TRAINER

Jess is a self-confessed rope geek, who also dabbles in sling. She trained as a dancer after a PhD in microbiology and began her aerial journey as an aerial performer (harness/counterweight/bungee) for inclusive dance companies Blue Eyed Soul and Everybody Dance touring outdoor shows and teaching workshops for disabled and nondisabled children and adults.

She instantly fell in love with rope on an intensive at Circus Maniacs in Bristol but didn’t return to circus full time until she joined SBB Small World Theatre in 2018 after a second PhD 🤦‍♀️ in ecoactivist performance.

She likes to make aerial accessible and playful, nurturing confidence and wellbeing. She is super privileged to have continued her own training with hugely inspiring and knowledgable coaches Alex Allan, PJ Perry, Jessica John and Camille Swift. She also works as an online coach internationally and is part of the Circus Mobility coaching team for The Parish and The Conclave.

Yn wreiddiol o Aberystwyth, dwi’n siarad Cymraeg fel ail iaith a dw i’n gweithio tuag at ddysgu syrcas awyrol trwy’r gyfrwng Gymraeg 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

📸 Heather Birnie Photography

TRAINER

Emma’s aerial journey started in 2016 at Upswing Aerial in London. She trained briefly in London before moving to west Wales and attended SBB at its inception, where the vast majority of her practice has taken place. She soon began working at SBB as a teaching assistant, and loves helping others in their own aerial journeys.

Through SBB her skill-set and range of disciplines have broadened massively and she practices silks, trapeze (including some doubles) and rope. Emma has also started her acro and handstand journey. Emma performed for the first time last year for Citrus Arts at Beyond the Border and for Small World theatre’s online cabaret and Spooktacular event and hopes to perform more this coming year.

Emma’s a keen slackliner which she hopes to bring to SBB in the future.

📷 Sam Vicary Small World Theatre

TRAINER

Sophie fell in love with circus in 2010 training formally at Greentop Circus in Sheffield with specialisms in aerial and acrobalance. She went on to create and work with Nott Circus from 2011-15 in the East Midlands.

She sidelined her circus work by qualifying as a veterinary surgeon in 2016. She has now returned to circus work again after having two children.

Her particular aerial passion is trapeze and she is looking to work on show creation both in acrobalance and aerial work in the coming months.

ASSISTANT

“I started my aerial circus journey here at SBB around 2 years ago in the adults group! I then progressed and attended the Nofitstate Circus Village and helped out Citrus Arts in the Green Man settlement by incorporating circus and aerial, as well as learning a lot of different things too!

I mostly enjoy trapeze and rope, but do like the random routine on the sling! I have just finished school and am going to be working at SBB as an assistant coach, which i have enjoyed a lot so far!”

Mae Seren yn siarad Cymraeg fel mamiaith.