TO FLOAT Hair Suspension Artist Deanna Papineau STORY BY MICHAEL SEAGUIN
▼
Freedom
ACCORDING TO Deanna Papineau, it’s easy to reach for the stars when your feet barely touch the ground. Deanna, better known as Aerialist Deanna, a professional, internationally acclaimed multi-discipline aerial performer, hair suspension artist, artistic director, choreographer, aerial coach and registered yoga teacher. She has been performing most of her entire life, beginning as a competitive figure skater at the age of 5. “I trained six times a week,” Deanna recalls. “Before school and after school. And then, I competed on weekends.” After years of competing, Deanna decided to leave the ice behind right before high school. After graduating, she spent some time studying nutrition before obtaining a four-year Nursing degree from the University of Windsor. However, it was around this time that she rediscovered the limelight. “My Uncle Romano Formiccucia owns a Yoga studio here in Windsor,”
Above: Deanna Papineau, Aerialist and Hair Suspension Artist. Photo by Zishan Ali. Left: Aerialist Deanna, suspended by her hair, performs acrobatic poses and contortions. Photo by Dan Boshart. M a y / J u n e
•
2 0 2 1
65