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Circus Parent Demands Safety with Katie Hill- Circuspreneur Podcast Ep. 116
33 Plays1 month ago
#CircusParent #CircusSafety #AerialArts #SafeART #SafeCircus #Circusarts
On this episode of the Circuspreneur Podcast, host Shenea Stiletto sits down with parent and advocate Katie Hill to discuss a serious accident involving her daughter during aerial silks training and the larger safety questions it raises within youth circus and aerial programs.
Katie shares her family’s experience, the gaps in oversight that allowed it to happen, and why she is now speaking out to help protect other young artists.
This is a necessary, thoughtful conversation about responsibility, safety standards, and the real-world impact when those standards fall short.
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction and Guest Introduction
00:00:01
Circuspreneur Podcast
This podcast is also available via stage link.com, the groundbreaking new platform for live performing arts. Please support the podcast by liking, subscribing, commenting, and tagging the podcast.
00:00:11
Circuspreneur Podcast
It helps us to continue to bring the industry high level content.
00:00:12
Katie Hill
Thank you.
00:00:15
Circuspreneur Podcast
I'm your host, Sinead Stiletto. And today on the Circuspreneur podcast, I'm joined by circus parent and now advocate, Katie Hill. Welcome to the podcast, Katie.
00:00:24
Katie Hill
thank you
00:00:27
Circuspreneur Podcast
You're so welcome. It's a pleasure to have you. And listeners, today's episode is a serious and important conversation. I'm joined by Katie Hill, a parent who is speaking out after her daughter was injured during aerial training and rehearsal. What Happened raised difficult questions about safety, oversight, and accountability in youth circus and aerial programs. This episode isn't about speculation or blame.
00:00:51
Circuspreneur Podcast
It's about listening, learning, and understanding what families experience
The Accident: What Happened?
00:00:55
Circuspreneur Podcast
when safety standards fall short. I want to give Katie the space to share her story in her own words and to talk about the advocacy she's pursuing so other children are better protected. And i want to thank everyone for listening and for listening with care. And Katie, I'm really grateful to have you on the podcast. It's not every day that we are able to speak to a circus parent or an aerial arts parent. um And, you know, unfortunately during such difficult times, it can be a challenge to speak about a situation involving one's child that, you know, difficult. challenging and traumatizing. And we know that it's not ah super easy for parents to engage sometimes around these conversations. um There was and quite a big accident that happened this past year involving Circus Mercus, and we
00:01:52
Circuspreneur Podcast
ah discussed that on the podcast as well. um And discussed behind the scenes with a few parents that were interacting and connected to that incident. um But it's very, you know, i think we're fortunate to have you here speaking in your own words so that people can relate, so that listeners can really understand what a family faces and when their child has an accident of this nature. so
00:02:24
Circuspreneur Podcast
to get into, um you know, what occurred, you know, within your daughter's accident, Katie, can you take us um into that day and what your experience was like and what exactly happened?
00:02:40
Circuspreneur Podcast
Yeah.
00:02:42
Katie Hill
Sure. um So this occurred in May of 2024. um So my daughter was getting ready to perform at a recital at her previous studio, um and they were going through rehearsals.
00:02:52
Circuspreneur Podcast
so
00:02:59
Katie Hill
And at this particular studio, they did not use crash mats when they were rehearsing or performing um over their stage. that that That was also located inside the studio.
00:03:12
Katie Hill
So she was rehearsing on that stage. And they had already run through their their dance, as they called it. It was like a group piece.
00:03:24
Katie Hill
um and they wanted to run through it again. And so um I happened to be nearby because I thought the rehearsal was going to be over and then they were still running through it so I wasn't able to reach her at the time, but at least I was nearby.
00:03:31
Circuspreneur Podcast
Thank you.
00:03:44
Katie Hill
um So she was already fatigued. She had attended a rehearsal the the night previous to that. So this this time she was rehearsing again the the next night. It was also the last week of school that year. So she was also, she was just very tired.
00:04:00
Katie Hill
um So having run through, it was a very complex dance. It had a lot of drops and other types of, um you know, items within it. So it was physically exhausting.
00:04:12
Katie Hill
um So there was one drop um that she was wrapped to do, and there was about three wraps on her left leg that she had wrapped.
00:04:25
Katie Hill
But as she was coming out of the drop, so she had wrapped up to the ceiling, um essentially, to where the rigging was.
00:04:28
Circuspreneur Podcast
Thank you.
00:04:34
Katie Hill
um And then so as she was coming out of the drop, one of the wraps on her
Immediate Aftermath and Injuries
00:04:40
Katie Hill
leg slipped off. And this ah caused her body to come out of the silks.
