One month of focused practice, shaped around you.
Give your contortion and flexibility training dedicated time, individual attention and room to develop. This month-long program with Anastasia Evsigneeva combines private coaching, independent practice and the opportunity to train alongside your coach.
Designed for intermediate and advanced students, the Intensive starts with your current skills, your questions and the goals that matter to you. The work is personal: the same sequence of exercises will not suit every body or every performer.
$650 CAD, taxes included · One month · Seven hours of live training
Available online through Google Meet in English or Russian. In-person sessions may also be arranged in Montréal.
What your month includes
Four 90-minute private sessions
Six hours of individual coaching, spread over one month and scheduled around your and Anastasia’s availability. Sessions focus on the progressions, conditioning and skills most relevant to your current level and desired goals.
The teaching responds to how you are working and what you need to understand, with space for questions, corrections and adjustments as the month develops.
One hour of “Train With Me”
Training beside someone more experienced offers another way to learn. You can observe how your coach approaches a practice, makes decisions and responds to the work, while bringing your own questions and experience into the session.
This shared practice is best scheduled near the end of the month, after your private sessions. It is a chance to develop independence, with a different balance of shared training and direct supervision.
Support between sessions
During your program month, you can ask practice questions and request feedback through Instagram messages or WhatsApp, whichever you use more.
Anastasia responds to between-session practice questions within 24 hours during your program month.
Who the Intensive is for
The program is intended for intermediate and advanced students with experience in contortion, handstands or closely related physical practices. Circus performers, professional dancers and athletes interested in developing a new discipline are welcome to enquire.
Experience in another discipline is a useful starting point, but it does not automatically establish readiness for every contortion skill. The introductory conversation helps determine an appropriate starting point and whether the format suits you.
The usual minimum age is 14. Students aged 10–13 require a discussion with a parent or guardian and Anastasia’s approval. A parent or guardian must attend the 15-minute introductory Google Meet call. Children under 10 are not eligible.
New to contortion or hand balancing? Explore the group classes or enquire about an individual private lesson first.
Possible directions for your training
For intermediate students, goals might include upper-back mobility, cheststand development, transitions in contortion elbowstands or handstands, and progressions towards a crocodile-to-elbowstand press.
For advanced students, the work may explore contortion push-ups, crocodile-to-handstand push-ups, triplefold, Marinelli bend, or conditioning to develop strength in deep backbending ranges.
These examples show the range of possible work. They are not entry requirements, promised outcomes or movements every student will attempt. Your program depends on your preparation, needs and goals, and which skills are appropriate for your training setup.
More than reaching a position
Anastasia’s approach connects contortion technique with the culture of practice: observing, asking useful questions and learning how to make informed choices in your training. The private sessions give you individual guidance; the shared practice offers a closer view of the thinking behind it.
The month creates space for concentrated work and a clearer direction. Your progress will depend on your starting point, consistency and individual response to training.
Meet your coach
Anastasia Evsigneeva is a contemporary dance and circus artist based in Montréal and the founder of Moving Roots. She has practised contortion since 2012 and draws on training with Serchmaa Byamba and Samantha Halas, alongside her ongoing movement research.
Her teaching places strength, control, care and longevity at the centre of a demanding physical practice. Read more about Anastasia.
Student experience
A participant from the first cohort shares progress from her month of dedicated coaching.
Start with a conversation
Before enrolling, arrange a 15-minute Google Meet call with Anastasia. You will discuss your experience, goals, availability and whether the Intensive is an appropriate fit.
Students can join from other countries in English or Russian. We will check the time difference and whether suitable appointment times are possible during the call.
If you are in Montréal and prefer in-person sessions, mention this in your enquiry. In-person sessions take place at Académie du Cirque, and you are responsible for paying your own entry fee to the training space.
The full program costs $650 CAD, including taxes. The introductory enquiry does not commit you to purchasing the program. Participation is confirmed after suitability, scheduling and payment are arranged.
Equipment and space
Have a yoga mat, two yoga blocks, a chair and a resistance band (TheraBand), with a clear practice area of at least 3 × 3 metres and usable wall space.
If you are missing an item, mention it during the introductory conversation or email Anastasia. It is often possible to adapt the starting work to your available equipment and arrange anything else for later sessions.
Before you commit
The Intensive is generally non-refundable, including if you attend one session and decide not to continue. Exceptions may be considered for a long-term illness unexpectedly diagnosed after payment that prevents participation, or another emergency in your life. Contact Anastasia to discuss those circumstances.
The introductory meeting gives you both a chance to discuss the fit, the schedule and what this investment in your training involves before you decide to enrol.
Pay by Interac e-transfer to anastasia.evsigneeva@gmail.com, or PayPal if you are outside Canada. Contact Anastasia for PayPal instructions.
Request your introductory call
Tell Anastasia about your training background, goals, location and availability. This is an enquiry; participation is confirmed only after suitability, scheduling and payment are arranged. For students aged 10–13, a parent or guardian must join the introductory call.
Prefer email? Write to anastasia.evsigneeva@gmail.com with your training background, goals and location or time zone.