TUTORS
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.
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.
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…
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…
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…
Sianna Bruce
Siânna (pronounced Shana) has over a decade of experience in the performance industry. Originally from Scotland now based in Sweden she specialises in vertical dance, counterweight, and performer flying, whilst also dabbling in spiral, sling and dance trapeze. Her expertise lies in large-scale productions and outdoor spectacle work.
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…
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…
Delia Ceruti
Delia Ceruti is an Italian professional aerial artist whose work has largely been influenced by movement, and shaped by her desire to work on her own body’s strengths and weaknesses.
She started her circus training quite late in life in the UK, and being too late for circus school – she was told, she ended up…
José (Pepe) Espinoza
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.
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…
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…
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.
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).
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…
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.
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…
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…
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. These include…
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
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
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…