Our Trainers

The FFFC employs trainers who have worked, trained or worked as trainers internationally.

Children are taught and mentored by these people every week. We also call on a wide field of trainers whom visit the region for short-term stays who offer specialist or intensive skills development, depending on our artistic requirements. Any questions about training or selection should be emailed to :- training@fruitflycircus.com.au.

Training Director – Scott Grayland

Scott was an original Fruit Fly from 1979, taking part in the Vancouver International Children’s Festival in 1981, and the three month long Nanjing project with Chinese trainers in 1993. After an exemplary performance career he returned to be training director from 2005-2007. He is a performer and teacher with almost 30 years experience creating, performing, and teaching circus and physical theatre. Scott specialises in acrobatics and aerial apparatus such as the tightwire and slackwire. He has worked extensively with Australia’s leading circus and physical theatre companies and appeared at the biggest arts festivals overseas. He is a licensed rigger and has also worked in the capacity of stage manager and in technical design. In 1996 Scott was awarded a Young Australian Creative Fellowship for his work as a performer and physical theatre creator. He worked on the Sydney Olympic Games opening ceremony and performed for the prime minister at Parliament House on a number of occasions. In 2008 he worked in Macau setting up a Cirque du Soleil show, and was national tour manager for Circus Oz in 2009. In 2010 Scott was tour manager for ‘acrobat’ on a five month European tour.

Circus Arts Coordinator -Per Westman

For eight years as both performer and teacher Per toured extensively in Australia and overseas with Circus Oz. He has also worked with Festival Circus, The Leaping Loonies and as a freelance artist performing, TV commercials, festivals and company events. In 1988 he featured in the World Expo parades, the ensemble and street theatres. He was a founding member of the FFFC. His skills include physical comedy/clowning, juggling, plate spinning, tumbling, uni-cycling, stilts and balancing. Per regularly tours Australia performing a one-man school show.

Community Development Coordinator- Michelle Stevens

Michelle started out in circus at the age of nine, not quite an original Fruitie but close to it. She has worked nationally and internationally performing, teaching and stage-managing for most of Australia’s biggest circuses, including Circus Oz, for 10 years. She has her own business, Kindred Circus Productions, operating in remote areas such as Ernabella on the Pitjantjatjara Lands, Christmas Island and the corporate sector. Michelle’s training areas of expertise involve chair stacks and handstands.

Phil Witt

Phil Witt first joined FFFC in 1991 as a 10 year old. He has toured New Zealand and conducted training workshops in Far North Queensland. He undertook an intensive masterclass during the renowned Russian Training Project. Phil ran his own company, Evolution Acrobats and conducted teaching courses. He has travelled to Christmas Island to assist, devise and train a community circus/theatre performance. Phil joined the FFFC as a trainer in 2000. In 2008 he worked with Circus Oz choreographing tableslides for their latest show. Phil’s signature skills are: mini tramp, teeter board and comedy.

Ruth Bauer

During a 26 year career as actor, object manipulator, physical performer (specialising in aerials), mechanist, trainer, rigger and director, Ruth has worked with and for Australian Nouveau Theatre (Anthill), Chamber Made Opera, Handspan Theatre, Women’s Circus, Desoxy Theatre, Circus Oz and Dislocate. She has made a film for Eat Carpet (SBS TV) and created a project at Melbourne City Baths. Ruth has performed numerous corporate gigs and toured with shows throughout Australian and the world. Ruth has toured and trained with FFFC since 2001. She is one of the coordinators of Circus Arts and wrote and directed two FFFC Stagefright productions. In 2008 Ruth and 4 students undertook a month long student/trainer exchange in Montreal at the national circus school. Ruth instructs in: double trapeze, double cloudswing, floor balance, contemporary dance, acting (film and stage), web rope, tissu, object manipulation, voice characterisation and Pilates.

