Our Trainers
The 16 participating artists of the »Flying Circus Academy« come from Tanzania, Cambodia, France and Germany and bring along many years of stage experience.
Moreover, they have a great background as intermediaries and trainers for circus art. Their work as senior trainers is primarily aimed at disadvantaged children and young people of all age groups, as well as at juniot trainers.
The methodology of their work is focused on technical and physical security, on a playful and essentially non-verbal approach that is applicable internationally to overcome language barriers.
My name is Bona Donart, I am from Tanzania and I am 23yrs old. I live quite close to Bagamoyo college of Arts and that was motiving me to love arts. When I was a kid of 13 I learned juggling with other children at SHADA group and our teacher Issa Mtumbwe taught us how to play Diabolo, food juggle, foot table, candle, traditional dance and Drama.
I joined the Babawatoto Centre in June, 2014 for the Big wheel training course as part of the FIT FOR LIFE project as a local trainer. My favourite dispicline is ‘Diabolo’ and I have improved during the FIT FOR LIFE project during the last few years.
I performed in BAF Festival in Malawi and I had the opportunity to take part in three exchange programmes so far in order to to enhance my skills on Diabolo.
As part of the »Flying Circus Academy« I am providing my hard skill in ‘Tennis’ and ‘Diabolo’ and help to set-up the video tutorial with my expertise as a local trainer working with young kids from Tansania.
Camille Bancel
My name is Camille. I am a French artist in dance and circus. I’m practicing arts since I was a child: dance, theater, circus, music. Then as a teenager I started to go abroad to teach circus and dance wherever life could take me (Uganda, Vietnam, Cambodia, Mozambique, Romania, and Italy).
I became a professional dancer in hip hop and contemporary dance around 22 years old, and started to perform in several companies. I created my own theatre dance shows in France and in Italy. Since 3 years I started training in areal silk and mix it into my dance shows.
As an artist and teacher I can contribute to the »Flying Circus Academy« my experience in teaching circus and more specifically ‘areal silk’.
Chris Ritter
I have finished my training in acrobatics and dance in 1990 at the Etage – School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Berlin. At the same time, my partner Kathrin Mlynek and I worked in Paris with Jean Palace on an air-acrobatics performance which was awarded a silver medal at the Cirque de Demain-Festival in Paris in 1991.
In 1990 I co-founded the group GOSH, a contemporary circus project with artists from Berlin and Paris, directed by Michel Dallaire. GOSH successfully guests at international levels and played two productions at the Berlin Hebbel Theater, one of the most important venues for contemporary dance and innovative theatre approaches in Germany.
My disciplines are mainly trapeze with partner, silk and vertical rope. Through my long-time collaboration with Michel Dallaire, I have dealt intensively with playful elements in circus arts.
In my choreographic work, I am concerned with focusing on the playful elements. In addition, I work on technique and flow quality, and thus to create my very own and unique expression.
Beyond that, I am teaching children in circus art. I have 25 years of professional experience as an artist and I am very happy to share my knowledge and experience within the »Flying Circus Academy«.
Claire Jarjat
My name is Claire Jarjat. After a classic school run until the A-levels I studied at the Conservatoire d'Art Dramatique d'Avignon, where I attended a circus course for six years.
Since I do not have a particularly strong relationship with the 'traditional theatre', I am more focussed on the topic of 'bodywork', which was also part of the study courses.
After that training I went to the circus school Théâtre Cirqule in Geneva. Two years of intensive training, in which I have specialized in trapeze and later I added hanging trapeze. Then I went to Belgium to round out my skills and work with the Compagnie Fil de Block.
My private road to the circus was laid and it was certain: I become a trapeze artist.
For two years, I was joining the Company L'Estock fish, and staged the play ‘Fly and stay calm’ in cooperation with Caroline Blanc-Brude and Titoune Krall. I was developing and accompanying numerous productions, performances and events.
The idea of bringing a solo piece to the stage has accompanied me since the end of my studies. It was Valentina Santori, who suggested to me to found the Compagnie Gabardi, to build a yurt and play in it – voilà – my stage. I also work with the Companies Transexpress and La Smart.
I was also teaching a lot in recent years: during my training, I gave classes in clown art, theatre and aerial acrobatics for children and adults.
