Sosina Wogayehu
Founding Director
Advisory Committee
Mike Finch
Mike is in demand as a creative consultant, freelance live performance creator, and festival director. His current work crosses genres and mediums, from directing professional contemporary circus to collaborating with leading community organisations working with youth at risk and other diverse communities. Work he has co-created has been seen from 42nd Street to skateparks and in theatres and Spiegeltents in all corners of the globe.
Mike’s career in contemporary circus began when he graduated as a top student from a leading Australian Theatre/Media course at Charles Sturt University in Bathurst, and co-founded an energetic troupe of travelling circus artists, Circus Monoxide, who crossed the continent in a small fleet of buses performing for the broadest possible audience. At the age of 27 he was appointed as Artistic Director & co-CEO of Australia’s National Circus, Circus Oz, where he took the company to new heights, breaking box office records. His shows toured annually throughout the world, from Arnhem Land to Broadway, London to Broome, from tiny local village halls to the world’s major circus stadiums. Mike was also a key collaborator in the design and creation of the new Circus Oz home base in Collingwood, Melbourne, arguably one of the most exciting permanent circus hubs in the southern hemisphere.
Mike’s most recent collaborations include two commissioned shows for The Sydney Opera House, a site-specific creation for White Night Melbourne (now Rising Festival), digital interactive online circus and cabaret performances broadcast live throughout the world, and show creation underway for Australia’s National Institute of Circus Arts.
"Circus Oz is very much a circus with a joyful difference.. acrobatically amazing, mentally mind-blowing,.. extraordinarily dexterous, ditsy and adorable..." - Clive Barnes, New York Post.
“Mike Finch, former Circus Oz Artistic Director, has put together a truly spectacular show with an outstanding cast and impressive costume and staging. This show really does take the cake and will leave audiences delighted and dazzled.’ - Emily Shaddick, Australian Stage.
Positions Held
Board Member, Circus Center, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Committee Member, Australian Circus & Physical Theatre Association (2002-2013), co-CEO of Circus Oz, (1998-2015)
Antonella Casella
Antonella is an influential circus advocate, researcher, producer and director. She has worked for, and collaborated with, leading companies from throughout the world. She co-founded the company now known as Circa (circa.org.au), which, in its early years, was a leader in social circus, including conducting one of Australia’s first social circus program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people. She also established Vulcana Women’s Circus, one of Australia’s leading women’s circus organisations, which conducts inclusive circus programs for women from diverse backgrounds, as well as providing professional pathways for women circus artists. Antonella also led the advocacy work of the Australian Circus and Physical Theatre Association for many years.
As the Senior Artistic Associate for Circus Oz, she spearheaded a series of programs designed to support sector development and increase sector diversity. During that time, she also initiated and produced national and international collaborations for the company. Antonella is now a consultant in arts and circus, as well as the curator of The Circus Arts Hub, an international, digital, circus center.
COMMUNITY-BASED PRODUCING AND DIRECTING “This was a show with innovative ideas and attention to images created in terms of the women’s bodies and how they used them…the fact that a collaboration on this scale culminated in a show of this scale and professional standard speaks volumes…That’s real community cultural development.” (Queensland Community Arts Network News) "Brilliant physical theatre…smartly designed, conceptually coherent, musically brilliant...uplifts the spirits as triumphantly as the performers built their towers of sassy women" The Australian "Soaring tricks, fiery grace, and wicked humour" The Courier Mail.
Positions Held
Curator, The Circus Arts Hub
Board Member Circus Center, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Member of Circus Oz Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Committee (2010-2018)
Anni Davey
Anni Davey joined The Flying Fruit Fly Circus as Artistic Director in July 2018. The Flying Fruit Fly Circus is Australia’s National Youth circus. Its vision is to use circus as the creative and physical inspiration for young people to flourish and aspire to futures that embrace their many skills and abilities. Anni has created two shows for them, Back in the Big Top featuring 70 young acrobats, and Time Flies for Sydney Festival 2020.
