A simple swing hanging from a gnarled tree sparked one of Jessica Johnston's favourite pastimes.

It will also put her centre stage this weekend with international performers, world champion acrobats, hacky sackers and jump rope artists.

Jessica, 12, is one of 10 Zacada Circus School students who will perform with professionals in Point of View at the Dofasco Centre for the Arts, Sunday, June 22, with shows at 4 and 7 p.m.

Three acrobats from the Ukraine will join 15 other professional performers.

Jessica, a Grade 6 student at Dundas Central School, will be part of an acrobatics routine.

"I was doing recreational classses and they were getting too easy because I was in gymnastics," said Jessica. "I heard about the audtions for the performance team, was told I made it and have been in it ever since."

Jessica said her favourite disciplines are trampoline silks, trapeze and acrobatics.

She has been taking gymnastics classes at World Class Gym on Frid Street -- her specialty is the beam -- since she was seven. When she heard about the circus school, her interest was immediately piqued.

"It was something different. In gymastics you get to do the beam, the bars and the floors, but you don't get to try other things," she said.

The Zacada Circus School in Stoney Creek celebrated its one-year anniversary in May. Run by husband and wife Christine Cadeau, 29, and Kosta Zakharenko, 33, the school provides training in disciplines including trampoline, acrobatics, skipping, trapeze, juggling, tightwire and stilts.

Mr. Zakharenko performed with Cirque du Soleil from 1996 to 2006 and met Ms. Cadeau when she joined in 2001. Their circus school has 150 members from age six to 50-plus. Their objective is to give students the opportunity to increase physical fitness, improve health and open minds to the world of possibilites through circus arts.

"We want to help people find a passion. We want to show what the body is capable of," Ms. Cadeau said.

Meanwhile, for Jessica and her parents, Monday, Wednesdays are Saturdays are pretty much split between gymnastics and circus school for a total of up to 10 hours. This active 12-year-old is also a model who has appeared on the cover of a Harlequin romance novel, done a couple of Sears flyers and a promotion for Girls Crush makeup.

Tickets for Point of View are $25 and $15 for children, 12 and under. Visit www.theatreaquarius.org, www.zacadacircus.com, call 905-643-0013 or e-mail zacadacircus@hotmail.com.