In 2002, I taught circus art to the children of an orphanage in Romania and I gave lessons in hanging trapeze in Brussels. Furthermore, I was a teacher for all disciplines of aerial acrobatics at the circus school Balthazar.
I am part of the »The Flying Circus Academy« project as a trainer for trapeze and silk.
Huot Heang
My name is Huot Heang and I was born in Battambang in 1985 with. I came to Phare Ponleu Selpak in 1999 for circus training. In the same year I was able to take part in a first circus tour to different venues in different provinces; I gathered a lot of experience during this tour in performing on stage which made me happy even I did not get any cents from the performances.
I did my first circus tour to France in 2003 with other colleagues. It was such a dream for me as a poor child to perform in other countries.
In 2005 I was sent to a circus school in France for six months to develop my skills in hand to hand and I became the flyer.
In 2006 I became a teacher at the circus school of Phare Ponleu Selpak; however, I was still acting as an artist until 2013. I was sent for pedagogical internship in France in 2007 for one month to build my capacity on teaching methods.
Again, I was sent to attend the pedagogical training in France for two months thanks to the support of Apprentis d’Auteuil in 2015 in order to strengthen my capacities in artistic pedagogy.
Since 2016 I am the pedagogical coordinator for the Performing Arts School of PPS which also includes the management of the schedule with other circus teachers in the main disciplines of hand to hand and balancing.
I am able to train people in balancing, hand to hand and acrobatics as these are my areas of activity. So within the »Flying Circus Academy«, I am a circus trainer in charge of acrobatics and balancing.
Khuon Det
My name is Khuon Det, I was born in 1975 in Battambang and grew up in poor circumstances at Watkor Village in the Battambang Province.
I started my circus activities and teaching in 1998 when I was a acrobatics and Martial-arts trainee. I recognized that Cambodian children, in particular those from poor family background, are talented in jumping and flying. They don’t want to sit still like monkey, so that’s the reason why I feel obliged to create circus activities and in order to work with them.
In 2003 I collaborated with CCAI and we mounted the first Cambodian circus artists tour in France. Circus tours to other countries followed. In 2005 I went for a six-month-pedagogical internship program to France.
Besides, I created many circus performing shows, mixed circus and theatre such as: ‘Bangtouch Bangthom’ (gangsters), ‘Phum Style’ (style village), ‘4 to 5’, ‘Holiday’, ‘Putho (Oh my Buddhism)’, ‘Eclipse’, and ‘Sokha’amongst others.
I got many awards from Cambodian government. I am one of the Phare Ponleu Selpak founders and currently I am the performing arts school director.
I am able to train people in circus skills in any kinds of disciplines. So within the »Flying Circus Academy«, I am a circus trainer in charge of acrobatics.
Khuonthan Chamroeun
My name is Khuonthan Chamroeun, I was born in 1983 in Battambang in quite poor circumstances. I joined Phare Ponleu Selpak in 1998 for circus training. My first circus tour in Cambodia was in 1999 which gave me the opportunity to present my talent to local audiences in different places. For this first tour, I earned only candies or noodles as an award for the performance, but I was very happy with it.
In 2003 I had the chance to see other countries during my first circus tour abroad. A dream came true and this experience encouraged me to develop myself.
In 2004 I was sent to France in a circus school to attend a comprehensive circus training to develop my skills in juggling.
I became a circus teacher at Phare Ponleu Selpak Circus School in 2005; however, I acted as an artist until 2013. I attended a lot of pedagogical workshops with experts from France.
Besides, I was also assigned as the tour leader for various circus performing groups touring in France and other countries which helped me to gather experience in arts management and to work with professionals from different backgrounds.
Currently, I am both, a circus coordinator and a circus teacher for vocational training classes in juggling and ‘rola-bola’.
I am able to train people in circus skills like ball juggling and acrobatics as this is my professional background.
Within the »Flying Circus Academy«, I am a circus trainer in charge of juggling.
Manni Spaniol
I have been living and working in Ufa Fabrik Berlin since 1979. After 7 years of directing the Ufa Circus Band, the 'samba fever' took me away.
For more than 30 years now, I am on the road as a musician, cultural intermediator and trainer. I am the musical director of the band Terra Brasilis from the ufaFabrik and I am also responsible for setting-up the youth band Tebras.
Composing, arranging, production of music, stage performances as well as teaching adults and teenagers belong to my life. Not just teaching, but also learning through encounters in Europe, Asia, Brazil and Tanzania.