Anni has had a significant history with Australian Contemporary Circus, working with many independent small companies as mentor and director, as well as holding several leadership positions at Australia’s national circus, Circus Oz. She directed their acclaimed show, 2016, and she was Technical Coordinator for their New Building project 2011 – 2014, overseeing the design and construction of the AU$20 million purpose-built circus studios.
Anni is also a highly successful cabaret director. Her shows have won nine Green Room awards for Cabaret including Best Director (twice), and a Helpmann award for Best Cabaret Artist. She was also the founder of an acclaimed a capella theatre ensemble which toured internationally for over a decade.
In 2018 Anni was awarded a Legends of the Fringe award for her contribution to supporting emerging and independent artists within the Australian circus community.
In 2019, Anni received an Order of Australia (OAM) for service to circus and physical theatre.
Positions held
Chair, Circus Centre, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Board Member, Melbourne Fringe (2006-7)
Chair of the Australian Circus and Physical Theatre Association (2010-2017)
Jasmine Straga
Jasmine Straga is the founding director of the Australian Circus Festival and sits on the Board of Directors for the Federation Mondiale du Cirque. Jasmine produces acts & shows for the international circus industry and sits as a jury member on many international circus competitions.
Her clients include many well known companies such as Cirque Du Soleil, Roncalli, Circus Krone, Moulin Rouge and many more. She also regularly collaborates with circus schools and students from throughout the world to prepare acts for international touring, and provides additional support and consulting services.
She has been regularly collaborating with Sosina Wogayehu’s students, and supported them to create acts of international shows and festivals.
Awards for Jasmines creations include Two top world's 5 nominations for Best Choreographer at the Masters Awards, Sochi Russia (Circuses equivalent to the Oscars). Awarded twice the China Acrobatics Association Special Prize, National Sports of Monaco Special Prize, Grande Prix Award and Most Creative Award, The International Junior Masters OK competition, Sochi (Russia) 3 bronze prizes Festival International del Circ, Albacete/Figueres/Girona Elefante D’or Prize (Spain), Bronze Prize Wugiao, China International Circus Festival, Bronze and 5 special prizes at Princess Stephanie of Monte Carlo’s Festival International du Cirque de Monte Carlo, Monaco and Silver Prize at the Festival International du Cirque de Massy (France) and Bronze prize at the International Circus Festival of Minsk, Belarus.
Dancer trained in theatre & dance at the McDonald College of the Performing arts and studied Artistic and Rhythmic Gymnastics for 14yrs. Jasmine toured the world as a contortionist, aerialist and dancer with both classical and contemporary circuses.
Jasmine has created shows and events for a host of organisations including Chopard Resorts World Sentosa, Singapore Liebrandz Singapore, Cirque Medrano The Cannery, Singapore City of Dreams Casino, Macau Hard Rock Hotel to name a few.
Positions Held: Board of Directors, Federation Mondial Du Cirque Director J.S. Creations Founding Director Australian Circus Festival Director Australian Institute of Circus Arts (2007-2010) Director Gala Entertainment Management (2005-2013, PCYC Rhythmic Gymnastics Coffs Harbour
Veneta Stefanova
Veneta Stefanova is the Artistic Director and Co-Director Stefani Art Agency, Europe's premier entertainment agency for circus artists. Veneta has decades of experience managing and providing award winning artists for small to large scale shows and events, such as dinner theatre, variete, contemporary and classical circuses under BigTop's or on the theatre stages.
Before Veneta Stefanova began her career in circus she was a member of the Bulgarian National team in Rhythmic Gymnastics and later went on to becoming a teacher in Teacher in Physical Education and a Coach in Rhythmic Gymnastics with the National Sports Academy of Bulgaria. In 1992 her career in circus began, where she became an acrobat in Russian swing, Washington Trapeze, Perch, Cossacks horses act and the High wire.