00:04:47
Katie Hill
And so she fell flat on her face on the bare floor. um And so due to the height of the drop um and the way she impacted, blacked
00:05:04
Katie Hill
You know, lost consciousness. And ah when I had come in, so I got a call that, you know, so something had happened. So I, since I was nearby, I just, I was able to come right in.
00:05:18
Katie Hill
um And she had, she had come back too, but she was still on the floor. um So it had just happened. You know, I came in on the scene of her,
00:05:29
Katie Hill
face covered in blood. she she had you know She was kind of holding her teeth, you know just concerned with her teeth, but she was still not fully conscious. um So I heard someone say something about urgent care.
00:05:45
Katie Hill
So I thought, OK, this is what I need to do. I need to get her to ER. So it just you know was very tunnel vision at that moment. like I just needed to get her and everything out.
00:05:55
Katie Hill
um somebody at that point asked, should, do you want to call an ambulance? I later found out from a parent who had witnessed the accident that the staff at the studio said that they weren't allowed to call an ambulance.
00:06:12
Katie Hill
Um, that was really concerning. so that's why they asked me because I was there at the time, like, and then they're were like, okay, we can ask her, but I was already there.
00:06:15
Circuspreneur Podcast
Wow.
00:06:21
Katie Hill
Uh, so I was her at ambulance. So I, um, You know, she she was kind of repeating herself. You know, the concussion was taking effect. She kept she kept saying the same thing over and over again.
00:06:33
Katie Hill
um you know, it's just she had, like, braces on at the time, but the the braces had broken. Some had come off the front teeth. um There was just a lot of blood, so it was really hard to tell.
00:06:48
Katie Hill
exactly what was going on, got her to the ER. They did all the scans. So she had fortunately not broken anything, any bones in her face other than the bridge of her nose was very shattered.
00:07:02
Katie Hill
um Her septum was kind of to a 90 degree angle. She had dislocated her AC joint in her left shoulder, and we suspect because she had some silk burns on her left wrist that she was reaching up to grab herself as she was falling. But she doesn't remember since she lost consciousness, and her mind kind of wiped that out.
00:07:26
Katie Hill
um So she we just assumed that's what happened, and that's what pulled her arm out.
00:07:31
Circuspreneur Podcast
Hmm.
00:07:32
Katie Hill
So she needed a sling for that. and And so then that just kind of started the timeline. So I had to get her into the orthodontist the next day to fix her braces.
00:07:45
Katie Hill
She did have one of her front teeth was loose. um Later, we discovered through the dentist that she the the nerves had died in her two front teeth. So four of her top front teeth had been affected.
00:08:01
Katie Hill
Had she not been wearing braces, they probably would have been knocked out of her mouth. um So she needed root canals on those two front teeth. um And, you know, that's an experience watching your child's nerves get pulled out of her teeth.
00:08:17
Katie Hill
um So that was unfortunate, but at least we were able to save those teeth. So within a week, I had to get her in for surgery on her nose because, like, timing was everything.
00:08:32
Katie Hill
So they they rebuilt her nose. They had to reset all the bones. And so she had that. And then she also had physical therapy for several weeks that summer for her shoulder um She had to have a KT tape on for a really long time, along with the physical therapy.
00:08:55
Katie Hill
um You know, a year later, she was still dealing with it. She still deals with that shoulder kind of slipping out, um you know, because once something's injured, it's compromised.
00:09:05
Katie Hill
So she's probably going to deal with that shoulder for the rest of her life.
00:09:06
Circuspreneur Podcast
Thank
00:09:09
Katie Hill
um You know, of course, her teeth now don't have nerves. So hopefully we can, you know, deal with that. The nose surgery was pretty successful. um But, you know, then there was that
Long-term Effects and Mental Health
00:09:21
Katie Hill
concern about her brain. So I just recently had her go in for an MRI. Her doctor had ordered an MRI for her brain.
00:09:31
Katie Hill
And it did come back showing some and you know signs in the frontal lobe of prior trauma. So she's got an appointment with her neurologist or with a neurologist next month just to kind of get their perspective on if there's any long-term issues. So that's something still that we don't know if like from that injury she's going to have some lasting effects with her brain.
00:09:59
Katie Hill
If there's any TBI, we'll we'll find out. um
00:10:04
Circuspreneur Podcast
Mm-hmm.
00:10:05
Katie Hill
Yeah, so you know the other things too, there was just those small injuries like I was mentioning that were associated with that fall as well, like the the burns, the burn on her wrist.
