended school at CSU Sacramento and earned a BS degree in Kinesiology exercise science, she returned to Orange County in August 2010, began training with the Ruby Karen Project's Aerial School and became a part of the OCAA apprentice team, to expand my skills and growth in the field of aerial arts, both as an athlete and performer.
COMING SOON: the Apprentice Team
Apprenticeship Program: Students undergo intensive training geared to prepare them for performances. Training not only consist of aerial and dance training, but also undergo other production areas including costumes and make-up, rhythm,timing, musical cueing and synchronizing of movements, stage presence and interpretation, and working with a partner or a group within a choreography. You can watch our apprentice group in several of our showcases and productions. See Upcoming Events
Here is a video clip of our Apprentice team - the future OCAA members
"She has all the characteristics of a successful performer – very solid and strong technique, compelling and beautiful stage presence, and the emotional and physical stamina to withstand any obstacles thrown her way."full testimonial
