Sixth-Grade Acrobat Up for National Scholarship, Needs Votes

By JACQUELINE PRIMO | Reporter

Georgia Bryan is not your average 11-year-old.

The Crossroads School sixth-grader has performed as an aerialist, contortionist, acrobat and dancer with the professional company “Le PeTiT CiRqUe” for the past two years.

Now her talent and hard work have led her to become one of three finalists in the arts and music category of the national “After School Awards” scholarship competition.

With $5,000 at stake, Bryan is asking the Palisades community for support.

“People vote for one student in each of the four categories on afterschoolawards.com and then register their email to validate their vote.

People can vote every day until Aug. 10,” Georgia’s mom Jennifer Bryan told the Palisadian-Post.

“If I win I want to spend some of the money on private [lessons] with my coach Olga, because she challenges me and is so much fun to work with, but it’s hard to get privates with her. I definitely want to use the money to see Cirque de Soleil as well,” Bryan said.

Bryan fell in love with the trapeze at the age of 5, at which point her mother signed her up for a circus class.

Now, Bryan goes to “circus class” four or five times a week.

“Some of my favorite tricks to do are pagodas, where my stomach is on the ground and my feet go over my head, and then I lift my head up past my knees. That one I can do anywhere and it impresses almost any audience,” Bryan said.

“I really enjoy single toe hangs on the lyra because they give me a really exhilarating challenge,” she added.

Bryan’s main choreographer is Dreya Weber, who also choreographs for music artist Pink, Jennifer Bryan told the Post.

“My favorite part of performing is seeing the audience, whether it’s complete strangers or my family and seeing the look of ‘Wow!’ on their faces. When I’m on stage I just can’t get the smile off of my face,” Bryan gushed.

Bryan has performed in numerous shows, including “The Journey of You” at the Morgan-Wixson Theater in Santa Monica (winner of the National Youth Theatre Award for Most Outstanding Production of 2013); Alicia Keys’ “Dream Halloween” at Barker Hangar; “Cirque de Noel” at the Grand Theatre in Tracy, California; the Cal State Games opening ceremony at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego; and a holiday show at the Agua Caliente Casino in Palm Springs.

Bryan most recently performed at Place des Arts in Montreal and has also performed as Dreya Weber’s orphan slave in the musical comedy “Le Club Seduce.”

She appeared as herself in the documentary “Driven” by Jaret Martino and is currently being featured in a reality TV pilot called “Wonderkids.”

For more information or to vote, visit: afterschoolawards.com.