00:10:18
Katie Hill
The impact was so hard on her face that her jawbone was pushed up into her, like basically up into her ears. like so she couldn't like clear her ears, things like that.
00:10:26
Circuspreneur Podcast
No, no, no, no.
00:10:29
Katie Hill
the chiropractor was able to move it back, thank goodness. But it just shows how hard of an impact that was.
00:10:33
Circuspreneur Podcast
Amen.
00:10:37
Katie Hill
um So you know the whole the whole thing too takes a psychological effect. So you know I got her in therapy for about six months just to kind of process what happened um because there was no doubt some PTSD that she was experiencing.
00:10:55
Circuspreneur Podcast
Thank you.
00:10:57
Katie Hill
um She did get back up into the silks a month after her accident. She's very committed to this sport and she's she's still doing it now in a new studio.
00:11:07
Katie Hill
They take safety very seriously at her new place. That's part of the reason we decided to to join. And they're also very legitimate, um you know, as an aerial a studio.
00:11:21
Katie Hill
So she still does it. And, you know, and when she first got up in the silks, you know, it was just that But you know her mind was like back in that place. and And a lot of those things were um reminding her.
00:11:34
Katie Hill
I don't think she experiences that as much now.
00:11:38
Circuspreneur Podcast
Mm-hmm.
00:11:38
Katie Hill
But she's she's definitely she's different now. you know This was a life-changing event. This was something that she's probably going to have effects from for the rest of her life.
00:11:51
Katie Hill
but But as far as like a parent as well, you know, yeah, it was hard to see her get back in the silks. um I remember my husband couldn't even watch.
00:12:03
Katie Hill
it was It was just, ah it was it was hard to to see. and um just kind of putting our minds back into that place where you know where that happened and and stuff. But I was realizing after one year post her accident, like this last, well, last May it would be,
00:12:26
Katie Hill
um But I was also having some probably what they call, I guess, secondary PTSD. um You know, a lot of stuff was affecting me.
00:12:33
Circuspreneur Podcast
Mm-hmm.
00:12:36
Katie Hill
And and and it was almost like at that point, it was hitting me harder know in a way.
00:12:41
Circuspreneur Podcast
um
00:12:42
Katie Hill
um Just the psychological effects, obviously not the physical.
00:12:42
Circuspreneur Podcast
edund
00:12:46
Katie Hill
um But, you know, so then I sought therapy as well, because I feel like i needed I needed to process what happened, because in the moment, everything was just so, like, time sensitive and just get her to get her to this, get her to surgery, get her to the dentist, get her, you know, and, like, just trying to take care of all those things for her to help her with her recovery.
00:13:03
Circuspreneur Podcast
here
00:13:08
Katie Hill
And I didn't have time to to process anything.
00:13:13
Katie Hill
what really happened and then just to kind of grasp the idea that had she fallen in a different way, had that drop been different, you know, where they sometimes drops and you would know the specific names for them, but you know, where it's straight down, where she's she's directly upside down, she could have landed straight on her head.
00:13:20
Circuspreneur Podcast
Mm hmm.
00:13:34
Katie Hill
She could have broke her neck. She could have been paralyzed.
Could This Have Been Prevented?
00:13:37
Katie Hill
She could have been brain dead. She could have died. So all these things obviously were very preventable if if the the just basic safety measures were were used.
00:13:41
Circuspreneur Podcast
and
00:13:52
Circuspreneur Podcast
Thank you.
00:13:53
Katie Hill
The idea that she could have died without, you know, if like, let's say I hadn't been able to, ah you know, respond or or show up as fast as I did.
00:14:07
Katie Hill
What if it was worse? And all those what ifs could have been a very big possibility in scenarios just like this, where, you know, they weren't able to call 911, they weren't able to call an ambulance, and she could have
00:14:15
Circuspreneur Podcast
can
00:14:23
Katie Hill
passed away, like you know, without any emergency measures being taken either.
00:14:25
Circuspreneur Podcast
Yeah.
00:14:28
Katie Hill
So it's, it's a lot of that what ifs that obviously we're very, very lucky didn't happen. But it was, it was bad enough that, you know, we have to look at all of the damage that was done already that, you know, yeah, she healed and she's so fortunate to have healed and still able to do Ariel and to do what she loves and be a normal kid.
00:14:55
Katie Hill
But I don't know about how many kids would be as lucky. And these studios who decide to add Ariel into their programs,
00:14:59
Circuspreneur Podcast
Mm-hmm.
