Announcing the 2025 Circus and Physical Theatre Victorian Residency Recipients

Performing Lines is thrilled to announce the recipients of the 2025 Circus and Physical Theatre (CaPT) Victorian Residency, a dynamic initiative supporting the development of circus and physical theatre artists in Victoria. This residency is made possible through the generous support of the Victorian Government and is designed to provide dedicated time, space, and resources for artists to deepen their practice and create new work.

The cohort represents an extraordinary breadth of talent, experience, and artistic ambition, spanning contemporary circus, theatre, dance, and interdisciplinary performance. The selected artists include established and emerging voices, each pushing the boundaries of physical storytelling and innovation in their craft.

The 2025 CaPT Victorian Residency recipients are: juggler and acrobat Aisling Donnellan, circus artist and theatre-maker Anna Lumb, internationally trained artist Caesar Cordovana, aerialist Charice Rust, community arts facilitator Christy Flaws, disability arts advocate and performer Emma J Hawkins, Wakka Wakka circus leader and Na Djinang Circus founder Harley Mann, multidisciplinary creator Harlow Carey, versatile circus artist Jason Emmanuel Gonçalves Da Costa, aerialist and aerial rope specialist Jonathan Morgan, emerging Arrernte circus performer Maggie Church Kopp, acclaimed dancer and performer Leisa Prowd, movement artist and choreographer Rebecca Thomas, designer and circus performer Tim Rutty, and First Nations cultural practitioner and performer Dylan Singh.

The CaPT Victorian Residency allows local artists to come together and explore new project ideas with the guidance of highly skilled mentors from across Australia including, Daniel Riley, the current Artistic Director of Australian Dance Theatre and Margi Brown Ash, educator, theatre-maker, therapist, researcher, facilitator, and mentor with over 45 years of experience.

The intensive three-day event fosters collaboration, experimentation, and critical artistic inquiry, offering participants the chance to work alongside industry leaders, receive feedback, and develop their projects in a supportive environment. Through this residency, Performing Lines aims to support the circus and physical theatre sector in Victoria, providing resources and opportunities across practice and experience.

Together, this remarkable group of artists will embark on an intensive creative residency, fostering new ideas, collaborations, and the future of circus and physical theatre in Australia. We can’t wait to see what they create!

Aisling Donnellan

Straight from Geelong, Aisling is a talented foot juggler with over a decade of circus training. Specializing in foot juggling, hula hoop, aerial silks, and group acrobatics, Aisling captivates audiences by blending technical skill with creativity, often adding her own distinctive flair. Known for her fun and skilful foot juggling acts, she creates engaging and memorable performances.

Currently preparing to perform her new acts at the Adelaide Fringe Festival, Aisling is excited to share her artistry with diverse audiences. With a love for travel and self-expression, she’s eager to expand her international presence in the circus world.

Anna Lumb

Anna Lumb is a Melbourne based circus artist, theatre maker, writer and actor. She has performed at circus, music and theatre festivals around the world (Finucane and Smith’s Glory Box/The Burlesque Hour, La Soiree, New York’s Absinthe) and has toured extensively with world renowned Sway (formerly Strange Fruit). She is a core-collaborator of the award-winning outfit Retro Futurismus. Her solo work combines text, circus and comedy in a variety of short form and full-length performances, including the critically acclaimed Hard to Reach Places and her popular touring children’s show, Super Amazing Giant Girl. She has appeared on television as an actor (Ronny Chieng: International Student, David Quirk’s Cowboy Mouth) and as a circus artist (WB Kids, Stand and Deliver, Studio at the Memo, The Great Debate).

Caesar Cordovana

The Mighty Caesar has had the pleasure to travel and perform his unique style at an international level. He first started performing in 2006. Doing short films and working in Australian theater and TV. He has worked with Zen Zen Zo in Brisbane; participating in their internship, whilst also performing in their Matilda award winning show “The Tempest”, as well as“Gaia”. Following his dream in 2010, he went and studied at The International School of Le Coq in Europe for two years. Allowing him the opportunity to expand his skills and perform in Paris and Barcelona in various cabarets and festivals. Both in solos shows and directing ensembles. While travelling he also worked numerous times with Dairakudakan in Japan, and receiving the great honor to perform with the amazing company onstage, as well as learning from the Butoh masters.

