Brandeis alumna Maya Kesselman, class of 2003, is currently a cast member in Luzia, the newest Cirque du Soleil show, which is now on tour here in San Francisco. Kesselman, a circus artist, says it “feels great to be back [in San Francisco].” Kesselman began her career path while she was a student at Brandeis, attending trapeze and acrobatics classes every day after school. She joined the Youth Circus when she was 13. After graduating from Brandeis, Kesselman went on to Burlingame High School and then moved to Montreal after graduation to perform. She eventually moved to Europe and attended Circus College in Brussels.

 

“I love being able to travel and learn about other cultures,” she says about her job. “I love meeting new people. And I speak three languages.”

 

Kesselman credits Brandeis with providing her with “a sense of community and lasting friendships. It gave me stability and trust in my community. There was [also] something about being with the same kids for a long time that taught me how to accept people for who they are.” She fondly recalls celebrating many holidays at Brandeis, saying, “to this day, I have kept some of the rituals that I learned at Brandeis.”

 

Kesselman was recently featured in the “Talking with...” column in the J Weekly, where she talks more at length about her circus career. She will be performing with Luzia in San Francisco through the end of January and will tour in eight more cities in 2017. Following her contract with Cirque du Soleil, Kesselman will work with Back Pocket, her own circus company.