Regular Coaches

We regularly invite guests to give specialized workshops, or give presentations about different aspects of circus training. Here are some of the people who have shared their experience with us.

Circus Circle instructors have a wide range of performing and teaching experience, and are among the most skilled circus practitioners in Atlantic Canada.

Mike Hirschbach

Mike Hirschbach (Director) performed with the Cirque du Soleil show, “Dralion“, across North America from 2001-2003. Since 2003 he has been a Master Trainer with the Cirque du Monde, the Cirque’s social outreach program, and has taught intensive workshops in Orlando, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Montreal, South Africa and Burkina Faso. He is the Director of Circus Circle, teaching circus skills to youth throughout Nova Scotia in programs that range from Youth Detention facilities to recreational programs to weekly venues for street youth.

Mike studied physical theatre and circus in California, New York, and Montreal and then studied for two years in Paris at the Ecole Internationale de Theatre with the legendary Jacques Lecoq.

Mike’s solo theatrical-circus shows which he conceives, writes and performs, have been seen across Canada, the continental U.S., Europe, Singapore, the Yukon and Alaska. He has performed thousands of shows, and taught uncountable workshops on 4 continents.

Mike was featured in an episode of David Suzuki’s The Nature of Things, which explored the nature of laughter.

Zack Trash

Zack Trash: Photo and bio coming soon!

Mike MacDougall

Mike MacDougall: Photo and bio coming soon!

Dominic Affeld

Dominic Affeld: Photo and bio coming soon!

Cory Feres

Cory Feres: Photo and bio coming soon!

Guest Coaches

We regularly invite guests to give specialized workshops, or give presentations about different aspects of circus training. Here are some of the people who have shared their experience with us.

Ailsa Keppie

Ailsa Keppie studied trampoline in Scotland, movement therapy and dance in England, and trained in circus and physical theatre at ‘Circomedia‘ in Bristol, UK.

Ailsa performed trapeze for Gandey at the Great Yarmouth Hippodrome in the UK, then lived and worked in Morocco before finally returning to Nova Scotia in 2008. Since then, she has taught movement and flexibility for the Circus Circle programs and other community classes.

Ian Gallant

Ian Gallant is recognized as one of the most proficient unicyclist and uni teacher in Nova Scotia. He is currently an instructor at Circus Circle, and in 2008 was a participant in the grueling Ride the Lobster Unicycle Marathon from Yarmouth to Baddeck; over 800 kilometers on one wheel.

Ian co-choreographed the unicycle number in “Circus Circle in Motion” (a role he will reprise in 2010′s “Voyage”), performed the solo tightrope number, and performed in the juggling ensemble.

Watch a short video of him practicing uni moves including the very difficult 360 degree spin.

Kristin Langille

Kristin Langille’s training in aerial arts includes trapeze, silks, lyra, cloud swing, hammock, triple trapeze, and corde-lisse. She studied at Circus Space in London UK, and performed her act on aerial hammock locally in Jeremy Webb’s “A Christmas Carol” at Neptune Theatre.

She has studied fire with Marissa Gough and continues to study and practice fire: poi spinning, torches and contact fire, fire fans, fire fingers and flaming devil sticks.

Kristin graduated from the Dalhousie Acting Program, and has 12 years of dance training. She has been a member of The Irondale Ensemble Theatre Company from 2000 – present, and worked with them for a month intensive at the Dell’Arte School in Blue Lake, California.

Said Debbach

Said Debbach has been performing with circuses for 30 years all over Europe, North America and in the Middle East. He performed as leader of the Aladdin Troupe of Moroccan acrobats in such circuses as Circus Mondial (Spain), Ringling Brothers (USA), Circus Offi (Italy), Robert Brothers (UK), Cirque Surreal, and the International Circus. He also performed acts on the rings, the cradle and flying trapeze. Over the last 10 years Said has trained performers to do a number of aerial and acrobatic acts, such as the web, the straps, static, swinging and flying trapeze. He also regularly brings new acrobats and performers from Africa and Eastern Europe to train up for Gandey’s yearly productions. He has been asked to coach pairs skating couples in the lifts for ice dancing, and hip hop dancers in acrobatics.

In the last two years, Said has worked as master trainer on a reality TV show where celebrities are trained to perform different circus acts every week over a 10 week season, ‘Cirque de Celebrite‘. He also appeared in the James Bond film, ‘Octopussy‘ with the Moroccan troupe. He is now in demand as a guest teacher at circus schools in London and around the UK.

Dave Cox

Dave Cox: Photo and bio coming soon!