Academy of Circus Arts - Class of 2008


JACKIE ARMSTRONG * Single & SwingingTrapeze * Cradle * Adagio * Web Rope * Hula-Hoops * Comedy Vaulting *
Jackie is a second-year student here at the ACA.   She is 25, hails from the picturesque marshes Southest Kent and holds a BA Honors degree in Theatre Studies from Canterbury Christchurch University.   Already a competitive trampolinist, Jackie has studied acrobatics, manipulation and aerial disciplines at the ACA. This season she has developed several new skills, including swinging trapeze, hula-hoops and silks, as well as continuing to work her solo trapeze, duo acrobatic and aerial acts with her performance partner Ian Jarvis.   A feisty fire-ball and tremendously hard-working trouper, Jackie hopes to continue to entertain circus audiences all around Britain!


BART ASPESLAGH * Plate Spinning * Chair Knockabout * Ladder Knockabout * Stilt-Walking * Balloon Twisting *
Bart is 21 and originally from Belgium but moved to Scotland at the age of nine.   An avid Scout, he met the Academy of Circus Arts during their 2007 tour stop at the Centennial World Scouts Jamboree here in England.   Bart came to ACA to study manipulation and clowning, and he aspires to entertain children around the world after the course is finished.   If you need creative knot-tying, this Scout is your man!

CRAIG ATTMERE * Corde Lisse * Comedy Vaulting * Websetting *
Just 18 years old, Craig hails from Ipswich here in the UK.   He came to the Academy of Circus Arts with thirteen years of training in a wide variety of dance disciplines, including jazz, contemporary and ballet.   Already an experienced competitor in Latin and ballroom dance, Craig is an excellent all-around performer.   He has learned an array of aerial arts, including corde lisse, single trapeze and silks, as well as manipulation skills, such as juggling and diabolo.   Craig looks forward to travelling and working in traditional and contemporary circus venues around the world.
DISA CARNEOL * Single Point, Static & Swinging Trapeze * Double Trapeze * Web Rope * Meteors * Chair Knockabout * Comedy Vaulting * Corde Lisse Dancer *
Disa Lee is a second-year student at the ACA.   She is 19 years old and from the exotic locale of Wisconsin in the USA.   She has been performing since she was a toddler in various genres, such as dance, acting and even indoor kite-flying.   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 in her two seasons at the ACA, including web-rope, silks, lyra, single-point trapeze, static trapeze and swinging trapeze.   This year she has chosen to develop comedy and manipulation skills as well, taking part in several clown acts and spinning meteors at high speeds! She looks forward to a long and exciting career as a circus performer.
 

ANDREW GIORDANO * Hard Rock Juggling * Juggling Ensemble * Unicyle * Comedy Vaulting * Websetting *
Andrew is 20 years old, and is a hardcore juggler, unicyclist, and hand-balancer from Canada.   A firm believer in practice, practice and more practice, he has taught himself many of his basic circus skills while studying for his psychology degree and working full-time.   He recently graduated with honours in Psychology from the University of Guelph.   Not just a pretty face, Andrew is graduating from the ACA with a solo juggling act and a solo unicycle act, as well as solid acrobatic, ringmastering, ensemble performance and websetting skills.   He enjoys performing and also looks forward to developing a career in circus education.

JO GLOVER * Contortion * Hula-Hoops * Comedy Vaulting *
Hailing from Sydney, Australia, Jo competed in artistic and rhythmic gymnastics from the ages of eight to twelve.   As well as studying natural medicine, she has spent the past year-and-a-half training in the areas of contortion and acrobatics.   Jo came to ACA to develop a contortion table routine, but has also developed her skills in hula hoops and hand-balancing.   This beautiful, blonde, bendy babe is most interested in cabaret and night-club venue performance.

TAM HEWITT-BAKER * Comedy Percussion * Meteors * Ladder Knockabout * Comedy Vaulting *
Tam became interested in festival-style performance when he was just 9 years old and worked on staff manipulation for ten years.   An accomplished musician, playing drums and percussion, he has jammed and entertained with numerous bands, including the world-renowned performing group, Koshka.   Tam has also worked with various special needs groups as a teacher, performer and musician.   He has studied comedy, acrobatics and a variety of juggling and manipulation skills here at the ACA.   With his persistently sunny character, Tam looks forward to performing wherever his personal journey may take him!

SORA SOL IRIYE * Silks * Double Trapeze * Web-Rope * Hula-Hoops * Comedy Vaulting * Corde Lisse Dancer *
Originally from sun-drenched Arizona in the United States, Sora comes to the Academy of Circus Arts at the practically geriatric age of 25.   Having studied ballet from the age of six, she has entertained audiences across the Midwestern USA with her gorgeous dance and aerial arts.   Sora came to the ACA to refine her existing aerial silks skills and has learned new circus disciplines including (but not limited to) doubles trapeze, single trapeze, hula-hoops, hand balancing, stilt-walking, acrobatic adagio and crisis management.   She has high hopes of making a positive impact in the world, using performing arts as a means of spreading peace, love and respect.

IAN JARVIS * Straps * Duo Cradle * Adagio * Diabolo * Juggling Ensemble * Comedy Vaulting * Websetting *
Ian is a second year student here at the Academy.   He comes from Chichester and is a talented athlete, having competed in long jump, swimming, rugby, snowboarding, surfing and body-boarding.   Just 20 years of age, he brings solid technical skills from his time with the Chichester Festival Youth Theatre and has continued to develop his existing juggling, unicycling and balancing skills at the ACA.   He has also acquired new proficiency in aerial straps and tightwire, as well as continuing to work duo aerial and acrobatic acts with his performance partner Jackie Armstrong.   An easy-going and inquisitive student of life, hobbyist cook and very dependable trouper, Ian hopes to pursue a career in theatrical and traditional circus.


TRISTAN LEWIS * Mr. Twix Juggling * Juggling Ensemble * Chair Knockabout * Ladder Knockabout * Comedy Vaulting * Websetting A 21-year-old juggling Renaissance man, Tristan has been intrigued with the circus ever since he was a little boy.   He was brought up in Normandy, France until the age of nine, when his family decided to move back to England and settled in a tiny unknown town called Bromyard.   Tristan's performing strengths are in manipulation, comedy and character work, but he has also developed excellent skills in balancing, rolas, tumbing and websetting as well.   As far as Mr. Twix is concerned, circus is where the heart is!


TOMMASO Di VINCENZO * Wire-Walking & Contortion * Comedy Vaulting * Stilt-Walking *
Tommaso is 22 years old from an Italian background and was born in Wolverhampton, England.   He lived in Sicily almost for 12 years where he finished his A-levels in travel and tourism.   Tommaso has been studying ballet and modern dance since he was nine years old.   He came to ACA to study contortion but has also developed his skills in wire-walking, stilt-walking and silks.   Tommaso is interested in pursuing theatrical and cabaret performance.

CAROLA WISNY * Oopsy Hoops * Oopsy Contortion * Juggling Ensemble * Web Rope * Comedy Vaulting *
This talented and statuesque 23 year-old was born and raised in Olso, Norway and is set to conquer the world.   Carola has performed since childhood, appearing in numerous stage productions, television programmes and fashion catwalks, as well as acting in films.   She has also taught circus skills to children at festivals in France and Finland.   Carola came to the ACA as a sinuous contortionist, but has developed her skills in comedy, clowning, unicyling, juggling, trapeze and web rope, all while discovering her circus family.   With a passion for creativity Carola spreads stardust and smiles wherever she goes!   www.opsehe.com