Her acts went on to win many international prizes including: First prize massy (les Piste de Cristal) and the Special Prize of the Jury at the 10th Festival International du Cirque de for her Cossack act and high wire act. In 2001 at the Golden Circus Festival, Rome Veneta’s troupe took the first prize for their Cossack act and high wire once again. In 1994 Veneta and her troupe travelled to North Korea to compete in the famous” Spring Friendship Art Festival” in Pyongyang with her Russian Swing act where they took 1st prize and 2nd prize for her perch act.
Veneta worked around the world as an artist, including in the famous Ringling Barnum and Bailey Circus in the USA. In 2003, Veneta opened Stefani Art Agency with her husband Lachazar, which quickly rose to one of the world’s leading circus agencies, whose acts dominated many renown international shows and won many festivals, including the Festival International du Cirque de Monte Carlo.
17years later, Stefani Art Agency continues to be a leading player in the field managing everything from visa’s, contracts, shipping and mentoring. Stefaniart is also one of the world's leading suppliers of circus interior and exterior equipment, props and design and have fitted out many of the Europe’s largest festivals and shows with stages, ring fences, ring boxes, hand made Cossack saddles and much more.
Positions held: Director Stefaniart Advisory Committee Circus Center, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Wintana Gmeskel
Wintana is an award-winning professional circus artist, touring internationally with leading circus companies from around the world.
She began her training doing gymnastics at school in Addis Ababa, then joined her local circus club, Sheger Circus under the watchful eye of her coach Bahailu. During this time, she began creating a trio hand to hand act with Azalach Asino and Kidist Keshemo.
In 2014 Sosina managed trio's travel to Australia, Europe and America to prepare an act for a contract with Universoul Circus.
The trio began their tour In Australia where they worked with Jasmine Straga at Performance Art Western Sydney and Lee Academy.
Wintana then toured the USA with Universoul Circus for two years. Following that contract, the girls returned to Ethiopia where they worked with Sosina and Jasmine Straga to create the award-winning version of their act known today as "Trilogy".
Trilogy competed in the Festival International del Circ, Elefant D'Or, Girona Spain where they won the bronze prize. It was here that they were selected to work for the prestigious Circus Krone in Germany.
Since then, Trilogy has toured Afrika Afrika and a number of other companies.
They have been invited to a number of internatioanal circus festivals, where they have won prestigious prizes.
Wintana is continuing to train and develop her skills, and is exploring her options for making connections in contemporary circus.
Awards:
Festival Internacional del Circo Elefant d’Or, Girona: Bronze Prize.
Wuqiao International Festival: Kazakh State Circus Award & Spain Special Prize.
Positions held: Advisory Committee Circus Center, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Zelalem Moges
Zelalem Moges one of the founder of Circus Jimma, which was part of Ethiopian Circus Association back in 1992 in the south west part of Ethiopia. Although my background was in gymnastics, we had fallen in love with acrobatic performing art combined with music and circus, after performing our limited talent in front of stadium full of people gathered for major political party celebrations. This earned us a recognition by wider society. Back in those days we had been training under the Gymnastics Federation which is part of ministry of sport.
The aim was to create gymnasts for a future competition programme. Lucky gymnasts from around the country would come for winter gymnastics training to Addis Ababa, where we would meet and train for free for 2 months. I had the privilege to participate and visit this major gymnasium for years, meeting new people and most of all, seeing future gymnasts popping up to be stars . I am sure everyone is aware our little angel sister Sosina was the offspring of that gymnasium before joining Circus Ethiopia. Such a talented and hard working young sosina was my hero from the day I visited circus Ethiopia from 1994.
He also hosted the first Ethiopian Circus Festival organised by Circus Ethiopia in Jemma.
To be announced soon
Stay tuned!
Legal Details
Legal Details:
Addis Ababa City Administration
Trade Bureau Number: BL/AA/2/0015337/2010
City Administration
of Addis Ababa Investment Commission Permit No. አኢፈ 114860/13
Australian Business
Number, authorized by Consumer Affairs Victoria, Australia: A0091041C 21 May 2015
The Australian
Business holds a notarized and legal Memorandum of Understanding between both
the Ethiopian and Australian entities.
