NORA JACOBS Nora hails from Kiel, Germany and has spent most of her 22 years in and around the arts. After graduating from the United World College of Hong Kong she enrolled in the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, where she developed several arts projects, installations, videos and performances. Nora has always been interested in how stories can be told through different means and from novel perspectives, which led her to circus and variety performance. She has developed several comedy pieces here at the ACA and has expanded her existing skills in juggling and unicycle. Nora has been strongly influenced by her circus experience and is looking forward to meeting new challenges in art and performance, no matter where in the word.

Graduation Show performances: Comedy Bride, Cigar Box Juggling, Unicycle Trio, Web Rope Ensemble, Comedy Vaulting.

DISA CARNEOL Disa Lee Carneol is 18 years old and from the exotic locale of Wisconsin in the USA. She has been performing since she was toddler in various genres, such as dance, acting and even indoor kite-flying, but at the age of ten she became involved with youth circus in her hometown and was immediately (and irrevocably) hooked. Disa has developed substantial aerial skills at the ACA, including web-rope, fabrics, lyra and trapeze. She looks forward to a long and exciting career as a circus performer.

Graduation Show performances: Aerial Lyra & Fabrics, Single Point Trapeze, Web Rope, Comedy Vaulting.

ROSS FARRER Ross Farrer is 19 years old and grew up in London. He began his study of performing arts at the Miskin Theatre and already holds a BTEC National Diploma in Advanced Performing Arts Level 3, but decided to pursue his secret love of circus at the ACA. Ross has combined his aptitude for characterization with new juggling, comedy and acrobatic skills, resulting in a character based diabolo act, a comedy knockabout ensemble and the wildly original skateboard rolas act. He is most interested in travelling far and wide as he continues to perform circus arts.

Graduation Show performances: Skateboard Rolas, Diabolo, Comedy Knockabout, Comedy Vaulting.

JOE FEARN Joseph Fearn is 21 years old and comes from Birmingham. He has been involved with acting, music and performing arts from a young age and recently spent two years working as a coach with Circus of the Kids in the United States. After his experience in America, Joe decided that he wanted to pursue the circus lifestyle and joined the ACA to expand his skills. He has developed acts in rola-bola, aerial silks and has even discovered a new-found love of comedy. After his graduation, Joe is interested in working in circus, musical theatre and variety performance world-wide.

Graduation Show performances: Aerial Fabrics, Rola-Bolas, Comedy Knockabout, Comedy Vaulting.

ELIN BIELECKA Elin Bielecka is 25 years old and hails from London. She holds a BSc honors degree in Design Technology, but also has extensive experience in theatre, stage crew and performance, as well as arts administration and public relations. Elin is already an experienced juggler, stilt-walker, character model and pyrotechnics and fireworks technician, and at the ACA she has expanded on her manipulation skills, producing a saucy staff, frame and cube spinning act. She has also developed her aerial skills on the single trapeze, lyra and appears in the web rope ensemble. Elin is interested in performing in circus, variety entertainment, festival shows and cabaret theatre.

Graduation Show performances: Spinning & Cube Manipulation, Web Rope Ensemble, Comedy Vaulting.

STEPHANIE RANDALL Steph Randall is 19 years old and a second-generation circus performer who has previously studied hospitality and catering, British Sign Language and dance. Steph came to ACA primarily to study aerial skills and has developed rapidly on the web rope, trapeze, and hexagonal lyra. She has advanced her hula-hoop, rhythmic ribbon and technical production skills as well. Steph is also an accomplished equilibrist on the rolling globe, Roman ladders, adagio balance, and stilts, as well as experienced with large stage illusions and puppetry. She is most interested in travelling the world as she continues to perform circus arts.

Graduation Show performances: Rolling Globe, Aerial Hexagon, Web Rope Ensemble, Comedy Vaulting.

PAUL BRADLEY Paul is 26 years old and comes from the rolling hills of Gloucestershire. After spending four serious years in the Parachute Regiment, he decided he just wants to make people laugh! At the ACA Paul has discovered his alter-ego, clown Moochie, and is off and running in his new red nose. He has also developed skills in unicycling, juggling, acrobatics and trapeze. Paul looks forward to working in the entertainment industry, whether in circus, variety or education, as long as he gets to keep folks smiling.

Graduation Show performances: Karate Fly, Unicycle Trio, Comedy Knockabout, Comedy Vaulting, Static & Swinging Trapeze, Comedy & Hat Juggling.

DONALD CHOI 22 year old Donald Choi is currently London based but originally hails from the city of Hong Kong. He has long been fascinated by the circus, but was sidetracked by a degree in Biochemistry before pursuing his aspirations under the big-top. While at the ACA he has developed novel acts in tightwire, hula-hoops and aerial silks. After graduation, he intends to build an artistic circus career, exploring the potential of cabaret, nightclubs, theatre, variety entertainment and contemporary circus. Donald dreams of joining or creating a performance company with like-minded artistic individuals with a circus focus.

Graduation Show performances: Tightwire, Aerial Fabrics, Hula-Hoops, Comedy Vaulting.

LUKE HARTLEY Luke Hartley is 19 years old and comes from Kent. He was a self-taught juggler and unicyclist before coming to the ACA and he has refined those skills, as well as discovered a new aptitude for contortion. Luke has also developed his ensemble skills, working in a duo (comedy contortion), a trio (unicycle) and in large group acts, becoming a more confident and assured performer in the ring. He has shown fascination with all aspects of circus and trouping life, including tent construction, prop-building, technical skills, web-setting and ring crewing. Luke is interested in performing in traditional and contemporary circus, festival shows and variety entertainment.

Graduation Show performances: Unicycle, Comedy Contortion, Unicycle Trio, Comedy Vaulting.