TUTORS

Carolyn Ailsa

Carolyn Ailsa

Known as the Twisted Nymph performer. She is a seasoned performer and instructor specialising in contortion, aerial hoop and silks, with over 10 years of experience delighting audiences in the cabaret and circus Industry.

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Chrissie Ardill

Chrissie Ardill

Chrissie is interested in how we can bring dance dynamics and momentum to the equipment we use. She has been training, performing and teaching in aerial harness, hoop and other aerial disciplines for over a decade.  

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Iliana Atamaniuk

Iliana Atamaniuk

Iliana is a professional circus artist specialising in aerial hoop !
She started circus at the age of 5 and never got away from it, graduating in 2023 from the professional circus school of Brussels, ESAC. For several years now she has been travelling the world, teaching and sharing my experience of aerials…

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Erin Ball

Erin Ball

Erin Ball (ze/zir) is a white neurodivergent double below knee amputee. Erin is a circus artist based near Katarokwi/Kingston, Ontario and the artistic director of Kingston Circus Arts. Erin achieved Disability membership in 2014 and took a year off. Erin then began the process of un-learning ableism…

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Lindsey Butcher

Lindsey Butcher

Since graduating from London School of Contemporary Dance a long time ago (!), Lindsey has worked with numerous dance, theatre, opera companies and directors as a dancer, aerialist, teacher, mentor and choreographer. These include…  

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Carolina Cabañas

Carolina Cabañas

Carolina has 22 years of experience in performing arts, mainly in contemporary dance, ballet Aerial dance and contemporary circus.
Within her training, it is worth highlighting her studies at the University of Costa Rica, Chalons en Champagne and Center National de Danse in France…

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Lee Clayden

Lee Clayden

Lee started dancing at the age of 21 and graduated from London Contemporary Dance School with a 1st degree. He has guessed with ENO, The Charnock Company, Companhia Portuguesa de Bailado Contempreano, Random Dance Company, Kerry Nicholls, Vincent Dance Theatre, Aletta Collins…

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Emmen Donnelly

Emmen Donnelly

Emmen is an accomplished and respected member of the Irish and UK aerial and circus community, currently working in Belfast, Northern Ireland. His methods of practice help support Irish aerial training and performance with his Vertical Play workshops proving hugely successful and even pioneering Irelands first ever rope meet! 

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José (Pepe) Espinoza

José (Pepe) Espinoza

José (Pepe) is a performance artist from Chile, and has resided in Ireland since 2022. He has a degree in Circus from the Circo del mundo school, and studied to be a teacher with CircoChile. He belongs to the company CirkoActivo of Chile, specializing in acrobatics, handstands and duo acrobatics. He currently works… 
Rachel Freeman

Rachel Freeman

Rachel is an independent dance artist based in Worcestershire, interested in improvisation, inclusive practice, and interdisciplinary collaboration. She led Blue Eyed Soul Dance Company in their celebrated aerial dance work (1995 – 2011) and has since been extending the practice with Everybody Dance.

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Beverley Grant

Beverley Grant

Beverley is from Edinburgh, Scotland. She trained as a professional dancer at Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance graduating in 2012, since graduating she has performed with multiple dance and aerial companies, nationally and internationally.

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Katie Hill

Katie Hill

Katie is a straps artist and acrobat based in London. Studying an MA in Performance Design and Practise at Central Saint Martins and her BA at The National Centre for Circus Arts, where she now teaches on the degree programme. Since graduating Katie has been lucky to perform across the world and…

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KJ Mortimer

KJ Mortimer

KJ currently performs for Stopgap Dance Company and Commotion Dance. KJ integrates release technique, flying low and yoga into her dance practice. KJ began her contemporary dance training at The University of Chichester graduating with a 1st Class BA (Hons) degree in 2010, after which she went on to join Transitions Dance Company where she toured internationally and gained her Masters Degree in Dance Performance…

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Chantal McCormick

Chantal McCormick

Chantal trained at the London School of Contemporary Dance and became interested in aerial circus after graduating. She toured with established dance and circus companies in the UK touring to Trinidad, Europe and Australia from 1999-2008 including Scarabeus Theatre with whom she learnt vertical dance skills.

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Magalie Lanriot

Magalie Lanriot

Magalie is a Portugal-based dancer, choreographer, and teacher. She began her career as a contemporary dancer, but it was through vertical dancing that she found her home. In 2014, she was in the cast of ‘Rites of War’, a performance by Lindsey Butcher & Darshan Singh Bhuller (Gravity & Levity).

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Laura Pero

Laura Pero

Originally from London, Laura has roots in dance and aerial circus. She currently specialises in, human movement enhancement through joint mobility & strength training with Kinstretch® (a training concept by Functional Range Systems®)

Since 1995 Laura’s work with her chosen physical disciplines has…

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Tess Munro Pedreros

Tess Munro Pedreros

Tess is a theatrical dangler who creates intimate and innovative performances in the air. Raised in Aotearoa and schooled by the world, she has collaborated and created in almost every continent. She loves the community she finds in creative danglers everywhere and is passionate about developing aerial arts practice.

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Gaia Santuccio

Gaia Santuccio

Gaia is a aerial rope artist, teacher and movement researcher. Made in Sicily, at the age of 16 she moved to the UkKand lived in many places across Europe since. She is currently based in Budapest.
After her Master studies at DOCH in Contemporary Circus Practices ending in June 2022, she was part of the pilot year directed and led by…

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Laila Umeko

Laila Umeko

Traveller at heart, Laila was born in South Africa, grew up in Aotearoa (New Zealand) and is currently to be found – at least most of the time – in Brussels, Belgium. After 5 years of circus studies and professional hanging upside down…

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FESTIVAL TEAM

Lindsey Butcher

Lindsey Butcher

Festival Director

Since graduating from London School of Contemporary Dance a long time ago (!), Lindsey has worked with numerous dance, theatre, opera companies and directors as a dancer, aerialist, teacher, mentor and choreographer. These include…  

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Paul

Paul

Festival Manager

Paul is the Festival Manager for EADF, answering all of your queries by email to info@eadf.co.uk and dealing with any booking or website issues. He’ll be at the desk during the festival for the two weeks to answer any last minute questions!

 

Simon Edwards

Simon Edwards

Head Rigger

Simon is based in North Wales and works as a rigger and rigging consultant (www.aerialrigger.com). His rigging expertise is based on his professional rock climbing and mountaineering experience and he holds…

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Mark Morreau

Mark Morreau

Videographer/Photographer

This is Mark’s twelfth year documenting the EADF, creating a record of the festival through film and photography.
Mark Morreau is a former circus performer, whose aerial career, spanning three decades, included tours with…

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