The tangible results of 15 years teaching at school projects, the establishment of a Samba Reggae band during the FIT FOR LIFE project at the Babawatoto Centre in Dar Es Salaam as well as the annual exchange with a percussion group consisting of people with disabilities in Lyon are still fascinating for me.
This recharges my batteries and gives me the power and inspiration to proceed.
Marc Verhille
My name is Marc, I am 31 years old, I am French and live in Prague /Czech Republic. I am a lecturer for circus art and many other things here in Prague.
Before that I scrutinized and researched in the fields of chemistry and physics. Now I have found what I was looking for. I love teaching. I give courses in science, gardening, French, circus art and how to amuse oneself with simple things.
In my opinion, it is best to learn with fun and joy while playing. I see the circus art as a means of physical and mental development, as an area in which to achieve excellent results.
The circus means so much to me that I do not want to deal with just one discipline. They all belong together.
I have done a lot of special training in this area. Amongst other things, the Enlightenment of the Cirque par les jeux – ‘circus art by means of games’ – in the Caravan Circus, a socially engaged circus group.
I like the idea that everyone has the ability to do circus. That is why I support projects such as ‘Circus for the Blind’, ‘Circus in Psychiatry’ and ‘Circus with Handicapped Children’.
But you can only feel pleasure in exercising the circus art if at least one discipline is properly mastered.
For this reason, I teach at Prague Circus Cirqueon and KD Mlejn and take part in the project »Flying Circus Academy« as a coach for juggling and clowning.
Marianna Boldini
My name is Marianna Boldini.
I work as a solo performer with different circus techniques: handstands, aerial silks and ‘hula hoops’.
I am a former flyer (air acrobat) and I am specialized in ‘hand to hand’ and ‘banquine’.
Collaborating with social circus projects is something that I also do alongside my career as an artist.
Circus is the means of expression that I choose to develop my artistic identity.
Committing my body and creativity to this passion is what makes my profession as fragile as exciting.
I like to consider a performance a collective experience, an opportunity for participation and discussion, a powerful tool for social and educational purposes.
In my work, I integrate different art forms: circus, dance, physical theatre, live music, body percussion and life…!
I like to mix performing art with fine art, photography and film making. I collaborate with set designers and musicians to explore the circus world from a different point of view.
I am part of the project »Flying Circus Academy« as an acrobatics trainer.
Mwajabu Omary
> babawatotofitforlife.net
> babawatotocentre.org
> friends of babawatoto centre
My name is Mwajabu Omary, I am 22yrs old and from Tanzania. I joined the Babawatoto Centre in 2006 at the age of 11 for learning Contemporary Dance, Acrobatic, Traditional Dance and Acting. During the I learned juggling and trapeze and I used to be in carpentry class and sewing class at the Centre in order to push my professional career. I use my time and energy to learn trapeze, I do love it and it make me proud to be chosen as a local trainer in trapeze and silk.
During the FIT FOR LIFE project I gathered many experience on the trapeze and I performed in big festivals like Sauti za Busara Zanzibar and BAF Malawi. I also had the opportunity to take part in three an exchanging programs which help me to enhance my skills on trapeze.
Within the »Flying Circus Academy« I can provide service for trapeze and silk.
The unique thing which I have is that I am easy and flexible while at the same time always ready to learn new skills. I can teach beginners in silk and trapeze.
Mkude Kilosa
> babawatotofitforlife.net
> babawatotocentre.org
> friends of babawatoto centre
I am Mkude Kilosa, born 1980 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Since 1996 I am working in various theatre groups as a performer in acrobatics, traditional dance, drama and traditional music. I have a son, his name is George and he is in grade four now. I joined Babawatoto Centre in Dar es Salaam in 2006 where I am teaching traditional dance, drama and acrobatic. I also gathered experience in regional and international performances.
My position as senior teacher in Babawatoto Centre made me to be the artistic director of the FIT FOR LIFE project from 2014 to 2016. As a result of this, I got an employment at the Centre as an artist’s instructor.
Being a teacher and a director in arts connects me straight to the FCA project. I provide acrobatic skills and gymnastics and take part in the production process of the video tutorial.
As an acrobat and teacher, I have broad experience in dealing with various age groups and in training more than 50 children and learners at the Babawatoto Centre. 8 of these youngsters are working as professional acrobats internationally now.
