From Cirque du Soleil to mentor: Red Deer gymnastics coach helps develop local talent

Dmytro Troyan looks on as one of his students practices a gymnastic routine (CTV News/Nav Sangha).

A former high-flying Cirque Du Soleil performer is bringing his years of experience on the trampoline to a local non-profit organization.

Dmytro Troyan was born and raised in Ukraine. He started practising gymnastics at five years old, and at the age of 13, he joined the youth national team for tumbling and trampoline gymnastics.

The following year he joined the senior national team and found success on the world stage. Troyan is a four-time trampoline national champion and has medaled in two World Cups and two European Championships.

After retiring from competition, he took his trampoline and tumbling talent to the entertainment industry. He’s performed with the Ukrainian State Circus, trained with Usher, and performed with Cirque Du Soleil.

“I finished my career as a performer with Cirque Du Soleil, where I worked five years as a trampolinist, acrobat, little bit dancer, little bit everything,” said Troyan.

“To take experience from them was probably my biggest success…that’s what, I would say, I’m still using in my life.”

Troyan then wanted to coach and sent his resume to multiple countries.

“I have experience from my country, and I decided to share experience and get something new from other places,” he said.

He ended up as a head coach with the Exelta Gymnastics Club in Red Deer. Exelta is a non-profit organization focused on providing affordable gymnastics instruction to Central Albertans. Troyan said the affordability of the programs that Exelta offers was important in his decision to stay.

“We are working here for kids, for family, for community. It’s not business. We do not make money. We just share our experience, and if we have some budget, we always looking for great coaches, great people, who can share their experience,” he said.

“We want to improve, in general, the idea of sport which is for me, personally, that’s what our kids really need right now, to be more active because activity, this is life.”

The organization has developed national-level athletes. Troyan’s son, Artur, is one of his athletes, and just like his father, Artur is a national champion.

“I remember as a little kid meeting a lot of Cirque Du Soleil athletes or performers, and it was just a cool experience being a little kid and seeing all that,” Artur said.

Artur said he credits a lot of his own success to his father.

“To me, he’s one of the best coaches…he pushes so hard and makes you think if you want this, you will get it.”

Chad Koller is a 15-year-old artistic gymnastics athlete who has also competed at the national level. He said Troyan, along with the other coaches at Exelta Gymnastics, are great role models.

“They can help on a mental level too, not just teach us how to do gymnastics. They help us through so much other stuff too.”

For Troyan, coaching at Exelta is a realization of his life’s motto: Money is never more important than passion.

“You can be good in your occupation if you love what you do. If it’s your lifestyle, so if you don’t think about just financial side, then you will be successful.”