Why open Somnia?
A letter from founder and Dreamer, Reu…
A few years later, when COVID sent the world to a screeching halt, all the plans I had made for my future hit a wall. So many of the things I loved involved face to face interaction with people; performing, telling stories, creating art; and it all disappeared when we couldn’t be near each other. Like so many others, stuck at home, I was forced to change all my plans and make new ones.
Shortly after the world began opening up again, I learned about The Birds Nest Buffalo from a performer I worked with on a local play. As she showed me videos from her aerial silks class, my then-dormant love of circus and clown came rushing back. I booked my first aerial silks class and had no idea my life was about to change.
Hi, I’m Reu!
I took my first physical theater class as part of my BFA Theater Performance program in college - learning the foundations of Commedia Del’Arte and mask work, clown, juggling, puppetry, somatic movement, etc. By this time, I had been performing in one way or another for over a decade; pageants, cheerleading, show choir, concert band, theater, and more. But something about physical theater - clown to be specific - felt right to me. And so ignited the burgeoning flame of circus passion in my heart.
Over the next few years, I would spend multiple hours a week at The Birds Nest, taking classes in aerial silks, hammock, lyra, pole, (sometimes trapeze!) and more. The friends and community I somehow oops'd into along the way changed my life. I found some of my best friends in the other students, courageously stepping outside their comfort zones next to me; and in the owners and instructors, cultivating an environment of inclusivity and strength with every class. I loved the beautiful community I had become part of. From classes and performances to community nights; The Birds Nest became a home for me. It was like a dream come true - growing alongside people who understood the complicated dynamics between brain and body, and who were committed to strengthening those dynamics. Bodies of all abilities, brains of all divergences, everyone with a story. A why.
My why was multifaceted. Having fought chronic illness my whole life, aerial taught me how to move my body with intention and longevity. For the first time, I was able to participate in a sport without hurting myself. At the same time, instructors like Katie Loewen and Ashli Hartmour helped me learn not only how to protect my body while building physical strength, but also how to keep motivated when the work gets hard. Every class was filled with laughter, cheering support, and good vibes. After years of training and growing together, the community and home we had built was thriving. Most recently, Ashli and I had been in discussions about all the shows we could build together - all the stories we could tell with our friends.
So when, a year ago on August 7th, 2025, Ashli and Katie were in a tragic accident; that same feeling from COVID, of the future disappearing, hit me all over again. After teaching their normal Thursday night silks classes together at The Bird’s Nest, Katie and Ashli conducted routine rigging maintenance on the ceiling, tightening bolts. During this maintenance, the scissor lift they were working on failed, collapsed, and tipped. Together, they fell roughly 30 feet. Katie shattered her femur and fractured her skull, and Ashli didn’t make it. The Birds Nest closed.
In the last year, along with so many others in the community, I have grieved. I have grieved our dear friend, Ashli, our sacred community, and our home. Without having The Birds Nest’s community support, regular physical activity, my creative outlet, and my friends alongside me; I have struggled over the loss of all the amazing relationships, strength and freedom, we once had together. As such, I’ve spent much of the last year trying to find ways to build that community and space of exploration back again. Not to replace what was lost - but to bring everyone home again. To dream together again. We had put so much sweat, blood, and hope into what we built. I couldn't stand by and let it disappear.
And so, alongside some of my friends, I dreamt up Somnia. To honor every beautiful thing about our community, what we had and lost, and the circus as a whole- Somnia, from the Latin for “dreams”, felt like the perfect name for this new space we began dreaming up. A space where people can feel safe to explore, to struggle, to grow, and to shine in a community; where they are supported, challenged, and truly seen by others learning alongside them. More than anything, I dreamt up a way to give others that same feeling circus gave me: empowerment, pride, and a place to belong, a place that feels like home. A home for me, for my grieving friends, and for those new friends and circus family I have not yet met; Somnia will be an escape from the daily grind of today’s stressful world. A place where we move at the speed of trust and breathe through the fear.
I want Somnia to offer a blend of all things circus and movement. Of course, there will be aerial classes like silks, hammock, lyra, trapeze, and pole. But there will also be opportunities to explore movement on the ground through acro, handstands, clown, puppetry, yoga, tai chi, and more. If you can dream it, there will be room for it at Somnia. I’ve found that with every new form of movement I try, it’s like breathing life into parts of my muscles, of my soul, that I didn’t know were there. I want to cultivate that life within Somnia and offer a wide variety of movement-based classes to the community, in the hopes that others will join me in this journey of dreams and discovery.
The only requirements at Somnia are that you (1) be true to yourself and (2) be kind to the community. Let yourself be brave and take that aerial yoga class you’ve always wanted to try. Or quell your analysis paralysis in class by cheering on a classmate who’s working hard - their strength will inspire you to jump in yourself! No special strength is needed to start. At Somnia, you just have to be willing to live your dreams.
That’s my story - my why.
What’s your story? Your why?
I ask you to join our story. Dream with us. Fly with us. Be brave and explore what’s possible. Like me, you might just find a family somewhere along the way.
Ready to join us? Somnia is not yet open in a permanent space, but beam by beam, dream by dream, we are working toward finding a home. Join the community early and help us build the dream. Follow us on social media (@SomniaCircusArts) or subscribe to our newsletter, Day Dreaming, to get the latest news and updates on Somnia’s progress!
Thank you for dreaming with us.
Sincerely,
Reu
(they/them)