00:15:07
Katie Hill
need to be able to, you know, need to take those measures because we are trusting as parents you know, the the safety of our kids, you know, and we're putting it in their hands.
00:15:21
Circuspreneur Podcast
Mm-hmm.
00:15:21
Katie Hill
And it's it's such a violation of trust.
00:15:24
Katie Hill
and When, you know, you assume everything is being done that should be, you know, when it comes to safety.
00:15:32
Circuspreneur Podcast
Right.
00:15:33
Katie Hill
um You know, and and had had this been, i know we're trying to advocate for this to be recognized with SafeSport or like, you know, just to have that as more of a ah regulated activity.
00:15:33
Circuspreneur Podcast
me
00:15:48
Katie Hill
I would have loved to have been able to report them and have them investigated and have that program banned until they were able to take those measures.
00:15:58
Katie Hill
So the fact that we're not able to do that, it's just it doesn't it doesn't hold them accountable. And for something so serious, they really should be.
00:16:06
Circuspreneur Podcast
Right.
00:16:09
Katie Hill
um Yeah, so I don't know if I'm missing anything, but I think that that about captures the the story for the most part. um You know, it's just it's just one of those things where it's, you know, the accident or your accident, and that's always going to be something that we talk about in our family, and it's going to be something that, you know,
00:16:36
Katie Hill
I mean, of course, my daughter is now a stronger person, but a lot of that derives from trauma. And I hate that that happened. and And I hate that that that's how she derived her strength.
00:16:47
Circuspreneur Podcast
right
00:16:50
Katie Hill
But I mean, you know, it's.
00:16:51
Circuspreneur Podcast
here
00:16:54
Katie Hill
We can't change what happens. So you know for me, you know being able to be here and talk to you today and to be able to advocate for safety in this activity and to it's to hopefully prevent this from happening to someone else's child um you know is, I feel like, the best the best way I can you know participate in this. you know it's um
00:17:21
Circuspreneur Podcast
Well, we're thankful.
00:17:22
Katie Hill
You know it was a big thing that happened to us.
00:17:24
Circuspreneur Podcast
Yeah, it was a very, it was a very big thing and very serious. And thank you for sharing all of the, you know, the different aspects to this story and to the incident and what happened and the aftermath and your perspective and how it affects everyone.
00:17:42
Circuspreneur Podcast
everyone involved in how this is something that will be a part of your daughter's life for the rest of her life. I think I'm you know just so grateful that she was fortunate to have you there right away.
00:17:56
Circuspreneur Podcast
When this environment, because I think it's important, like what you noted, Katie, this was a dance studio that started an aerial arts or aerial sport program, right?
00:18:06
Circuspreneur Podcast
And that is one of the things that we speak about a lot on this podcast and a lot through advocacy is that many programs spring up, unfortunately or fortunately for financial gain, where they see that adding an additional program can really help their business.
00:18:06
Katie Hill
right.
00:18:23
Circuspreneur Podcast
However, they don't have the adequate training, they don't have the adequate protocol, and they don't have the adequate coaches. to support these programs. And unfortunately, that falls on the parents who would not know that, right?
00:18:36
Katie Hill
Mm-hmm.
00:18:37
Circuspreneur Podcast
Because of the lack of regulations around these environments. We all would assume that our child is going to be safe within these activities.
Legal Considerations and Studio's Response
00:18:47
Circuspreneur Podcast
They all seem legitimate.
00:18:48
Circuspreneur Podcast
They're legitimate businesses. But then once you get to look deeper or and or in the case for you, an accident happens that is preventable. What did they say to you, Katie, about not calling an ambulance when a child has suffered such a big and serious accident within their business, within their space?
00:19:11
Circuspreneur Podcast
How did they afterwards communicate that? And then also, too, is that anything that you sought any legal ramifications around for your family? Or how did that...
00:19:23
Circuspreneur Podcast
um I would say get handled or how did you guys address that?
00:19:30
Katie Hill
So they actually never talked to me about that. it just makes it even worse um i found out from the parent who had witnessed the fall.
00:19:35
Circuspreneur Podcast
that
00:19:41
Katie Hill
um She was...
00:19:42
Circuspreneur Podcast
and that was it.
00:19:44
Katie Hill
Yeah, she said that she coaches ah tackle football. So she was kind of doing her normal screening for concussion like she does with her athletes um when she you know came over to to my daughter after she fell.
00:20:03
Katie Hill
And that's that's when she told me later that they told her they couldn't call an ambulance. I also don't remember ever signing a waiver.
