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…
Chrissie Ardill
Chrissie is interested in how we can bring dance dynamics, detail and momentum to the equipment we use. She has been training, performing and teaching in aerial harness, hoop and other aerial disciplines for 13 years. Originally from Ireland and based in Glasgow, Scotland, Chrissie performs with aerial dance/circus…
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 and Maxime 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 of an…
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
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).
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…
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…
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…
Ana Prada
Ana Prada was born and raised in Colombia and has been an aerial dancer and yoga practitioner since 1998. She studied contemporary dance in New York City, where she started to explore aerial apparatus like dance trapeze and rope. She then moved to Montreal where she specialized in aerial silks and hoop. Ana has worked with La Esquina Desplazada, Triknia dance company…
Rebecca Rennison
Rebecca Rennison (London, UK) is a multi-award-winning international aerial circus artist and aerial choreographer. Graduating from the acclaimed Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts with a BA (Hons) in Dance, Rebecca fell head over heels with aerial circus and has made a career of seamlessly weaving together lyrical acrobatics, dance and…
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…
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..