Admin Staff and Board Members
Jackie Davis
Executive Director
Jackie began her career in youth circus as the movement education teacher at the Pine Hill (now High Mowing) School in Wilton, NH, where in 1996 she created the Hilltop Circus for middle school students
Leah Huntington
Office Manager
Leah comes to FGC with experience in non-profit marketing and outreach, as well as grant writing support, and time as a systems development analyst in the telecommunications industry.
Jon Roitman
Artistic Director
FGC Artistic Director and Head Coach Jonathon Roitman is a professional circus performer and coach.
Carly Abrahams- Dematte
Administrative Assistant
Carly is a Berlin-based freelance editor/proofreader and VA interested in travel, farming, and helping others
Innovision Realty Group
Bookkeepers
IRG is a full-service organization that offers property management, real estate investment, and financial services.
Meghan McClure
Webmaster
Meghan is an FGC alum and professional circus artist.
Board of Trustees
If you would like to learn more about our Board of Trustees and how to support our organization, send us a message through our contact page! We are often on the lookout for new Trustees, and would love to hear from you!
We would also like to honor our Board of Trustees Alumni for all of their contributions in getting us to where we are today! Kerry Crow, Nancy Wight, Megan Sass, Alexis Pittman, Constance Rinaldo, Tina Perreault, Brian Miron, Sean Hamblett, Kerren McKeeman, Heather Lawson, Ashley Rousseau, Nicole Terry Jones, David Graham.
Tribute to Rick Davis
November 10, 1950 - September 7, 2015
A former Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey clown, Rick Davis had taught circus and life skills (not to mention totally useless skills ) to youth throughout New England for nearly two decades.
Along with the creativity and leadership of his wife, FGC founder Jackie Davis, Rick's endless support and generosity made it possible for the Flying Gravity Circus to come into being and to continue thriving until today.
Rick had been a founding member of the American Youth Circus Organization, a co-director of CircusLearning LLC and the Silver Lining Circus Camp, and the school residency director for Circus Smirkus. A beloved member of so many communities, Rick brought joy and laughter into the lives of everyone around him. He is so loved, and so missed.
Forever a shining thread in our story, Rick's legacy will remain strong in the Flying Gravity Circus Company, and his memory will always be with us, as we honor his spirit by keeping the spark of circus alive and well in southern New Hampshire.
In Light, Love and Circus.
Rick's Obituary
Richard H. Davis
Richard (Rick) Hall Davis, 64, died on Sept. 7, 2015 at his home in Temple, NH, surrounded by his loving family, after a year-long battle with glioblastoma (brain cancer). He was born on November 10, 1950, in Omaha, NE, to Hartwell and Nancy (Richards) Davis. Raised in White Plains, NY and Reston, VA, he graduated from White Plains High School in 1970, and in 1974 he earned dual BA degrees in Psychology and Philosophy from Allegheny College.
He then attended Ringling Brothers Clown College and began a career as a circus clown with Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey Circus where he worked for 4 seasons.
Following a contract with Circus Odyssey in Puerto Rico, Rick became inspired to travel to developing countries to give free clown performances to any organization willing to feed and house him. His “search for the comic denominator,” which was supported by the Peace Corps and by Project Troubador, took him to villages, orphanages, and refugee camps in 15 countries including Brazil, Honduras, Costa Rica, Sierra Leone, the Gambia, St. Vincent, the Dominican Republic, and China. A veteran entertainer, he also performed at the 1982 World’s Fair, Radio City Music Hall, the White House, Walt Disney’s EPCOT Center, and First Nights across New England. He has appeared in numerous operas (notably Gilbert and Sullivan) with Raylynmor Opera. Rick (also known as the Professor of Totally Useless Skills) taught an abundance of fun tricks and stunts that were the subjects of two books, Totally Useless Skills and Totally Useless Office Skills. Rick also developed websites and created SchoolShows.com, an online directory connecting schools with educational assembly programs to provide children with educational enrichment.
Teaching circus arts to youth was Rick’s cause and passion. He felt one of the most important things he did with his life was to help found the American Youth Circus Organization (AYCO) which is dedicated to teaching circus arts to young people. He served on AYCO’s board of directors from its inception in 1999 until his death, and he was instrumental in keeping AYCO going in its early years. He and his wife Jackie also founded CircusLearning LLC, a southern NH organization offering youth-centered circus arts through its programs, Silver Lining Circus Camp and Flying Gravity Circus. Rick was also passionate about his work with Circus Smirkus, Vermont’s award-winning youth circus company. For 12 years Rick was a Smirkus Artist-in-Residence who spent the academic year traveling to elementary schools throughout New England, teaching circus skills and producing student circus performances. He was the director of the Smirkus School Residency Program for many years.
He enjoyed playing Celtic harp and competed annually at the New Hampshire Scottish Highland Games. He loved reading, cooking, canoeing, and being a devoted husband and dad. He was a long-time member of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Milford and the Souhegan Lions Club.
Rick is survived by his wife of 31 years, Jacqueline Leigh (Eppes) Davis; and his daughters, Erin Evelyn Davis of Ipswich, MA, Ellen Margaret Davis of Temple, NH, and Raya Golden Alexander Davis of Santa Fe, NM. He is also survived by his mother, Nancy R. Davis of Reston, VA; siblings William Hartwell Davis of Reston, VA, Margaret Lynn Davis of Middlebrook, VA, Roger Langdon Davis of Gloucester, MA, James Palmer Davis of Christ Church, New Zealand, and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.
A memorial celebration of Rick’s life was held on Saturday, November 14, at 3:30pm at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Milford, 20 Elm Street, Milford NH, followed by a community potluck dinner and an evening of music and dancing. Interment was held privately. In lieu of flowers, Rick requested that memorial donations be sent to the American Youth Circus Organization (www.americanyouthcircus.org), PO Box 1123, Easthampton, MA 01027.