TUTORS
Carolyn Ailsa
Known as Twisted Nymph, Carolyn is a cabaret circus practitioner with 15 years of experience in the cabaret and circus industry. She has mainly trained contortion under Allison Schieler, Hannah Finn and Claudia Hughes and loves trying classes with others to experience different techniques. Carolyn taught...
Iliana Atamaniuk
Iliana started circus at the age of 5 and never got away from it! She continued her studies at the Academy of Circus and Performance Arts in the Netherlands, followed by the École Supérieure des Arts du Cirque in Brussels where she graduated in her specialty aerial hoop. Currently, she travels the world...
Erin and Maxime
Both Erin Ball and Maxime Beauregard work as performers, coaches, choreographers, producers, accessibility consultants, and workshop facilitators. They are passionate advocates for Disability-led art and accessibility, striving to create more welcoming spaces and representation. They are the creators...
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; Extemporary Dance Theatre, Random Dance Co....
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...
Kate Dunne
She co-hosts "Vertical Play" with collaborator Emmen Donnelly - an explorative and playful vertical workshop..
José (Pepe) Espinoza
Alice Gilmartin
She started her training at the national centre for circus arts in 2012 where she learnt the correct alignment and balance of handstands.
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. Most recently with Fidget Feet, All or Nothing...
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).
Christopher McAuley
Christopher McAuley is an Irish/Northern Ireland based circus artist who began his circus journey at the age of 10 in a social circus programme bringing children from across the peace walls of Belfast together, to introduce them to the joy of circus.
Chantal McCormick
Chantal McCormick is a director, choreographer, aerialist, teacher, mentor, coach & Cultural Leader. 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...
Lydia Moran
Lydia Moran is a pole and straps artist from Ireland. Lydia's background is in visual art, and her aerial journey began with dance pole back in 2018. While living in Berlin she discovered aerials and began working with straps. During her 4 years there, Lydia taught pole and straps workshops and classes in studios across the city, and has now returned to Ireland where she is continuing to teach...
Kitty Peels
Kitty is a Brighton based aerial circus, aerial yoga and pilates instructor, an aerial performer and lover of all movement work.
She left her science background after completing an MPharm and a few years in clinical practice to run away with the circus after falling in love with static trapeze, training on tour with No Fit...
Tamati Samson
Tamati began aerial classes in Brighton 2017 at the age of 30 with. Starting at a late age without a background in dance or gymnastics presented challenges but be quickly became hooked doing multiple sessions per week. He expressed an interest in coaching and was mentored by his tutors Philippa Vafadari of Bandbazi and Vicki Mc Manus of the Circus...
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...
Betty Smildzina
Betty is a yoga instructor and aerialist whose teaching approach is informed by occupational therapy, and targeted for multi-apparatus aerial practice to cultivate longevity and functionality in both movement and mindset. As someone who arrived in this space in her late twenties with no dance or acrobatics background, Betty is keen to...
Christiana Stewart
Christiana Stewart is a UK based freelance dancer, choreographer, and Pilates instructor working internationally between the UK and Australia. Her practice is defined by versatility, athleticism, and a refined physical intelligence grounded in contemporary dance and classical ballet. She expands this foundation through...
Amelia Thornton
Amelia Thornton is an aerial straps artist and neuroscientist from Brighton, UK. She has a first-class psychology degree from the University of Bristol and a master’s in neuroscience from the University of Oxford and three years of professional circus arts training. Amelia’s work blends science and art, drawing on themes from physics, statistics and neuroplasticity.
Jenny Tufts
Jenny is an American-born, Ireland-based specialist in spinning bar apparatus, and a chronic dabbler in everything else. She started performing with Fidget Feet Aerial Dance Theatre in 2020, and has since gone on to perform with the Festival Completement Cirque (Canada), Fool's Delight (UK), Disneyland Paris (France), and the Hamburg Winterspektakel...
Laila Umeko
Laila is a trapezist, mover and circus artist. Traveller at heart, she was born in South Africa, grew up in Aotearoa (New Zealand) and can usually be found in Brussels, Belgium. Since graduating from ESAC (École Supérieure des Arts du Cirque), she has spent her time hanging upside down (professionally) across Europe...
FESTIVAL TEAM
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...
Paul
Booking Manager
Paul is the Booking 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
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...
Mark Morreau
Videographer/Photographer
Mark Morreau has been documenting the EADF since 2013, creating an invaluable record of the festival through film and photography.
Mark is a former circus performer, whose aerial career spanned three decades..
ACCESS TEAM
Vicky Malin
Access Coordinator
Vicky Malin has been a performer, maker and teacher, for over 20 years. She lives in Hove, East Sussex. She began dancing with Blue Eyed Soul and Candoco Dance Company. Vicky works with many artists and...
Tina Carter
Access Usher
Tina Carter has over 30 years of aerial experience and a long history of inclusive practice including a PhD on Disability & Aerial. Retired from performing and most of her teaching, she continues to work for disability and arts...
Welly O'Brien
Access Usher
Welly O ' Brien is a disabled performer. She gained an apprenticeship with Candoco dance company in 1998 and subsequently went on to perform as a full time dancer / teacher with the company from 2000-2004, she went on to...
Wayne 'Pickles' Norman
Access Usher
Pickles has been working professionally for nearly fifty years, his first job was playing the Artful Dodger in the West end production of ‘Oliver’ in 1977. His list of many TV shows include Worzel Gummidge, Terry and June, Dr Who...