Nicolette Fornasari was six years old the first time she talked her way into a circus audition, knocking on the door of Garcia Brothers Circus and performing that same night. She grew up largely on the road, working the Spanish web, aerial silks and cloud swing before Ringling Brothers approached her to join a hair-suspension act -- an offer she turned down, joking that her scalp wasn't quite strong enough for the commitment. That circus background eventually became Sinister Sisters, a touring rock-and-roll variety show blending burlesque, aerial work and fire performance that Fornasari launched during the pandemic after her family-friendly touring show shut down and she wanted to explore a darker, edgier direction.
Building a Vegas-Style Show in Florida
Fornasari says the concept was a hard sell at first -- Florida, and Sarasota specifically, isn't where people expect a Vegas-caliber variety show to take root. Five years in, every single show has sold out in advance, drawing a mix of Sarasota locals and traveling fans; one of the biggest nights, a beer garden gig in rural Macon, Georgia, grew from 200 skeptical attendees to nearly 800 by word of mouth. She prides herself on booking internationally competitive talent, including a hand-balancing contortionist with three world gold medals and aerialists flown in from other countries, and has built in a strict consent policy enforced by her longtime host, a 20-year burlesque veteran.
Fornasari stepped away from performing about a year and a half ago after shoulder surgery from years of aerial work, and is now redirecting that competitive drive toward training for a world Argentine tango championship with her partner, a professional dancer -- a shift she credits with introducing her to the idea of producing a standalone tango-focused show alongside Sinister Sisters. Her long-term goal isn't Vegas; she wants to open a permanent Sarasota speakeasy-style venue with rotating live entertainment, betting on staying a big fish in her hometown pond rather than chasing a bigger stage.
No Love for Roundabouts
Asked the show's recurring question, Fornasari doesn't hesitate: she hates roundabouts, arguing most drivers simply don't know how to use them, though she admits to leaning on the horn herself when other drivers hesitate. She's unambiguously pro-growth on Sarasota more broadly, calling the city a scrappier, better version of Miami. She recommends dance instructor Zaza of Dance Fever -- her own tango teacher -- as a future guest.
What you'll take away
- Nicolette Fornasari began performing circus acts professionally at age six and turned down an offer to join a Ringling Brothers hair-suspension act
- Every Sinister Sisters show has sold out in advance for five straight years, including a Macon, Georgia date that grew from 200 to nearly 800 attendees by word of mouth
- She stepped back from performing after shoulder surgery tied to years of aerial work and now trains competitively in Argentine tango
- Her long-term goal is a permanent Sarasota venue rather than expanding the show to a bigger market like Las Vegas
- She is firmly against roundabouts, arguing most drivers don't know how to use them
“I really wanted to explore a darker side of entertainment, so I just went with it.”
“I'd rather be a big fish in a small pond.”
Places mentioned: The Gator Club, Big Top Brewing