Xavier Pinard

Started out in gymnastics, then became a high diver in the French national team at 14. At 19 Xav veered into performance, diving from 25 metres into shallow pools whilst travelling throughout Asia. He trained in hand-to-hand, juggling, cradle and flying trapeze during those years before meeting partner Zoe Hartwig (ex Fruit Fly) in Australia in 2001 when they created a double trapeze act. They returned to Europe in 2002 and began working with the Cirque du Grand Celeste in Paris. In 2004 the pair won a bronze medal in the Festival Mondial du Cirque de Demain. From 2004 – 2009 they have performed with Pomp Duck and Circumstance in Berlin Germany as well as Palazzo, Cirque du Grand Celeste and at festivals and corporate events throughout the world.

Yos Worth

Yos began her performance career in 1990 as an aerialist: swinging, flying and duo trapeze. Her inspiration was Archaos Circus, a French contemporary/industrial company. Yos studied with master trainers in London, Spain and France and has amassed a long performance CV for national companies such as Rock’n’Roll Circus, and Queensland Theatre Company. Group bike, pole and juggling were also part of her repertoire in a performance career spanning 12 years. Injuries saw Yos move into the world of hula and contortion. She is co-founder of Ante-Matter and Bad-Dog (showcasing underground art/music in Sydney.) Yos was a founding trainer for Women’s Circus and Warehouse Circus. She is currently training to become a Pilates instructor. Yos’ specialty areas are: aerials, hula hoops and contortion.

Dai Shulin

Dai Shulin is an acrobat with a venerated career that’s spanned 57 years. He is a former gold medalist, world champion and essayist who, at the age of four, performed a series of back flips and forward flips that saw him promptly enrolled at the Shanghai Acrobatic School. At 12 he was invited to join the prestigious Gongzhou Army Acrobatics Regiment. He is a multi-skilled acrobat and actor, appearing in many Chinese stage performances and movies. He has worked in 80+ countries and directed major performances and programs. Mr Dai has been a sought after judge at international circus, acrobatic and gymnastic competitions for decades.

Some of Mr Dai’s repertoire includes: spring balls; hoops; juggling; human pyramid; chair handstand; blocks handstand; pole climbing; shoulder poles; double handstands; balancing a ‘pagoda’ of bowls on his head and kicking bowls from feet to head while riding a bike. Mr Dai was Vice Chairman of the Gongdong Acrobatics Committee and Vice Leader of the Chinese Liberation Army Acrobatics Regiment. He worked for both the Shanghai Acrobat Regiment and Beijing Acrobat Regiment. He immigrated to Australia in 1995 and began work with FFFC the same year.

Julie Wilson

Julie first joined the FFFC in 1986 and remained with the circus for a decade. She was trained in the disciplines of foot juggling and object manipulation by Russian and Chinese trainers. Julie specializes in ground based acrobatics, and has toured Australia and performed at Nauru during its 25^th independence celebrations.

She rejoined the Fruities as a part-time trainer in 1998.

Natalie Dyball

A Fruit Fly from 1980-86, Nat became a part time instructor with us in 1984. She has regularly returned home throughout her performance career to train our up and comers. She was a Circus Oz performer from 1987-1992, and is famous for being shot out of a cannon from 1988-90. 1991 she was with the Women’s Circus as a guest acrobatic trainer. Nat’s core skills are in tumbling, unicycling and clowning. In 1992 Nat had a break from circus before becoming a freelance artist until 2001. She returned to Albury in 2002.

Shane Witt

Shane joined the Fruities in 1990 when very young. He has been on many tours nationally and internationally, including New York, Canada, Singapore and New Zealand. Since graduating in 2000 he has performed as a freelance artist, establishing Tension Extreme Circus with fellow Fruit Fly graduate Daniel Catlow in 2004. Shane is also one of the principals of hip hop circus show ‘The Tom Tom Crew’ that had sell out seasons at Sydney Opera House, the New Victory Theatre in New York and Edinburgh Fringe Festival (07 and 09). When Shane is not touring the world he is in Albury, training in his specialty areas of in straps, acrobatics, tumble, and teeterboard.