Ruon Sarav
My name is RUON Sarav (a.k.a »Aprak«), I was born 1988 in Battambang in poor family conditions. My first circus tour in Cambodia was in 1999 which gave me the opportunity to present my talent to local audiences in different places.
I had the first chance to see other countries which I have never dreamed of in 2003 as my first abroad tour in my circus career. This brought me such a sweet experiences to develop myself.
I was sent to attend the circus training to develop more skills in a circus school in France for three years in 2010 in the skills of acrobatics. After this training I performed in France for one year before I came back to Cambodia.
Currently, I am a professional artist work independently in the field of circus, especially in the area of acrobatic as flyer.
I am able to train people in circus skills in acrobatics as this is my professional field. So within the »Flying Circus Academy« I am a circus trainer responsible for acrobatic.
Sara Ullrich
As a ‘child’ of ufaFabrik in Berlin, I came in touch with the culture and art scene in early years and grew up in a multicultural background. Brazilian music has inspired me since I was 16 years old and this passion triggered me to deal with this unique sound world of drums, rhythm and groove. To date, this fascination is still alive and vibrant.
As a founding member and active musician of the band Terra Brasilis, which has existed since 1988 and performed in Germany and abroad, I am very lucky to live with like-minded people and feel the power and joy of this musical genre and to convey it to others.
Not only on stage, but also within the framework of courses, seminars and workshops. We teach at home and abroad; children, adolescents and adults; with and without disabilities; beginners, intermediates and professionals.
Drumming in the group makes fun, grooves, strengthens and brings good mood!
Shabo Makota
I am Shabo Makota, born 1986 in Dar es Salaam. I started my music career in 2003 in several traditional music bands where I have learned and performed traditional dance, drama, percussion, guitar and vocals. I joined the Parapanda Theatre in 2009 where I am responsible for playing guitar, singing, traditional dance and drama. I participated in many Music Festival both, regionally and internationally.
As the Parapanda Theatre Lab is working in close colaboration with the Babawatoto Centre, I was selected to be the local trainer in Samba Reggae Class in the FIT FOR LIFE project from 2014 to 2016.
In the course of the project, I obtained intensive vocational training in three international workshops. This connected me directly to the FCA project. Basically I will provide percussion based on Samba Reggae will take part in the production process of the video tutorials.
The unique thing I can provide is my professional background as a musician. I am a singer and I am a guitarist as well, so I can use my talent to compose music that can be part of the FCA sound track.
Tor Kirichana
My name is Tor Kirichana. I was born in Banteay Meanchey province, Cambodia on March 8th, 1992 in a poor family. I came to live in Battambang with my older brother who is one of the founders of Phare Ponleu Selpak in 2002 for circus training. I joined the third promotion of the circus school and had chance to perform in Cambodia with other friends of the same promotion.
I had my first time seeing another Asian country (South Korea) with my other four friends through young talented kids’ festival with the support of UNICEF in Cambodia in 2005.
In 2006, I joined a new creation (Eclipse) with the help of two directors from Philippines Educational Theatre Association (PETA) and had a tour at Northeast Cambodia in 2007.
I was sent to attend the circus training to develop more skills in a circus school in France for one year in 2008 in the skills of acrobatic. After the training, I came back to Cambodia created a new performance called “Putho!” with the help of three directors from the Philippines Educational Theatre Association (PETA) in 2009 and toured to Europe in 2010.
Currently, I am a contracted professional artist with Phare, the Cambodian Circus working in the field of circus in Siem Reap province, Cambodia.
I am able to train people in circus skills in acrobatics as it is my specialty; also I can give some knowledge on juggling too. So within the FCA, I am a circus trainer in charge of acrobatic.
Vincent Sudau
My name is Vincent Sudau and I was born 1994 in Berlin. Since 2006 I am doing Samba Percussion, beginning in the youth group TeBras, today in the band Terra Brasilis.
Since 2008, I have been participating in youth exchange programs with the TeBras, where we have also made music together with young people but also with disabled people from Cambodia, Brazil, France and Germany.
In the meantime, I am also very happy to work as a trainer for Terra Brasilis, but I would like to learn a lot from the whole world through new experiences and the exchange with artists from all over the world.
I am an enthusiastic Samba percussionist, because even making music and listening to it makes fun and spreads joy. You can move and do something together in a large community.
Music connects!
