Nick Lowery and Rachel Randall are Duo Straight Up. They first started crafting their Chinese Pole duo act in the fall of 2013, but prior to that they had both spent many years as circus coaches for SANCA (School of Acrobatics & New Circus Arts). SANCA is the largest circus school in the United States, recognized nationally as a leader in youth circus arts education, safety, and instructor training.

Rachel joined SANCA in October 2007 after graduating from the University of Washington with a degree in dance. She started as a Circus Tot instructor and quickly added a repertoire of teaching that includes unicycle, German wheel, tumbling, and general circus classes. She is also the dance instructor for SANCA’s Professional Preparatory Program. Nick came to SANCA in 2009 from Oberlin College in Ohio, where he was involved in a student circus club. He took a few classes at SANCA, and was interested in becoming an instructor. After training as a coach and teaching general circus classes, he became interested in Chinese pole and started to specialize. Now Nick teaches SANCA’s pole classes; he also works as a catcher for flying trapeze, and does the coach quarterly schedule on the administrative side.

Nick and Rachel love performing together and pushing the boundaries of what is possible on this impossible apparatus. They have had the pleasure of performing their act for the Vancouver Circus Festival, for Pacific Northwest Ballet’s backstage bash at McCaw Hall, SANCA’s gala show Up, With a Twist at Teatro Zinzanni, and several productions at SANCA in Seattle. They’re aiming to take their act to the professional circus circuit. They say that circus can be more entertaining and accessible to the public than other art forms, and that makes it more fun to perform and connect with audiences.