Our Trainers
In 2010 the FFFC has two internationally recognised performers/instructors as part of the permanent circus team, and several more Australians that 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.
Head of Training: The circus has shortlisted several candidates for the Head of Training role. An appointment will be announced in April 2010. Acting in the position is Michelle Stevens.
Michelle Stevens 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 now juggles three roles. One being an independent producer running her own business Kindred Circus Productions, operating in remote areas such as Ernabella on the Pitjantjatjara Lands, Christmas Island and the corporate sector. Her original role as Community Development Officer and part time trainer have been pared back during this acting up role. Michelle’s training area involves 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 - Master Trainer
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.
Some of our casual and guest trainers are:-
Sergei Okhai
Schooled at the National Acrobatics Team of Ukraine, Sergei was the national champion three times. He was also a member of the NATU for four years. In 1994 he won a silver medal in the World Championships in Beijing as part of a four man pitching group. Between 1995 and 2006 Sergei was a core member of Cirque du Soleil and was an acrobat in the Banquine act of ‘Quidam’, which won a Golden Clown Award at the Monte Carlo Circus Festival. He has performed throughout the world and at special events, including: Good Morning America, Jay Leno Tonight, NBC Today, Academy Awards (Oscars). Sergei studied Physical Culture at the University of Kiev and has been with the Fruit Flies since 2007. His specialty disciplines are pitching and acrobatics.
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 25th 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 and is the coordinator of Circus Arts co-ordinator, and the odd – very odd – part-time trainer.
Nathan Boadle
Nathan started his circus adventure in 2001 aged 11. He learned the basics in Circus Arts and a year later began performing. Before he graduated, Nathan toured extensively and was training up to sixteen hours a week. Nathan was a circus instructor with Circus Arts, and co-directed his graduation show. In 2008 he taught for at the French Woods Festival of the Performing Arts in New York, USA. In 2009 he established a contemporary circus company (A4 Circus Ensemble) with co-founder and former FFFC, Zoe Robbins. His specialities are: swinging cloudswing, hula hoops, aerial silks, tumbling and acrobatics.
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.
Scott Grayland
Scott Grayland was an original Fruit Fly, 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 last year.
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.
Dance
Tim Podesta
Director of the Regional Academy of Performing Arts. Tim started dancing at 16 in Albury. Within six months he was accepted into the Australian Ballet School and by 17 had commenced a two year certificate where he received a scholarship. He completed an Advanced Diploma in Classical Ballet at the Australian Ballet School and while still a student appeared with the Australian Ballet Company in Swan Lake and Romeo & Juliet and performed soloist roles in the Australian Ballet’s the Dancers Company. Tim has worked as a dancer with various Ballet companies, including Tokyo City, State Theatre, Durban Playhouse Theatre, Royal Danish, State Theatre Opera, Australian Opera, Tiempos Y Contratiempos, New Zealand Theatre, and has been a guest artist in a number of festivals and performances throughout the world. Tim has taught for performances, competitions and festivals and has also coached elite gymnasts and actors. He has also acted in films.
Fitness
Beau Wells
Beau is a personal trainer. He has Certificates 3 + 4 in Health & Fitness through Wodonga TAFE. Beau represented Victoria in basketball for seven years from 2000-2007, with the secondary school team and with Wodonga Wolves. He has worked with the circus since 2009, focusing on strength and conditioning.
Jess Segelow
Jess has trained in martial arts for 5 years and has a black belt in Zen Goshu. She has competed in over 30 tournaments, coming 3rd in the Australian Martial Arts Championships in 2004 and 4th in the World Championships. Jess has in certificates 3 & 4 in Health & Fitness from Wodonga TAFE. She has worked with the circus since 2009.
Tanya Witt
A Fruit Fly from 1993-2002. Her skill areas include: chairs stacks, triple trapeze, web and teeterboard. Tanya became a circus fitness trainer in 2008, and develops cardio, strength, fitness and flexibility.