Wolfgang
Bientzle
Wolfgang Bientzle
performed on the German wheel with Cirque du Soleil’s show Mystere
for three years in Las Vegas, and with the show Quidam in Amsterdam.
He has appeared on The Late Show with Dave Letterman and on Viva Variety.
Wolfgang has coached the German Wheel for the current German wheel
world champions, and was an eight time European champion in the German
wheel in the European Gymnastics Championships. [See also
Wolfgang's Website]
Tess Cartwright
Tess Cartwright
has a BA in Drama in Education from Brock University in Niagara
Falls, Canada. She grew up in Ottawa and Montreal and moved to
the U.S. where she studied at Dell’Arte the International
School of Physical Theatre in Northern California. She is thrilled
to be working with CircEsteem as it is fulfilling her career goals
of being able to work with kids combined with creating great work
with an ensemble of talented performers.
Chris Delgado
Chris Delgado graduated from Case Western University with a BA in Theatre. He also studied for a year at both the British American Drama Academy in London and The at Dell’Arte International School of Physical Theatre. He has performed as Mercutio from Romeo and Juliet, Cliff in Look Back in Anger, and as "C" in Crave. He has training in Classical Theatre, Clown, Melodrama, Comedia Dell’Arte, Physical Theatre, and Film. This is his first time in Chicago and he is excited to have finally, "Run away with the circus."
Quenby Dolguskin
Quenby Dolgushkin is from Northern California and a graduate of The Dell’Arte International School of Physical Theater. She has training in dance, acrobatics, voice technique, classical theater, clown as well as Comedia Dell’Arte and physical theater. She has performed in many roles such as Juliet from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Popova from Chekhov’s The Bear, and Creon from the Greek Tragedy Antigone as well as creating and performing in numerous original ensemble pieces.
Eric Emert
Eric Emert side stepped into the Circus world with
the help of Paul Miller and the CircEsteem crew. He started in 2001
with little more then a background in Fine Arts and some Juggling
skills. Now he can happily add walking on the rolling glob, poi, juggling
cigar boxes, and he is currently mastering the unicycle. Eric has
almost as much fun learning these new skills as he does teaching them
to the greatest kids in Chicago. After traveling with CircEsteem to
the AYCO festival and seeing all of the circus props he came back
inspired to build some props foR CircEsteem. To date he has completed
a low tight wire, with two more in producation along with several
other projects. Eric says, "I couldn't have found a more satisfying
way to combine so many of the things that I truly enjoy."
Nich Galzin
Nich Galzin began his circus career with CircEsteem
in spring of 2005. It was here that he first started to learn and
perform the wonderful arts of Circus! Currently, Nich is a on the
2006 National Champion Men’s four Sport Acrobatics team under
the coaching of Nourbol Meirmanov. He also trains under Wolfgang Bientzle
on the German Wheel where he hope to compete on the international
level next spring. Nich has performed in and around Chicago with CircEsteem
and was also a member of the Tangerine Family Circus. Besides teaching,
performing and competing Nich also likes (amoung other things) riding
his bike, playing music, cooking and climbing trees.
Will Howard
Will Howard is a born and raised Hoosier from Indiana. A graduate from Dell’Arte International School of Physical Theater, where he discovered a great passion to be an actor/creator on the stage. He has also trained with Chinese acrobatics alongside of master teacher Lu Yi at the San Francisco School of Circus Arts. A bit of a traveler, Will has made a home in such places as LA, Thailand, Colorado, San Francisco, and now Chicago where he continues to discover his voice on the stage.
Donald Keme
Donald Keme was born and spent most of his life In Togo. He moved to Chicago in 2001. Donald is one of the first generation of CircEsteem students to graduate from high school. He is a certified gym wheel teacher. He has performed over 300 shows that include skills like the gym wheel, acrobatics, tumbling, rolling globe, unicycling, 5-7 ball juggling, mini-tramp, tight-wire, fire breathing and clowning.
Paul
Lopez
Paul Lopez is
a working clown, acrobat and actor, who is always excited to work
with CircEsteem. He attended Roosevelt University and graduated with
a Bachelor of
Fine Arts in Theatre Performance from the Chicago College of the Performing
Art’s Theatre Conservatory. He continued his education in pursuit
of a Master's Degree in Physical Ensemble Theatre at Dell’Arte International
School of Physical and Ensemble Theatre. There he studied Clown under
Ronlin Foreman. He decided to join the Circus. Paul Lopez has toured
as a Clown and an Acrobat with the Prego Teeterboard Troup, working
in the 2005 Tour of the Zoppe Family Circus. Paul was hired as the
principle Clown for the Yankee Doodle Circus in the spring of 2006,
and then returned to the Zoppe’s 2006 Summer Tour as a member
of the Clown Trio. Paul is extremely happy to be part of the CircEsteem
teaching staff where he has been generously given numerous training
and job opportunities throughout the years of his involvement with
the CircEsteem organization.
Maribeth
Joy McManus
Project Manager
Maribeth Joy McManus,
has worked with CircEsteem since 2004 and brings management and planning
skills as well as photography, costuming, juggling, and teaching to
CircEsteem. She has worked with the Flying Karamazov’s, Blue Man Group,
and the Hawaiian Island Community Circus Unity Project which involved
over 60 children unicycling, stilt walking, juggling, acrobatics,
dance, tissue, and trapeze. Maribeth is responsible for payroll and
finances, contracts, supervising the tutoring project, teacher scheduling,
and interfacing with parents.
Nourbol
Meirmanov
Nourbol Meirmanov
is a skilled athlete and a professional acrobat who has been a leading
circus perfomer and coach for over 20 years. He is a graduate of the
world famous Moscow Circus School with a Master of Sport in several
disciplines. A leader of his own acrobatic act, he developed an act
with his son Almas, and performed with many circuses including the
Ringling Brothers Barnum and Baily Circus. He is the founder, president,
and head coach of Meirmanov SportsAcro and a USA Gymnastics Professional
member.
Claire Wedemeyer
Claire Wedemeyer is a native of St. Louis, Missouri and a graduate of Sarah Lawrence College with a BA in Theatre Arts. Highlights of her training in performance include a year at the British American Drama Academy in London, and summer programs with the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and Northwestern University. Following graduation in 1999 she entertained audiences in New York City for four years with clowning, acting, and story-telling; this is also where Claire began teaching these skills as well as yoga. Her favorite experiences in the big apple were performing in leading comedic roles at Lincoln Center, the Sanford Meisner Theatre and the Upright Citizen’s Brigade Theater, and playing Sigmund Freud’s mother on PBS. In august of 2003 Claire attended clown school under the instruction of Dick Monday, Tiffany Riley and the New York Goofs, which proved the catalyst to life in the circus. Claire shortly afterwards signed on to be a clown with Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey for the remainder of 2003 and then 2004. Next she joined the fabulous Kelly Miller Circus for 2005 and 2006 seasons. Among other hobbies Claire loves to play the ukulele, walk on her hands, make stuff out of newspaper, juggle, read, and write. Her favorite thing about the circus is that the audience includes Children of All Ages.
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