administration staff
Jackie Welbourne (Co-Director; Head Of International Relations; Courses Director)
Formerly the UK's top international award-winning circus performer, Jacqueline starred as an aerialist with the world famous Cirque Du Soleil, winning major prizes at both the Festival Mondial Du Cirque De Demain (Paris) and the Festival International Du Cirque De Monte-Carlo (the "Oscars of the circus world"!)
Jackie was an advisor to AETC some years ago, resetting NVQs for the arts and entertainment industry, and has since been active on several regional and national committees to support further development of circus in the UK.
A passionate believer in circus as an artform, these days she wears many hats, working as school director, agent, consultant, circus choreographer and international circus festival judge! Her teaching qualifications include: FAETC, Play-Worker, Gymnastic Coaching (General, Pre-School & Special Needs), and First Aid.
Hannah Cheatham (Administrator)
Born in Warsaw 1985, Hannah Cheatham (née Chmielewski) spent her early years travelling the depressed Eastern Bloc with her father, Stanislaw Marek Chmielewski, an itinerant puppeteer who trained with Tbilisi State Marionette Theatre Company (gaining national acclaim and later the Spirit of Georgia Puppet Award for the 'Drunk Bunraku' style he invented there). Today Hannah retains little of her father's training, having left puppeteering behind in the pursuit of administrative, theatre and voiceover work. In 2006 Hannah's application for dual citizenship to the U.S. Department of State was turned down, crushing her dreams of ever becoming an astronaut.
Saara Gould-Haines (Workshop Coordinator)
Saara hails from the far away land of Canada, where she completed a Bachelor Degree in Theatre (Hons) before moving into the world of street theatre and giant puppetry. Through the course of her degree and various studies, Saara has studied clowning, physical theatre, Commedia Dell'Arte and Improvisation.
While working for the Clay & Paper Theatre Company in Toronto, Saara learned how to stiltwalk and subsequently became a stiltdancer for the company, participating in three years' worth of parades and shows including the annual parade, Night Of Dread!
She then decided to try her hand at aerial skills and fell madly in love with the Aerial Hoop, training at the Toronto School Of Circus Arts, Nimble Arts in Vermont, and the full-time program at Circus Maniacs. She has since performed on her hoop in various festivals and events including the Ottawa Tulip Festival, Winterlude and numerous nightclubs in the Ottawa area.
Saara is now living and working in Bristol while coaching both children and adults at Circus Maniacs.
gallery
in partnership with
visit us on