00:20:12
Circuspreneur Podcast
And as
00:20:12
Katie Hill
um So, you know, I'm assuming, of course, that um with dance, they don't necessarily need to sign a waiver. I mean, I would think waivers are probably a good idea for anything, but... um
00:20:28
Circuspreneur Podcast
Mm-hmm.
00:20:29
Katie Hill
i I guess maybe they just didn't think about it.
00:20:33
Circuspreneur Podcast
Mm-hmm.
00:20:33
Katie Hill
I'm speculating. um But I just really don't remember signing a waiver.
00:20:34
Circuspreneur Podcast
Mm-hmm. here
00:20:37
Katie Hill
Of course, with her, or her current um studio, we sign waivers all the time. like So, I mean, so that's why, I mean, and you know, that's my frame of reference.
00:20:48
Katie Hill
It's like, why did you not have me sign a waiver? Because you know she's done other activities where i have i sign on the line that says, you know you're allowed to call an ambulance on our behalf.
00:21:02
Katie Hill
um you know and then you provide your medical information like your insurance and your primary care doctor and all that stuff. So that would have been nice if we were able to provide that for them in that case because then it would have been a different scenario. It would have been You know, she had a fall.
00:21:21
Katie Hill
We called the ambulance. They're on their way. you know, blah, blah. Like, that's what I would have loved to have heard instead of what actually happened.
00:21:28
Circuspreneur Podcast
Right.
00:21:30
Katie Hill
um and So as far as legal ah things, we did talk to a personal injury lawyer and And we just just had decided not to pursue a lawsuit.
00:21:45
Katie Hill
I mean, although everyone we talked to says, oh, you should sue them. Yeah.
00:21:50
Circuspreneur Podcast
Yeah, that's my advice as well.
00:21:53
Katie Hill
but
00:21:54
Circuspreneur Podcast
Sue them.
00:21:54
Katie Hill
Yeah.
00:21:55
Circuspreneur Podcast
But many parents don't actually. And I think to remind everyone um from the amount of stories and incidents that i have learned of over the years, many families do not sue in these cases.
00:22:06
Circuspreneur Podcast
They do not. They, they, they move on and they either do not continue the sport or the activity, or they move on to a place that they find is where they should have been all along.
00:22:19
Circuspreneur Podcast
But we don't know that because we don't know what we don't know until we're in a better space.
00:22:23
Katie Hill
Great.
00:22:24
Circuspreneur Podcast
And this is the work of the advocacy and in informing parents and informing um individuals that want to get into these programs that are wonderful when they're regulated well. But this is the issue of everyone lacking the cohesive information across the board and why we think that policy is what will fix this, because then they will have to do this on a lawful level. It will be mandated and they can't just make up whatever they want to on the fly, which is what most programs are doing. And people don't like hearing that, but it's the truth. And it shouldn't take a child having such a severe injury for folks to think that um we should have these mandates. You shouldn't have to risk your child's safety and go into a program where they They should have to abide by certain regulations and laws to protect your child at all times. And that shouldn't be the work of the parents to have to constantly investigate these spaces to know what they're doing properly. You're ah obviously very involved parents, very engaged, very smart and intelligent people. It's not your fault when a business is doesn't even have to be compliant within certain
00:23:41
Circuspreneur Podcast
um regulatory ways. They just don't have to be. And unfortunately as well, when there is also no database or there's nothing else that you can keep track of these incidences, they can have several of these, like what happened to your daughter and nothing will ever come of it. If it doesn't make the news, no one will ever really know. People will continue to bring their children there. Unfortunately, they won't get shut down. um And that's actually more common than not. um And so that's also too, why i brought up the other story, because we need to discuss the stories that don't make the news, like your daughter's story. I don't think that your daughter's story was reported in the news. It doesn't sound like you got, there was even, the police were called. So there maybe wasn't a police report that was involved with this either. um was c or Or CPS, which is another, um you know, um
00:24:30
Circuspreneur Podcast
kind of avenues that sometimes we've suggested parents go go down, right, in terms of child endangerment. um But again, these spaces get away with so much. So I'm sorry, can you please discuss a little bit more of why you didn't want to pursue a personal injury lawsuit?
00:24:46
Katie Hill
It wasn't something that we had said, no, there's no way we're not going to sue. I mean, I personally would have wanted to see that part of the program shut down for her whole business overall because, you know, obviously there was a lot of anger, um you know, that ah just into their lack of safety protocols, their just negligence
00:24:51
Circuspreneur Podcast
Mm-hmm.
00:24:57
Circuspreneur Podcast
Mm-hmm.
00:25:04
Circuspreneur Podcast
Thank you.
