Meet Jordi Verdeguer Cuevas of Atlanta

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jordi Verdeguer Cuevas.

Hi Jordi, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
When I was 13, my friends and I were obsessed with doing handstands, which naturally led us into breakdancing and capoeira. I fell in love with blending dance and acrobatics. After three years of capoeira, I met a former Cirque du Soleil artist who was teaching tumbling and trampoline, and I immediately joined his classes. That connected me to gymnastics and aerial straps, eventually leading to my first professional performance in 2014 at the Oceanográfico de Valencia—performing aerial straps, group acro, and clowning right over the dolphin tank and audience.

After finishing my master’s degree, I traveled to Nepal to work with indigenous communities. There, I met Circus Kathmandu, an inspiring group of artists who were rescued from child trafficking and used circus arts to empower fellow survivors and educate communities on human trafficking, child marriage, and the dowry system. This pivotal experience sparked my deep commitment to anti-trafficking work.

When I moved to Atlanta, I re-engaged with both of my passions: joining the local anti-human trafficking movement and returning to my aerial straps training. Today, I serve as the Anti-Human Trafficking Program Manager at Inspiritus, a non-profit supporting communities across Georgia, Alabama, and Tennessee. Alongside my advocacy work, I continue my creative path as a performing aerial straps solo artist and as part of a duo. I have been training with Darian Cobas, a Cirque Du Soleil artist at Kurios.

Music has always been the third thread of my creative life—I started DJing in Spain as a teenager and have recently taken it to the next level here in Atlanta, playing house parties and outdoor sets on the BeltLine, with my sights set on club venues next.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. While traveling and doing social work across Nepal and Southeast Asia, maintaining my aerial straps practice was extremely difficult. I was constantly on the move, completely dedicated to supporting human trafficking survivors. As much as I loved those years, it was hard constantly feeling like an outsider, no matter how long I stayed, I was always viewed as a tourist, and missing that deep sense of home and belonging was challenging.

The first few years working directly with human trafficking survivors were heavy. Facing the reality of what people endured hit hard, and I cried a lot. But I knew I couldn’t just look the other way. Over time, I learned how to process that emotional weight, build personal resilience, and become much more effective at helping survivors recover and rebuild their lives.

Living abroad away from my home country for eight years tested me, but it also shaped who I am today, and it’s how I met my wife. Moving to her hometown of Atlanta brought me to a wonderful new chapter, but starting over on a new continent came with its own set of hurdles.

Here in the U.S., I’ve found that because of my accent, people sometimes tend to patronize me or make assumptions about my background and capabilities. Overcoming that extra layer of bias while building a completely new social circle, establishing my professional footing, and training to regain high-level physical form in aerial straps took time and patience.

Today, the path feels much smoother, and I’m proud of the community, artistic life, and anti-trafficking work I’ve built here in Atlanta.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
My daily work lives at the intersection of critical human advocacy and high-level creative performance. Professionally, I serve as an Anti-Human Trafficking Program Manager, supervising a team of 11 case managers and a supervisor. Together, we provide vital case management services to human trafficking survivors across Georgia, Alabama, and Tennessee, and I personally handle our most complex and delicate cases.

What balances this intense, heavy work is my creative passion. I am an aerial straps artist, performing both solo and in a duo with an talented partner who shares my ambition and obsession for the craft. We move seamlessly between emotional storytelling, high-energy entertainment, humor, and provocative burlesque.

In the aerial world, I am known for my attention to detail, innovation, and holistic performance. I don’t just execute difficult skills and dynamic transitions; I aim to make high-level acrobatic feats look completely effortless. What sets my work apart is a holistic, storytelling-driven approach; I incorporate unique props directly into my aerial straps routines, using them as extensions of the narrative rather than just gimmicks. I custom-edit my own soundscapes, music, and audio clips to build an immersive world from the first second of the act, and I design elements of light and staging to create an emotional, 360-degree experience that resonates deeply with the audience.

I am most proud of creating meaningful, artistic pieces that completely immerse the audience in a story. Technical skill is important, but my ultimate goal is to evoke genuine emotion and leave people with an unforgettable experience. Being able to maintain that level of artistic excellence while simultaneously helping human trafficking survivors rebuild their lives is the accomplishment I carry with the most pride.

Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
Angel Sánchez (Former Cirque du Soleil & Cirque Éloize Artist): Angel was my first mentor in aerial straps and acrobatics. He didn’t just teach me technical skills, he passed on his passion and completely hooked me on the circus world.

Darian Cobas (Cirque du Soleil Artist, Kurios): Darian took my technique to the next level. His guidance accelerated my growth on aerial straps, helped me refine and polish my solo performances, and supported me as I developed my curriculum to start teaching straps to others.

Olivia Allen (Wife): My wife, Olivia, has been my ultimate cheerleader and advocate. She has supported me through every transition, new project, and step of the journey from the very beginning. None of this would be possible without her constant encouragement and belief in what I do.

Thilde Robinson (Aerial Straps Duo Partner): The aerial community in Atlanta is tight-knit, so having a dedicated artistic partner makes a massive difference. Thilde keeps me motivated, holds me accountable, and inspires me to show up and train even on the hard days. Working together on our duo acts and supporting each other’s solo projects has been vital to my growth here.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @xordi.giio