Charice Rust

Charice Rust is not what you’d expect from an aerialist. From an early age working on her family’s sheep farm, she realised she enjoyed and excelled in using her body’s capacity for strength in movement. When she discovered circus she found her specialty, aerial straps, suited her enthusiasm for training hard and for defying expectations of what bodies are capable of. Charice challenges the status quo of aerial artistry, developing her unique straps style and vocabulary. She is Co-Artistic Director of contemporary circus company One Fell Swoop Circus where she combines her passion for innovative expression and considered ideas into creating powerful physical performances.

Christy Flaws

Christy Flaws is a dynamic artist and community arts facilitator with over 20 years of experience spanning circus, physical theatre, storytelling, visual arts, film, and more. As co-founder of Asking for Trouble, she has created and performed award-winning works that have toured Regionally, Nationally and Internationally. Christy is passionate about connecting people and fostering transformative arts experiences within communities. Career highlights include performing aerial stunts on silos for YSpace’s Dusk, working in Nepal with Circus Kathmandu on the Learning the Ropes project and creating outrageous physical theatre/burlesque as one half of the Green Room award winning duo One Trick Pony. In Clunes she developed a youth circus ensemble that performed In The Deep End in regional pools and co-directed Art Attack, a youth-driven social impact project addressing mental health and social cohesion. Christy continues to explore the intersection of arts and community, creating meaningful projects that connect people and inspire change.

Dylan Singh

Dylan Singh is a second generation circus performer and cultural practitioner working closely with the wider First Nations arts sector to help young artists find their voice giving confidence to the next generation of artists. A strong part of the Australian circ community, Dylan has been making works with some of the most iconic contemporary circus companies and organisations nationally – representing his culture and people through his art. As well as performing, Dylan has established The Dreaming Project, a First Nations arts company to give voice and power to artists working with all forms, guided by traditions to help guide and ground the artists they work with. Dylan’s influence on the circus and First Nations arts space supports the creation beautiful, form-engaged works that give space to discuss the current political, social, and environmental issues society faces.

Emma J Hawkins

A short statured performer and keen advocate for fair representation of disability in the arts.  Emma has performed and produced across Australia and overseas in many events, festivals and productions, from Shakespeare to Burlesque and all things in between. Acting most recently in Emilia (Essential Theatre), Volpone (STC), The Real & Imagined History of the Elephant Man (Malthouse) and Big Bad Wolf (Arena Theatre Company). Emma is also a well-known physical performer; a tap dancer, stilt walker, acrobat in Circus Oz and Momentum (Women’s Circus). Nominated for a Green Room awards for Love Never Dies and White Day Dream (Weave Movement Theatre).  Emma’s background in Finance Management means she can balance a budget as well as she can balance herself on a walking globe!

Harley Mann

Harley Mann, a Wakka Wakka man from Queensland, Australia, is a leading figure in contemporary circus, drawing inspiration from his Aboriginal heritage. In 2017, he founded Na Djinang Circus, now recognized as one of Australia’s most exciting contemporary circus companies and a pioneer in the First Nations Circus sector. A graduate of the National Institute of Circus Arts (NICA), Harley has worked with some of the world’s top contemporary circus companies, including Circa, Circus Oz, Casus, and Les Sept Doigts (The Seven Fingers). In 2018, he won the Melbourne Fringe Award for Best Emerging Circus Artist. In 2022, he became the artistic director of Circa Cairns, leading a diverse team to create bold new works in Far North Queensland. Harley’s accolades include the 2021 Circus Oz Fellowship and a spot in the Australia Council for the Arts’ Future Leaders Program. He has also held leadership roles as a board member of Theatre Network Australia, PAC Australia, and co-convenor of TNA’s CaPT Advisory panel.

Harlow Carey

Harlow is a multidisciplinary artist whose practice spans writing, directing, acting, and circus. She is the co-founder of Gravity Dolls, an award-winning circus-theatre company that explores the intersection of extreme physicality, design and new writing. Harlow is most drawn to projects that challenge form, work with unconventional apparatus or hybrid works that sit in the ‘grey area’ of live performance.

Recent credits including in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Apricity by Casus Creations and Level Up and Future Proof by Gravity Dolls.

She has a Master of Writing for Performance from VCA, was a participant in the Circus Oz Strong Women’s Project and was selected for TNA’s 12-month development program for producers in the circus and physical theatre sector (CIPI).