00:25:14
Katie Hill
in that regard. You know, and and I, again, I'm assuming things, but, you know, they they would have the mats for just when they're training.
00:25:24
Katie Hill
And they would have the mats for the small kids. um But it was where the more advanced level kids, it became part of the culture there that, you know,
00:25:36
Katie Hill
that they wouldn't have mats when they were rehearsing and performing.
00:25:36
Circuspreneur Podcast
Thank
00:25:39
Katie Hill
And I don't know if it may have been because the facility itself was not accommodating. it was It's a small building. The ceilings aren't as high as you would see most of the time in like aerial studios.
00:25:54
Katie Hill
And so that caused issues as well, especially for kids that are a bit taller. My daughter is on the taller side. So, you know, they they have a lot of restrictions when it comes to like how they're able to do their drops and then, you know, getting closer to the floor yeah and things like that when they're you know, unraveling, you know, just because they're bigger.
00:26:18
Circuspreneur Podcast
Mm-hmm.
00:26:19
Katie Hill
You know, so there was a lot of things that weren't just, weren't there in in this this whole idea of like, well, I'm too good for mat. And so, you know, like if if they had to use a mat, the more advanced ah students would think that that was like, you know, an insult or something.
00:26:41
Katie Hill
And it was just a very strange culture that was, you know perpetuated there. and um so So yeah, I just, in general, I just don't think that they should be allowed to continue operating.
00:26:48
Circuspreneur Podcast
Mm-hmm.
00:26:55
Katie Hill
I mean, you can go right on their website and they have this running It's like a loop video on the aerial programs page of them performing on that stage where my daughter fell.
00:27:09
Katie Hill
And it's there. So they're just so boldly ignoring safety so much that they're going put it on their website. Yeah.
00:27:17
Circuspreneur Podcast
Mm-hmm.
00:27:17
Katie Hill
um You know, and and so those those are the things I would have liked to have just seen change. And so I guess for us, of the financial gain of suing wasn't really as much of a problem as as it was, you know, or issue for us or ah a goal for us. It was more just like, this shouldn't have happened.
00:27:40
Katie Hill
And just the the anger surrounding the fact that, yeah, like you said, it was very obvious that she's adding these things in the director of the studio.
00:27:49
Circuspreneur Podcast
And.
00:27:50
Katie Hill
She's adding these things in to just make more money. And and then, you know, it's just increasing that requirement. um Like around the time of her accident, she was already adding in more requirements just to participate in the aerial program.
00:28:07
Katie Hill
thereby trying to get more money from the parents and, you know, just, just to like add the amount of hours that they were, you know, having having to be at the studio and and stuff like that.
00:28:21
Katie Hill
So it was just overall not something that I was happy about at all.
00:28:21
Circuspreneur Podcast
Mm-hmm.
00:28:25
Katie Hill
And, and, and, It was very angering. We did get contacted by our insurance um from the initial ER ah invoice that said that they weren't going to cover anything until we provided information on the third party because the nature of the injuries to them looked like there there would be a third party liability.
00:28:48
Katie Hill
So I happily provided information about the studio and the contact and all that.
00:28:48
Circuspreneur Podcast
Mm-hmm.
00:28:53
Katie Hill
And so I think that may have helped a little as far as our insurance bills, our bills from from the surgery and things like that, because they may have also charged $1.
00:29:08
Katie Hill
the studio's insurance. I'm not sure, but it's seen that way.
00:29:10
Circuspreneur Podcast
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
00:29:13
Katie Hill
and So that that was at least one thing that did happen. So I don't know. I guess for us, it was it just kind of that, just the effort it would have taken, the time,
00:29:26
Katie Hill
potentially even legal fees for us that we would have incurred trying to sue.
00:29:26
Circuspreneur Podcast
Mm-hmm.
00:29:31
Circuspreneur Podcast
Mm-hmm.
00:29:32
Katie Hill
It's just very exhausting. So I think that's probably why we didn't pursue that more aggressively.
00:29:35
Circuspreneur Podcast
Yeah.
00:29:40
Circuspreneur Podcast
Mm-hmm.
00:29:40
Katie Hill
Although i know we do, add we do and and and we definitely did have a case to sue.
00:29:45
Circuspreneur Podcast
Oh, yes. yeah
00:29:47
Katie Hill
So yeah.
00:29:47
Circuspreneur Podcast
Definitely, I think you had a case. But it also looks towards, you know, why why parents and why families don't, and I understand why you didn't.
00:29:51
Katie Hill
Had, yeah.
00:29:59
Circuspreneur Podcast
It's It's exhausting. You have your child to focus on getting her, um you know, back into the state that she can be the best little person as and I've seen her video.
