~ Memory Elena
Memory Elena is a multidimensional flow artist from San Francisco with a lifelong affinity toward object manipulation and the movement arts. As a child she played with a hoop, baton and diabolo, and went on to
study swing dancing (East Coast and Lindy Hop), juggling, yoga and kenpo karate. She connected to the art of poi in 2000, and lit her first wicks in 2003.
Memory’s skills include poi, fans, hoop, floating wand, contact staff and double staff. She has performed at many Bay Area venues including Ruby Skye and the DNA Lounge, and has taught at festivals up and down the West coast, including Fire Drums, Pacific Fire Gathering, and the Humboldt Juggling Festival. She performed with Los Suenos del Fuego from 2004 to 2007, and with the Vulcan Crew from 2008 to 2011.
For Memory, the flow arts encompass exercise and reflex training, meditation and grounding, exhibitionism and expression, and the opportunity to interact and collaborate with an incredibly diverse
community of talented artists. This will be her third appearance in the Flow Show.
~ Mumu aka Mumito
Puerto Rican choreographer, experimental dancer, circus performer, free spirit, traveler, kid entertainment,
photographer and teacher. Moved to the States in 2004. Certified by The Laban Center in London (Cunningham Technique) San Francisco City College (Classical Dance) received a diploma in Dance from Escuela De Bellas Artes In Carolina, Puerto Rico and and received a BA in Psychology. Currently performs with The Dream Time Circus, City Circus, The Tea Circus Circus and in collaboration with many performers. She is a founding member,choreographer and dancer of The Black Cactus Choir Dance Troupe and The Recessionistas. Mumu has taught and performed around the world.
In April 2011,Mumu went on a One Woman Circus Tour, in Bali where she stayed in many orphanages where she taught, performed. In addition, she brought and gave away 500 boxes of crayons and coloring books (all the drawings were illustrated by her friends).
“I travel around the world with the big suitcase full of magic and smiles”
~ Nicole Wong is the founder of Cherry Hoops, a leading San Francisco-based hoopdance company that specializes in first-class technical instruction and dynamic performances. As a much-loved instructor with a Ph.D. in education, Nicole creates fun, positive experiences where learners of all levels feel supported in their exploration of movement. Since 2008, Nicole has shared her unparalleled ability to explain moves with thousands of students including those at Hoopcamp, Google, Yelp, and UC Berkeley.
Nicole is also a daring-yet-disciplined performance artist whose performance collaborations push the boundaries of hoopdance partnering with creative storytelling, unconventional choreography, inventive props, and humor. ”Thriller,” Nicole’s recent collaboration with Sarah Starlight, has earned the duo wide recognition in the hooping community, including the honor of “Video of the Year” in Hooping.org’s 2012 Hoopie Awards. Learn more about Nicole at cherryhoops.com.
~ Richard Hartnell is among the most distinguished American contact jugglers. His graceful performances showcase the art form’s ethereal fluidity, mystifying audiences on stages and streets between Bourbon Street and Black Rock City, Bristol and Berlin. He currently lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.
A co-founder of the Bellingham Circus Guild in northwest Washington State; in 2009, relocated to Vulcan Studios, a collective of prop performers in East Oakland; had a video go viral in the global circus community (“The Meaning of Flow”); currently enjoying an artist-in-residence position at Flowtoys in Berkeley. Has performed with troupes including the Dream Science Circus, Sweet Can Circus, Hellzapoppin Revue, and the New Old Time Chautauqua.
From the fundamentals to the far reaches, Richard has a grasp of contact juggling technique that brings him repeatedly to juggling conventions worldwide. In the past year, Richard has been invited to teach contact juggling in California, Oregon, Nevada, Colorado, Texas, Florida, Canada, the UK, and Germany.
~ Russ Megowan
With over four years of experience as an object manipulator, Russ Megowan plays an active role in the spinning community as an avid teacher and performer. Having performed on multiple occasions at the SF Fire Arts Expo and taught workshops at fire festivals such as Fire Drums and Japan Fire Festival, Russ is an internationally recognized fire spinner that continues to push the boundaries of the spinning arts.
Specializing in poi and double staffs, his performances combine technical perfection with a big stage presence that excites the crowd wherever he goes. Whereas many fire performers play it safe by relying on traditional crowd pleasers, Russ puts it on the line with gravity defying tosses, beautiful shapes, and a grace of movement that is fitting of a virtuoso of his his craft.
In addition to his solo performances, Russ is an active member of the Vulcan Crew, based out of Vulcan Studios in Oakland, CA. Known for constantly challenging the conceptions of object manipulation performance, Vulcan Crew is lauded as a fire troupe for combining powerful performance narratives with elegant technique that wows both the general public and their peers within the spinning
community.
~ Sarah Stolar, aka Sarah Starlight, is a an interdisciplinary artist, hoop and fire dancer, aerialist, and dedicated yoga practitioner. She has been exhibiting and performing for over 16 years and currently teaches art, dance, and yoga throughout the Bay Area. Daughter of an accomplished artist mother, Sarah grew up in art studios and ultimately received a MFA from the San Francisco Art Institute. Notable exhibition venues, collaborations, and accolades include: Best Video of the Year Hoopie 2012, 53rd Venice Biennale, Currents 2011 Santa Fe, Sea of Dreams, Google, HoopCamp 2011, Temple of Poi Fire Expo, Nicole Wong/Cherry Hoops, HoopGirl AllStars and many others. Sarah’s visual art is represented by the Bohemian Gallery in Kansas City, Los Angeles, and Montevideo.
http://vimeo.com/sarahstolar/thriller
~ Spiral
Kissed by stardust from the rings of Saturn, Vivian became Spiral and was thereby inspired to create a unique, mesmerizing style of hoop dance. Part whirling dervish, circus artist, modern dancer, yogi and acrobat, her life was forever transformed by a love for circles and an affinity for revolutionary motion.
Her engaging performances have wowed audiences from the catwalk in Hong Kong , to nightclubs in Vienna , to a boisterous crowd of 20,000 in Michigan . Her skills include hoop manipulation, contact juggling, fire dance, aerial silks and lyra (aerial hoop). She performs and teaches all over the globe.
This will be Spiral’s second appearance in the Flow Show.
More info at www.spiralcircusarts.com
~ TZ Rogers will be making her first appearance in the Flow Show.
~ The Vulcan Crew will be appearing in the Flow Show for the fourth time.
Video coming soon!
~ The Amazing Zihni
Although he is merely a mild-mannered banker during the day, once the sun goes down Zihni’s powers truly shine. Raised by a pack of fire spinning wolves since birth, The Amazing Zihni was born with a firey spoon in his mouth and a undying attraction to everything fire related. He met his soul mate and partner-in-crime, GlitterGirl, at FireDrums 2010 and they have been burning up both the classroom and the stage together ever since. Although Zihni is IN LOVE with poi (which he spins with a playful yet focused dedication), he is versed in everything from fans to contact staff and is always looking to learn something new. His breakthrough performance was at the 2011 Union Square Fire Expo last year, and, thanks to the Flow Show, 2012 will off start with a bang!
