Academy of Circus Arts - Class of 2007


JACKIE ARMSTRONG * Single Trapeze * Duo Cradle * Tango Adagio * Comedy Vaulting *
Jackie hails from the picturesque marshes Southest Kent and holds a BA Honors degree in Theatre Studies from Canterbury Christchurch University. Already a competitive trampolinist, she studied acrobatics and aerial disciplines at the ACA, concentrating on duo acts with her performance partner Ian Jarvis. A feisty fire-ball and hard-working trouper, Jackie hopes to continue to entertain circus audiences in Britain or perhaps to join a cruise-ship line. The world is her oyster!

MAX BEECHER * Mask Contortion * Chair Balance * Juggling Ensemble * Comedy Vaulting *
Max is the boy who puts the bend in Sheffield steel! An accomplished contortionist, he has already performed with Zippo’s Circus and Swamp Circus. He was able to polish his performance skills to a high gloss at the ACA, concentrating on handbalance, tumbling and manipulation skills, such as club passing. Max enjoys seeing things from a slightly different angle and looks forward to taking to life’s curves with flexibility of spirit. He hopes to travel the world working in the circus industry for a long time to come.

HILARY BUDGE * Ringmistress * Comedy Music * Web Rope * Comedy Slosh * Comedy Vaulting *
Hillary comes to us from Berkshire and graduated from the well-known Oxford School of Drama. A real jet-set baby, she has traveled extensively throughout India, Southeast Asia, Australia, Western Europe and Hong Kong. A lovely presence in the ring, Hillary has developed her skills here at the ACA as a ringmistress, aerialist, unicyclist, stilt-walker and comedienne. She looks forward to continuing her world travels as a circus performer with a shining smile!

SARAH COWAN * Corde Lisse * Web Rope * Hula Hoops * Comedy Vaulting *
Sarah is Scotland’s own spinning sensation, with web-rope and hula-hoop acts to her credit. An accomplished athlete, she was a competitive gymnast from the age of four years, winning the Scottish Gymnastic Championships at both the beginning and intermediate levels. She also studied dance at Telford College in Edinburgh and has enjoyed putting her skills to good use in her aerial and manipulation acts here at the Academy. Sarah hopes to work in circus-theme productions and her dream is to run away to be a performing pirate in Majorca; ahoy matey!

NIKKI CROCKETT * Lyrical Silks * Hula Hoops * Web Rope * Comedy Vaulting *
Nikki grew up in Middlesex and studied rhythmic gymnastics and dance for eleven years at Gypsy Booth School of Ballet & Theatre Arts. She has developed her skills in tumbling, aerial and manipulation arts while at the ACA and is interested in working in all circus performing styles, from traditional to nuveau to theatrical to cabaret. Accomplished in ballet, lyrical, jazz and character, Nikki brings grace and beauty to everything she does. But look out folks – this Barbie can swing a hammer!

HELENE DAHL * Borrower Silks * Corde Lisse * Web Rope * Juggling Ensemble *Comedy Vaulting *
Helene may hail from the icy climes of Norway, but she brings a sunny smile to any locale. This puckish pixie exhibits a mischievous sense of humor, both in the ring and out. As a teenager she attended the Jessheim Videregaende Skole of drama for three years and then went on to the prestigious Romerike Folkehogskole for performing arts. Here at the Academy she focused on aerial skills almost exclusively, with excellent result on the silks, web rope, corde lisse and single trapeze. The hard-working Helene has a tremendous sense of adventure and is happy to utilize her combined skills in any performance venue, anywhere in the world.

JANE FAULKNER * Rockin’ Unicycle * Comedy Slosh * Ring-Ring * Comedy Music * Plate Spinning *
Jane is a native Bolton-ian who had aspirations of being a great Shakespearean thespian, but when she picked up three juggling balls it was all over. After studying at the St. Catherine’s Drama Studio, she embarked on a wildly varied career as an all-around performer, including work in children’s theatre, street-performance, theme park productions, holiday camp shows and family entertainment. An accomplished panto-player, she has appeared in many comic roles in productions, such as Aladdin (as Wishy-Washy), Dick Whittington (as the Fairy), Peter Pan (as Peter) and even a uniycling Baby-Bear in Goldilocks. Having a great fascination with circus comedy, she came to the ACA to develop new skills and vaudeville style routines to augment her existing repertoire. Striving for adequacy in all she does, Jane looks forward to getting back to central heating and a flush toilet, and to continuing to pursue her career in profitable lunacy.

JOSEPHINE HEANEY * Ringmistress * Comedy Storytelling * Whip & Knife * Web Rope *
Josie is a successful professional model from Ireland and brings with her a love of corsets, vinyl, stiletto heels and all things unconventional. A experienced actress on stage and television, she studied extensively at the Crescent Arts Center and has appeared at the Lyric Theatre and Black Box Cabaret in Belfast. A warped sense of humor combined with deadpan delivery make her an ideal mistress of the ring, “straight man” or cabaret emcee. Josie is most interested in continuing her pursuit of sideshow skills and performing in cabaret and theatre venues worldwide.