Jason Emmanuel Gonçalves Da Costa

My friends have said that I’m bursting from the seems with unlimited amounts of enthusiasm. Growing up in the NT I expelled my energy into dance, jump rope & drama, & after moving to Adelaide I fell into the gymnastics & cheerleading scene, which lead me to Circobats Community Circus where I started my circus journey. After 10 quick months I left to Melbourne to take on the 3 year Bachelor of Circus Arts course at the National Institute of Circus Arts. As a performer I’ve come to realise that sharing who I am in my acts has become something rather important to me. Because of this, I try as often as I possibly can to have queer, Latin/Portuguese culture or comedy shenanigans (often all 3) themes in my circus acts. Wanting to to be an advocate for other performers to proudly showcase their culture, their queerness, their silly absurdness, this makes me really happy that I, myself can represent that onstage. As a versatile performer I have the ability to thrive in multiple circus atmospheres, such burlesque, cabaret, contemporary, traditional, club, kids and family.

Jonathan Morgan

Jonathan Morgan is a Melbourne based circus artist who has been captivating audiences since he decided that perhaps partial differential equations were not for him. Leaving the Australian National University’s Bachelor of Philosophy (Science) to pursue circus, Jonathan found a passion for connecting with audiences on stage and developing circus shows with unique and interesting ideas. With experience in calculating projectile motion as well as physically doing it, Jonathan graduated from three years of intense training at the National Institute of Circus Arts in Aerial Rope and Slackwire. Jonathan is passionate about creating and performing circus that pushes the boundaries of ensemble and aerial work, and includes audiences in the joy he finds in circus arts. To pursue the ideas he felt demanded circus’s attention Jonathan co-founded One Fell Swoop Circus with Charice Rust. Together they enjoy the challenge of actively stretching what a circus show can be.

Leisa Prowd

I am a dancer and performance artist based in Melbourne. My interests lie in pedestrian movement, butoh, contact improvisation, and exploring my body’s uniqueness in relation to space & other bodies. I was part of Weave Movement Theatre & Rawcus in Australia and am also a guest dancer with Unusual Symptoms in Bremen, Germany on the highly acclaimed production, Harmonia, as well as being a dancer with Compagnie DK BEL in France with the production, C’est Beau which was broadcast on French National television. I toured throughout Europe with both companies. I was artist in residence at the Holland Dance Festival and choreographed an original piece titled Do Birds Get Jetlag, comprised of dancers with and without disabilities. This was shown at the festival in 2024. I have also taught workshops and classes in Australia and Europe to encourage movers to explore their own unique movement.

Maggie Church Kopp

Maggie Church Kopp is an Arrernte woman with family connections to the UK and Torres Strait. Based in Melbourne, she is an artist, performer, and facilitator working primarily across circus and theatre. In 2024, Maggie was awarded the Melbourne Fringe Best Emerging Indigenous Performer award for her work as a performer and writer with Na Djinang Circus in the critically acclaimed season of IN PLACE. Throughout her career, Maggie has collaborated with a wide range of artists and companies, including Kamarra Bell Wykes (A Daylight Connection), Ilbijerri Theatre Company, and Circus OZ. She is passionate about nurturing new talent and creating spaces for underrepresented voices in contemporary circus and theatre.

Rebecca Thomas

Bec is a 21 year old movement artist/ dancer and choreographer and recently graduated from the Western Australia Academy of Performing Arts with a Bachelor of Arts in Dance in 2024. Bec is currently choreographing, producing and dancing in Grass with a Capital “G” which will be premiering next week at Subiaco Arts Centre as part of FRINGE WORLD Perth. During her time at WAAPA she completed a semester at SUNY Purchase College, New York, where she fell in love with movement techniques such as Gaga and Contact Improvisation. Bec grew up in regional Victoria in the Macedon Ranges. Her connection to place and the environment are strong drivers for her choreography as well as her interests in shotokan karate, fine art and literature. Bec raised over $600 for The Wilderness Society in March 2024 for their Nature Walk Challenge. In 2025 Bec looks to further her training in her travels abroad where she will develop her artistic practises in movement and choreography. Bec believes in building an environment that values people at their core to establish a strong sense of community. She aspires to bring art closer to rural areas and make art more accessible to these communities.

Tim Rutty

Tim is a Set and Costume Designer, Rigger and Circus Performer living with a disability. Tim revels in the artistry of live performance with a particular interest in spatial exploration and the deep, visceral expression of physical storytelling both as a designer and performer.

As a designer Tim draws on 10+ years’ experience as a professional circus performer and theatre maker, having graduated from NICA in 2013 and becoming a licensed rigger in 2018.

Growing up performing in local theatre and circus shows in and around the Dandenong Ranges Tim has developed a deep love for story telling through live performance in all its forms.