At the heart of Staging Her is a vision for transformation—not just in how women move onstage, but how they move through the world. That vision began with Emily Barber, a self-taught aerialist whose journey from martial arts to circus arts would become the foundation for something much larger than herself. In this candid interview, Emily shares the roots of her passion, the challenges that shaped her, and how a trip to the Middle East planted the seed for a global movement. Through her work as a coach, mentor, and founder, Emily is helping young women around the world reclaim space, build confidence, and lift each other higher. Thank you to Emily for sitting down with us and offering a glimpse into the purpose and passion behind this growing global initiative of women’s empowerment.

AJ Kennedy: You began your own acrobatic journey back in 2012 as a self-taught performer. That’s not easy. What drew you to circus arts in the first place?

Emily Barber:  “In a way, I feel like I was fated to end up in some sort of circus. My great-grandmother was part of a side-show in the early 1900s with a tall-short act (she was the tall one). But, in all seriousness, there were several factors that propelled me into this wild career. A main one was my martial arts sensei, who had been trying to encourage me to try aerial arts since I was 16. After college, I moved back to the west and injured my knees overtraining so I could no longer pursue my usual martial arts and running hobbies. It was then that I finally listened to my sensei and dove into the world of aerial arts—with his support and help.”

You’re now coaching, judging national competitions, running Aerial Aura, and mentoring youth at Dragonfly Aerial Co. As someone working to shift how girls see themselves in the circus world, do you ever find yourself in your coaching trying to un-teach the kinds of messages you’ve seen young women internalize—about their abilities or their place on the stage?

“Yes. All. The. Time. Many of my students, even absolutely gifted ones, feel strange and awkward taking up space at first. It’s one of my great joys and motivations as a coach to watch a young woman learn that she is strong, capable, and has a voice—that her thoughts and style are worthy of the space they take and, truly, the crowd is watching, breathless.”

You’ve talked about your first trip to the Middle East being a turning point. Can you tell us more about that experience? What did you see or feel that planted the seed for Staging Her? Was there a particular moment—or maybe a conversation with someone—that made you think, this isn’t just a problem, this is something I want to help change?

“I don’t know that there was any specific time, more a growing sense of how I disliked the way women were treated as second-class citizens. I grew up in a very egalitarian household with a dad who believed girls, while different than boys, were just as capable.

I remember living in a village in southern Jordan for language study in my early 20s and going over to a house where the men stayed outside, and I was invited in to stay with the women. I used my burgeoning language skills to ask these women questions—two adolescents and their relatively young mother—and learned that they greatly admired that I was traveling alone as a woman. They wished they could do so too, but clearly thought that goal was as crazy as wanting to grow wings.  Instead, they talked about enjoying cooking and watching TV.  All I could think was how depressed I would be if I my only choice was a life of TV and cooking dinner.  I began to wonder if it was possible to do something to change the mindset that women had little to no choice in their destinies and futures.“

In your work, you’ve seen the social circus world up close. What were some of the subtle—and maybe not-so-subtle—ways you noticed women being sidelined, even in spaces that claimed to be egalitarian?

“One instance I can think of off the top of my head was when I was teaching a workshop in Nairobi a few years back. When I entered the training space, there were about ten or twelve boys and young men utilizing all the equipment.  There were also six or seven girls and young women, but these were quite literally pushed to the margins and forced to find whatever space the boys were not using.  As I was shown the space and introduced to the main coach, I watched as the boys continued to receive instruction and help while the girls seemed fairly lost and unsure, even of what they should be doing. It was then that I requested that the girls be given priority in the workshop I was about to teach, since equipment was very limited.  At this request, space was finally cleared and the young women were able to begin warming up.”

One of the core ideas behind Staging Her is helping young women return home as mentors themselves. How do you imagine that ripple effect playing out in their communities?

“My hope is that other young women will see the success and growth our performers experience and that it will give them the courage to break societal barriers that prevent women from following the path they would most want for themselves. Ultimately, in the grand scheme of things, I would love it if some of our performers returned to their countries to start companies, training facilities, or troupes that prioritize women and encourage and support others who want to follow in the trail that they are breaking. Already, Marietou from Senegal dreams of founding Africa’s first all-women’s circus and touring show. My dream is that Staging Her can support her in helping make her dream a reality. That would be an enormous success as far as I’m concerned.”

