Satin
About
Early Life and Ringling Bros.
Pa-Mela Hernandez
Pa-Mela Violet Hernandez was born in New York, New York on August 21, 1957. She attended Baldwin Hills Elementary, Emerson Junior High and in 1975, graduated from University High School. She then attended West Los Angeles College. Pa-Mela along with her sister Deborah created the “Quadalacoo Dancers”, a dance troupe that performed with the Bob Hope USO Tours. In 1978 Pa-Mela was selected as third runner up and best talent in the Miss Black America Pageant.
She auditioned for the Ringling Brothers & Barnum and Bailey Circus in 1980 and toured with them for two years as one of 24 Dancing Showgirls. In 1981 Pa-Mela, along with fellow showgirl and cousin Denise Aubrey, joined together to create a two-person aerial act in their after hours during the show tour. With the help of good friends, fellow show trapeze artists, and with the blessing of the Feld Family who produced the circus, Pa-Mela and Denise created the aerial act “Satin”.
They were hired by Ringling as a featured act
“Satin”, debuting in 1983 as the first Black Aerial Act in the 113th year history of the Ringling Brothers & Barnum and Bailey Circus. They toured with them until 1989, covering all major cities in the US and Japan. They were invited to perform in the Monte Carlo Circus Festival in France and performed with the Jerry Cottle Circus in London, as well as Warner Brothers Studios, before retiring the “Satin” act in 1990.
Pa-Mela went on to become an Aerial Trainer, including training performers for the television show “Circus of the Stars”. In 1994 she joined the popular Universoul Circus as a featured solo act and later became a trainer for several of their aerial acts. She is currently Operations Manager for a financial investment and insurance company in Los Angeles.
Denise Aubrey-Bertini
Denise Aubrey was born in Los Angeles, California on November 6th 1955. She attended Raymond Avenue elementary school, John Muir Junior High School and graduated Crenshaw High School in 1973. She attended West Los Angeles College as a Dance and Journalism major while working at United California Bank.
She joined the dance troupe, “The Quadalacoo Dancers”, created by Pa-Mela Hernandez and her sister Deborah in 1975 and on weekends, performed with them for the Bob Hope USO California Tours.
In 1978 Denise was selected as a Finalist in the Miss Black America Pageant. In 1979 she auditioned for Ringling Brothers & Barnum and Bailey Circus and was hired as one of 24 dancing Showgirls.
Denise performed as a dancer with Ringling Brothers for the next two years. In 1982 Denise and her cousin Pa-Mela, who later had also joined the Circus, worked together and created a two-person aerial act, in the after hours, during the show tour. With the help of good friends and trapeze acts and the blessing of the Feld Family, who produced the show, Pa-Mela and Denise created the Aerial Act “Satin” and were hired by Ringling as a featured act. Satin debuted in 1983 and billed as the first Black Aerialists in the 113 year history of the Ringling Brothers & Barnum and Bailey Circus.
They continued to tour with Ringling until 1989, covering all major cities in the US and Japan. They were invited to the Monte Carlo Circus Festival in France, performed for the Jerry Cottle Circus in London, as well as Warner Brothers Studios, before retiring the “Satin” act in 1990.
Denise married and relocated to Florida, where she worked as a Personal Fitness Trainer and Massage Therapist and Esthetician, until retiring in 2021.
After the Circus
