Mondays suck. Especially if you hate your job. But the day doesn’t have to be a total waste. You can look forward to reading about ReadyMakers who have worked their way into f*&%ing awesome jobs—and maybe find a little inspiration to jumpstart your own career in the process.

 
 
You’ve probably been to the circus at least once in your life, and watched in awe as the performers achieved amazing physical feats. Kari Podgorski was working for an environmental group when she discovered that a circus arts group practiced in the same building, and turned an interest in the circus arts into her profession. From performing in cabaret productions to teaching students at the School of Acrobatics and New Circus Arts in Seattle, Kari tells us a little about her life in the spotlight.
 
VITAL STATS:
Occupation: Circus performer and circus arts instructor
Location: Seattle, WA and on the road
Age: 33
First Job: Tap-dancing peanut vendor 
Best Job: It’s a tie between the Lovely Assistant opposite comedian Matt Manges’s stuntman Bunny LaMonte, and the role of the Cherry Fairy in a recent Teatro ZinZanni cabaret production.
Greatest Professional Challenge: Tireless self-promotion
Salary During Your 20s: Varied wildly! I could boast of a spectacular hourly wage of up to $750, but sometimes paying the bills was a scramble.

1. How did you get that f*&%ing awesome job? Performance began as a hobby, but teaching came out of necessity. Both have greatly evolved: teaching has become a way to share my knowledge and increase my own depth of understanding, and performing has become a profession.
 
2. How did you get started in the circus arts? Have you always been involved with them? I began as a dancer at age four and gymnast at age seven, but did not discover circus arts until my mid-twenties. At the time I was working for an environmental restoration group that functioned out of a space in a defunct naval base, when I noticed a sign for a small performance troupe called Circus Contraption that rehearsed in the same warehouse. I quickly signed up for an aerial class with co-founder Lara Paxton and soon found myself performing as a guest in Contraption’s next show.
 
3. What does a typical day look like for you? During a performance contract, I’ll rise around 9 a.m., enjoy the morning to myself, train from 2:30 to 4:30, and be at work by 6 p.m.. Shows end around 10 o’clock (though sometimes closer to 11), then it’s time to clean up, have a meal, and unwind.
 
4. What is your favorite act to perform? I have worked on a variety of equipment, but my favorite is an aerial apparatus called the static cloudswing. My current number is a dynamic one, and I performed to a wonderful piece of music composed and recorded for me by the Circus Contraption band.
 
 
5. What is the best part about what you do? Any parts you could do without? I love traveling, and I almost always adore performing. Every once in awhile there will be an, ahem, more “challenging” audience: generally too drunk, trying to show off for each other with their less-than-witty and rather loud commentary.
 
6. What kind of students do you get when you teach a class? I have taught students from the tot level to the pre-professional level in a range of class settings. I currently only teach adults, and my favorite setting is the private lesson. I can tailor my instruction to a student’s level of experience, strength, and individual goals.
 
7. Tell us a little bit about the School of Acrobatic and New Circus Arts. It seems like a pretty cool place. It is. Co-founders Jo Montgomery and Chuck Johnson wanted to share their love for circus arts with a teaching space that afforded everyone the opportunity to learn non-competitive, creative physical skills. We currently have over 700 students from age two through adults (we once had a septuagenarian come in to fulfill the lifelong wish of doing a cartwheel; he succeeded!). In consideration of the escalating cost of many kids’ sports clubs, SANCA offers over $25,000 in need-based scholarships each year.
 
8. Any tips for people who may want to get involved with acrobatics or circus arts? First, start sooner rather than later. The circus arts certainly offer a greater level of sustainability than traditional gymnastics, but a youthful body is an advantage. That being said, there is really something for everyone—young or old, already fit or wanting to get in shape. Circus arts have been around for a long time, but they’re still a bit of a fringe pursuit, so finding a club or school near you may be a challenge. Some colleges have clubs or even school-funded programs, and major cities are more likely to have resources. There are a few circus arts hubs around the U.S.: New York City, Brattleboro,Vermont, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boulder, and Seattle, to name a few.
 
[Photography by John Cornicello (top image) and Jon McClintock]

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