00:30:11
Circuspreneur Podcast
She's amazing and she's wonderful. And, you know, I think it's ah also a testament to the care that your family provided in getting her back and having her feel safe and knowing that she can still pursue her aerial arts or her aerial sports program.
00:30:27
Circuspreneur Podcast
We're kind of getting down to the last of the podcast here, Katie. And so I wanted to talk just a little bit about what
00:30:31
Katie Hill
Okay.
00:30:35
Circuspreneur Podcast
you know, your time in advocating. We did have you file a report with the Center for Safe Sport. I do want to tell folks, which many are seeing, many arts programs are adopting Safe Sport protocol, which is wonderful.
00:30:47
Circuspreneur Podcast
But what we wanted to show, which is also important, is that these spaces, even now people might think I can file a report with the center because they're doing they're using safe sport protocol.
00:30:59
Circuspreneur Podcast
That is not necessarily the case, but it is important to file a ah report with the center so that they have it on record that an environment like yours, where your daughter was injured, um you know, exists and should be notated.
00:31:14
Circuspreneur Podcast
And so that there is a record for it. And then also to seeing the resources that they offer back. So I'm so glad that you did that. And you took that initiative as well, Katie, to get that on record. The other thing was participating with congressional meetings with congressional ah representatives in your district, in the district of the studio, and how important that was to hear your story firsthand, your experience, and then also to what proactive changes you would like to see.
00:31:25
Katie Hill
Thank you.
00:31:42
Circuspreneur Podcast
Can you discuss a little bit about um your time in the meeting, Katie, and the importance that you can see in advocating for policies like safe art and safe circus, which we are pursuing, which would be a division by the U.S.
00:31:54
Circuspreneur Podcast
Center for Safe Sport with your local members of Congress to get some more eyes and ears on these spaces? to make sure that they are safe and that they also do have basic safety measures that are mandated, not recommendations and not cultural community insights or support systems, but actual laws to protect kids in the sports and and the art forms that they love to do and that parents want to see them do and thrive in safely.
00:32:08
Katie Hill
Thank you.
00:32:25
Katie Hill
Yeah, that is definitely something I would love to see.
Advocacy for Safety Regulations
00:32:28
Katie Hill
i would have loved have been able to report and know that it was going to get investigated. It was going to be handled at that level.
00:32:38
Katie Hill
um
00:32:39
Circuspreneur Podcast
you Yes.
00:32:40
Katie Hill
Because certainly I would expect that that program would have been banned shut or you know shut down at that studio. um So yeah, and you wanted me to reflect on the meeting with um the Congress?
00:32:56
Circuspreneur Podcast
Yeah.
00:32:57
Katie Hill
and um
00:32:57
Circuspreneur Podcast
yeah
00:32:58
Katie Hill
Yeah, so i think that was really good for them to hear firsthand ah
00:33:04
Circuspreneur Podcast
you
00:33:04
Katie Hill
from from a parent me who had gone through that with their kid. um I think some of the takeaways that they had you know, they emphasized was just the fact that, you know, a lot of parents too don't have the ability to take their kids from, you know, where, where like our studio before was just in town with us, you know, nearby to driving nearly an hour to where she goes now.
00:33:34
Katie Hill
And so that's not an option that a lot of people have.
00:33:36
Circuspreneur Podcast
so
00:33:37
Katie Hill
So that, that I think was also something that they felt was important, but, you know, these, these programs are more regulated. So that way, families do have that opportunity to put their kids in these things if they want to do it and where it's not a burden on the family.
00:33:55
Katie Hill
um I think I remember that. And just overall, I think it was impactful for them to hear really the the result of there not being regulation. right and like you know and And I know that my case isn't the only one.
00:34:12
Circuspreneur Podcast
All
00:34:13
Katie Hill
you know And and that's that's the scary thing about it is that how much is happening right now and and how many studios are adding these programs.
00:34:24
Katie Hill
and know And it seems to be a very popular thing among
00:34:25
Circuspreneur Podcast
right.
00:34:30
Katie Hill
younger, you know, young kids and stuff, they they want to do it. So there is there is a there is a need for it or, you know, a motivation to add those kinds of programs. So yeah, I think that was probably the biggest takeaway. um I don't know if you remember some other ones too, but but yeah, they they seemed to really pick up on that that. It was like kind of a, you know, an added burden on us now, even though we want to work committed to um supporting our daughters, you know, you know, daughter's ah dream to to be in the aerial arts.
00:35:02
Circuspreneur Podcast
Yes. Mm hmm.