IAN JARVIS * Duo Cradle * Tango Adagio * Diabolo * Juggling Ensemble * Comedy Vaulting *
Ian comes from Chichester and is a talented athlete, having competed in long jump, swimming, rugby, snowboarding, surfing and body-boarding. A member of Chichester Festival Youth Theatre, he has solid technical skills and has developed his existing juggling, unicycling and balancing skills at the ACA. He has also acquired new proficiency in aerial and acrobatic disciplines with his performance partner Jackie Armstrong. An easy-going and inquisitive student of life, hobbyist cook and dependable trouper, Ian hopes to pursue a career in theatrical and traditional circus.

 

ELIAS KAITERIS * Pharaoh Spinning * Juggling Ensemble * Web Rope *
Elias is a truly cosmopolitan young man, having been raised in Egypt, France and Greece, and being fluent five languages. He studied Sociology at the Paris Cinq University before deciding to develop his existing manipulation skills by running away with the circus. An accomplished pyromaniac, he has attained proficiency in staff spinning, balancing, unicycling, ladder-walking, devilsticks and juggling here at the ACA. Able to keep a sense of humor even when laboring in rain-soaked fields at 3am, Elias is well-suited to working in touring circus and is also interested in festival and gala performance.

DANIEL KIPHART * Juggling * Juggling Ensemble * Comedy Vaulting *
A native of Denver, Colorado and Santa Fe, New Mexico, Daniel is an avid backpacker, trail-runner, mountain unicyclist and all around outdoorsman. A natural intellect and brain-iac, he holds a BS High Honors degree in Physics from the New Mexico Institute of Mining & Technology. Already a compulsive juggler and unicyclist with the University of New Mexico juggling club, he developed his tumbling, movement and performance skills at the ACA. This poker-faced comedian and hard-working trouper is interested in exploring new venues and gaining performance experience in whatever opportunity presents itself.

LORNA MOON * Prodigy Unicycle * Juggling Ensemble * Comedy Vaulting *
Lorna hails from Hampshire and holds a BTEC in Performing Arts from Brockenhurst College, as well as a 2nd dan black belt in Taekwondo. Just eighteen years old, she has already worked with Table-Top Circus and as a self-employed jester, workshop leader and variety performer throughout Hampshire and Dorset. Natural athletic ability has allowed her to quickly develop high-level technical proficiency in unicycling, juggling, diabolo, devilsticks, poi, staff spinning and other forms of object manipulation. Lorna is an agreeable young lady with a positive outlook and always a handy stake-pounding machine with a smile. She looks forward to working in a travelling circus company and expanding her repertoire of performance skills.

ALEX MORLEY * DJ Spinning * Comedy Rolas * Ring Ring * Storytelling * Slosh * Comedy Vaulting *
Alex comes to us from the charming countryside of Norfolk and has dreamed of becoming a circus clown since the age of five. In his single-minded pursuit of that goal he has avidly studied every known British clown working in the circus industry over the past 100 years. He has also performed in, directed and produced multiple circus productions and comedy shows during the last seven years, including a brief stint with Foolhardy Folks Circus. Alex began auditioning for the Academy when he was just fourteen and upon entrance has worked to develop manipulation and equilibristic skills to enhance his new comedy pieces. An excellent Auguste’, he looks forward to a long and ludicrous career working as a clown in British circus.

KARIN PETTER * Comedy Diabolo * Comedy Slosh * Juggling Ensemble * Comedy Vaulting *
Karin grew up in the Swiss Alps and fell in love with the sawdust ring after an inspiring season working on the Starlight Circus. She holds a three-year diploma in Economics from the Wirtschafts Mittel Schule of Chur and is also a certified practitioner of Swedish massage and reflexology. Her quirky intellectual approach to humor has evolved into several character-driven comedy acts at the ACA and diligent practice has greatly developed her new manipulation and juggling skills as well. Organized, thoughtful and industrious to a fault, Karin is a goof who will be a tremendous asset to any circus organization.

EMILY SHERIDAN * Dance Contortion * Web Rope * Comedy Vaulting *
Emily hails from Reading and has been on her toes for thirteen years. She has studied at the Boyle O’Dowda Academy of Dance and the Bryett School of Dance, and she is well-versed in Irish, modern, tap, ballet, jazz, disco, hip-hop and cheerleading styles. A natural performer, she has already toured with Happy’s Circus performing school shows here in the UK. Emily has enhanced her tumbling, aerial and manipulation skills here at the ACA, working on both a web rope routine and a sinuous contortion act that showcases her character, dance and movement expertise. This English rose hopes to continue working in traditional touring circus anywhere in the world.