To Learn More about Marietou and her Staging Her journey here.

These young women are willing to step out and take the reasonable risks that lead to growth when they have a support system. I have a student who recently graduated high school who has changed from a relatively shy girl, to an amazing performer and athlete with the courage and grounding to travel the world and embrace new experiences, loving every moment. She has truly blossomed and that is a transformation that makes me smile every time I think of her.”

What does success look like to you, not in terms of trophies or performances, but in the quiet, day-to-day work of helping someone grow?

“I don’t often teach beginner classes anymore, but one of the things I loved most about teaching beginners was when a young woman came in and started taking classes.  With some of them, it was clear that they lacked self-confidence and self-worth, which is hard to see. Their shoulders would be rounded forward, they would be super shy about making eye contact, when they spoke, it would be quiet, almost hard to hear them.  Then, as they progressed, tried hard skills, failed, then tried again and eventually mastered the skills, something happened. Gradually, class by class, I would watch a change come over them. They would start standing straighter, their heads would come up, they’d be happier in general. They’d be more willing to speak up in class, ask questions, or maybe even tell little stories about their week. Eventually, the change would be drastic with some of them going on to compete and perform in front of hundreds—something they never would have dreamed they could do when first starting out.  That’s a definite measure of success to me.”

“Another is when some of my adult students come in and tell me that taking these challenging, sometimes painful classes are the highlight of their week. That it helps their mental health and that they’re so glad they can be a part of class and keep learning and challenging themselves in this way.  That’s another huge success.”

Can you tell me about a moment when one of your students or mentees surprised you, challenged you, or changed the way you see your work?

“One instance comes to mind immediately. I had a competition student a couple years ago who ended up injuring herself during a performance to the point where she couldn’t use her right hand for months.  At this point, most students would sadly tell me they would be out for the season and it would be quite a while before I saw them again.  Not this young lady. She was in her same classes the week after, hand in a brace, great attitude, ready to do whatever she could to keep up.  It both inspired me that she had such an indomitable spirit and challenged me to come up with ways to modify drills and techniques so she could participate to her fullest ability. It was ultimately cool to see just how much someone could manage in aerial even down a dominant hand.  Then, a year later, when an injury of my own led to a broken bone and surgery, I was still inspired, challenging myself to keep teaching and training, even on crutches, thinking of how this student had handled her injury with grace and tenacity.”

With Staging Her still growing, what’s one thing you’re dreaming about for the future of the program?

“In my best-of-all-possible-worlds, Staging Her expands to become a global organization.  We are able to launch a permanent touring show within the US, where we provide young women with paid contracts and resume experience to move on to even bigger things. Beyond this, we also build and staff training facilities in strategic, hub countries where young women are prioritized as far as training and where they can find a safe and supportive network both for performance and for life in general.”

What’s been the most unexpected challenge of launching this project—and maybe the most unexpected joy?

“The most unexpected challenge so far has been the complications of the visa process we’re currently undergoing. It’s a lot of paperwork and the whole project is basically riding on doing that paperwork correctly as best we can. There are definitely other challenges as well, but not unanticipated ones.

The coolest part of the project has been getting to know each performer set to be a part of the project.  Each story is unique and inspiring in a different way and each performer brings different strengths and abilities to the table. I’m so excited for the day when they’ll all be able to meet each other in person in the same room!”

And, if the young women you mentor could carry one message from you with them for the rest of their lives, what do you hope it would be?

“We don’t have as much control over our circumstances or lives as we would like to believe. But we do have control over two things: effort and attitude. No matter what twists and turns life takes, be curious. Learn, enjoy as much as you can, and use whatever circumstances to grow.”

Emily Barber’s work is more than performance—it’s advocacy in motion. Through mentorship and meaningful connection, she’s turning personal resilience into collective impact, one young woman at a time. With Staging Her, the ripple effect of women empowerment is already being felt—from classroom warmups to dreams of all-women circus companies abroad. Thank you again to Emily for sharing her story, her vision, and her unwavering belief in what’s possible when girls are given the tools—and the stage—to rise.