00:35:09
Katie Hill
So, yeah.
00:35:10
Circuspreneur Podcast
Yes, they were i they were very um very much impacted by your statement and by you know, your experience with your daughter, they responded so positively um to your story.
00:35:25
Circuspreneur Podcast
um Obviously, they responded in a very serious manner. But I think that sharing um firsthand accounts for offices that they really know these are your constituents.
00:35:38
Circuspreneur Podcast
They exist every single day. They are in your backyard. and It is your responsibility to take care of them and to know that these incidents are happening um in your district and that you can do something about it directly to affect another child's life, another experience, and another family's experience.
00:35:57
Circuspreneur Podcast
And then also to protecting your daughter for the rest of her career, because what we want to do with these particular bills and protocols is not only just in the youth space, but you're protected throughout your entire career, starting from when you're young.
00:36:10
Circuspreneur Podcast
So if you go from that space, you can continue to thrive if you want to take it further or if you want to continue to just even stay a hobbyist.
00:36:11
Katie Hill
Thank you.
00:36:18
Circuspreneur Podcast
But this is something that you want to do for the rest of your life. You should feel safe at any stage that you are participating in the aerial arts or the circus arts. or um aerial sport, um as they call it as well.
00:36:30
Circuspreneur Podcast
All these many facets that these are turning into that we are also too trying to catch a hold of because like you were saying, it's so popular and we want children to be involved in these activities.
00:36:40
Circuspreneur Podcast
We don't want kids on their screens all day. We don't want them you know on on their phones and and on their tablets.
00:36:42
Katie Hill
Right.
00:36:46
Circuspreneur Podcast
We want them to be in these environments. For all of you out there that are running these programs or that are business owners, right? This is not again about saying that these programs should not exist.
00:36:56
Circuspreneur Podcast
But these are programs that are great. They're wonderful. They do so much, especially during these times where, you know, ah children don't have the same access to things as we did previously, ah yeah right?
00:37:07
Circuspreneur Podcast
And they're affecting, you know, children's development and all sorts of things. So we want them in these programs, but we also want them to be safe. And we want the parents to feel like they can trust the spaces that they're going into um and that these environments can't just pop up, you whenever they want to, and then play by their own rules. It doesn't work. It creates very unsafe environments. And I really appreciate you, Katie, for taking out the time. for participating in the congressional meetings, for providing your statement and your feedback, um and you know for being public about a very challenging and difficult time in your family's life that you are still dealing with now. This incident happened in 2024, and this is now 2026, and you are still going through getting MRIs, having checkups, and then you know seeing how your daughter is thriving internally as well as externally. so The impacts are long lasting and no family should have to go through this in order to have their child in an activity that they can excel at and that they love to do. So I just really appreciate, again, your time.
00:38:13
Circuspreneur Podcast
um And I continue to wish your family well and your daughter. And I hope that she is able to continue to soar and live out all of her dreams in the in the aerial arts. And um thank you for continuing to advocate because we need strong voices like yours as a circus parent that is, and we know it's not easy, but is willing to speak up, to speak to our legislatures, and then also to just to share the impacts that this has.
00:38:40
Circuspreneur Podcast
on families so that you can make it better. Because as everyone sees, you didn't take your daughter out of aerial arts, you could have, but your response was, no, let's just find the right space and find the right place because they are out there as well.
00:38:48
Katie Hill
Mm-hmm.
00:38:55
Circuspreneur Podcast
um And those important, those good places can also do help support, um you know, the parents that are, you know, don't have, um don't know where to go. um and you know, and And they um are important um guideposts for other families. and i And I hope that they all take that role very seriously because they should. And I know many of them do. So i don't want to be patronizing. But thank you so much again, Katie, for everything that you're doing.
00:39:25
Katie Hill
Of course. Thank you for having me.
00:39:28
Circuspreneur Podcast
Absolutely. This Circuspreneur podcast is also available on stagelink.com, S-T-A-G-E-L-Y-N-C a g e l y n c dot c o m the groundbreaking new platform for live performing arts that provides unmatched access and connection to this vibrant world of shows and entertainment. If you're a professional in the performing arts, visit stagelink.com slash pro.
00:39:46
Circuspreneur Podcast
StageLink Pro, S-T-A-G-E-L-Y-N-C-P-R-O, offers industry, professionals, higher visibility, networking opportunities, and tools to support and enhance their careers. Until next time, everyone, please stay safe and stay healthy. And please tune in to the next episode of the Circuspreneur podcast. And thank you again to circus parent and advocate, Katie Hill.